Yo Yo Ma

One

2010-04-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

....singular sensation.

Just in case you haven't heard i'm doing the show A Chorus Line, It's been an amazing experience getting to do this show, even if it is at a crappy theatre (and i'm practically doing it for free) . I'm getting to do the most amazing show with some of the most talented people in Chicago. It really wouldn't have happened if we all hadn't taken the initiative and given all that we possibly could, which i'm very proud of because that's how the show was created in the first place.

I'm also completely obsessed with it, i'm reading the biography of the show and how it came to be right now, its called On The Line and was written by three of the people who lived it. It's kind of the center of my entire existance right now. The show is an Audition, and it's helped me a lot because that's my second job, Auditioning. I'm doing it more and more and i think i'm getting better at it. I've already got three shows that will take me into the end of the year and two of them actually pay enough for me to pay rent. I feel really lucky to be getting cast but also really proud because i know i'm getting these gigs because i'm talented and a hard worker.

So all in all life is going really well.....except i must be bipolar because the past few weeks especially i absolutely loathe my job... the tea one....well it's not so much the job as it is the customer service aspect....I feel like people can talk to me like a lesser being because i'm behind a counter and in a hat and because its a corporation i have to just sit there and take it. if there's one thing i miss about living in Texas...(besides the warm weather more than two months a year) is southern hospitality. it's a vicious circle of rude costumers (who clearly hate thier own lives) making me hate my life and want to be rude back....and the number of people it takes for me to get to that point is getting smaller and smaller. i think i just need a break...luckily i have the show, and i'm looking forward so much to my family coming this weekend.

Lana and Nathan and Mom and Dad are coming to Chicago Ladies and Gents....get ready for it.

and because i only read blogs with pictures on them, here are some of me :)

this is my Thanksgiving Tofurkey....it was delicious!!!!

this is a picture from the last show i was in The Pirates of Penzance.....i was a pirate, if you couldn't tell...this is potatoe my roommates dog

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-01-12T11:43:00.001-08:00

41. He’s a master skydiver

42. He’s a master scuba diver

43. He’s a plate cleaner

44. He’s always up for a race

45. I think it’s funny when he points at things (like trees) intending for whoever’s around to look at whatever he sees, but he doesn’t say anything so nobody knows what he’s doing

46. I think it’s cool that he’s a pilot

47. He comes to most all of my shows (the ones I tell him to come to)

48. He always tell me I am the best one in my shows(I don’t even have to tell him to say that)

49. When we go indoor skydiving and he’s on a first name basis with everyone that works there

50. He’s always up for anything crazy and fun like surfing and jumping out of planes

51. He used to take me up in the little yellow two seater plane….(j-3 cub)

52. He always asks me if I want to go golfing with him even though he knows the answer is no, I still like being asked though

53. He brings a baseball mitt to baseball games

54. He got to play baseball with Nolan Ryan

55. He’s taken me on some sweet vacations that I’ll never forget

56. I get my spirit of adventure from him

57. I enjoy remembering his adventures in real estate and car flipping(even though he probably doesn’t)

58. He’s completely random (really dad, racecar driving lessons?)

59. He helped birth me

60. He’s the greatest dad and grandpa in the world!

in the style of my sister Lana

2010-01-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

I hereby write this letter to 2009
Dear 09'
You were okay but you weren't exactly what I expected. I have learned a lot from you, like how even when terrible or just stupid things happen in your day/week/life-something surprising and equally great is left behind. You've also brought me some fun things like, sweet jobs at new and nice theatres and way overused catch phrases such as "you guys" and "that's what she said" (I do love a good catch phrase.) But the thing that I definitely need to take away from you and never forget is that nothing...absolutely nothing is going to turn out the way I think it should, or the way I think is right... so I must continue to roll with the punches and work hard at what I want. 2009, you've been great but 2010 is gonna be soooo much better. I bid you adieu in the same fashion one bids the flu (or like when you finally exit the train after being stuck on an express run with obnoxious cell phone talkers and stinky homeless people.)

Jack Frost Nippin at MY nose

2009-12-11T10:08:00.000-08:00

current read: the HP's I'm on the prisoner of Azkaban
current music: I don't really listen to music all that much lately cause of the tragic loss of my ipod but if i did i would be listening to Lady GaGa..... ALL THE TIME!

Hello poeple,
I want to let you all know first and foremost that it's freezing cold here in the windy city but i'm pretty warm most of the time because I live in a cave. (in this instance I use the term cave meaning my room has no windows but is not actually like a cave because caves are cold and my room has a giant red heating pipe running through it)
Let's see.... since last I blogged nothing really of note has happened except that I acquired a real bed....with a box spring and everything... I'm sleeping a lot better these days. I also started another show The Pirates of Penzance- The show is a lot of fun and I'm particularly loving being with this cast.
We finally got TV in our humble little place which is kinda sad to me because before if i was bored I would clean or do yoga or read and now I just kill braincells surfing through channels looking for something decent to come on. although I do like how we get the aljazeera network. I don't watch it I just like knowing it's there.
I recently had a situation at my job with this girl who came in, she must have been having a bad day and me and my coworker shmirma (name changed to protect the innocent) were also being rather grumpity. wemust have all just started off on the wrong footing and since we (my coworker and I) were not feeling this girl (she was being a little too snippy-it's just tea people) we didn't bother to turn things around and give her what we call signature service.That was a mistake on our part but we didn't really think anything of it. Well homegirl went home and emailed the owner of the company telling him how rude we were and how mistreated and hurt she felt.... Okay I agree we didn't go above and beyond as we usually do to make this girl happy but she was no peach herself and give someone time and a knack for non-fiction writing and things start to happen, like people start talking about firing people. luckily it was us (me and schmirma) were talking about here so our manager knew we would never treat anyone as horrible as she made us out in her email. anyway, the whole thing blew over and all is well but it serves as a reminder to me- no matter how bad of a day i'm having, and whether i'm in front of or behind the counter anywhere, I should always be nice.
Because when you are nice to people they are likely to be nice to someone else and doesn't that just make everything better?
the answer is yes.
In other news I heart my roommate alot. Here are just a sampling of the fun things we do when at home and without chores.
Juggling: she's teaching me a lot of cool partner tricks
making grilled cheese: my cheese is dairy free but it's still fun
sing: we made a delightfull little song about our mouse Consuela
STOP!!!! WE INTERRUPT THIS LIST BECAUSE..... we have a mouse (ew right?) I named her Consuela and she lives part-time behind the oven and part time behind the fridge. There's no particular reason why I named her the way I did other than I like saying it.... Connnssssuuuueeeeeellllllaaaa. rolls right off the tong.
now i've lost my motivation to blog so- to all my faithfull readers out there (both of you) Happy Holidays!

Just Kidding

2009-09-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, I lied. I will not be attending white trash rendezvous after all... :(
I couldn't swing the time off at work because i'm going to a wedding in October and I need the time off for that.
In other news I have been pretty much cut off from the world the past couple of months...as in I don't have television or the internets (i'm no my break and using the computer at work) and i lost my ipod. So what have I been doing with all this extra free time you ask? well I've begun work on my t-shirt quilt, It's been fun fiddling with my sewing machine. I still have my bike and i've been riding it a lot, trying to get all the use out of it I can before the winter comes. Mostly I just read all the time. In the past month I have read the following books and I am recomending them to whoever reads this mainly because i'm bored.
Me talk pretty one day, Naked, and When your engulfed in flames by David Sedaris.
Persepolis one and two by Marjane Setrapi
and now im reading possible side effects by Augesten Burroughs.
Apperantly I'm really into short stories right now. The're easy to get through quick and good train riding material.
I've also been taking some dance classes at this studio by where I work and that has been really great. okay my break has been up for a while now...back to work.

yello people

2009-09-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

lots of stuff happenin since last i blogged- pretty much all of it uninteresting except a few things. I'm going after the things i want now- not waiting around for them to come to me anymore, and i'm learning how to be a bit more responsible with my money,
and..............
i'm coming to WHITE TRASH FEST! get ready people.....

birthday update

2009-05-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

i forgot to mention in the video Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes and ....

new things happening

2009-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

2009

2009-01-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Hello all you people out there
I just thought it a good time to update on my little life here in Chicago- everything is goin fine- it is a frozen tundra up here- ugh hold on.........
..............that was my retrieving my roommates cat from the bathtub where it likes to go in there and meow and flop around and be supremely annoying
- as we can all still see i am back to where i was a year ago with my cat/roommate troubles
I got a second job at a really cool tea store that i like- its like, an hour and a half away but i don't mind the commute so its all good.
I'm starting a new show in April where I will be a swing which is cool because it means I'm understudying for nine parts in the male ensemble- I won't actually be in the show but I do get to go on a couple of times which means more money and some EMC points- i think.
anywho not much else- working and trying to stay warm

updated christmas list

2008-12-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

dont know what to get your favorite neighborhood Alex? heres a few more ideas
Lost season 4
Mamma Mia dvd
Wicked Tickets

my life: is busy and stressfull and fullfilling and I have an interview tomorrow for a much needed second (or third if you count my acting gigs) job. I also have a callback for a really cool tap show called Crazy For You on tuesday. Wish me luck on all these things

Its that time of year again

2008-11-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

The time where i post my first draft of my Christmas List
(i would have done it long ago but i didn't have any boring classes to sit through, that's where i would normally do it)
For those of you who don't know or forgot I am spending all the major holidays in Chicago-with myself. I'm doing a show that has performances on the days around Christmas and New Years so I'll be here.
-A Dance class card at Visceral Dance Studios, or Joel Hall, of Lou Conte
-a C.D. I really like the Vince Guaraldi Trio- they are the guys who do the peanuts music (charlie Brown) but i already have thier charlie brown christmas cd. I'm really into classical and instrumental music lately so that might be cool
-DVD's Babes in Toyland(the one i used to watch all the time when i was a kid with annette Funnicello) -Matthew Bourne's swan lake- or anything by him(they are Ballet's)
-Tix to a Ballet here at the lyric Opera House
-Tix to West Side Story on Broadway
-Sewing Machine (and kit/box thingy doesn't need to be new)
- a really big peice of canvas for painting on and stuff (maybe some paints too)
The Things I know I won't be getting for sure but am asking for anyway are:
-a bike (a racing one with lots of gears) and Good Lock
-a New Computer (a Mac)
Stocking Stuffer Ideas:
-Starbucks Gift Cards,
-pens and pencils are always fun
-a cool snowglobe for my collection ( i have two now)
-money

Now I know that looks like a lot and I am aware that i seem like the most spoiledest brat ever but it's so people can know what i want should they decide to get me something.
As for me- well i'm hangin in there. Damn Yankees if over and it was such a great experiance it's kind of sad to be done with such a great cast and group of people- we really were a family every weekend for a couple of months. I have a few video's so i'll try to put those up if i can remember. Still love my apartment although it's super far away- i'm pretty much used to leaving an hour before work and two hours before rehearsal so i'm constantly getting to places 15 to 30 minutes earlier than i need to but i like it like that. The Music Man is gonna be a really good show I'm working with some amazing people ranging from like, 7 year olds to 60+ ( i don't really know how old some of them are)
anywhoo I always have a million things to talk about and then i get on here and can't think of a single thing to write- oh well.
Twilight the movie is coming out next week and i cannot wait- if you haven't read the books yet you need to pick them up now- although i should say they aren't for everyone( mom) basically if you liked Harry Potter you'll love Twilight.
Alex

Leslie Kritzer gets political

2008-10-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not very political but this makes me laugh really hard.....peepants style

My favorite part is the third appearence of Liza Minnelli

Enjoy!

i'm funny

2008-09-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

These are some of the "trading cards" my amazing director gave us on opening night.

this is my good friend and co pilot Morgan
Miss Jennifer Knox (she says hi Aunt Kathy and i do to)

I'm on the far right in the suit, underneath the suit is my baseball uniform, in this moment i am very sweaty.Heart- Choreographed by the amazing Kristin Gurbach Jacobson
the Game- think about it
Shoeless Joe from Hannibal Mo

The team watching Joe do his thing from the "dugout"
I am so flippin proud of this show, if anyone wants to come see it please let me know cause i can get you comps, if you can't make it there have been multiple camaras taping us so i'm sure i'll be able to track down a copy.
And should you decide you can drive up here and stay with me for free i have an extra room and like i said free tickets. Love ya'll

For Myra, (but anyone can read it)

2008-09-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

(there are two kitties giving me loves right now)
Things I miss about me home:
-being able to drive when ever i needed to go somewhere
-free food
-my mormon friends
-Humble Choir
-Warmer Weather
-Beach on a real Ocean
-Wal-mart
-H.E.B.
-real seafood/BBQ
-TEX-MEX!

Things I am looking forward to:
-Opening Damn Yankees on WEDNESDAY!
-My new phone coming either tommorow or the next day
- Doing the Music Man
-Lana and Nathan coming to see the show
-Going to New York in January (hopefully)
-Christmas

Saturday Night Fever

2008-09-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

...there is no significance to the title of this posting except that it's saturday night, it's sups hot in my apartment and just happen to be watching a movie with the name "saturday night fever".
in other news I am learning how to be a grown up, I called my landlord guy and was really nice but stern and convinced him that as long as i'm willing to pay for the use of the laundry room, there's no reason I shouldn't be able to use it. I played hardball but he finally saw reason so i'm gonna go do laundry and I'm very excited about it. We start teching Damn Yankees tomorrow and previews start this week, I am very excited about it.
My hair is a little uneven but it's okay cause I think I'm cute anyway.
Let's see, anything particularly cool happen to me, well I got my security deposit back from my old place and i decided to get a new phone, that's very exciting. It's gonna be blue and an mp3 player so i can put a few songs on there if i want for emergencies like if i leave my ipod at home or it dies.
Hmmmmmm I really have no news, Oh Jonny and Leta might come with Lana and Nathan to see my show.......I'm pretty sure I misspelled all those names, Sorry guys. but i'm really excited about that
Oh it has been totally hurricaning here, but it's also been super hot.............those two things=not pleseant. ....I thought i was in the mood to have a clever and witty post but i thought wrong........more later

All work and a play makes Alex a busy boy

2008-09-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

So things are going pretty well, I am such a lucky person and here's why...
So far, every show I've had the pleasure of being in has either been a really good production or it has just challenged me and left me feeling really accomplished, wether it be in dance, or music, or acting. Damn Yankees is totally challenging me in all aspects and I'm having so much fun with this show. The company is just so flipping proffesional and I can't get enough of it. I'm really thankfull that this is one of my first shows in the "real world", but I am probably getting spoiled rotten coming from Lightoperaworks to this show and then doing another show with L.O.W. Everyone has been so great, but I think most companies in Chicago are like that, which is one of the reasons I'm glad I chose to come/stay here.
In other news: I am at work right now (super busy as you can tell) no tables today. I love my new neighborhood, It is a pain sometimes getting places and I'm also never motivated to go hang out with friends in my spare time but that means I don't spend as much money trying to be social so it all works out.
I've found a new friend in a fellow Columbia student that's in the show with me. We ride together and have soo much fun. I won't use her real name because i want to protect her identity but we shall call her M and she was on a certain reality show years ago and boy does she have some stories to tell. (Aunt Kathy, you would maybe know what show she was on, you sent in an audition tape I believe)
What else....my ipod just died....that makes me sad. I finally kicked my nasty soda and junk food habits but now I'm addicted to starbucks and cheez-its.
I haven't heard from either of my sisters in a while and that is not cool, so i'm putting you on probation...you shall remain there until i hear from you.
That is all. Ta!
A

all moved

2008-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello out there my faithfull readers, I'm sure you've all noticed my cyberspace absence these last couple of months. i've been kinda busy.... when we last left off i think it was just before my birthday. Since then, I have booked a few shows and already got one under my belt.
But the best thing i've done is MOVE. thats right, i am finally free of living with the self proclaimed queen of life. I'm living with my friends Sam and Stacey, Stacey's friend Kristen and two cat's (Batman and Lester) along with a puppy, (Potato). I finally broke down and rented a uhaul yesterday to get the rest of my things here. It took a few hours and the help of some friends but i got the job done and i've started putting my new room together, it's been great, my closet is huge.
I'm back at the melting poot but it's not quite as bad as before, i'll not be making a career out of this or anything but its nice for quick and semi-easy cash.
as for my career, I'm starting Damn Yankees july 28th, it opens september 18th and runs till november 2nd.

Then Music Man November 4th

Hello People

2008-04-23T08:54:00.001-07:00

Well It's that time of year again.....some might call it the most wonderful time of the year, and by some I mean me.
yep, It's my Birthday.
I can't believe I haven't made my lists yet but better late than never.
Attainable wish list:
Starbucks gift cards
Money
a Bike
treasures

Fake wishlist:
A flippin Sweet bike
Lots of money
Tickets (plane-train-concert-anything really, except bus tickets- i beg you no more busses)
Get out of Jail Free card (and by jail i mean General Education)
A Digital Camera

Mommy Wow, i'm a big kid now

2008-04-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

I totally just filed my taxes.......i don't consider them late rather than extremely on time.
school still blows, parents don't let your children read my blog because all i will say to them is it keeps getting worse.
anyway, that's about it for me.
a merry merry unbirthday to lana...
peace

oh bother

2008-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

hey folks
i'm still kickin' it.
life is still pretty crazy, i've had my ups and now i'm on my downs....i went from being in a show and having a kick butt job to.......being jobless and without a show. but whatever i'm already starting to get used to this "now you have it, now you don't" style of living.
school is still completely retarded, and by school i mean gen eds, which can hardly be called school.
but i'm dealing, k thats it.
laters

Wicked

2008-02-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

So yesterday i went to the open dance call for the above mentioned show and i totally made it past the first round of cuts and i got to stay and learn the second part of the dance and then i got to sing for them.......this is big..... i need to go to more dance classes and start taking private voice lessons

this is what i wore
black jazz pants, jazz sneakers
dark blue American Apperal shirt

this is what i sang
all good gifts from godspell

I just need to remember those things in case i ever audition for them again.

life is pretty good so far...I also had an audition for Light opera works

this is what i wore
old navy dark blue jeans-brown boots
mint green American Apperal shirt with coller

this is what i sang
serenade from student prince
all good gifts from godspell

these were all around bad choices...I hate singing the Serenade and All good gifts is apperantly a song that only black people should sing...oh well...learning something new everyday.
I got my hairs cut....It's super duper short....I love it.

shout outs to Morgandy for bein so cute.

Major let down

2008-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

man...Baylea got home from her vacation to find her litter box in her room and when she called me she seemed pretty steamed but when i got home she was all "can we talk about it tomorrow?"
i was so ready for a verbal sparring match i found myself totally dissapointed.
she knew she has nothing...she's probably gonna be kissin my but just so i'll let her keep the litter box in the bathroom. she was all "i'll get a new kind of litter tomorrow"
thats sweet but i'm still telling her to get it out of my area, now that i have a scientific theory that my recent increase in allergies is due to her poor animal caring skillz things will change.

in more exciting news, Myra, Patrick and Morgandy came to Chicago and surprised me and Myra got to see my show. it was so nice of them to come- I'm glad that Myra got to see West Side cause this is the first real part i've had in a musical at Columbia she's seen. i hope to get some pictures of the show to post but i don't have a camara and I'm proving to be pretty lazy about these things so keep an eye out.
Caroline and Shane got engaged on Valentines day!!! Congratulations you two!!!

justice is a plate best served by ME! MWAAAHAA

2008-02-11T10:12:00.001-08:00

hahaaaaaaa! my roommate left for the week and left her cat and it's poop with me without asking.

i got angry

then i got even.

I cleaned out the poop box for 2nd time in a row (and by row i mean its been cleaned 2 in the last 3 months, both times by me) and then proceeded to put it in her room- lets see how fast she cleans it up when she returns with a weeks worth of cat poop in her room.....evil grin.

TAKE THAT!

disclaimer: i completely realize how childish that is but i pay for half of that apartment and i probably only use about 1 fourth of it so the bit i do use should be poop free, that is my justification.

i bet you family members never thought youd see the day where Alex couldn't stand the smell of poop. haha

Update

2008-02-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

Alrighty folks, it's been a while since a for real update entry on Alex's life in Chicago. So here goes-
Last week was my first week of my last fall semester of school ever (god willing) and then I'll just have summer school.
I spent all January bouncing around from rehearsal to work which keeps me on my toes. The show is going really well. I have always been thankfull and proud to be in shows at Columbia that I have been in but This one is going so well, I totally foresaw this production as if i was a contestant on american gladiator, totally preparing myself for the emotional and proffessional beating of a lifetime-completely disheartening me making me question what I'm doing but I'm feeling more than really good about what I'm doing. And not just me- I've watched some of these scenes so many times and I'm still really interested in whats going on, and they get better and better each time. It feels like everyone cares about making this show really good. I had fun working at a proffesional theatre last year but the one thing that kept me from loving it completely was that it seemed like nobody really cared about doing the show-getting the point across, no matter what that point is. Granted it was a very different show but still. That's my favorite part of doing theatre, every once in a while getting into a show where 90 percent of the people aren't just doing the show for the recognition or the experience or "glory" but they are really trying to get a message across, really working towards telling the story truthfully. West Side Story is gonna be awesome, i just wish more people could come see it (hint hint, wink wink, guilt trip)
This show has also brought me roommates, The three male leads in the show-(me, Todd-who plays Bernardo, and Paul-who plays Tony ) and My friend Sam who plays Anybodies decided to get a place together this summer for the four of us which could actually be cheaper for everyone. plus it'll be nice to have more than one roommate and I'll be graduated and, the best part, NOBODY HAS A STUPID CAT! YAY!
Work is always interesting, I've gotten to do some pretty neat stuff-Gotten to see some shows for free that i otherwise wouldn't have been able too. I saw My Fair Lady, the Broadway touring cast and it was very cool- not my personal favorite show but it was pretty, I saw this new pop opera called Bare- loved it.
I auditioned for a major show in Chicago, They didn't exactly call me back but they did....I'm meeting with the musical director sometime this week and he's gonna teach me some stuff and then I'll do it for the producer sometime and then if they like me then I'll do if for the Director of the show from New York and if I get through all that and get a job, I'd be a Swing which means I would learn three or four parts and when someone can't do a show, that means I'd do it which is crazy but a HUGE deal. Wish me luck

my ipod is seriously broken

2008-01-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

it didnt even hurt this bad when my nose broke
if music truly be the food of love then i shall be anorexic for a while.
ugh-i really need hunker down and get myself together before school.
the show is going really well. it's gonna be crazy awesome.
i have this cool knife fight at the end of the first act-my character dies but not before kicking some booty.
i found a good group of roommates for next year I'm so excited about it. theres gonna be four of us and im confident that i won't have the same problems i'm having now. so my place will be good and clean and not as high maintenance but im sure there will be a whole new set of issues. oh well.
k bye

just a little to the left.

2008-01-13T18:26:00.000-08:00

My nose got broken last tuesday, it was pretty sweet. I was catching this guy in the prologue and i accidentally stepped forward and his shoulder ran into my nose. broke it clean. it was pretty painful but i delt with it. i just missed a day of rehearsal which blew but we got me pretty much caught up. This show is gonna be amazing, we already ran the first act yesterday and we still have an entire month left.

as far as everything else work is good, i just got a bunch of new books to start reading and my laundry is almost ready.

what am i reading right now:peter pan, the brothers K, and the art of happiness.

sweet

2007-12-23T10:50:00.000-08:00

I didn't Fail anything this semester so yay!

AAAAAH FINALS

2007-12-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

so yea, its finals week, i have one final left and one paper to turn in, luckily i did the paper and its decent.
for real, every single teacher and class i had this semester decided that writing papers is an important skill to learn. so basically five classes, 4 alltogether for my core classes, one a giant research paper, and about 6-8 papers for each of my gen ed classes, thats twenty two papers i had to write this semester with at least 4 being giant research ones......why am i going to school.
any teacher who wants a paper more than two pages out of me next semester is getting this reply-"oh, gee, i recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome, and as a result am no longer able to type on a keyboard"
anyway enough complaining, work is good. school will be over by today and then i just get to focus on work and West Side Story. so yay. anywho
lana and nathan come to see me on sunday night so thats super exciting and i cant wait. Baylea went out of town today, she didn't even bother asking me if I would take care of her cat, but i suppose i must. My friend Sam works at the place called pocket puppies and she ended up buying one, its name is potatoe and its about the size of a nerf football, and its sooooo tiny.
POTATOE-PANTS.

caution: bump in the road ahead

2007-12-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Well, i have good news and bad news and completely irrelevant news.
Good news:I got in the Senior Showcase, that means that ill be given a musical Theater scene and we perform it for lots of agents and higher ups at the end of next semester and some people who do well get called in to audition for stuff, some of us might actually get an agent and start working in Chicago, and I'm not sure but i think New York and L.A. people come too so this is gonna be an excellent opportunity.
Bad News:My adviser and I have apparently been confused about when indeed I can graduate and according to him that wont be possible until next December. That was a total bummer. But luckily I work with my brilliant friend Stacey who is learning all the ends and outs of this (stupid) curriculum and brought to my attention, these two classes i took that should have counted didn't because i suppose someone decided to take the liberty of switching my over to the 2005 program, well someone was misinformed because i specifically didn't switch over so i could count those classes for Liberal Education. True Ill still have to take some summer classes which I'm almost okay with.
...and by almost I mean that should I do well in Senior Showcase and get an Agent, that limits me to only things in Chicago and only when i don't have class. I suppose i brought this upon myself but I'm not retarded, If my adviser had told me about all these credits i am ALLEGEDLY missing I don't think i would be in this situation.
That'll be enough bad news for today thank you.
We started rehearsals on Monday and we've already got a song down and read through some scenes, and last night we learned some of the basic moves of stage combat, and after, the guy that plays Bernardo and I stayed to learn knife fighting for the stage. Its kinda like real knife fighting but spaced further apart from each and mostly trying not to hit each other. The way we learned it, it was kinda like a puzzle or game. He would take a stab at me and then i would have to move my body and block it and look for the next place to stab or cut him and so on and so forth, it was really cool but scary.
I also learned that if you ever wanna cause tons of damage, just punch or stab someone directly in the armpit. Its the easiest way to the heart and theres all kinds of nerves and stuff.
so my poor Ipod is dying for real now, no matter what earphones i put in it it wont play the right ear. and I've dropped it a couple of times. I've also been wanting a new phone lately, and in a few months ill have to get a new plan anyway, so maybe I can save up and get an Iphone. That way Ill have my music and phone with me at all times and itll all be right there in a nice little package. It'll probably never happen though, i have too much other stuff to pay for.

two more weeks

2007-11-30T09:54:00.000-08:00

two more weeks of this semester and then i eat, breath, sleep, and sing west side story until the end of February.
Thanksmas was good. Santa indeed made it to the McCrary house early for us. He usually doesn't make such exceptions but we come from an extremely long line of people on the Nice List so how could he not. He did get a little confused with my wish list but he did leave receipts so it all worked itself out in the week to follow. But I did get some picture frames and loads of soft warm socks that make me happy. No Snow Globes for my collection but there's always next year.
I think my least favorite gift was my visit from the tooth fairy's distant cousin, the lesser known puke fairy. I was hitting the Porcelein bowl every hour on the hour from around 7 am to 2pm, totally missed indoor skydiving and after christmas shopping and hanging with the family and the munchkin. It totally put a damper on everyones Thanksmas but i recovered intime to make a flight early on monday morning to go to my 930 dance class and rehearse for our final performance. It was totally rough but I'm a trooper.

This week was the week my show went up, not W.S.S. but my other one. It was called Hearts and Souls and it was a new musical using already written songs like, A Whole New World from Aladdin and Money from Cabaret. I did a lot of dancing and singing and got some laughs. The show went really well for being written produced and directed by students and everyone in the Audience seemed to enjoy it. My Boss Estelle gave me the best advice/compliment. she told me after i graduate i need to get in some dance classes as much as i can and work my technique because she thinks thats where ill make my money and that's whats gonna get me cast. This is from the same women who told me not to become a dance minor three years ago because i need to focus on acting, so im flattered, (of course it means my acting and singing arent strong enough but dancing is a lot more fun than those things anyway so i choose to ignore that)
Also, my brilliant and beautiful friend Chie's choreography was so much fun to do and last night she told me that I was so good and I make her choreography. That totally meant a lot to me. I am feeling really good about being here in Chicago and doing what im doing right now. I need to put my best foot forward now so I keep getting cast and then hopefully i never have to go back to the Melting pot ever again. (I havent had to work in 3 weeks and I'm a much happier person)
I dont care if I'm poor, my happiness is a lot more important to me than paying my phone bill on time. And Nobody should have to work at a place and for people that make you hate life for 8 to 10 hours every Friday and Saturday night.
Shout outs to Grando Lana, Congrats on being the first McCrary kid to get an A on a paper since Myra was in school.

Christmas Wish List

2007-11-18T09:52:00.000-08:00

little late but better than not at all....
In no particular order, here are some things that I would like for christmas.
Black suspenders with silver clips
Theres this sweet winter hat and glove set from the gap that has a poofy tassle on the top and ties around your neck to keep your ears warm, green or blue is fine.
moccasins or fuzzy, cozy, winter boots. ( take inspirations from what the indians used to wear)
new winter jacket ( preferably north face)
cool socks (more of a stocking stuffer really)
Tickets (to something, anything, a concert, a movie, surprise me)
A new computer
Pictures of family and friends
Movies are always welcome.
Overalls
new dance clothes-might just wanna see me about that
shout outs: Aunt Kathy and Uncle Terry-I Love you, and all the Mccrary-Moran-Miller folks, cant wait to spend the day with you

2007-11-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

george bush is: from Texas.
i belive in:Santa Clause
i listen to: My ipod all the time
i wear: Sweats as many times as i can get away with it.
I think: its only a matter of time before my ipod quits playing music for me.
homeless people: Smell bad
i am: Beowulf, i just saw that commercial
i was a victim of: awesomeness.
i like: you...
my life is: pretty sweet right now, theres a bump in my road but ill just have to get over it.
my hair: needs a trim
my favorite color is: green today
i like to smell: those perfume pages in magazines.
your mom: whatever, your mom!
guitar hero: kowabunga dude
caffenine: is misspelled, and currently not on my list of foods to eat.
beer: is an acquired taste.
i am: a tapdancin fool
being single: is the only way to be .
being in a relationship is: cool i guess.
baseball is: crunk. GO CUBS GO< GO GO GO.
sassafrass: reminds me of a Goofy Movie.
you smell like: Cabbage.
Rollin': with the homies
friends: bloopers are the best.
camo pants: I WANT SOME!.
photography is: always been something i've enjoyed.
my dad is: a skydiving maniac.
my mom is: pretty!

Womb to Tomb

2007-11-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

Alrighty folks the verdict is in, I got the role of Riff in West Side Story. I have already been told that I need to bulk up so it's a good thing we have a free gym at Columbia. This show is gonna be flippin sweet. I get to sing and dance and fight and i even get to die at the end of the first act so i just get to hang out the whole second half of the show.
Life is pretty cool right now, except now is when I really have to put my best foot forward and work my butt off.
and especially tonight I have to put WSS aside and get myself together for tomorrow, tomorrow we have a suprise guest auditioner coming to our class and we have to audition for this person and we dont know for what show, its just a general audition for a known theater guy in Chicago so I have to do a good job so If I ever audition for this person again outside of school they'll be able to say "I remember you, your hired!"
so yea... pretty excited. And, I'm finally in a show with my friend Sam yay!
Shout outs: Dad (cant believe you went skydiving without me) Mom, Grando, the Langfords, Jesse and A.J.

Im sore

2007-10-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

know why? cause i can do this....

shout outs: Jen, Those adorable m&m's, and the directors of West Side Story
(cast me)

the little boy who cried wolf

2007-10-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

ever since my roommate got a cat I've discovered im a dog person.
I complain
I never let it in my room
I dislike emmensally its claws and fur and meow and mostly its smell
and I have not been quit about my feelings
until this weekend, i guess i started not hating it and i let it in my room a couple of times and now i am completely covered in Hives, I know thats no new development but i took a pill last night, and this morning and im still going nuts.
WWWWWWWWWHHHHHYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!
whatever.
I got a call back for West Side Story
for Riff and a jet boy so either way i get to dance, if i get in, hopefully I will.
Went to work yesterday, made six dollers but they sent me home early so I'm learning what it means to be a starving artist. But its all good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MO'

2007-10-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGANDY! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glNjsOHiBYs

I am not a quitter, but I quit...

2007-10-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

...not anything important, just my job.
But don't fret, I have another one so it's all good.

Today in Dance, we had a mock audition, where our teacher goes through a combination real quick and we have to learn it and put character in it and all try and get into the show, like a rael audition, its excellent practice for this week becuase West Side Story auditions are this week and I need all the extra practice I can get.
But that being said, I'm feeling really confident, I've read the play and I got a "call-back" today in my class and my teacher said even more good things about me and I got the second highest grade in the class-97 (a personal record breaker for me) I am just really excited because my dance teacher is the one choreographing for W. S. S. So maybe she'll take my recent awesomeness in dance into consideration but im totally not counting on it.

I was thinking, we were talking today in my cultural studies class about public property and whats really public and all that jazz. well you can get permits in Chicago and play music or speak or protest on the streets. Well ever since I moved here, there is the same man in a suit that stands outside the Old Navy on State Street with his portable kareoke station and microphone and waves his bible at people and judges them as they walk by, quit literally saying things like "there is no place for homosexuals in heaven-All Sinners will go to hell-if you are materialistic, you are going to hell".
-Now I for one don't believe any of things things-well not from that guys mouth. Who is he to judge? and why is he there every single day singling people out and telling them they are going to hades...let me just add in something here....the dude is black and everytime another black person walks up, its down with the old microphone and up with the smiles and the "how do you do's?"Never have I seen him tell a black person thier going hell, and I have lived here for four years now. Isn't that racist? This dude sits there, looks at the way I dress or walk, or who I'm with and Automatically Im going to hell...I'm pretty sure God doesn't want his peeps hearing that. And i dont believe for a second hes getting people interested In learning more about the Bible and God. I think that guy is real wrong. But who am I to judge. ( I have to say that when I walk by him and thing strongly about ripping his microphone out of his hand throwing it under a bus.)
Just a thought,

What am I listening too right now? -nothing I totally left my ipod at home. So Sad!
Shout outs- Lana, Morgandy, Myra, and Meryl Streep.

Gotta make this one short.

2007-10-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hello all
I just wanted to let everyone know that my choreography project went pretty well, i totally shook my groove thing. I also fell on my groove thing. But I wasnt seriously injured so I give everyone permission to laugh.
This time I had the hardes time picking a song and a choreographer to pull from but after some time i decided on Michael Bennett and the song Pink Elephants on Parade, it was cool, at the end i turned in to an elephant and danced and thatd when i fell haha, i wish i had taped it. But i wanna point everyones attention to the comment my mom made on my last entry, in it she said.

"cause remember, if you can't tell mom, you can't do it!"

Well, okay. I FINALLY got cast in a little show that some kids at school put together, The story follows the twelve children of the old lady who lived in the shoe after they all grow up and said lady dies, The show starts after she dies and all the kids are fighting over the will money, i guess the old lady living in the SHOE had a few bucks tucked away somewhere...well anyway Three of the children are "Street People" (hookers) and they serve as the chorus/dancers for the rest of the show and they do get a song for themselves. I totally got one of the hookers. Don't worry though, im pretty sure i wont be doing or wearing anything too skanky, its more for humor purposes,
but the best part is i finally get to do a show with my friend Chie.
Chie is the best dancer at my school and a close friend, She's doing the Choreography and she's brilliant. I got to work with her in a few dance things last semester and shes totally helped me come a long way from the jazz hands youve all seen in pizzazz. (i know you've seen them because mom shows that tape every chance she gets)
Chie grew up in Japan, lived in LA for a few years when she was younger then went back to Tokyo for high school and now lives here. She teaches me a lot about Japanese Culture and stuff like that, she totally rocks.
Shout outs:Chie Isobe, Katie and Jess Partain, Patrick and Nathan, and Dad.
What am I listening too? Vibrate by Rufus Wainwright.
haha so much for short. Laters

Jesus paged me on my beeper

2007-10-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow, last night was crazy. I rented out a room at the dance center for a couple of hours to choreograph my dance for my Musical Theater Three dance class. (a requirement) This is my Fifth time Choreographing for this class and i have never had so much trouble with it. It was an hour before i finally had to sit down, turn off the music and just go back to square one, my dance isnt going to be flashy or amazing like i want it to be but it will be interesting. Lots of tricky movements and its kinda spooky in time for halloween, but its totally pg
I just got out of my Harry Potter Literature class. It is really interesting! even though sometimes i fall asleep, like today, until i had a coke and then all was well. but i discover lots of cool stuff about the books and the thought process behind them, and its also helping me be more analytical. Which is helping me in my acting research for monologues and scenes and songs and all that stuff.
Speaking of, i came up with a new plan yesterday. Here it is

Get my wisdom teeth out over christmas.
Audition for Every summerstock season in and around the Chicago Area
Audition for Texas the musical (I know ive been saying i want to do that for a while but i really mean it this yaer)
Audition for Cruise Lines.
Get going on my Southwest application stuff
And in doing all of the above, move all my stuff out of my apartment early so i dont have to do it in August (and i dont have to help my roommate move out).{Don't misunderstand, i dont mind helping people move (id probably be rich if i got paid everytime i did it) but my roomie has a Tom of stuff and she has a very "you break it, you bought me a new one" attitude, and as charming as that is...I dont have the money to even think about taking a chance on breaking her furniture. }
Start up at Southwest after i get back and work for a few months, while auditioning during my free time to keep my face fresh in the area, (only taking jobs that either dont conflict with work or pay a lot of many, and get me an equity card.)

So hopefully that will all work out, ill keep you all posted.
Next up for my day is intro to Psychology, which, lets face it, i dont care if your studying ways to make gold out of straw, any class where you sit on your booty for three hours is rediculous and should be outlawed. We should all be writing our Senaters.
Anywho-Some of you may be wondering what the title of this post means, well i think i mentioned see int the show Altar Boyz a couple of weekends ago, there is a song called the call and its about Jesus paging, faxing, calling, and emailing the soul. It's pretty hilarious but also a good message.

Shout outs: Tatum and Frisco, Grando, Jesus, Morgandy (love the new chair) and whoever pulled my name out for the christmas drawing, if you need any ideas ill post some more stuff later. and the Golden Girls, my mornings wouldnt be the same without you!

speaking of christmas present, i know it sounds lame but my favorite from two years ago, my Ipod, is starting to do stupid stuff and making me really sad. but hopefully one day ill be on top of my finances and can afford that new ipod touch, its basically the Iphone but without the phone...it looks pretty sweet.

Well the weather up here has finally taken a turn for the cold, i actually slept without one of my fans on last night, and this morning, i had to shut my window! (my room is a sauna) so thats all good and fun.

oh man, i found my new downfall, my friend Stacey showed me this website, thats called Tv. links.co/uk and its tons of old and new tv shows and movies and you dont have to download any of them, you just need internet and there are tons of them on there, im pretty sure its gonna be my new obsession.

p.s. if you have never played guitar hero on ps. 2 you should do it right now cause its so much fun.

I get by with a little help from my Friends....MY PEEPS!

2007-10-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Right now I am listening to With a little help from my friends from the Across the Universe soundtrack.
First off....
#1 that movie is kinda boring but the music as so good and if nothing else buy the soundtrack. It's the Beatles so of course it's amazing.
#2 this weekend was my good friend Caroline's 21st birthday so I went out to Naperville to spend the weekend with her, her boyfriend, our friend Alex in from Nashville and, special Surprise guest (drumroll please) her Mom showed up to surprise her for her birthday. I wasn't even there but Caroline was so surprised. We did lots of fun stuff like eat excellent cooking and we went to Sonny Acres. Sonny Acres is a pumpkin patch and almost carnival, it was so fun and i got to feed a Llama, which if you didn't know is my favorite animal (of the ones with four legs)
I am completely in awe of that fact that Caroline now lives up here. We started becoming really close friends senior year and we ended not only staying friends but getting closer even though I high tailed it up North and she stayed at home. Now Shes living in Chicago and going to the Culinary Arts School at the Art Institute Chicago and Working at a Bakery and pretty much being a grown up.
She has taken the hardships this world has given her crumpled them up into a big ball of hardship paper, thrown it in the ocean and moved on to do something with her life. Kinda sounds like someone else I Know (Lana)
I am really blessed to have such a wonderful and true friend in my life, (not to mention my family)
so yea, all this mushiness is to say Happy Birthday to Caroline Leblanc
In other news, I totally forgot to turn in my Time sheet for my school job so I don't get my two weeks worth on the 15th, but instead i get 5 weeks worth at the beginning of November. So if anyone wants to come to Chicago on November 1st, dinner is on me.

As far as my Christmas list. I have a giant one made up but I'm proofreading it right now so for the moment here are a few things just off the top.
a Bike, Picture Frames (new or used, the more creative the better), Snow Globes for my collection (I don't have one yet but, when I do-It's gonna be the bomb) Taco Bell, (I'm gonna be hungry on Christmas) and most importantly, Treasures (and if anyone has an extra treasure chest, let me know cause I'm gonna need somewhere to put all my treasures, or as some pirates call it-Booty)
peace love and Tap dance y'all
Holla to the Missoula Crew, any and all Aunt Kathy's, Grando and that Llama i got to feed yesterday.

Xanadu

2007-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't gotten into any shows yet but I refuse to be discouraged!
I am, however, continueing to audition and make a name for myself. As my Boss/teacher always says "you have to be hungry for it" and I am flippin STARVING! I want to get in a musical but I'll take anything.
Other than that, school is going okay, im doing my best but im starting to fall behind in my reading....no worries though. I have a few train rides this week that I can catch up on. It's Carolines birthday on monday so im gonna go spend the weekend in Naperville with my bestie to help her ring in her 21st. (and snag some amazing cooking)
And now the weather....
Its not very cold outside at all but I am freezing my buns off for some reason. Next time you all see me, I'll be bunless, and you have columbia to thank for that. (but I'd much rather be a little cold than sweating my face off)
My I do like parentheticals lately, which is odd because I hate using the shift button and I doubly hate having to look down at the keyboard.
Today is gonna be a long day,It started with my Harry Potter Literature class from 9 to 12 and next I have psychology from 1230 to 320 and then ill go to Estelle's office and try and nap for a few hours before I have to go into work and close. BOO
Speaking of Boo, Halloween is coming up...here are some suggestions for costumes for all you family members out there.
Lana & Nathan, you guys should go as Jack and Jill, but instead of a pale of water, you can have a pale of candy
Patrick, you should be a Ninja
Myra, You should be Cruella DeVil and dress little morgandy up as a dalmation.
Dad, you should just wear your Pilots uniform and Mom, can wear a flight attendance outfit.
Grando, you should go as Oprah.
I dont know what ill be yet, but some popular ideas with myself are...
and Ipod, A Smurf, or anything involving Giant Foam Costumes, like a hot dog, or Ketchup dispensor.
okie dokey folks, till next time,
Holler

My turn

2007-10-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

I wanna Blog too... so here goes.
Hi Friends and Family! Alex here, comin' at ya from the fabulous computorial facilities at Columbia College Chicago. I'm just after coming from my musical theatre dance class and we did a really cool tap number and graded it today. I got a 94 which is excellent because she made us all do it ONE AT A TIME!? It was completely frightening but I'm getting better at putting character in my dancing.
I know what your all thinking " Alex, not having enough character? Thats unbelievable" well believe it folks, but im happy to report that I seem to be dealing with that and getting better.
And now its time to play what is Alex listening too.
"Bet on it" from High School Musical 2 performed by Zac Efron.
You should all check it out. Its number 12 on my top twenty five most played list on my ipod.
This weekend was short cause all I did was work but on Saturday I went to see the show free called Altar Boyz. It's about a catholic pop-boy band, only one of the boys is Jewish. It was pretty funny and if nothing else, it was a free show.
In other news my intro to cultural studies teacher just emailed me to say that class was cancelled which is music to my ears because the director of Altar Boyz (the one who supplied the free tickets) is coming to talk to anyone who wants to listen today during that class so....sweet!
I know the one question thats on everyones mind right now
-what is Alex reading these days?
well, funny you should ask. I just finished this book called Persepolis by Marjan Satrapi, its an autobiographical graphic novel of a young girl growing up in Iran during and after the revolution in the late 70s and 80s, It definately shed light on a subject I knew nothing about. plus its a comic book so its a fast read. Okay folks, thats all he wrote for now.
If you liked what you read today check out my blog here at alexlaird.blogspot.com for more interesting, ispirational, and downright honky tonking good times.
shout outs for the day go to Lana and Nathan, ( I like your log bed) Morgandy, and Dad.
If you didn't get a shout out today, dont fret, youll get one next time.