3/14/11 April 15th

My taxes have become a nightmare. Last year I was working on them with my mom until something like midnight on the 14th. It was horrible. This year was still hard but I've been able to tackle it earlier and my mom has agreed to help me again this year. It was still a 3-hour long process to complete most of it. Then I had to come home to find missing information and finish filling them out. However, I am getting smarter this year and explaining where all these random numbers are coming from. Last year it took us forever to figure out what went where. This year was a little better and I am expecting next year to go smoothly. It only took me three years to learn... But with a job in Washington that doesn't take out Oregon State Income Taxes, working for two different Sign Language Interpreting Agencies, and Acting, it takes a lot of forms and figuring out. Luckily I wasn't alone in trying to figure everything out. Thank you mom!

I am thankful for my mom helping me navigate the confusing-ness that is my taxes and helping me!

kk

3/13/11 Groupon

About six months ago I purchased a groupon. Today I cashed it in. I went to Elements Glass in Northwest Portland and spent about a half an hour blowing glass with a professional. I made a glass float. Like the kind found on the beach. Mine is not perfectly spherical. It has a little oblong-ness to it. I have always wanted to take classes. I have looked into them several times. They are very expensive. But today I got to play around for very inexpensively. I had fun and I am thinking about going in again around Easter to make an egg. Then fall brings a pumpkin making class. That would be fun. I could really get into this...

I am thankful for my experience today blowing glass and hope to do some more in the future.

kk

3/12/11 Honey-do list

Yay Steve Stoll! Renee and Steve came down today to take a look at some projects I have around my house. Apparently Steve really enjoys projects and tinkering and there are no more to be had at their house. Unless he were to add a second story and Renee has said no to that so far. I have some small things that need to be done and I don't know how to do them so they are going to come down and help me do them. Today was fix the leak in the flashing around the chimney that rains in the garage. What an easy fix. But it required getting on the roof, knowing what to look for and then using tar to seal the nail holes. Simple. It didn't take too long and now my garage will be dry and I don't have to worry about the wood in the roof rotting.

I am thankful for Steve Stoll who fixed my roof leak and will come down and help me with more projects soon!

kk

3/11/11 Here we go!

Tonight is opening night. After six weeks, we've made it. I love the excitement of opening night. It is fun to finally have an audience. Well, I suppose we had audiences the last two nights during dress rehearsal but this is an actual paying audience so it is always a little different. I am glad that we have made it this far with such success. We haven't had any major problems that have come up that make it worrisome to open tonight. No big set or costume changes that haven't made it and "we'll just hope it works tonight". Phew. I am having a lot of fun with this show and I hope that it is well received.

I am thankful for great opening nights.

kk

3/10/11 20 years

When I did my first play in junior high, we were required to bring in a button up make-up shirt. We didn't have anything like that at home so my grandpa gave me one of his old work shirts. I have had it ever since and worn it to put on make-up for every show I've done. It is getting very thin and the cuffs are starting to come off. They are barely holding on. I am missing two buttons. There are lots of safety pins holding it together. But I wouldn't trade it in for anything. It is as close to a good luck charm I have I guess. I really like the idea of having it and it makes me smile when I wear it.

I am thankful for my make-up shirt.

kk

3/9/11 Ash Wednesday

Today is the first day of Lent. I look forward to Lent every year. They are the best church services. I have rehearsal tonight so I am not participating in Ash Wednesday. And next week I have a conflict but then I plan on going the following Wednesday nights if I can. My family doesn't give up anything for Lent. I've heard that mostly it is Catholics who do. I started giving things up in High School. I'm not sure why, especially since no one in my family ever had and still hasn't to my knowledge. But I like the idea of giving up something that I enjoy to be thankful that God "gave up" Jesus for me. I also know people who haven't "sacrificed" anything but instead have added something. One person started volunteering at the local soup kitchen to help people less fortunate than themselves. I really like this concept a lot. When you give up something it tends to be an inward focus. It is important to better ourselves as a person. Hopefully we've given up something we shouldn't be having anyway and that can become a habit thereafter. Often people just binge on Easter which isn't quite the point I guess. But, by taking the focus outward and looking at how to help other people, how to better our community, how to build and foster relationships with others seems to be a great way to celebrate.

I am thankful for Lent and the opportunity to better myself and help others.

kk

3/8/11 Fat Tuesday

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday. Wade, my director, is from the South, and Mardi Gras is something he celebrates more than I ever have. He had beads for us when we arrived at rehearsal and a delicious cake from Beaverton Bakery. I forgot what kind it is now. Sugar cake? Um, that doesn't seem right. Anyway, the tradition is for a plastic baby to be baked into the cake. Whoever finds the baby is the King or Queen for the day. I really wanted to be the Queen. It fits right in with my tiara. Bobby also wanted to find the baby. He told me I could be a princess. Which was still ok with me. When I pulled out my slice, I didn't get the baby so I was sad. What I did get was a chocolate gold coin. When I asked Wade what it meant, he said that was the "baby" Beaverton Bakery uses! Yay me! But Wade said he also put a little plastic baby in there since that was the tradition so I would have to share with whoever found it. I said that was fine. Who should find the baby in their slice of cake but Bobby?! We were both very excited and happy. How funny that the two people who really wanted it, both got it. We did a very good job sharing our role.

I am thankful that I was Queen for the day. Thanks Wade!

kk