The shows are over! Annie has come to a close. Everyone did an amazing job. I’m always impressed at how it all comes together and we’ve been doing this for years.
Right Now:
After a bit of coffee and breakfast I am off to high school ministry. My daughter will most likely continue to sleep. She has some catching-up to do. For those not on Facebook or Instagram, here is one photo of her as Grace, Mr. Warbuck’s assistant. And yes, that’s a wig!
This Week:
My daughter was just cast in Godspell so I thought we would be skipping the next community theatre project but turns out, she has changed her mind. I am going through calendars to see if it’s feasible. The next show is The Little Mermaid. Rehearsals begin February 10th. See what I mean by a tiny break?
Reading:
I think my next read will be The Woman in the Window. I know all about the controversy. The author sounds completely off his rocker but hey, wouldn’t that make for a very interesting read?
Watching:
I made the mistake of recording that foot show. I’ve watched a few episodes and I am weirdly fascinated by it as well as completely grossed out. Why do people allow their feet to get that way??
New Things I’ve Tried:
I received a sample of Estēe Lauder’s Rapid Brightening Treatment serum in the mail and decided to give it a try. I have one dark spot that has been bothering me. I decided to use this serum on that, to see if it made a difference. The product claims that you will see a result in a week. It took almost 2.5 weeks but that spot is fading and I’ve used only the tiniest of dabs. It’s pricey, but when my sample is out, I may purchase based on the results I’ve seen. This is unsolicited.
Grateful for:
- The weather, sunny but cool.
- That another show has come to a close successfully.
- My reading pace. So good right now.
- The people who help my daughter backstage.
What’s your view on the controversy surrounding Oprah’s newest book pick, American Dirt? It’s received such great reviews and now this. I was very excited to pick it up but now I’m not sure I want to.
Book Chatter 
The best most effective thing for dark spots on face is hydroquinone – get your dr to write you a script for it. Insurance doesn’t cover it’s pricey but the tube lasts forever. Use a pea size and mix with your regular nighttime moisturizer. I’ve used it for years. Works great. But know this – if you stop using it the spots will come back
Really. I haven’t tried hydroquinone yet. When I was being treated for lupus it seemed like I had a lot of marks on my skin. Maybe the meds did it. Most are gone but one is stubborn. Will look into it.
Omg, she looks beautiful as Grace! Well, she always looks beautiful, let’s be real here. But she looks beautiful as Grace, also. 🙂
I’ve never seen Godspell. What part did she get?
I had heard about the controversy surrounding American Dirt, but I hadn’t about AJ Finn aka Dan Mallory. I think it’s pretty horrible to pretend you have any kind of serious illness. I can’t imagine how people or the press didn’t catch on before now what with him not getting any treatments. I guess he isn’t famous enough to be followed all the time, but still. The book does look good and you can’t really fault a book for having a whack job author. I mean if it was something horrible toward someone else then I would be like aw hell no. But he was only lying about himself, so I say enjoying the book is fair game.
How are you doing, missy? Hate I have lost contact with people. It was like once I decided to stop blogging because I wasn’t reading, and I decided to basically quit Facebook, I’ve been totally MIA. So sorry about that.
I was happy to see you stirring way across the way there. I’ve been okay. Dealing with too many work changes but no big issues when I compare it to what others are going through.
In Godspell, you play yourself so the part she has is the one who sings Turn Back o Man. A strong, belty, flirty role. Perfect for her.
All the book controversy just makes me want to read the books more. I might not BUY a copy but yeah.
How the heck have you been?
Your daughter is beautiful!
American Dirt was is my list but now I don’t know. I haven’t read any of the controversy surrounding it so I’ll have to check it out.
I started to watch the foot show but changed my mind.
Regarding the foot show, I have to believe that many of these folks probably don’t have medical care which is why their feet get the way they do. So, I am glad they at least get treated, even if it’s for a show. Man, it’s hard to stop watching. It is fascinating. Disgusting too.
Nop, nop, don’t want to watch the feet video. Then I’ll never get it out of my head, lol. My current read is sooo long that I’m trying to find something shorter and engaging to give me a break. So far I haven’t found it so I’ll keep looking. I hope you enjoy your next read!
Oh and I did see on Instagram but your daughter looks amazing and definitely very perfect for the role! I’m sure she did wonderful!
Yeah, probably best that you skip the foot show because you won’t be able to stop watching it once you do and then I will be the blame. LOL.
Your daughter looks fantastic and how fun that she has two more good shows to do. Such a talented young lady. The American Dirt controversy is interesting. I haven’t read the book but wanted to when I first heard all the good reviews, but I also have to listen to all the the POC who are upset about it.
All the shows are behind us now and it looks like my daughter is back to a NO for the next show. A little rest will be good.
American Dirt. I hate to say it but when I book is controversial it makes me want to read it more.
I was so excited about American Dirt… now I don’t know what to make of all this controversy. I’m so far down the library hold list that I’ll have plenty of time to make a decision. Your daughter is gorgeous!!
I think I am like #212 on the wait list for American Dirt. I will read it but not sure how I will feel about it now.
Thank you for that compliment regarding my kid. She looked beautiful.
I’m going to avoid American Dirt and try to read books about the immigration issues recommended by #ownauthors. I think it is important to get authentic voices in such scenarios, and given some of the reviews I have seen, there is no way Cummings is providing this.
Nice photo of your daughter. Woman in the Window is worth picking up though the ending gets crazy. I talked a bit about American Dirt in my recent post on my site …. and I can see both sides of the issue … though I’m inclined to read it & see … but also read others as well.
The Woman in the Window is bugging me right now. The amount of wine this woman drinks is a bit much.
I had not heard about Mallory, but that’s interesting.
You know I loved American Dirt, and I think Cummins is a wonderful story-teller. I fear that her book is being held as a poster-child what is wrong in publishing — the lack of diversity of authors and only “white” and “privileged” authors receiving handsome advances while POC do not get the same.
I can see some of the stereotypes, and I see how Lydia’s reactions to things may seem white-washed, but I also found her character to be incredibly naive beyond her own immediate world and family, especially as her husband didn’t really share the details of his work with her.
I could go on and on about this…but I won’t here. I can’t wait to see her in March when she comes to her home town — which by the way, is the most diverse city in Maryland. It is wonderful and filled with different cultures, who miraculously all seem to get along relatively well….it boggles my mind that people seem to pull the white Maryland card, when she’s from one of the most diverse cities in suburbia. (https://dcist.com/story/16/05/11/the-cities-surrounding-dc-area/)
I digress. Sorry for the long comment. 🙂
Of the people I know who have read American Dirt, they’ve all praised it. I was surprised when the controversy came out but when Oprah picks a big it gets even more attention, both the bad and good kind.