My fantasy for today... and a rant

What I wouldn't do for a spa day. I could kill for a mani-pedi and full body wax. Why must pregnancy require so much hair to grow every where but where I want? I would have thought I'd be able to grow my head hair all long and sumptuous but, alas, no. I finally got sick of it and chopped it off into a faux-hawk. Feels much better.

Instead, my eyebrows and leg hair make me look positively neanderthal and let's not even talk about the other part. I totally get why doctor's want to shave it - you can't see a thing down there! I'd go for a trim and a bikini wax at least to save my thighs the embarrassment they are currently suffering.

Of course, some more massage would be good. I had to fire my regular massage therapist for a few reasons. First, I felt she really didn't have the technical expertise to call herself a "pregnancy Massage therapist". Second, she routinely brought up difficult topics or gossiped during our sessions. Please keep your anti-muslim comments to yourself and no, I don't care about the "cute guy at church saga" Frankly, I'm not interested in your sagas - this is my time. Third, she clearly didn't respect my choice for a natural birth process and would make repeated comments about where I will get me epidural and that I'll change my mind. Thanks for your confidence and support.

While I understand epidurals are the right thing for some women and are appropriate for certain births, I'd like to have the option of going without. Millions of women before me have done so, why is it so hard to imagine?

Welcome to Rane's Soapbox.

Unless it is medically necessary, meaning someone is in danger, I plan on having a baby the way I was made to do so. The creator or evolution or whatever it is that made us this way, didn't imagine epidurals or narcotics into it. Besides, I enjoy physical and emotional challenges. If I can snowboard a double black diamond and live to laugh about it, I think I'll be fine. I think I have good coping mechanisms in place and have learned some more in my birth class. I also have an amazing husband with whom I've grown so much closer to during this process. His instincts and gentleness will get us through this as much as my will and determination. I've been working on not being attached to much to the outcome. As a friend recently told me, "it's just a day. The real work is being a mother every day." She also said, "there's no harm in trying." when considering a VBAC, which came through successfully.

Thank you. That concludes the soapbox portion of our broadcast day.

Baby updates: I feel huge. I feel as if he grows with every day. He moves a lot. Most of the day, in fact. I now can see his limbs as they make wide, sweeping movements from one side to the other. I am constantly in a state of amazement and feel tired from all the growth.

Feel free to send cheesy fictional novels in the genre of chick lit, romance, historical fiction, or humor. I'm devouring books like crazy. At least 2-3 books a week!

The dog is laying close and farting audibly to communicate her displeasure at not having been taken to the dog park yet. Olfactory senses overwhelmed, I must open a window and make my escape. Off to Marymoor!

Honey, can you spray my butt?

This Post Partum Recovery Kit seems like the right way to spell relief. The question is, do you want to know if it works?

Is my baby a burrito?

How will I get this little bundle of joy around? I can't imagine even wanting to let him go for a few months! (Yes, you can point and laugh later.)


The Moby Wrap

I wrap this long piece of stretchy fabric around me and put the little bug in all snug and close. I can wrap it a few million ways, including the "Discreet Nursing" style and baby's weight (up to 35 lbs) is evenly distributed evenly along both shoulders and my back. Now it's time to choose the color - Am I Sienna, Chocolate or Red?

Swaddling Blankets

Why are these things so expensive? And why do they think I need a special "patented design" to fold a blanket? I tried the Swaddle Me on a friend's baby - not a fan. Plus you have to buy the next size up when your baby grows. That's just annoying! Much easier to just use a normal receiving blanket, like this or these.

And for those not yet in the know, the Carter's sizes are better for swaddling than Gerber.

Nursing Cover

In case the Moby isn't on at the time and I don't have the extra receiving blanket, this nifty Nursing Cover is attractive and cool. Also sold under the name of "Hooter Hider," "Modest Mommy" or "Bebe Au Lait" with equally nice fabrics and almost the same design, the Joia Mommy cover is fully reversible! It's so hard to choose, but I think I love the Hot Dot Brown with Teal Dot/Brown and Teal Sassy Stripe best!

Baby Registry?

I'm having a hard time with this. What do I want and what do I really need? Plus I'm finicky when it comes to these things. I don't want things that scream "I'm a breeder! Love my cute baby!" I keep wondering, why can't I find baby things in fun, bright colors? It seems everything has to have cars and trains or bows and dolls and is relegated to the customary pale pink/blue/yellow/green. Boring! How about ROY G BIV? Remember the rainbow?

So, I'm attempting to compile a list here of things I'd really enjoy and can use because everything I like is on a different website. I'm totally set up on clothes until around 24 months, so if you are so kind to want to gift us, here are a few things you can do!

Diapers: We have decided to use a diaper service! Cloth diapers are healthier for baby and don't contribute to landfill to sit unchanged for 500 years. This service is a little less than buying disposable diapers and I don't have to launder them. Isn't that lovely?


Seattle Diaper

* (206) 634-BABY
* (800) 562-BABY

The nice ladies in the office will be happy to help you contribute to our account (ie, the Lederers). A month is about $67 - even helping us pay for a week will help tremendously!

And to cover up those cloth diapers:

http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=781

Cotton Babies offers a mix pack in any size so I can try a variety and see what I like. Handy, eh?

Diaper Bag: The Ju-Ju-Be Small is just perfect. I have a large one for when I need it but this is just the right size to grab and go. It's hard to decide between the gorgeous prints they offer and it isn't covered in a heavy plastic - it's just nice fabric that's Teflon coated so I can wipe off spills and look good doing it. Citrus Sorbet is where this hot mama's at!

http://www.littledudesanddivas.com/bsmlctrssrbt.html

For extra fun and ease, stroller clips:

http://www.littledudesanddivas.com/jjbstrlclp.html

And Super Grab and Go: This little wristlet holds a few diapers and wipes for super quick trips. And it matches the diaper bag! Freakin' sweet!

http://www.littledudesanddivas.com/jjbbqctrssrbt.html

Check back for more stuff later and look for postings tagged with "baby registry."

Thank you so much!

RnR

30 weeks now...

Here's the belly as of 10/5/07. I love our little digicams (courtesy Bobbo and Donna - thanks!) because they have this cool feature where you flip the lens around to take self portraits - very fun! I just wish I had slightly longer arms.

Everybody asks "how are you feeling?" And for the most part, I'm feeling great. I also feel huge, exhausted, and generally prefer to be horizontal watching old episodes of Macgyver, A-Team or Monk. But I walk the dogs everyday, or almost everyday if it isn't a total downpour and that helps.

I really miss being able to be active - going on long hikes in the rain is a wonderful thing to do here. I love the smell of the woods when it rains and everything perks up so nicely. Plus under the tree canopy, it isn't raining as hard - you can just enjoy it. But I find my heart races at the slightest exertion and I get paranoid that I'll rupture my aorta and bleed out before I can even call 911. I read it somewhere and it terrifies me.

But after a little www research, I feel better. Aortic ruptures are not very common during pregnancy and mostly have to do with women who have one of a few syndromes for which I am not at risk. Ah, much better now. But honeyman says he still doesn't want me hiking around carrying med kits at events with terrain that is anything other than flat and larger than a few blocks. (I volunteer doing first aid with the Red Cross at local events - mostly street fairs or running events.)

It's funny the things that scare me - aortic ruptures, losing my man - especially losing my man. How would I raise my son without him? Where would I live? How could I adjust the dreams of the life I'm building with my husband to surviving and raising a son? I would - I know I would, but I don't want to. I really don't.

So, raise your glass to the naming of the Fear. Here's to the belief that calling it out shrinks it to bits - diaspora on the wind, diluted and scattered far and away. Good - let's call it a day.

She said "ooky" I say, "American Beauty"

Cedar took the photo for me. Not her usual subject matter. Check out her extensive travel shots and info on her recent trek to Lhasa. She's writing an armchair travel memoir about her trip and so far, from the sneak peaks I've had, it will be a fascinating and surprisingly in depth experience of living and traveling abroad.


www.cedarboughphotography.com

This turkey dies today...

This turkey and 8 chickens have grown well enough to slaughter. We'll see if I get the chance to help.

I will post the photo later when I have better connectivity.

We are on Lopez now (got here yesterday). It is raining but very beautiful and I think I have the junk D_ brought back from LV. Stop sharing your junk!

The room we are staying in is an insulated built out section of a barn with very steep stairs up to a landing with no banister to keep us from becoming a pile of broken bones 20+ feet below. The closest toilet is the outhouse, down the stairs and 200 feet away, and the running water is close to the outhouse.

So being sick, I'm trying to keep drinking fluids to get this stuff out of me which means, of course, I have to pee like every 20 minutes. Which means negotiating a dark, unfamiliar and small room cramped with too much stuff, grabbing a blanket to wrap around me because it's freaking cold outside, finding my shoes, not falling off the landing, crawling down the stairs and out of the barn into the rain.

I gave up by 5am and made coffee.

But it is very beautiful here. Rustic and sweet.

Bigger every day!

Ray took a few photos yesterday that came out really nice! This just gives somewhat of an idea of where my belly is - and I'm only 5 months! Oh my....
I receive an email once a week that says "You're (this many) weeks!" and has info about the baby and other things I might be noticing in my body. Here's what I got this week:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night.

Ok, #1: On 7/25, he weighed 1 lb 10 oz. That's twice the size they are talking about. I'm seriously considering restricting my diet! Keep up the calcium and protein and pre-natals, but - I don't know. Eat less somehow? Pushing a 10 lb baby through my stuff sounds, well, it makes me a little nauseated and scared.

#2: He's active all the time. He goes really crazy when I'm watching fight scenes in movies - like Pirates of the Carribean or the Bourne Ultimatum. If you've seen the latter, you know the scene I mean - the long mano y mano with the asset sent to kill him? Wow! What an awesome scene!!
Wee Jack was punchin' and kickin' and rollin' around. I started laughing a little and the people next to me seemed uncomfortable.

That's it on numbers. Almost every week, I'm amazed to learn the ways in which he is developing and this is just on the inside. It's going to be so much more fun when he's outside!!

I'm back!!

Well, in my last post I said "maybe I'll get pregnant this month."

Apparently, I already was! Of course I didn't find out until after a very fun, very drunken birthday party for One Fabulous Tai. I don't remember where we went, but I do remember curling up on the floor and knitting in the dark while sipping one of the tastiest tasty drinks I've ever had. Yum yum! Blue walls and morrocan lanterns - I wanna live here! But I'd put in more comfy chairs.

2 days later, I'm hung over still and that's just not right. Yoga didn't take it away, walking in the dog park didn't take it away - Tylenol didn't take it away and forget drinking. Yes, "hair of the dog," my last ditch effort couldn't work. I couldn't drink. Called my nurse midwife - she says "come in today" and off we were.

I'm now 19 weeks, and still pretty tired. I tried working for a bit, but it just didn't work out. I'm admittedly pretty self-indulgent with a wonderful, loving husband who indulges me quite a bit, too. And although he was telling me to quit for several weeks, I really wanted to try and stick it out. You know, contribute to our financial goals and stuff.

Well, another day to get my dollar, I guess. I just felt really tired and depressed. I couldn't get anything done around the house and my animals ( the wonderfully spoiled attention-hogs) were suffering. Suffering, I tell you!

They love me again now that I can walk the dog everyday and take cat naps with them and watch movies together on the couch. All is right in their world. It will be change enough to have a baby here. And I'm having fun lavish love towards them right now. Especially my dogus.

She is mighty cute. Mighty!!




Tasha with her 2 favorite things. Note the intensity, the confusion - what first, what do I do? Chase or chew - chew or chase?

With children, you're not allowed to admit favorites with my pets, there's no contest. Tasha came into my life just as I needed her. She fulfilled something in me - she is my first child, really. She has been such a good friend to me through so much. I owe it to her to give her all I can and teach her to love the baby as much as she loves me.

Sing along with me now: Precious and few are the moments we two can share.

I'm not Laura Bush

Ok, I didn't post right after getting my hair cut because, well, it was bad. Very bad.

I mean, it was a *nice* haircut, but I'm not a *nice* girl. I don't know what horrified me more, that I looked like Laura Bush or just any random Republican soccer mom that could turn on you in the grocery store parking lot.

So, I bought black dye on the way home and gave myself hacked up Betty bangs when I got home. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I did find someone to save the wreck, though. A very talented, super cute, clever hairdresser names Ashley at Regis Salon in Redmond. Great service, great haircut, great tattoos. We were very similarly minded and I appreciate that because I don't often find people I can relate too here in Microsoftville.


Ashley saved the day and my marriage.

Of course, sometimes I can't figure out why I get so locked on something like this. Where do I go? The dogpark and out to dinner with an occasional friend. Who cares what I look like? No one but me. Are we tight on funds? Hell yes! So why am I spending my husband's hard earned money on haircuts that nobody cares about?

For me, it sets me apart from the dumpy people here. With the constant wet, cold weather, it's easy to let yourself go. Just not care how you look and get, well - dumpy. There are a lot of dumpy people here and I don't want to look like them, talk like them or otherwise.

So having a nice hairstyle that reflects my personality is more affordable than clothes and sets me apart enough that I feel I am retaining some small part of my soul in the land of the soulless.

And I like looking good for the honey.

pictures to come once my over-hormonal acne clears up some. Maybe I'll get pregnant this month!!

New hair do

Due to high demand, I am publishing an image of my tiny ponytails. Look at that scalp, whiter than white, whiter than Coleen! I am getting it cut Monday - just a trim, thank you! My darling husband, who has known me since I was 14, has never seen my hair long. It's time.


I'll post a picture Monday after the new do. Hopefully, she won't make me look a soccer mom like the last one...

Wish me luck!

I want to know what idiot decided...

This is the beginning of what will likely be a series of "I want to know what idiot decided..." wherein I examine daily life and think about how someone could have decided to do one thing or another.

Today's example: Ralph Lauren Suede Textured Paint

Yes, it looks soft and supple, just like flat paint but with texture. Yes, texture - which is perfect for holding onto dust, cobwebs and random debris that collects in large swaying fronds from my bedroom walls and ceiling - yes, ceiling. Some idiot decided to paint the entire house in suede textured paint, including the smooth ceilings.

So, who decided this? Someone who gets someone else to vacuum their walls.

Please, as if I don't have other things to do than worry my husband over my near obsessive behaviour to vacuum our walls, because I can't sleep another night knowing I'll wake up with tendrils of dusty cobwebs in my hair and face. Those don't wash out so easy.

And it's jsut gross.

Kaylin kisses!

My beautiful god-daughter sends her kisses to all the little people. Next she'll be holding out her hand to be kissed. Enchante!

I feel a change

Sunday was a downpour. Almost all day long, the rain just fell in buckets. But Hubbie just got a new fork for his bike, so guess what we did. . .

Yes, I chose to go for a ride in the pouring rain.

This is vastly different from my attitude anywhere I've lived before. I would only go out if the weather was just right, like the painter that can only paint in a "perfect environment."

What a way to avoid discovery! There is no perfect environment any more perfect than it is right now! Plus, if you wait for a good weather day, you'll wait until summer and there will be too much to do on those perfect days. This way, keep enjoying regardless!

2 days of Sun and I'm positively manic

The sun came out for most of monday and tuesday this week - wow! Just phenomenal! The trees are in bloom, the grass is green, the ferns are lush - not that anemic brown they've been most of the winter. My new friend, E-, got me excited about making stuff again, which is very high on several of my lists: "Things I like Doing Instead of Watching TV," "Things I like Doing While Watching TV," and "Stuff that Makes Me Happy."

So off we went to the Bellevue Botanical Garden for a class in making flowers out of christmas tree lights. The process was easy once you picked it up, but there is a very specific way to do it and they have it down to a science. I'm a big picture-then-detail person, and was having a hard time grasping why precisely you had to do this or that thing. Everytime the slightly micro-managing "guide" would come correct my method, E- would giggle, which would make me laugh, blowing the scowl away and eventually the micro-manager to boot! Then, I got it and everything was fine. Our flowers were the most natural, beautiful flowers there!

The garden is so beautiful. If you are ever in the Seattle area, and like pretty things and beautiful places, this is a Must-Do! The garden is very well laid out and has a wonderful assortment of native and exotic plants.

On this day, the sun was out, and everything was shimmering like some great big tranny diva just showed up and dumped her entire glitter make up kit on everything, but in a classy way. The air even smelled sweet. I was running late and didn't want to make a bad impression on my new friend, so I just walked kinda fast and took really deep breaths instead of running. Poor E- made a wrong turn on the highway and by the time she could correct it, was way up by my house. I wish I'd known... She could've picked me up and we could have strolled in late together!

But I haven't even told you the best part of the day! Better than the massage I got after making flowers in a beautiful garden, better than calming the most nervous dog in the universe, better than hearing from a friend I hadn't talked to in months - The Very Best Part of My Day was when E- said we should start a creativity salon! So, stay tuned for the next post where in I will put forth at least 10 ideas for meeting themes. I've got 5 so far, so the last 5 may get a bit dodgy, but it's all for the fun, right?

Right!!

it's been a long winter...

And they say it's a short one this year, but dang it feels long. Everyone I meet says it's hard to meet people here. People are friendly and I believe their polite interactions are genuine. They just aren't very embracing. I even meet people who say, "I know exactly what you mean!" We exchange numbers and nothing comes of it.

If I didn't work, I could...

I used to say, Oh I wish I didn't have to work. I would always find something to do!

- Read more
- study the things I want to learn
- do art
- have fun creating a lovely and comfortable home

But I'm not working and money is tight and hubby is trying to not pressure me because of the times I supported him on my tiny Starbucks income when he was inbetween jobs...

So now I...

- avoid drinking
- think about how I don't have any money or connects for drugs
- feel guilty about wanting to do drugs
- talk about my petty issues like they're so important
- feel small and useless and very uncreative

I'm not doing drugs, and it's strange to me to feel a return to the want. If it's possible, I feel the want actually separated from really wanting. I just think I'd like to be high to pass the time, but remembering how utterly destroyed I feel afterwards makes it quite unappealing. There are certain things I would do, but they are too hard to get and nothing seems worth the risk anymore.

Is it risky to write and publish this? Not as risky as idiots who post themselves smoking crack on youtube. Yes, smoking crack. They even put "crack" as a tag so you can search and find them.

wow. the magic of the interweb!

Flat Grey

I wonder what the percentage of blog posts begin with "been a long time since I last posted..."

Could my probability scale be skewed towards "alot" [sic] because I don't frequently post?

Probably.

Since September I have experienced a few weeks of total bliss and now am counterbalancing with holiday cheerlessness. I just can't seem to get me head out of the rainclouds. It so dreary waking up to the same grey skies. At least in SF, the clouds were interesting. Grey days could still be lovely if you looked up to see many shades of grey swirling and contrasting against each other. But here it's just flat grey.

First and Final Cut

Day #2.

We were told to arrive between 5 and 6 am even though we wouldn't be allowed to our ticketed seats until 8:00am. This time the line was even farther down the block. Rumors were going around that 10,000 people were there by 6:30 am. Some people we talked said the instruction sheets they were given said to show up between 4 and 5 am.

Hmm, interesting. Sounds like a standard mob psychology tastic to me. Get people there early, testing to see who wants it and how much. Make them stand around and get hyped up by seeing how many others there are to compete against, stir gently with a pinch of self-permeating rumors and voila! You have full on hype and backstabbing competition. I asked around and I'm sad to report my theory was substantiated by several members of Crowd Management Services, the outside vendor hired to wrangle us "idolizers." Plus we were a captive audience for cheap plastic handouts emblazoned with tv series titles and Krispy Kreme donuts.

One thing I gotta say for Mob Psychology, it can be very entertaining. I took a little walk up to the front of the line where William Hung was being interviewed for the news. Here's the one picture I got from the day because I forgot my camera and after this shot, my phone got fried from the downpour. Savor this once I can upload from my now-non-fried camera.


Oh, did I mention it rained? yes, it bloody rained. Rained cats, dogs, and some very soggy sheep, I might add. We were among the few hundred lucky souls to be caught under a large canopy for most of the time, but the poor saps at the front of the line were drenched to their bones. This was really great once they decided to open the doors early to a very heavily air conditioned arena. What is it about Seattle and their distinct lack of decent hot air hand dryers? Lots of public sinks, lots of piss poor hand dryers. Some of these singers could have dried their hair and some portion of their clothes to avoid getting sick and losing their voices, but no. A very wet city doesn't think we deserve to by dry. Just be wet and deal with it.

Moving on from my rant, we were all schooled into a rousing rendition of one of the worst rock songs of all time, none other than Jefferson Starship's anti-climactic comeback song, "We Built This City." This was then followed with lots of loud cheering along with crane shots of the crowd spinning their wet umbrellas while singing "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," a song older than most of the contestants. But good aunties and moms sang along instead of their competing companions in an effort to save one more voice to be the future American Idol.

Then more cheers, crane shots and brilliant chants, like "It's okay, Simon, we like the rain."

Yeah, wow. I didn't see your $2K Armani out there getting drenched. But dutiful aunties, etc. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Poor Tonya was getting really tired by now. She still couldn't decide what to sing. They set up 11 tables down the center of the floor with little curtains between each table. Whole seating sections were brought down to the floor and lined up in 2 lines. Then the first 2 from each line became a group of 4 that was shuttled over to stand in line in front of a table where 2 - 3 judges were sitting. The judge would hear each person individually then bring everyone as a group and most people got sent out the "non-winners" exit where their special wristband was cut. The few who were going on the next round were given a yellow card that they then proceeded to wave about like a quarterback in the end zone while onlookers cheered.

It was really sweet to see how they'd react. One guy did several back handsprings and a backflip. I hope he was caught on tape. Another woman was forced to sing 3 or 4 songs while more and more judges came over to listen. She got a card.

Plus there were so many other characters - Black Uncle Sam, WonderWoman of Target, the girl with the long long braids.


Oh, yes, the part you are all waiting for. I was so totally fine - relaxed, calm, joking around with tired contestant niece and being dutiful and really loving it! Then our seating section was called. She stood up to go, big hug and kiss and off to her destiny whatever that may be. I couldn't tear my eyes off of her and even through my tears I watched her line up on the main floor, get sectioned with her group of 4 and stand, waiting to be judged. Everywhere that girl went she made friends. Everywhere! In line outside, while we were walking around listening to everyone practice, even right there on the main floor.

It came to be her turn and the judge nodded and smiled while she sang out her sweet little country song. He seemed attentive and kind while he called them all up together, thanked them and they all walked away.

That was it.

Outside, at the "non-winners" exit, girls were crying, seething, yelling "Prince is my cousin! my whole family got vocals!" or thinking they are no good because they didn't get picked for American Idol.

Well, I'll tell you, after going through all that, this sweet young girl said, "well, so I wasn't what they were looking for. Oh well."

She's 18 years old and she knows who she is. So, she may not be America's Idol, but she sure is mine.

She's got Try.

My niece is in town to audition for American Idol. So, of course, I'm thrilled. Tonya is a really cool kid with a great attitude about life. She's just here to have fun and enjoy the experience. I still keep thinking about her *winning!* but I'm trying to just be cool and let her set the stage. I don't want to freak her out or make her feel uncomfortable or unneccessarily excited. But I still offered to camp out with her if that's what she wanted to do.

Lucky for me, she didn't. And the 4am wakeup wasn't so bad either.

The Set-up

First things first, Big Long Line #1: Registration. No lining up will occur before 6am. yeah right. We arrived at the Key Arena in Seattle Center at around 5:30am and were very lucky to find a FREE parking spot within a block. We had brought enough food to feed the Italian Army, if need be, but it didn't fit in her backpack so we'd have to hoof it if we were hungry. When we got there, about 2000 people were already there despite the websites repeated admonitions to any camping or lining up prior to 6 am. Turns out we waited almost exactly as long or less than they did, because the 1am arrivers weren't processed and able to leave until 8:15 am. We got there at 5:30 am and were done at 10 am or so.

Apparently, the order in which you arrive has nothing to do with the order in which you audition. We received tickets to be inside the Key Arena and our assigned seating area will be called randomly for audition. Tonya got a blue band, while I, her only supporter in physical presence, got an orange band. Apparently, we are not to take them off until after she auditions. They even said to "cover it in plastic when you shower." Hmm. Okay. I can't help but wonder how many girls took this line very seriously and just don't shower. Ew.

Tonya's so chill and fun, she makes friends with everyone around her. Here she is with Brittany, 17, from Portland. This is about 5 minutes after they met and they are already rockin' out to Tonya's iPod!



Although we didn't get get photos, I'd love to say hi to our early bird line buddies: Sri and her husband from Berkeley, and Sarah and her friend from Chelain. Hi! Y'all were really nice to hang out with - especially at 5:30 am.

Next step: Audition, we hope. Well, actually, line up. We are to report to Key Arena on Tuesday between 5 and 6 am. We will be let in to the Arena at around 8am, I think. And that is where things get vague. We don't know if everyone will be heard or not. Some say yes, others say no. There are a lot of things that fly around in line and so many different kinds of people are here to try out. It's all very interesing so far.

Rule of Thumb: Comfortable footwear!

I'll let you know how things go!