Monday, January 31, 2011

Well on My Way

Yay! Submitted my second show in January! Double points in February! I'm going to Europe! I'm totally going!
I also ended up qualifying! Extra 2,000 points! I'm going to Europe!

Books to read: 89
Day: 78

Points to Europe: 127,562
Days left: 325

Budget for Joseph: $9,970
Days left: 80

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Ah. Success.

I finished my portfolio and sent it in on Saturday. Now all there is to do is wait and see what they think of it and if they like me enough to call me in for an interview. I hope so. I would hate to have announced to the world that I'm going back to grad school in the fall only to find out that I'm not even accepted.

I read "The Hunger Games" from cover to cover today. It really IS very good, although post-apocalyptic/government-controlled futuristic novels freak me out a lot. I could sleep after I finished 1984 in high school. I can't help but wish that the author would have left the romance out of it. I know, I know, it's obviously what sells to the younger crowd-- It's just getting old with me.

I tried to read another book that I don't think I'm going to name because I hate it so much and I'm afraid that the author might be the type that would google his book's title to see what people are saying. It just reads like a high schooler's blog. I had to put it down after one chapter. It is very easy to read, mostly because he repeats himself so much that you can just skim over most of the book and still get the gist. I will probably finish it, but only a chapter at a time. I just can't handle it.

I've also started working on getting through the Bible from beginning to end. This is so hard, not because I find it boring, but because I've started trying to do this so many times that Genesis is... well, ok, getting a little boring. Only because I know what is coming, though! I think I will finish Genesis tonight, though, and I would love to get through the Bible by the end of February. I don't know if it's possible, especially since Numbers will probably really slow me down, but I would like to try. I might scatter in some shorter books too, just to get my numbers down.

I had a Pampered Chef show this weekend. It went pretty well, which is what finally made a dent in my numbers. I'm not going to get double points in February, but oh well. I've recruited two girls and I'm about to hit $1250 in career sales. That means 6,000 points that are basically guaranteed in February.

I haven't received any mail yet for Joseph, but I'm really hopeful for this week. Will keep everyone posted on Acting Out!'s progess, when we make some.

Books to read: 89
Day: 77

Points to Europe: 129,712
Days left: 326

Budget for Joseph: $9,970
Days left: 81

Days to complete portfolio and send in: 3

Today...

is a reading kind of day.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Success? Kind of.

Ah. The end of a week. Mostly.

Still have a Saturday morning at the office and a Pampered Chef show to go. Close enough.

I did most of the things I said I would do on Monday. There's only so much time in a day, really. But the week was really successful. Lisa Hoover-Grove signed on as a Pampered Chef consultant and she is so excited. She will be awesome. I also received an order from a generous person at the university to help send my other lovely consultant, Miss Jamie G'Sell, to Rome this spring. 

I am getting through my theater book. Feeling the intense need to get below ninety. Actually, I would really love to get below fifty... just so I didn't fret about it so much.

If you're wondering about the thirty dollars toward Joseph, my friend Sarah found it in a practice room. Bad news? Some music student is probably going hungry. Good news? The practice room made a tax-deductible donation and might get a refund.

Want to know something else? I am done with my portfolio! I just need to put it in the mail tomorrow! Please accept me, SIUC!

Books to read: 90
Day: 75

Points to Europe: 130,000
Days left: 328

Budget for Joseph: $9,970
Days left: 83

Days to complete portfolio and send in: 3

Monday, January 24, 2011

Priorities

The book I'm reading right now is called "How to Run a Theatre." It sounds so simple, and yet, it's one of the most insightful and useful books I've ever read.
One of the things he tells you to sit down and do first of all, is make a list of priorities so that you'll know how to organize your to-do list well. Oddly enough, I am the list queen and I have never done this. So here we go.

1. My relationship with God (this has been suffering)
2. My family (also suffering, aside from Jordan. He probably sees me too much.)
3. My self (health, exercise, stress relief.... you guessed... this has been suffering)
4. Household (cleaning, budgeting...suffering... BAD)
5. The clinic job (I need to make sure that when I am at the clinic, I am AT THE CLINIC. Also, I have some computer classes I need to start taking and a questionaire I need to fill out)
6. Grad school (I need to finish up applying and start studying for my GRE. Also, start saving for next fall when I may not be bringing in much of an income)
7. Pampered Chef (This is one of the things I love to do, so much so that I'm afraid I've let my top priorities fall to the wayside. This is important, don't get me wrong, it will probably be my entire income after this summer, but I need to be more present in the things higher up on my list)
8.Acting Out! (The only reason that this should be my last priority is because there's not a whole lot to be done in this moment. Fundraising letters have been sent, rights applied for... there are just small things that need to be attended to)

The sad thing about my list of priorities is that numbers 5 through 8 should be equally important, but I've got to draw the lines somewhere. If I don't, I will go crazy.

So, in light of what is mentioned above, I vow to do the following today (numbers corresponding with priorities):
1. Spend quiet time with the Word and God for 1 hour
2. Call my mom
3. Jump on the Wiifit and go to bed by 10
4. Finish the laundry and clean out the dishwasher
5. Do 5 CBL's today for the clinic
6. Finish my portfolio (I'm almost done)
7. Read Monday Motivation and make a plan of action for my Travel Club "homework"
8. Continue reading "How to Run a Theatre"

I doubt I get it all done, but at least it's in the right order now. :)


Books to read: 90
Day: 71

Points to Europe: 130,000
Days left: 332

Budget for Joseph: $10,000
Days left: 87

Days to complete portfolio and send in: 7

Friday, January 21, 2011

So so so so so sorry

I seem to be the worst blog-keeper currently in existence. I would promise to blog more, but after a quick update of my life, I think you will understand why that might not be altogether feasible.

Wednesday, January 5th, is a night that, I believe, will change my 2012 summer forever. I went to my Pampered Chef meeting and what did I find out? I found out that the top incentive trip for next year is a cruise to Europe. Spain, France, and Italy, to be exact. I have been working like a fiend trying to get it. I believe that I have called everyone I know and, at this moment, I have 6 potential recruits to the business. I have to have 12 by December 31, so I am right on track. Selling, however, is being a major booger. Shows are getting cancelled left and right because of the snow. No good at all. In the end, I need 130,000 points to go on the trip. Each qualified recruit is 2,000 points (qualified means that they have sold $1250 worth of merchandise) and each dollar that I sell is worth 1 point. I think I may need to start another countdown as well as my book/days countdown. What's a blog if you don't have at least 3 countdowns running simultaneously?
Which leads me seamlessly into my next long paragraph. Acting Out! has now officially been declared a not-for-profit theater and has also officially been given permission to purchase the rights to Joseph. If I'm right in my budget calculations, I will need to raise approximately $10,000 for the budget. I need to have it in the next three months. Thus, another countdown. Three countdowns! Bwahahahahaha! (shout out to the Count in Sesame Street)
And, lastly, I have been working on getting all my ducks in a row applying for grad school. I got the application in, have scheduled my GRE test, and am now working feverishly on my directing portfolio (which needs to be in by February 1st. Four countdowns! Bwahahahahahahaha!

So, without further ado, the countdowns (which will take me longer to figure out than it would probably take to get my portfolio done)

Books to read: 90
Day: 68

Points to Europe: 130,000
Days left: 335

Budget for Joseph: $10,000
Days left: 90

Days to complete portfolio and send in: 10

I think I'm having an asthma attack....

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Worship

Amazing Grace will not be sung in heaven.

Those were the words I was hearing this morning during worship. Since being attached to Jordan, I have found myself further wrapped up in the debate between traditionalists and contemporary...um...ists.

I don't know all the jargon that goes with this debate. I don't know all the arguments that have to do with either side of the issue. I grew up basically singing exclusively contemporary praise and worship. I think I turned out ok. Likewise, I know many people who have always sung hymns. They are also ok.

The fact of the matter is, though, that all of these songs are shadows of what we will be singing before his throne. We are debating over imperfection. We are debating over which songs help us "worship better." It's ridiculous.

I had been telling people that I liked "mixed worship," meaning that I liked a little of the hymns and a little of the contemporary. I didn't realize at the time that this is just another part of the debate.

So the announcement I would like to make to the world is that I am taking myself out of the debate and I strongly advise that you do so as well. Stop arguing amongst each other about worship, a thing that, once we get to heaven, we will realize that we knew next to nothing about.

I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:23