Small Joys

It's funny how small things can brighten up a day.

 

And while most people would probably find this a kinda odd thing to smile about, I must say I was QUITE pleased when my new custom stamp showed up last week. After dealing with so many NSF checks from tenants, and having to hand write "Cashier's Check or Money Order Only" a ton of times on statements to people, it is GREAT to now have a big bold Red stamp that says it for me.

 

And it looks all 'official' and such.

Yea!

=)

As I said. Small joys.

-=-Becky

Things are looking up!

Even though I had a LATE night last night, working on Costume College (class) stuff, I can now say that I'm *almost* done. My power point presentations are at a stage that I'm satisfied (and don't need to tweak anyore). Now I just need to work on my Handout for the Regency class and work with Becca on our shared class (Timeline) to get that handout finished. (At least that one is MOSTLY done). Whew!

 

So, tonight, I should be able to go to Kinkos after work and get my transparencies & handouts made. And then I can go to JoAnns to buy the items I need for my limited class (that I'm attending). And tomorrow morning I can pack and do a couple of errands (like pick up a few food items, put gas in my car, pick up an ice chest from my folks...and a set of speakers for my ipod) and then be on my way to Van Nuys for the Convention.

 

Yeah!

=)

 

And this year, I'm bringing my baithing suit (again) - and I am hopeful that I'll actually get some time to relax and use the pool at the hotel. (In all the years I've stayed at this hotel, I've never once made it to the pool. Fingers crossed for this year! =).

 

-=-Becky

Costume College is ALMOST here!

Ok, so the last few days I've been trying (not very sucessfully, I may add) to not panic as Costume College (R) gets closer. I've got three classes that I'm scrambling to finishin preparing for...and I would love to get a new petticoat done (to wear on Sunday during "Sunday Undies") but I'm thinking I just don't have the time to work on it.

The week and a half I was swamped at work really killed me on some of my prep time. I was so overwhelmed at work (and working late hourse/overtime), that I had no time/energy to devote to Costume College prep.

Oh well.

Yesterday I had a sinus headache/migraine that woke me up at 3am and didn't really let me go back to sleep (even with meds). I think I dozed about an hour between 4:30am and 5:30am. So I was in no shape to work on Monday. I attempted to come in to work (late) for a few hours, but that was all I could managed (about 2-1/2 hrs) since I would get dizzy when I stood up, light hurt my eyes, and my head (and sinuses) were just killing me. So I went back home to eat lunch and sleep/rest.

I think my body was just trying to tell me that I *really* needed a break from all my stressing out and worrying over preparing for this year's Costume College (and at the same time also doing some preliminary planning for the August Huntington Beach Civil War Days event over Labor DAy and also help with a bit of my 30th Birthday planning). Too many things going on right now! =)

So, as of this morning, I'm starting to feel a bit better about my 3 presentations/classes. They still need a bit of work, but they're just about done. 2 of my classes I should be able to use power point, and one I will have to use transparencies (the power point I'm borrowing is already in use at the time of my class). Plus I've got handouts for each of my classes. They're mostly done, which is one reason I'm starting to feel a bit more like its coming together. The 1860s Woman handout only needs a slight tweak. The Timeline class handout (my portion) is 80-90% finished. And the Regency Etiquette class is probably about 80% finished.

Whew! Now I just need to finish off the presentations, get the Regency Etiquette presentation transferred from power point to Transparencies, and get a BUNCH of handouts printed for the classes. Oh, and I need to stop at JoAnns to pick up some items for one of my limited classes that I'll be attending as a student. I almost forgot that there is one class that I do need to bring supplies. (Most of the classes I attend are lecture/demo classes, where all I really need to bring is note-taking material and occasionally a basic sewing kit. This class is obviously more - we'll be making our very own metal-framed purse in class!).

And for those intested in what three classes *I'll* be teaching these year, they are (with class descriptions):

1860s Woman (Average American Women's Dress in the 1860s)

Instructor will discuss what the average American woman wore during the 1860s. Emphasis on middle/working class but will also present a brief look at more well-to-do "average" people. A brief look at undergarments will be given. As time permits, we will also discuss resources available for sewing patterns, fabrics, trims to help create your own basic day wear.

Teacher Provides: Handout

Length of Class: 1 hr, 20 minutes
Class Type: Lecture

“Regency Etiquette” (or “Etiquette, Deportment, and Social Manners in Regency England”)

Have you ever wondered why it was so improper for Mr. Collins to introduce himself to Mr. Darcy? Or how about the proper length of time when Paying a Call? What IS the “Red Book” and why is it so important when drawing up a guest list? Was it proper to dine with gloves on or off? Well, then this is the class for you! We will cover Introductions, Order of Precedence, Paying Calls, Dining, Dancing, Deportment, and any other related topics that we can squeeze in. If time permits, a Q & A session will follow the lecture.

Teacher Provides: Handout

Length of Class: 1 hr, 20 minutes
Class Type: Lecture

and my last class, which I'm co-teaching with Rebecca Metzger, is:

Timeline of Costuming: A Silhouette Review

Are you easily confused by the variety of fashion eras and their corresponding dates? Can you tell the difference between Rococo & Georgian or Victorian & Edwardian? If not, come join us we explore the fashion silhouettes of the early 1700s to 1920s.

Teacher Provides: Handout

Length of Class: 50 minutes

Class Type: Lecture

So, those are all the classes I'm currently preparing for this year. Whew!

All good stuff, lots of great information...and I'm very excited to be teaching on these topics. If I can only survive until then.

=)

Good thing I'm *finally* starting to feel like I'm seeing that light at the end of the tunnel!

For More information on Costume College, check out its website at http://www.costumecollege.org/

To see a list of Teachers presenting at this year's Costume College (including my bio), check out http://www.costumecollege.org/CoCo_teachers.html

Crazy Busy Days

Ok, so not only am I currently busy with getting final details together for Costume College (a few things related to the Board/planning committe, but mostly getting ready for my 3 classes), I'm also completely swamped at work. My co-worker with whom I split the Lease Administrator job is currently on vacation (has been for about a week and a half now)...and things finally 'picked up' over here. Net result: Going crazy with the volume of work! I can't keep up with it.

Ugh!

(Oh, and that's also not counting the fact that I'm also prepping for my next Civil War event which is at the end of August in Huntington Beach...and helping with some preliminary planing for my 30th Birthday party).



Like I said. Going crazy right now.

Back to work.

FW: Strutters' Ball Tonight! Charleston Lessons!

Southland Strutters' Ball Wednesday Night Swing Dance Orange, CA www.struttersball.com Dear Rebecca, "Charleston is the easiest way to dance to fast swing music!  It's fun.  I'll show you lots of moves and work on the technique of your kicks.  We had really big classes last week.  Please plan on arriving up to 15 minutes early so that we can start on time."  -Shesha This Week 7pm: Beginning Swing Charleston 7:45pm: Intermediate Swing Charleston 8:30pm: Dance Starts Midnight: Dance Ends! DJ  Shesha plays what he wants all night!  He loves requests too! Classes are $7 each.  Dance is $7.  Discount Punch Cards Available for dance addicts. No Partners Needed Location:  The Womens Club of Orange Address : 121 S. Center St. Orange, CA, 92866  MAP   Other Stuff INSPIRATION WEEKEND is coming up fast!  Read about it and register now at http://www.inspirationweekend.com CAMP HOLLYWOOD is just around the corner!  Pick up flyers  at our dance or visit http://www.camphollywood.net FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE at Atomic Ballroom in Irvine 8:30pm - 1am, All ages.  There are lessons beforehand at 7pm and 7:45pm for Beginners and Intermediate Students. http://www.atomicballroom.com TUESDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP at Atomic Ballroom in Irvine.  Lessons with Laura, Jeremy, Jofflyn, and Amber at 7pm and 7:45pm for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced students. http://www.atomicballroom.com Soul night was SUPER fun last Sunday!  We are looking forward to our next Swing and Soul dance next month on Sunday August 14th. http://www.atomicballroom.com

English Country Dance This Saturday (7/19)

FYI - for those interested in English Country Dancing. The next Orange County practice is this Saturday.
=)
-=-Becky




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Judith Pronovost judithpronovost@mac.com
Date: Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Subject: English Country Dance This Saturday in Anaheim
To: recipients

Hi,

The next Orange County English Country Dance will be held this coming Saturday, July 19, at the Anaheim Downtown Community Center, 250 E. Center Street. Don't forget our new time -- 4:30 to 7:30. We'll be open at 4:15 to go over the basics with our new friends. Dress is casual and you are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes.

We will be practicing a few of the dances on the upcoming Playford Ball program along with other favourites typically on the Jane Austen Ball program. Calling will be done by me, Judee Pronovost.

I hope to see you Saturday.

Judee


ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Monrovia -- 2nd & 4th Fridays, contact Kristine Davey krisdavey@hotmail.com
Torrance -- 1st Thursdays www.geocities.com/sbecd/index.html
Culver City -- 2nd & 4th Sundays, contact Annie Laskey ccecd@aol.com
Anaheim -- 3rd Saturdays, contact Judee Pronovost judithpronovost@mac.com
Poway -- every Sunday, www.sdecd.org
Santa Barbara -- every Wednesday, www.sbcds.org/ecd/schedule/
Ventura -- first Sundays, www.sbcds.org/ecd/schedule/
Riverside, 2nd & 4th Thursdays, contact susan@englishcountrydancing.org

1940s inspired look

P7140168
Originally uploaded by marcailgaelyn

Ok, so after visiting a timeline event, and wanting to get my hair 'up' (off my neck) for the day at work, I ended up doing a 1940s (inspired) look for the day. 7-14-08.

On my Flickr account are a few photos I took to document how I looked that day/morning. Feel free to check them out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbec/sets/72157606315606529/

=)

-=-Becky

Old Fort MacArthur Days - 7/13/08

P7130149
Originally uploaded by marcailgaelyn

Here's a picture of my friend's set up (the WWI field Hostpital) at the Old Fort MacArthur Days Timeline event. This event is held annual at Fort MacAthur in San Pedro, CA

For more pictures of my brief tour (I was there to pick my friend up for a meeting that afternoon), check out the pictures posted to my Flickr account.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbec/sets/72157606291948942/

-=-Becky

Disneyland Fun

Ok, so I really meant to write up my recent (in April) trip to Disneyland, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Hopefully, I'll do it soon. (before I start forgetting details).

=)

In the meantime, here's a fun photo from my impromptu trip...Jenn Mulvey & I shooting it up in the Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters ride!

And this was my 2nd time on this ride (ever)! Not a bad score, if I do say so myself.

Unfortunately the picture from our *first* time through - earlier that afternoon - didn't come through due to a 'transmission error'. (Too bad!) But I'm glad we at least got this pic! And no, my score wasn't nearly as impressive that first time around. Jenn & I were a lot more matched on scores (both in the 40,000 range, if I recall correctly).

=)

Done with Jury Duty!

Woo-hoo! I'm officially done with Jury Duty...and I only had to call/check-in each day. (I never had to physically report in at the Courthouse).

Wonderful News, eh?

What a great start to the 4th of July Weekend!
=)

Atomic Ballroom Swing Dancing This Weekend

Just thought I'd pass this along. (Too bad I won't be in town for this, though. But its good to hear that they have a LIVE Swing Orchestra!)

-=-Becky

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shesha the Swing Dancer <sheshazam@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 2:15 AM
Subject: We are OPEN for Dancing this July 4th Weekend
To:  -

 

Dear Rebecca, We are OPEN for dancing this Friday and Saturday Night at ATOMIC Ballroom in Irvine Live Music! No Classes on Friday but we open for dancing after fireworks at 9:30pm Come swing out this Friday night at ATOMIC Ballroom Please join all your friends this Friday night after fireworks  We will open at 9:30 and stay open till 2am! Still wearing flip flops?  You can swing dance in flip flops!  See you then. Cover is $8!  OC Swing Dance Club members get $2 off. Click here for location... 1st Saturday Swing Dance Featuring Live Music by The Fabulous Esquires Big Band Its like I always say, "You can't beat a big band" for dancing.  If you have not been attending 1st Sat Swing at ATOMIC how about you come join us this month. Shesha teaches a lindy hop lesson for beginners at 7:45 for $12.  You don't need a partner.   Introduce new dancers by bringing them! The dance is $12.  Please support live music! Click here for location...

Forward email This email was sent to rebecca.thelin@gmail.com, by sheshazam@gmail.com Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Swing Info Mailing List | The OC Swing Dance Club | 2530 Clarke Ave | Fullerton | CA | 92831

Foyle's War: Set 5 (upcoming DVD release)

FYI post about the upcoming DVD release of Set 5 of Foyle's War.

Technically, Set 5 is really season 6, but in the US they combined seasons 4 & 5 for the "Set 4" dvd release. (Apparently, they only had 2 episodes for Season 4 and 2 episodes for Season 5, so it kinda makes sense to bundle them together for DVD sales...at least it does for us over here! =)

Release Date for Set 5: August 5, 2008
http://www.amazon.com/Foyles-War-Set-Anthony-Horowitz/dp/B001A33ZHG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1214957490&sr=8-1

3 Episodes:

"PLAN OF ATTACK"—With the Hastings police force suffering attrition and low morale, Foyle comes out of retirement to probe the mysterious death of a cartographer from the Air Ministry office.

"BROKEN SOULS"—The murder of an ambitious young doctor at the local psychiatric clinic produces no shortage of suspects among the staff and patients, many of whom still experience the war’s horrors.

"ALL CLEAR"—With final victory expected any day, Hastings looks ahead to a radically different post-war life. But the end comes too soon for two men—one a murder victim, the other an apparent suicide.

ITV may revive Foyle's War

Rebecca Thelin spotted this on the guardian.co.uk site and thought you should see it.

-------
Note from Rebecca Thelin:

Nifty News about our favorite WWII Mystery Series! (Foyle's War)
-------

To see this story with its related links on the guardian.co.uk site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/09/itv.television

ITV may revive Foyle's War
Wednesday April 9 2008
guardian.co.uk

Fans of ITV1's second world war drama Foyle's War can take heart – the new series starting on Sunday may not be the last after all.

ITV is looking at reversing the decision by outgoing director of television Simon Shaps to axe Foyle's War.

The broadcaster confirmed today is it is in "early discussions" to continue to keep the ITV1 drama, which stars Michael Kitchen as a second world war detective, on air.

Foyle's War had been abruptly axed by Shaps, to the disappointment of writer Anthony Horowitz and its million of fans.

However, with Shaps due to leave ITV later this month, to be replaced by ex-BBC1 controller Peter Fincham, the broadcaster's director of drama Laura Mackie said she is "very hopeful" Foyle's War will return.

"Foyle is an iconic character that viewers love, and although this current series ends on VE Day, Europe would remain in turmoil for some time to come and Foyle's life and work could continue in many different and interesting ways," Mackie added.

"We are very hopeful that we can bring him back to our screens sometime in the future."

Horowitz recently told the Radio Times that it was Shaps who had pulled the plug on Foyle's War, in an interview to be featured in next week's edition pegged to the return of the show.

When asked why it had been decommissioned, he said: "The answer in two words is Simon Shaps."

The axing meant that Horowitz had suddenly to bring the drama to a close and skip from 1943 to the end of the war for the fifth series, which begins this weekend.

Sunday's episode is set in 1944 and then on the following Sunday, April 20, viewers will see a two hour finale set on VE Day 1945.

Since it was first commissioned by former director of drama Nick Elliott in 2002, Foyle's War has regularly been in ITV1's 10 most popular programmes.

Starring Kitchen as Hastings-based detective Christopher Foyle it has been a mainstay of ITV1's Sunday schedule.

A statement released by ITV today said: "ITV has confirmed that following the huge popularity and success of the Foyle's War series, early discussions have taken place with Foyle creator and writer Anthony Horowitz and Greenlit Rights about the possibility of keeping Foyle on our screens in the future."

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&#183; If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".

Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008

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Great stuff from Think Geek.com

So I just saw this T-shirt on Think Geek.com, and had to share! (I love a lot of their stuff!)





http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/popculture/a6b2/?cpg=ab

Mind Trick Venn Diagram (T-shirt)

The three circles say:

"You don't need to see his identification."
"These aren't the droids you're looking for."
"He can go about his business."

...And the central intersection reads "MOVE ALONG".

Classic!

=)