Gratefulness

During this month of Thanksgiving, many of us will evaluate all of the blessings in our lives.  The good news is that Eric and I have been showered with our share of blessings lately.  The bad news (for you) is that we've been too busy enjoying our blessing shower to keep this blog up to date.  So I apologize (again) for not being more diligent with timely posts, but since you're here anyway, I'll fill you in (again) on all the latest news from the Brown household.

What started as a temporary assignment for Eric has turned into a full-time position as a Housekeeping Manager at his resort.  He loves the cast, the behind-the-scenes magic making, and being done by 6pm every day!

I have had some pretty exciting career advancements myself.  You can always read about my career updates on my website and now on Twitter.  Most notably, I have started as a Casting Director for the American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios!  The American Idol Experience is an attraction that allows guests to audition to sing in a live Walt Disney World show where the audience votes for their favorite performer.  My job is hearing those auditions and determining if they have the talent and star power to continue on to the stage.  It really is a tough job but so enjoyable and rewarding, largely due to my amazing team and the ability to truly make dreams come true!

I also have a new church family at First Presbyterian in downtown Orlando--I am their new Second Alto section leader for Chancel Choir, Chancel Ensemble (a smaller, auditioned group), and Canticum Novum (an even smaller chamber group).  In between my commitments to church, the Idol Experience, and other gigs, I still make it to my newborn photography gig at the hospital (just more seldom than before).

Speaking of other gigs, I'm shaping up to be one busy lady this holiday season.  First Presbyterian will have two big services on Christmas eve, but in addition to that, I am also going to be singing with two a capella ensembles this winter.  This will be my first year singing with the Dickens Carolers from Vocals, Inc., who have been caroling all over town for 20 years! I'll also be performing with a jazz quartet at SeaWorld for their Christmas Celebration this year--what do you think of the name Belles and Beaux?!

In the spring once things are settled down from the holidays, I'll be joining Legacy, a professional vocal group that is part of my friend Joshua's non-profit organization, Central Florida Community Arts.  I was also just offered an ensemble role in the Orlando Philharmonic's concert production of Carousel next April.

I'm still with Earth Beat, my classic cover band, and I had my first two Sing gigs in the last two weeks--a fun one here in town and one really special one in New Jersey before that.  We were so close to New York City that we couldn't resist popping into Manhattan for dinner and drinks and touristy photo ops in Times Square!

It was at this moment when I was looking up at the bright lights in the big city (where someone at flown me and fed me and put me up and paid me to do what I love) that I fully realized what a truly amazing career year I've had.  I confessed my New Year's Resolution goal for 2011 on this blog--to become a full-time professional musician.  Years of networking, interviewing, and auditioning finally culminated in successfully reaching that goal!

In 2012, it'll be Eric's turn for a banner career year.  For now, our personal lives are mostly the same.  Eric drives a new car, I lopped off a whole crapload of my hair, but it's basically the same story--we still have the same friends with a few fun new ones peppered in, we still find time for our loopy staycations and relaxing nights at home, we still live in the same house.  We'll be having (almost) all of our family members over at our place for Thanksgiving in just a few short weeks, another blessing for which we're humbly grateful.

Our Holidays...and Beyond!

After celebrating my favorite holiday in October and spending Thanksgiving with Eric's folks, we had a festive Christmas holiday celebration here in town.  My immediate family celebrated with us and then my mom's whole side piled in for a fun Christmas gathering!  Then our friends Rachel and Ollie came into town to celebrate the New Year with us.  We hit Universal, the Disney parks, some fabulous dining locations, and other various hot spots throughout town.  (Poor Eric had recently had hernia surgery, so if you're wondering why he's in a wheelchair in some pictures, it's because it was way faster to push him around than drag him around hobbling!)

Celebrating Rachel's birthday at Yachtsman Steakhouse

We surprised Rachel with a birthday cake!

Taking a ride on the monorail

Sisters enjoying some delicious Butterbeer

Rachel and Ollie at Universal

The Browns meeting a distant cousin, Doc Brown

Visiting Hogwarts

The girls taking a pit stop at Chili's

Another delicious dinner at Flying Fish Cafe

Wild ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Late dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Dining Room

After the holidays, we just went back to our normal routines and finally took town our Christmas decor last week.  Eric is still chuggin' along at work, enjoying his place on the Club Concierge Level at the Yacht and Beach Club. Resorts.  He gets to rub elbows with lots of VIPs, so he gets a kick out of the mood and bustle of it all.  Looking back, I personally had a very bustling holiday, gigging all over town, which was such a blessing.  I got to sing with the Shrine Choir, one of the most musically fulfilling groups in town, a few times for the Christmas season, including midnight mass and Christmas morning service.  Also, Seraphim, the new women's a capella group I sing with, premiered my newest piece, Winter Carol, at our gigs this season.  Other than that, I've been auditioning my butt off trying to live up to my New Year's resolution of becoming a full-time performer.  My other resolution was to relaunch my website, and that I think I have completed.  Check it out!

My Favorite Holiday

Now that the weather is getting chillier, the lights are going up around town, there's a bit of spirit and cheer in the air, it's time to talk about my favorite holiday--Halloween!  Yep, I'm a little behind on the blogging.

I said in an earlier post I'd explain why we were so busy until three weeks before I wrote that entry.  When we moved into the house at the beginning of August, we were totally daunted by all of the unpacking, painting, and decorating that had to be done.  So we decided to give ourselves a deadline so that we'd buckle down and get things accomplished.  What better way to make sure we followed through than to invite all of our friends over for a haunted Halloween hootenanny?  If we didn't scramble and make the work happen, we would be embarrassed to let our friends walk through the door.  Well, it worked!  By All Hallows' Eve, the place was sparkling.  We even decorated the front yard!  What do you think?

We also got the chance to go to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom.  We wore some costumes that have been in our family for a number of years, but they're classics.

 We rode the Haunted Mansion...

 ...watched the fireworks...

 ...met the Seven Dwarfs...

...and ate lots and lots and lots of candy!  What fun!

In the Air Again

Thank goodness for free Wi-Fi at Hancock International! Now writing this blog post on my iPod will keep me occupied until our flight back to Florida leaves in an hour and a half. We always arrive early to airports just in case (there is actually an Eric Brown on the Do Not Fly list), and today it was a good thing we did. We didn't have to do the new body scan, but they did unpack and inspect literally every piece of luggage we brought: we each had a carry-on and a personal item, and every last square inch of space is full. (I'll be darned if I'm spending $100 round trip on bag check fees!) It took us a good 15 minutes and excellent teamwork to repack everything at the security checkpoint. L.L. Bean and American Tourister get a big thumbs-up for durability. These things are bursting at the seams. I wish I could take a picture because I feel you just have to see Eric's backpack to appreciate the true Mary Poppins carpet baggedness of this piece of luggage.

Our visit with Eric's side of the family was very restful and festive. We were very sad to say goodbye to the whole family, of course, but it was especially heartbreaking to leave our nephew Andrew and his sweet mommy Laura. Here's hoping he'll be ready to go airborne soon and he can come for a visit soon to his cool uncle Eric and aunt Katie in Florida!

Next on the agenda, making a trip to Apopka tommorow to pick up...my brand new car! Yes, my trusty Honda Civic, which I personally drove for 10 years, finally bit the dust last Monday. Eric is planning to fix it up nicely enough for us to sell or donate it and I'll be driving my 2004 Saab 9-3 just like my Civic--until it dies!

Aftter that will be a slew of holiday gigs stretching into the year, beginning with opening for the Walk Through Bethlehem this Friday night in Winter Park where my newest winter piece, Winter Carol, will be premiering! Then the next day I will be taking part in the filming for the Disney Parks Christmas Parade once again this year, this time with a mystery celebrity diva! I've heard dumped about who it may be but I'm sure I'm not at liberty to share the hunch with the world wide web until it's for sure. So on Saturday afternoon check back for another post :)

Eric's Special, Too

As I sit in this delightfully sticky booth enjoying my free wi-fi access and stuffing my pancake-hole with deliciously free breakfast, staring out into a rainy afternoon, I'm thinking of Eric on our regular day off and why I'm having a date with my laptop at Denny's.  Well, Eric is someplace special today--probably in full awareness of the syrupy goodness he's missing and the gloomy precipitation he's not.  He was selected to be a...well, I can't remember exactly what it's called, but there's a big press event going on at Walt Disney World with media luminaries attending from all over creation, and Eric gets to tag along with some of those illustrious personalities for a week.  He is basically in charge of being the liaison-type guy between Disney and the group from a New York City "hot" adult contemporary station.  These on-air folks and various station VIPs have the privilege of hanging out with my hubby during a week full of fun events and activities all over property.  It's an honor because only a few managers from all across the Walt Disney World Resort were chosen, and he's told it's an exciting adventure hobnobbing with all the media and enjoying all the perks.

Aw, shoot.  In my blogging excitement, I accidently dipped my pancakes in ketchup!  Dunking the sausage in syrup would've been a tastier mistake. 

In the meantime, I'll be savoring my breakfast-for-lunch catered with care by my South of the Border server Samuel, slung with a smile and a lonely rat-tail (photo forthcoming--if I'd thought to bring the microSD adapter for my cameraphone, you wouldn't even have to wait to see this truly amazing example of American [?] cosmetology EDIT: see below).  And I waited less than ten minutes!  Don't worry--later Eric will be enjoying my leftover eggs and bakey from the to-go box because on Free Grand Slam Day, there are no substitutions, even for picky eaters.

BONUS: My Thoughts on the Super Bowl

Did anyone else notice...

• the consecutive commercials featuring ladies being tackled (Snickers/Focus on the Family), schlubby dudes in their underwear (Career-Builder/Dockers), and woodland creatures (CarMax/Monster.com)?
• the Stripes theme featured on the Budweiser bridge commercial?
• the commercial announcing free food at Denny's?  Seriously, I only waited like six minutes.  Where is everybody?
• the ironic Super Bowl snapshot (EDIT: see below) circulating the tongue-in-cheek humor blogs yesterday? (Photo forthcoming--because Randall Gay is in the photo, the Denny's server won't let me pull it up.)
• if Baby Brees got an e*trade endorsement deal?
• anything but the commercials?

EDIT: Here are the photos I promised.

The rat-tail is small but effective.  This guy totally got a 100% tip.

Randall Gay sashays by as two Colts share a passionate embrace.

More Singing with the Stars

'Tis the season! With the Disney parks nearby, it begins to look a lot Christmas right around November 1st, but it never feels like Christmas to me until I get to sing some Christmas music! In college, I always had our candlelight concerts to look forward to and to generate holiday cheer, and now we have Epcot's Candlelight Processional to take its place. This week Eric and I sang in the cast choir in our first show of the season with John O'Hurley as the celebrity guest narrator. He interpreted the Christmas story wonderfully. By the end of the show, it really felt like the holidays were on their way!

Then last night, we got to see the Singing Christmas Trees at First Baptist Church in Orlando. My friend Rachel was playing the part of Mary in the show so she graciously invited us to the opening night! It was an amazing spectacle--literally two 40-foot tree-shapes full of hundreds of choir singers and thousands of twinkly lights!

Tomorrow I'm attending my first holiday function of the season, a brunch with the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega, and we'll be stopping by a few other soirees throughout the season and probably even hosting one of our own. Then the next two Sundays will be the Christmas cantata at my church. And, of course, today we had the filming for the (newly renamed) 2009 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade with Celine Dion! Rainy weather forced us out of the Magic Kingdom, but we ended up at the beautiful Grand Floridian hotel for the performance. Everyone involved really came together (and quickly!) to make everything go smoothly. Celine (we're so totally on a first name basis now) was amazing and totally gracious--she even gave Clay, our director, a much-deserved shout-out at the end of the shoot. Plus she looked fabulous!

EDIT: Here is a link to a post on the official Disney Parks blog about the taping. You can't see us in the picture, but it still looks cool!

If you're looking for us on Christmas morning, we're the very last number on the program, O Come All Ye Faithful. Nick Cannon--who's co-hosting the parade this year with Kelly Ripa--even announced the name of our group, Encore Cast Choir! The whole choir is in gold robes, and Eric and I are on the far right side of the group when you are looking at the whole group on the screen. I'm the one with a giant grin on my face! Hopefully we'll get some face time on ABC--we were all feeling very Hollywood today. The most ironic thing is that we don't have cable so I hope they put the video online so we can see ourselves!

All in all, it's been a very eventful (and exclamation point-worthy!) week and we're definitely in the holiday spirit now. The house is decorated, the shopping is underway, and, of course, there will be lots more singing. Here is our tentative Epcot Candlelight Processional schedule for this season:

• Monday, December 7 at 5:00pm with Anika Noni Rose
• Sunday, December 13 at 6:45pm and 8:15 with Vanessa Williams
• Tuesday, December 15 at 5:00pm with Abigail Breslin
• Friday, December 18 (Eric's Birthday!) at 5:00pm with Whoopi Goldberg
• Monday, December 21 at 5:00pm with Brian Dennehy

Entertainment is subject to change. While supplies last. Void where prohibited. All rights reserved, y'all.

Our 15 Minutes of Fame!

There haven't been many posts lately because since we got back from vacation, we've basically just been settling back in and catching up on real life...until we got an email from Encore, the charity choir we sing with during the summers. We've been asked to appear in the Christmas Day Parade being filmed at Walt Disney World and airing on ABC! The coolest part is that we'll be singing in the finale as back-up singers for a famous singer! The celebrity's identity was very hush-hush and we were all trying to guess who it might be until our first rehearsal last night when it was revealed to be the fabulous, the incomparable, the outrageous...Celine Dion!!

She's just as shocked and excited as we are! We are taping our segment this Friday on the Cinderella Castle stage! So if you have a DVR (or if you have nothing better to do on Christmas morning than to watch TV), tune in to the 26th-annual Emmy award-winning Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade to spot two of your favorite Browns!

2009 Ship's Log

Our Disney cruise to the Virgin Islands was excellent! We got back on Saturday and we're still adjusting to being back on dry land. But don't worry--we took lots of pictures as promised, and I kept a ship's log like last year so I wouldn't forget any of the exciting activities and adventures we had! This year's log was in time-saving bullet-point form, so I'll elaborate here upon our daily events.

EDIT: I've added links to a few photos into this post. If you want to see all of the photos, not just the highlights, you can find them here at my Flickr site.

The Magic itself was amazing, the appropriate definition of "ship shape." Improvements were being made every day of the voyage to keep her at her best. Our stateroom was incredible, every bit as spacious and comfortable as I had imagined an onboard cabin could be. The service was second-to-none, especially our serving staff and stateroom attendant and the ever-cheerful cruise staff. The food was delicious; we were fed three times a day and then some, one of those daily meals being a four-course dinner! There were lots of opportunities just for grown-ups, a night-life area, designated pool and hot tubs, and lots of adult activities. We kept ourselves busy enjoying the sights, tastes, sounds, and even smells of the Magic and its exotic ports of call.

Saturday, October 10 - Day 1 - Port Canaveral

Aunt Robin, Uncle Jerry, and Cousin Melissa gave us a lift to the port (thanks, y'all!) where we checked in, saw Mickey and Pluto, and explored the terminal until it was time to board. Our first view on the ship was the beautiful lobby atrium, complete with a colorful pop art chandelier, glass elevators, and grand staircases. After we were announced ("Please welcome aboard, Mr. and Mrs. Brown!") we ran straight up to the Vista Spa and Salon book a massage first thing. On a tour of the spa, Eric won an additional free treatment! Then we went to take a dip in the adults only pool, Quiet Cove. What a nice amenity! Afterward, I went to the salon for a hair consultation; the stylist recommended I trim a few inches off the bottom and incorporate a few long layers (which I did...after we got home...for $6.99 at Great Clips!).

Next was our couple's massage, which (differently from the usual, and fortunately for us) took place in one of the luxurious private spa villas since it was empty; I guess everyone else was still exploring the ship! Later we relaxed on deck, had a delicious dinner at Lumiére's restaurant, and got to bed early to prepare for the next day at sea.

Sunday, October 11 - Day 2 - At Sea

First thing after breakfast, Eric dragged me to a fitness seminar on Secrets to a Flatter Stomach. I was so bored that I left 15 minutes later to attend Disney's Art of Entertaining seminar on Dazzling Desserts. Hey, I was on vacation. Later we visited the Port and Shopping show to get some tips on what shops to visit in St. Thomas and St. Croix. At Quiet Cove that day, the cruise staff held a pool golf game and Eric won a Drink of the Day by sinking a hole in one!

That evening was our formal night, so we got dolled up and went to meet Mickey in his finery and our captain, Tom Forberg, in his spiffy uniform. We were also treated to the Golden Mickeys show, an amazing Broadway-caliber musical presented in the Walt Disney Theater and honoring the musical and storytelling heritage of Disney films. Later we had our formal night dinner at Animator's Palate, a restaurant known for its ability to change colors throughout the meal, but on this evening it remained black and white to match the tuxedos worn by the wait staff and many of the excited guests.

Monday, October 12 - Day 3 - At Sea

On Monday we enjoyed Mickey's Island Jam for breakfast, a character dining experience at Parrot Cay restaurant with Caribbean-style cuisine and the opportunity to meet and greet with all our favorite Disney friends. Later that evening we got to go back to Parrot Cay for dinner, but for most of the day we spent lots of time relaxing and enjoying events onboard. We won our first trivia contest of this year's vacation, Cruisin' for Trivia 2! Then we also watched Who Wants to Be a Mouseketeer, Disney Innovations in Animation, and Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story at the Walt Disney Theatre. We also found Daisy Duck in her island attire, played a round of jackpot bingo, observed the onboard art auction, and lounged in the jacuzzi at Quiet Cove. We fit a nap in there too.

Tuesday, October 13 - Day 4 - Frederiksted, St. Croix

Early Tuesday morning while I was still asleep, Eric enjoyed his spa treatment prize, a seaweed wrap! Then we got ready to spend the day ashore in St. Croix, a small peaceful island rarely visited by cruise ship passengers. We shopped the local vendors' souvenirs and handmade items and strolled on the beach collecting sea glass and enjoying the sun, sand, and sea. That afternoon, we took an exciting ATV tour of the island, enjoying beautiful tropical and historical sights like the remains of Butler's Plantation and an old Dutch sugar mill, Mt. Stewart, and St. Croix's very own rainforest(-ish)!

We elected to walk a mile back from our drop-off point to downtown Frederiksted so we could enjoy the beach a bit more. Back onboard, we won Cruisin' for Trivia 3 and then got ready for the Pirates IN the Caribbean Party! This included a delicious dinner at Lumiére's (complete with limbo!), Disney characters (along with us) dressed in pirate garb, and the famous Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. The deck party features a fireworks display, the only one on the seven seas! Later that night we brought the house down at Krazy Karaoke singing Summer Nights--even though it was really fall, it felt like summer!

Wednesday, October 14 - Day 5 - Havensight, St. Thomas / Cruz Bay, St. John

Because of their close proximity to one another, we got to enjoy St. Thomas and St. John in one stop. I heard that the best snorkeling in the area was at Trunk Bay at Virgin Islands National Park in St. John, so we quickly took a taxi and ferry and another taxi to VI National Park. It really was beautifully preserved--clear waters, brightly colored plants and sealife, majestic rock formations, and soft sand. One of the highlights of my trip was snorkeling over the coral reef and watching a parrotfish having lunch. It was so peaceful at this locale that I could actually hear him crunching down on the coral with each bite as I observed him underwater. Wild!

We got back to St. Thomas in time to check out its famous shopping opportunities before going back on board. That evening we went on the Trick or Treat trail around the ship and competed in the adult costume contest. We also got to watch Alfred and Seymour, a hip-hop comedy duo, and won Disney Tune Trivia. We also got to dine at Animator's Palate once more, and this time we got to watch the restaurant transform from black and white to color right before our eyes!

Thursday, October 15 - Day 6 - At Sea

Another relaxing day at sea (my birthday!) began with an informative Q&A with members of the entertainment cast and technical team at Walt Disney Theatre. We also won Crusin' for Trivia 5 and had a delicious lunch at Lumiére's. Then we watched Disney Innovations in Theme Parks and saw an ice carving demonstration on deck. Later we took an Art of the Theme ship tour and a walking tour of two of the ship's galleys. (They were sparkly clean!) That night we saw the signature show, Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic. Then we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Palo, the adult exclusive restaurant, for my birthday! I had a tasty beef tenderloin with rich gorgonzola sauce. It was fabulous. We had a view of the sunset and terrific service.

Later Eric went back to see Alfred and Seymour perform their adult cabaret while I went to the piano bar, Sessions, to enjoy a set of songs from Broadway, television, and movies. Then that night was the moment we had all been waiting for: the Captain's Dessert Gala at Lumiére's, otherwise known as the chocolate buffet! Otherwise known as my birthday party with 2500 of my closest friends.

Friday, October 16 - Day 7 - Castaway Cay

On Friday, we enjoyed a day ashore at Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private Bahamian island. Eric is hot and he knows how to make me laugh. while on the island he found a huge hermit crab and carried about 100 yeards to show me. then he put it next to two old ladies to see if they would notice; however the crab flipped when the wave hit it and it was stuck upside down. Have you noticed that Eric has written the last three sentences in my voice? It's Katie, again, and I was getting to that part. Before Eric found his new friend, we did a bit of snorkeling at the family beach. The visibility was not so great, but we were still able to locate the statues of Mickey and Minnie hidden underwater! After popping a few postcards in the mailbox at Castaway Cay's own post office, we took a little tram to Serenity Bay, the adults-only beach at the other side of the island! (I tell you, we pretty much forgot that there were any kids on this voyage.) This is where we explored far out into the open ocean without our feet leaving the bottom, enjoyed a barbecue lunch, and Eric stumbled upon his house-toting buddy. Biggest. Hermit crab. I've ever. Seen. We also watched a hungry pelican divebombing face first into the ocean. He didn't seem to be having much luck, though.

Pretty soon we decided to make our way back to the ship to prepare for our last night onboard. We packed quickly then got back out there to meet Mickey and Minnie in their cruising attire, win a round of The Wheel, enjoy one final dinner at Lumie's, and...experience Pub Night, a special treat for the adult passengers presented by the fabulous cruise staff. To future passengers I highly recommend it (if you aren't easily offended). Then we stuck around dancing into the night before our eyes wouldn't stay open and our feet wouldn't hold us up anymore.

Saturday, October 17 - Day 8 - Port Canaveral

We collected our trivia prizes--four Winner caps, three I'm a Winner medals, and two Champion buttons--and displayed our regalia at one final breakfast with our tablemates, also Disney cast members, from Dallas, LA, and Orlando. Our servers and head server came by and said we all have to come back, bringing bambinos with us next time! After saying our final goodbyes, we left the Disney Magic, hopefully to return someday soon.

Movin' On Up

We keep getting these exciting packages from Disney Cruise Line about our trip next month. Last week we got our Ship and Shore Vacation Guides with all the information about setting sail on the Magic. Today we received our Travel Booklet with our stateroom assignment, along with some other travel documents.

Since we didn't spend much time in our stateroom on our first cruise, we booked a standard inside stateroom, but according to our Travel Booklet, we've been bumped up to the highest level of stateroom in our category--a deluxe oceanview stateroom! It doesn't have the biggest porthole (who cares?) but it is smack dab in the center of the ship (indicated by a grey flag in the graphic below), which is supposedly the most convenient location for those prone to motion sickness. We feel like VIPs!

Also, we got a letter stating that Disney Cruise Line will be celebrating Halloween onboard its ships for the entire month of October! There's already a pirate night so we've got plans for pirate-y duds, so now we'll find costumes to bring along, too!

We're Going Cruising!

We've decided to continue this year with the tradition we began last year by taking a cruise during my birthday. This time around, we're taking advantage of our connections to the world's most powerful rodent and vacationing with Disney Cruise Line aboard the Disney Magic!

We leave from Port Canaveral on Saturday, October 10, for our 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise to St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, and Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private Bahamian island. So on the day of my birth, Thursday the 15th, we'll be spending a peaceful (or hectic, who knows?) day at sea preparing for the next day's adventure on Castaway Cay. We couldn't be more excited: Eric about the endless dining options and I about the exotic locales and remote, relaxing atmosphere. Here's hoping the many activities live up to our expectations--and that those vicious and strangely-named hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical depressions, and the like remain far, far away!

Long Lost Photos

My earlier post about Jeff and Marissa reminded me that I recently came across some long lost photos taken when we went to the Hoop De Doo Revue during their visit in March. Click here to view the pictures on Flickr. Also, true to form, there is a video.

New Photos

Recently we went to get haircuts at Harmony Barber Shop at the Magic Kingdom, and--surprise, surprise--we took pictures! Click here to view the album.

American Idol Experience Slideshow

Here are a few more photos from the American Idol Experience. We weren't allowed to take photos inside, so these are of the exterior only. But there are some PhotoPass pictures from the performance, behind this link for thirty days.

American Idol Experience

As many of you know, a few weeks ago I was asked--along with a few other entertainment industry professionals--to help with rehearsals by auditioning as a contestant at the new American Idol Experience attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The whole day ended up being an awesome "experience" (pun intended)!

We arrived that morning, and in the Coca-Cola lounge, I was given a video iPod loaded with karaoke tracks of American Idol arrangements of about 50 songs, and I could choose my first and second choices for the audition. I chose Bohemian Rhapsody and I Will Survive, respectively.

I went into my audition for the producers and sang my first choice. They gave me a few pointers and then showed a video of Ryan Seacrest telling me something to the effect of: "I know you're hoping I'm going to tell you you're going to Hollywood. Well, I can't tell you that...but I can tell you that you've been chosen to perform in the show today!" Trickery :)

As I came out of the audition room, a video crew filmed my reaction and a short interview. Then I went backstage to get ready for the 11am show. Two other contestants and an alternate (shout-out to Lowell!) were also chosen. In the Green Room, there were more iPods to help us rehearse our songs. Then I was "touched up" in the hair and make-up room, and I rehearsed with a vocal coach who helped me with staging, riffs, etc. Then the staging specialist showed us all where to stand throughout the show, and we all got to rehearse our songs onstage. Then it was time for the show!

This was during exclusive cast member previews of the attraction, so there were about 350 audience members. Actors warmed up the audience, got them excited, and tested their voting buttons. Then the host introduced herself, the three judges (Randy, Paula, and Simon types), and the three contestants--me, Luerne Herrera, and Rachel Moulton (sp?). Luerne began the show with an amazing rendition of Heart's "Alone" and got a "personalized" good luck message from recent AI winner David Cook.

I was to perform second, and they aired footage from my interview, my reaction, my audition, and my touch-up in the hair and make-up room. Then I rocked out on my Queen song! The judges said that I had a very "marketable, wholesome image." The Simon-type guy said I seemed a little self-conscious, like a karaoke performance! (I found the actor later to thank him for the critique, and he said he always feels the need to apologize to the contestants because they [the actors] are encouraged to nitpick. He felt that I was more "self-possessed" than he indicated, and when I told him that I worked at a karaoke bar, he thought that was very funny.)

Rachel rounded out the show with her awesome version of "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King, and they showed video of people in the queue cheering, "Rachel is our American Idol!" Then, the audience voted using the voting buttons on their armrests, and we were all treated to a Jordin Sparks music video. Afterward, the host recapped the judges' comments and sufficiently kept us all in suspense.

The whole day was especially cool because, when the attraction opens, Disney cast members will not be allowed to compete to win the daily prize--a ticket to the front of the line at the real American Idol auditions--so it was neat to be one of the very few cast members able to experience the behind-the-scenes aspects of the attraction. Although I wasn't chosen as the winner (Luerne is the champion!), I had an awesome time and made some good contacts. (I even ran into the casting director for Disney backstage, and he said I was great!) I was also sent home with a few cool souvenirs.

My number, stage door appointment, and "Vote for Me!" lanyard, meant to be worn around the park to encourage guests to come watch.

Click here to view more pictures--there's even a holiday card!

Our Lives Thus Far

So you've read about the wedding and the events leading up to it. Now here's a quick update on what's been going on with us lately.

Eric moved to Orlando in June 2007 after resigning his position as a manager at the Herkimer Area Resource Center and selling his house in Mohawk, New York. Having earned his associate's degree from Herkimer County Community College, Eric had already begun taking courses online toward his bachelor's in business administration from Everest University.

He began his career with Walt Disney World as a front desk concierge at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. Very early on, he was chosen as a trainer for front desk cast and a facilitator of the training class for all new Boardwalk cast members. Soon after he was trained as an FSA (I don't know what that stands for, but basically it means you're in charge of the whole front desk), Eric applied for a management position and was chosen to be part of a pilot program designed for approximately 30 of the company's top management candidates. He completed the Emerging Leaders program two days before the wedding and, on that day, the official announcement was made that he had been permantently placed as a front desk manager for Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa and Disney's Old Key West Resort.

As for myself, after I graduated from Stetson, I secured a gig as a full-time piano player at the Marriott World Center for a while, and, until the show ceased broadcast in July, I also wrote for the online trivia game EAgameshow.com by EA Sports. I continued working for Disney in the entertainment department and consequently as a photographer up to the present. In January, my friend Gretchen open her own business, an after-school performing arts academy, and I joined the faculty as a part-time drama, piano, voice, photography, and ballroom teacher. I've also been performing at Kimonos at the Walt Disney World Swan since last May. It's a fun gig!

Outside of work, I sang with the Orlando Chamber Singers and the Orlando Chorale last season, and I also volunteer from time to time at Give Kids the World Village. My songwriting has been coming along as well. I entered a piece in the contest to select a new Florida state song, and it was one of the top 20 contenders. A holiday piece I wrote was premiered by Gretchen's massed choirs at East Ridge High School, and the Orlando Gay Chorus has expressed interest in performing it for their winter concert this year.

Eric rowed for a team from his work location for a regatta called Canoe Races of the World, held annually in the Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom. The team didn't place, but he enjoyed training for the race and being in the park before opening!

We also both performed for the second straight year in Encore! Cast Choir and Orchestra, an annual charity performance put on by Disney cast members. This year's concerts raised $25,940 for United Arts of Central Florida. Also, we'll be performing as part of the cast choir for Epcot's Christmas Candlelight concerts.

We're keeping busy, that's for sure, but Eric secured vacation time for the week of my birthday in October, and we're going on a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise! 19 days 'til we depart! Bon voyage!