Sex and the City!

Ladies, today marks the day we've all been waiting for! Sex and the City opens today and you can guarantee my roommates and I already have tickets to a 6:30 p.m. showing. Martinis and fancy shoes will follow soon after.

Remember that time we all met Steve at Victory Gardens Theatre? He's a sweet goofball.

To celebrate this momentous day, I took many "Which Sex in the City characeter are you?" quizzes. Most of them say the same thing: Carrie. I may look like Charlotte...


Take the Sex and the City Quiz at Quiz Rocket.com!
Free MySpace Quizzes & Online Quizes.

Tchotchkes

Check out this article in TimeOut Chicago. It features my first friend in Chicago, Jolene Turner. We sat next to each other at a Second City student orientation. She really is this creative, fun, and quirky.

Dream #412

Last night I had the most incredible dream! I was so sad to wake up and realize that it wasn't true.

The dream involved me auditioning with Sydney Pollack for the new movie filming in Chicago, Public Enemies. You know, the movie with Christian Bale and Johnny Depp. I was auditioning using a role that had already been cast. It was a fantastic role with hopes of an Oscar nomination. He liked me so much that he said, "Here's what we're going to do, I'm not longer going to have that other girl in this role, I'm casting you." Next thing I know I'm almost in tears with joy and riding the el home reading the script and glancing at the wardrobe for my character. You know how much I love clothes! And a wardrobe made for me and this character? Solid gold. I was so enthralled with it that I missed my stop. I was also cast opposite one of my high school friends. Seriously, I was on cloud 9. It was devastating waking up to reality! But hey, there's hope.

Two things:
1. Sydney Pollack just passed away from cancer. I read that bit of news yesterday which crept it's way into my dream.
2. I saw the set crew setting up for Public Enemies on Lincoln last night. They turned all the shops by the Biograph theater into 1930 storefronts. They were also putting down the faux cobblestone streets. I can't wait to see it!

Drewby's Visit

Andrew's visit this weekend was just perfect! We laughed like crazy and enjoyed the perfect weather. Now he's home and I'm exhausted! Highlights of the weekend included the Segway tour, my show and the Sox game. Here are some pictures of us. As you can see, we can hardly take a serious picture of ourselves.

Mr. Fantastic

The reason I love this show so much!



I'm still blown away!

Reality TV

I'm an actress and shouldn't like or watch any reality TV shows. Wouldn't that make me a traitor? But I can't help it! So You Think You Can Dance premiere's tonight. I'm as excited as a high schooler who just finished finals and is heading into summer. Okay, maybe not that excited. Really, there isn't a better feeling. Except maybe holding your child for the first time or something like that...but it's close! I dare you to watch this show and not love it. Granted it's just like American idol the first few weeks where they audition people in different cities and show too many of the terrible ones. Aw, but the personal stories...get me everytime.

I'll admit that last night I was home watching the longest two hours of American Idol ever. I'd admit that it was the biggest waste of time except I was also reading the most current In Style. So time wasting averted! I'm beginning to think I should have live blogged the event. I had so many "observations" that Jessie probably wanted to punch me in the mouth so I couldn't talk. Here's a sampling:

1. Amanda - Isn't she the one that sings like Janice Joplin? I'm pretty sure she had absolutely no desire to be singing and "dancing" for the group routines. It's my opinion that they didn't let her sing unless it was her solo.

2. American Idol hates the girl contestants. Seriously, why would they make them do choreography like that?

3. Did Sarah from SYTYCD (so you think you can dance) cut her hair off? Eeek! I'm not sure that was her. Tragic if it is.

4. SHAMELESS product placement everywhere. Mike Myers. Oh dear. I'm cringing so bad my butt is twinging.

5. Little young David seems a little lost and doesn't quite know what to do about all of these shameless product placements.

6. Seal is HUGE!

7. My junior high crush on Robert Downey, Jr. is back. Do you remember that movie Chances Are? He's pure adorableness.

8. Finally, the end! And the winner is???? WHAT?! WHY DID THE DVR STOP RECORDING!?

And there you have it.

Updates

Here we go:

1. I am back at work and feeling much better. A 7:00 am doctor appointment this morning confirmed that allergies do nothing for me but cause a raucus. I'll refrain from going into the transitional color of my mucus. Gross you out a little? I know. I totally did that on purpose.

2. My audition went...ooookay. I felt strong with my monologue but was thrown for a loop when they asked to see one of my typical improv characters. Ummm...it's improv. I really don't have a character I use as a "fall back." I guess I need to come up with one just in case this happens again. It's all a learning experience. I don't think I need to go into a long explanation with them about how my improv is more relationship focused. And FYI...I just threw a "character" out there to have something for them. I'm thinking it didn't exactly do the job. But hey, I did it!

3. It's official! Little brother Drew is flying into Chicago for the long weekend! We're taking a Segway tour, going to my show, cheering on the White Sox, hitting the beach and then I'll send him home exhausted. I can't wait!

4. So You Think You Can Dance. That show is going to steal my heart for the next umpteen weeks.

5. Off to Nordstrom for their semi-annual sale. Key word: Shoes.

Under the Weather

I've been holed-up with kleenex up my nostrils since Friday. Today really isn't that much different. I've got cabin fever and don't want to open up another packet of sudafed. But I will go ahead and thank God for the So You Think You Can Dance Marathon that was showing all weekend long on MTV. I watched almost every episode from the 3rd season. It was like visiting old friends again.

Season 4 starts this Thursday!! I seriously wish I could be on that show.

Graffiti Like You've Never Seen

Things like this blow my mind! I have neither the creativity nor the patience to pull off something like this:


MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

It's 6.5 minutes long, so make sure you have a few minutes to sit still and watch. It's totally worth it! You can check out more of his work here. Of course I found this on Pop Candy. I'm addicted to that site.

Where are You Dolph Lundgren?

I've debated on whether or not to say anything because I'm a perfectionist and heaven forbid if I didn't do something perfectly AND EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT IT! The shame! The horror! But I'm a grown woman now, so I'll go ahead and lay it out there. Besides, your prayers would be lovely.

Are you scared about what I'm going to say? What thoughts are running through that pretty little head of yours? If only I could know! I'm sure you're waiting for me to announce that I am indeed a lesbian. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not. And no, I'm not moving back to Texas. And before you even mention it, I've decided not to cut my hair short anytime soon.

Drumroll please! Don't you think drumroll's are usually a prelude to something underwhelming? Not here! Drum away!

Things have been exciting in regards to my acting career lately. Through taking classes I have found someone who believes in me and what I'm doing. Hallelujah, praise the Lord! Not only that but she's well connected and wants to help me move forward in getting an agent. So Tuesday I have an audition with a great Chicago agent. I am doing a short monologue and then perhaps a cold reading. So if you know me, you know that internally I'M FREAKING OUT! I'm going through all my mantras trying to calm myself down. Months of therapy are leading me up to this moment - one where confidence and truth triumph over anxiousness and fear of failure. It's just like Rocky IV. "I must break you."

I would love your prayers!

And in case you're wondering, Dolph is really tan and well coiffed.

My Family

Saturday was the screening of a film I shot a year ago. The director just finished her MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. They hold screenings of their students' films at the end of the year. Ours was shown along with four other short films ranging from two and a half minutes all the way up to 38 minutes. I expected our film to be 10 minutes long. I was wrong. It is 38 minutes. So now I have to sit through nearly 40 minutes every time a friend or family member wants to see it. I do have to say that it was surreal seeing myself on a big screen.

You all will be happy to know that I didn't see myself on the big screen and immediately want to throw up and yell FIRE! so everyone would have to leave the theater. I was doing my best to act calm and collected as my friends held my hands beside me. My final thought was "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Sure the sound wasn't the best but it ended up being somewhat charming. I'm mostly proud of the director because she came so close to giving up half way through the project. I was also secretly delighted because she received the most interest/questions from the audience.

It was such a fun experience to go to the screening and see people share their creativity and stories. It's a fun thing to do on a weekend if you ever get a chance to do it in your local city. My favorite was a guy who did a home movie that lasted six minutes. It combined black and white 16 mm footage with no sound and kid-like art/cartoon crafts to tell a story about his family. It was thoughtful, sweet, truthful and creative.

I have a DVD of our flick if you ever want to see me running around Chicago carrying a rug. I'm not kidding. I did a lot of that. Oh! and I didn't appear nearly as sweaty as I thought I would. I did notice I have really shiny hair.

Monday Morning Mess

Poor Dad! Thankfully he's okay. I can't exactly say the same thing about the car. He wore his seatbelt, he's doing fine, and it wasn't his fault. Note to self: Bad things can happen when you run a red light.

Surprise Party

Yesterday I had fun singing both Greatest Hits albums from The Judds on my way to Decatur, IL to celebrate my cousin, Lindsay Kay, and partake in a surprise birthday celebration. I have not seen some of these wonderful family members since our family reunion nearly two years ago. There was lots of laughter, beer, cake and kiddos. Somehow I became the main attraction for the kids. And by main attraction I mean jungle gym and punching bag. I loved it!

Happy Birthday Lindsay Kay!

White Sox

Yesterday was a perfect day for a baseball game! It was even more perfect because I took the day off so I could have a dentist's hands in my mouth for the first three hours of the morning. Numb-faced with a persistent ringing in my ears, thanks to the drill, I met up with James to go see the White Sox take on the Twins.

The air was cool, the sun was warm, and the hotdogs were plentiful. I'll cut to the chase: the Sox won. I also learned a new phrase from the 50 year-old southside lawyers sitting behind us: Quiche-eaters. That was their phrase for northside Cub fans. I guess it symbolizes their opinion that northsiders are prissy and high-maintenance - men and women alike. Hilarious if you're from Chicago.


I had some winning moments and some losing moments during the game:


Winning moment = sitting on the sunny side on a 60 degree day.


Losing moment = the last bite of my Brat falling out of the bun and onto the cement ground. I'm pretty sure the whole stadium heard me shriek.


Winning moment = knowing that "Danger Zone" is by Kenny Loggins.


Losing moment = forgetting to wear sunscreen, yet again. I look like Rudolph today.


Winning moment = drinking a beer at the ballpark. I'm not a huge fan of beer but I did it because baseball games call for it.


Losing moment = trying to drink a beer out of a bottle while the whole left side of your face is numb.

The List

I wonder what it would be like to be a guy that makes five 30-something year-old women giggle with delight after an elevator door opens to reveal you in all your handsome glory.

Last night I was feeling tired and looking rough. My unwashed hair was on top of my head in a bun and my greasy bangs with sprouts of grey were held back by a headband. My eyes were puffy from too much salt and I could barely utter a "hey" when in my mind I was saying "Hello gorgeous!" Really, he was THAT good looking. We held our cackles until we left the building and it turns out we were all thinking the same thing - "Why didn't I pretend to forget something so I could ride the elevator with him!" Really, I need to be more prepared when it comes to my game. Here's my new regimen for supreme readiness:

1. Shower - it will always elevate the odds.

2. Smile - when in doubt, smile. It's much better than a cranky stare.

3. Make haste! - Girl, have your excuses ready! Drop everything when you see an opportunity.

4. Awareness - When you're riding the bus and you notice five cute guys boarding, remove the headphones and close the book. Makes you more approachable. Then apply points 1 - 3.

5. Lipstick - I'm not sure why other than my mother always tells me to put it on.

Please feel free to share your tips. All of us single people in the blogosphere are appreciative.

KISSSSSSS

What is the best way to begin a new acting class filled with strangers? Kiss one of them! Well, actually he kissed me. Indeed it's going to be a wonderful class!

I finally began the Advanced Scene Study class I've been wanting to take for a while. It's going to be intense. Not only is it four hours long on Mondays, but I also am required to meet with my scene partner twice a week outside of class. It's going to kick my butt and it's going to be awesome!

My first scene is from John Patrick Shanley's Kissing Christine. It is funny and the lives of the characters are intriguing. Right away we did a cold reading in front of the class. Of course he called our scene to go first. There was a slight verbal "ugh!" that escaped my mouth. I was nervous! I don't know any of these people and automatically I was trying to remind myself, "You are good! They let you into this class for a reason!" It wasn't too bad and it was even - GASP - fun!

The partner of one of the guys in our class couldn't make it so our teacher asked me to do the cold reading from their play. I just glanced through it quickly, noted the inappropriate things I'd be saying, and took a moment to realize I'd be kissing a stranger. No problem, I'm a professional. A quick handshake and exchange of names before the scene began and then we were off! Blah blah blah blah blah, "come here baby," smack smack, hug hug, "you smell good"...and scene! Thank you ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

It's all in a days work people.

World Premiere!

So a year ago I shot my first student film. Let me stress the word STUDENT. In a few years I'll be saying, "After my first Oscar-winning performance where I had to makeout with Matt Damon...." Oh that will be beautiful. Anyway, where was I going with this? Oh yes, a woman from the graduate program at the Art Institute of Chicago did a film about a family. How do I know this? It's called My Family. That's really all I know about the film. That and my character was obsessed with rugs. I was beginning to lose hope of ever seeing it because we filmed it so long ago. Well wouldn't you know that last week I got an email from the director. Not only do I get a DVD of it but I also have the opportunity to go watch myself on the big screen! It's such an awesome film that it's premiering at 10:00 AM this Saturday at the Gene Siskell theater. Only awesome films premiere at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning.

In all honesty I'm a little scared to go see it. Okay, a lotta scared. It was my first film. We also shot it in the middle of the summer with me wearing a full suit under really hot lights. And by the transitive property, you have SWEATY Katy. I think I'll also die when I see my butt bouncing down Michigan Avenue as I run away from the camera while holding a big rug. It's going to test the strength of my self-confidence. Hopefully I can just laugh at it instead of wanting to go hide in a corner and give up on my dream.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Another Dream...

What the heck did I eat last night?

So last night I had a dream that I had a baby. It started out that both my sister, Erin, and I were pregnant. She had her baby an hour before I went into labor. She kept telling me, "Trust me, you'll know when it's labor." Then immediately my pelvis began hurting. I said, "OH MY GOODNESS! I'M IN LABOR!" Next thing I know, I am holding a baby boy in my arms with dark hair. The funny thing is that both Erin's and my baby could walk and climb things. They were tiny little tikes to be walking and climbing. We both had boys. I couldn't decide on a name. Random names like Greg would pop up and I'd say, "No, that's not it." My husband was no where to be found although I'm pretty sure I was married. I kept wanting to call the baby Archer and then I'd think, "DANGIT! That name is already taken!" Erin and I were sitting in a dark room in the middle of the night breast feeding our babies...and I didn't care who saw my boobs. I kept waiting for it to hurt really bad like it does when you first start out. Then I woke up.

SO WEIRD! Can anyone interpret that one for me?

UPDATE:

Here's what Becky thought. She's a licensed counselor so it may have some merit.

I used to have dreams about having a baby many years ago. My mom once told me that she had the same dreams and sometimes the baby in the dream signified herself. Just food for thought.

Thoughts about Erin going first: marriage & baby.
Thoughts about the gender: maybe you're dreaming finding the "right guy" (like how you couldn't choose a name...but by the way, Greg S. is taken. Sorry. Oh, and you can't marry Archer.)

For real though, I do think baby dreams are about new birth in our lives, whether literal or figurative. Do you need to give birth to something new? Are you putting it off for fear it will "hurt?" Are you ready to be shameless about this new thing? (ex: no shame in breast feeding your baby?)

Interesting...