These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

My list I posted the other day has me all kinds of motivated to do stuff.

When I get motivated, it's REALLY hard to stop me.

Example?

Sewing.

I started teaching myself how to sew and it's been an adventure*

*by adventure I mean me cussing, throwing things, leaving pins on the floor, and kneeling in front of the sewing machine using the push button start and stop because one time I sneezed while sewing and hit the pedal which turbo boosted the machine and almost broke it. I also call my mom a lot.

I have a hard time starting a sewing project and putting it down before it's finished.

I get my momentum going and I. Just. Can't. STOP.

Apparently I also can't stop once I get on a ridiculous tangent.

That's basically this whole blog...one big off topic tangent.

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So I'm motivated.

My next post to check off my list is about buying something unnecessary for myself and not feel bad about it.

Enter the booties.

Black booties were tres chic this past fall and winter.
I coveted them.

I seem to have this radar for insanely expensive things.

The only ones I liked were $100+

Not happenin'

I gave up my search this year and decided to try again next fall.

I wandered into a TJ Maxx searching for a white button up shirt that was less than $30 (still searching btw) and decided to look at the shoes.

There they were.

Black booties.

Perfection.

My size.

$30.

<SOLD>

The battle that ensued, y'all.

It was the battle of five armies in my head:

1. Budget
2. Mom Guilt
3. Whatevs
4. Indecision
5. Independent Woman

Budget started in with "we need to save money."
Mom Guilt backed it up with "You could spend $30 getting summer clothes for the kids."
Whatevs had no real opinion because it's too tired to care.
Indecision went back and forth between what the list said to do and what Budget and Mom Guilt presented.
Independent Woman said "Mom Guilt that was a real nice declaration, we deserve a present, we got money from a book presentation! Would you like to shop with us or stay mellow doin' whatever the heck it is you doin' with green jello?"
#HamiltonParody

It was intense. For real.

Finally, Independent Woman Z Snapped and slapped those bad boys on the counter with a hair flip.

 

I love these shoes. They're amazingly comfortable and so versatile! I wore them for a full day of house hunting including tromping through snowy backyards and up and down treacherous 1920's staircases with no major problems. Their comfort and stylish cuteness make even the Mom Guilt nod in approval. No guilt here, yo.

Those staircases though. How did these women navigate those stairs in the dresses and shoes they wore? I mean really!

So there you go...Another list item checked off.

#Motivated

Oodalolly, golly what a post!

Two posts in one day?! Say it ain't so!

Oh, it's so.

I made my list and now I'm making my first post to check something off said list.

Boom. 

Mic drop.

Pick the mic back up...
 
Back in 2nd grade we did a production of Sleeping Beauty. It went about as well as a bunch of 7 year olds could be expected to perform. I was the understudy for Sleeping Beauty who did indeed fall ill before the show so I got to fill in the star role.

So celebrity.

In 6th grade, we did Pirates of Penzance. It was super fun!!! My little 11 year old heart couldn't wait to sing and dance and wear a pretty dress (I was Mable). It didn't hurt that my crush was the main guy and my character's love interest.

No acting required.

In 7th grade, I moved to Texas and my school offered a theater arts class. Sign me up! We had a few little scenes and one act plays we did through the year. I auditioned and was accepted to the 8th grade theater arts class for the next year.

Guys. I was hooked. I loved it.

Auditions.
Studying lines.
Creating characters.
Costumes.
Watching the scenery and props come together.
Seeing everyone get off book and the show really becomes amazing.
Opening night

It's magical to be in a play. It really is!!!

In high school, the theater opportunities diminished to nearly zilch.

Graduating took me out of the direct line of theater, too.

Now here I was.

13 years since my last stage performance.

Feeling sad and bored and blah.

Enter the weird Facebook post that happened to pop up on my newsfeed.

Local theater group was having auditions for Robin Hood.

Shut. 

Up.

It took a LOT of reassurance from multiple sources, but I tried out. I got the part of Maid Marian's handmaiden, Cassandra.

 Not having any of your sass, Marian

If you've seen the Disney version, I was the chicken.

From the moment I auditioned, I felt amazing. I had REALLY missed this!

The majority of the cast were under the age of 16, yet I quickly made friends with the guy playing Robin Hood and the girl playing Maid Marian. We bonded over Hamilton, mostly, and general theater silliness.

 "Rumor says, Sherwood Forest is where he was made an outlaw...so Sherwood Forest is where, RUMOR SAYS, an outlaw he shall be."

After a month and a half of rehearsals, opening night rolled around. We had 8 shows which went by way too quickly.

Before I knew it, we took our last bow and I hung up my costume.

The feeling of being on stage was renewed though. This is something more than a passing fancy.

I'm not running off to Broadway.

But I am looking into more show opportunities locally.

If you haven't done any kind of theater, but wanted to...

DO IT.

If you've done it in the past, but want to try again...

FRICKIN DO IT.

Happy List

I made a list.

It took a couple months.

But I made a list.

A list of things I want to do to make ME happy. Others can be made happy in the process, but the main person to be made happy is me.

That sounds incredibly selfish.

Oh well.

SO! My list:

1. Read a book

2. Work on a new talent

3. Get back into theater

4. Cook something new

5. Help someone in need

6. Go outside more

7. Exercise more

8. Buy an article of clothing or accessory that's not necessary*
*don't feel bad about it

9. Meditate more often

10. Sing a song in front of people (church or karaoke)

11. Do something crazy before I turn 30

12. Have an awesome 30th birthday

13. Genuinely compliment someone every day

A few of these have already been done in the last month or so, and some are in the works right now. I'll post blogs about each one after they're completed so hopefully I'll be more likely to post frequently!

Woo lists!