Seriously, it's true: they're a couple.

I experienced a moment of shock today.  One of my favorite actresses is dating a "Mormon celebrity." I feel like two worlds have collided.

So I was just doing my normal breeze through the google reader and came across some buzz about Will Swenson.  He's directing a movie about a Mormon couple dealing with their gay son's suicide.  It's called Facing East and it will be based on the original play version.  

I didn't recognize Will by name, but I definitely recognized his face. He's The Singles Ward star! (with much longer hair in this photo)

And he's dating Audra McDonald!!! Audra McDonald is a Fresno native who is also a Broadway, TV and film actress.  She won a Tony for her role as Sarah in my favorite musical, Ragtime. So I'm a pretty big fan of hers. 

beck

Being A Girl

Today I dressed up a little nicer than usual for work by wearing a new-to-me blouse. I work at a nonprofit that dresses professionally, but it tends to be on the casual side. Today one coworker said I look like a lawyer--not sure if that's good or bad. Another coworker asked if I had guests coming in (we dress up or wear suits when our groups come into our office). I guess I look really dressed up compared to normal.

Part of me is flattered by the attention. The other part of me is sad that looking nice is so out of the norm for me lately. I like to dress up and look nice. I like to feel pretty and feminine while being strong and confident in the workplace.

If I was living in a musical, and sometimes I wish I were, I would sing this song right now (watch it--it's a gem that I watched for the first time when I searched for the song):


Lately I've talked to more than one friend who has stated their displeasure with wearing heels. Somehow they missed the female education of how to properly wear and walk in a high-heeled shoe. Don't get me wrong: I don't think heels are for everyone and they're certainly not a must-have to prove you are a female. What saddens me is that the friends don't like wearing heels, because they don't know how to walk in them. How did they miss the heel-toe-heel-toe lesson? Even Bart Simpson got that memo (as proven in an episode from the Simpsons that I vividly remember watching and laughing at as he strolled around on screen). Once you get the strategy down, and with a little practice, walking in heels is a breeze. I'll grant that you might slow down a tad from the normal walking pace, but it shouldn't be bad enough to keep you from wearing them.

Wear heels and enjoy being a girl! (if you're a girl, that is, or I guess if you're a guy and into that sort of thing)

Now for your viewing pleasure, these are some babies on my "want but don't need" list:

beck

Break Fast

Just two months until I can buy clothes/apparel again.  I started to make a list of items I want to purchase.  However, I don't plan to have a huge shopping spree.  I want to only buy what I need.

What I will need most and right away is a couple new pairs of shoes.  Other than that, I plan to purchase new items slowly and with moderation.  This isn't a big change from my shopping habits in the past.  I chose to fast simply to save money and be more aware of what I own and wear. In a couple of months I'll write a little more in depth about how I've felt about the whole fasting endeavor.

Today my friend passed on a few gently worn clothes items and actually a couple of brand new items.  I'm excited to have a few new options for the spring weather without having broken my fast.

beck

Conflict Resolution

Another week, another new group.  My latest group is in the U.S. for a "Conflict Resolution" program.  I won't give too many details to protect the privacy of my visitors (we call them international visitors so visitors is a shortened version), but there are a few things I want to share.

And as seems to be the habit, I also had lunch with this group at Busboys and Poets.  I eat at many other places with my visitors, but I'll concede that perhaps the most noteworthy and certainly the most progressive dine with us at Busboys. We were dining in the Langston room at the 14th and K street location. This time Anas "Andy" Shallal, the owner, came around to meet us. There's a beautiful sort of mural on the wall in that room.  It's covered in images and quotes from great leaders in causes for civil rights.

Some of the visitors commented on how there were no current people on the wall.  Andy explained that those who are featured on the wall started their work many years ago.  Most of them are now deceased.  It makes me wonder how soon you can credit someone for making a change--especially as it relates to Civil Rights.  Martin Luther King, Jr. is rightfully on the wall, but he would have easily fit the wall criteria while he was alive for the waves that he was making.  If it will take 50 plus years to realize the leaders, I wonder if we can tell now who will have been the great social changers. Any guesses? It is no doubt that there are huge social changes happening in the U.S. and throughout the world, but will we praise these efforts in 50 years? When I'm in my seventies, will I be glad for the changes that are happening now?

Before Andy arrived, I tried to explain the wall to the visitor sitting next to me.  The interpreter was tied up, so I tried to use our common language of French and threw out words like "paix" and "progrès." I couldn't even spit out words like "essaient" or "efforts" which would have been much closer to the point. Those people made efforts and we can look back now and see that their efforts really affected a change.

The other noteworthy topic of discussion is not as deep.  One of the visitors asked me about my schooling background. I explained that I got a bachelor's degree in American Studies at Brigham Young University, a school in Utah. His response was..."Our city does an exchange with students from the University of Utah." Bah! As if this would impress me. I told him that Utah is our biggest rival school. Unfortunately I think the importance of that fact was lost in translation.  He didn't seem to care.

In two days...I get to see this gorgeous girl!

beck

Happy Friday

I'm in good spirits, because what is normally a stressful day for my job is turning out a whole lot easier than I anticipated. 

In the spirit of good spirits, I wanted to share my all time favorite Strong Bad Email. Something reminded me of it today.  I always laugh when I watch it and giggle when I think about it.

Happy Friday!

beck

New York with D

Last weekend I went up to New York with my friend D.  I love visiting New York and I usually try to find as many excuses as I can to go.  This time I was a little hesitant because I hadn't budgeted for it at all and even considered backing out when I found out about the cool things I would miss in DC.

But mine and D's friendship has been a little rocky lately. If I had flaked out, I'm sure our friendship would have ended.

So I went.  We had a good time--full of sightseeing and only a little bickering.  And I only had my camera out on one of the days, so these pictures from our venture out to Liberty and Ellis Island are the only pictures I have to show for our trip.

beck