Lots of stuff happening...

Well, we're down to Mom and Aunt Sandra's last two days in California.  I'm taking Friday off to spend the day with them before they leave early on Saturday morning.  I have thoroughly enjoyed having them here, but I know they are ready to get back to North Carolina and see everyone there.  My cousin, Jeff, had a baby in December.  He's my Aunt Sandra's youngest child and this is his first baby, so she's dying to go home and get her "Grandma" on.  The baby's name is Camryn and she is gorgeous.

Baby Camryn Born 12/22/09

6 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 inches

Filming begins Saturday for my new web project.  I hope to have it edited and posted to YouTube by February 1st.  Watch this space for more info.  I've been recording music for it over the last week and the MP3's have been turning out fairly well.

Work has been busy the past two days with a huge project that is going live at the end of this month.  My real estate biz is moving right along as well.  Not a lot happening there, but I have changed brokers over the last month.  My new broker is Mark Henry at American Realty and Mortgage Corp in El Dorado Hills.  I'm also now able to off mortgage services as well as act as a realtor.  We offer both commercial and residential real estate services and I've also become a member of the national and local chapters of the Association of Realtors.

My friends, Dinesh and Karen Gonsalkorale, are coming to Sacramento on January 18th and I'm very excited to see them.  I will only get to see them during one evening, but I had hoped to follow them to Las Vegas that weekend.  Unfortunately, I just don't have the time or the money to do so right now.  So, I'll just have to enjoy my time with them while they're in town.

I've been following the federal challenge to prop 8 in the news.  It begins on January 11th and the judge in the case has said he will allow cameras in the courtroom and the video will be uploaded to YouTube.  I will probably be spending a lot of time viewing those files to see how that case is progressing.  It's going to be an interesting few weeks.  I found a great blog that posts up to date information about the case.  Check it out at http://prop8legalcommentary.blogspot.com/search/label/Perry%20et%20al%20v.%20Schwarzenegger%20et%20al. 

Hope your day is blessed!

Ray

Happy New Year!

Yes, it is 2010...how the hell did I live to be this old?  I'll never know!  HA!  So, this is the year we're supposed to make contact according to the Kubrick film.  I just hope it's a year I'll survive as I will turn 50 in November!  CRAP!

On a serious note, I had an incredible holiday this year.  Christmas and New Year's were extra special having my family with me.  It wasn't an overly commercialized year of buying extravagant gifts, but it was one filled a lot of love and laughter.  Just as they all should be.

So, here's my plans for 2010:

• Continue paying down debt and move into a "cash only" existence.  I'm tired of being in debt.  I no longer carry credit cards and will work to pay cash for any purchase that we make.  Part of this endeavor will be to build my real estate business and look for new promotional opportunities in my day job.
• Pray and meditate on a daily basis to continue my spiritual growth.  2009 was an intense year for me in that arena.
• Find a creative outlet to fit into my hectic schedule.  More to come on this in the next couple of weeks.  Filming begins this weekend on my new project.  The music was recorded over the holidays for the first 5 webisodes.
• Re-connect with friends and family.  I need to find more time to be social as I have lost touch with many friends since I gave up theater.  This is also due in part to the fact that many of my friends are constantly in rehearsals, so it's hard to mesh up with their schedule as well.  And honestly, I have accepted invites to parties and the like over the last year, but I tend to flake because I have so much on my plate and things pop up last minute.  So, if you're among those people I have flaked on, forgive me as I will try and be better about that in 2010.
• Finally but most importantly...I need to spend more time with my husband.  One of the reasons I gave up theater was because I wanted to put focus on my career and my relationship.  Now that James is working full time and working mostly nights and weekends, it is hard for us to find quality time. 

These are not necessarily resolutions for the New Year...but more like guidelines that have already been in place for some time.  I am just reminding myself of the path I put myself on and I need to stick to the plan to re-focus those efforts for the next year.

More info is forthcoming on my webseries in the next few weeks.  This is a joint writing effort between me and Anne-Marie Trout.  Hoping it will turn out well!  Stay tuned!

Much love to you all!

Ray

Holidays winding down...

It has been a busy busy couple of weeks.  I don't even know where to begin to give you an update.

First of all, Christmas was amazing.  I had most of last week off and spent it mostly doing last minute shopping and menu planning for Christmas dinner.  Mom, Sandra and I took last Wednesday and went to San Francisco to see a production of Riverdance at the Golden Gate Theater.  It was wonderful and I'm so thankful to my friend, Kim Negrete, for getting us tickets.  Mom and Sandra absolutely loved the show...as did I.  I have seen Riverdance three times before and I love the musicians and the singers as much as the dancers in the show.

Christmas day was busy starting at 7:30am to get the turkey cleaned and the stuffing made.  It went in the oven about 9am and everything was ready about 3pm.  We also had ham, homemade macaroni and cheese, collard greens, sweet potato biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy (made from scratch), and homemade sweets made by James and his sister while the rest of us were at Riverdance on Wednesday.  It really was an almost perfect day.  The only disappointment was the absence of Quanna's parents...Momma Brisbane is back in chemo for her cancer treatments and was simply not able to be with us for Christmas day.  But, we did have Quanna, Justin, Mom, Aunt Sandra, Ranelle, Shenay, James, and his mom, sister, and niece.  Plenty of food and great fellowship was the order of the day.

James got me a Wii game system that I have become addicted to...especially the tennis game.  I got him a new netbook.  I also got a couple of BlueRay movies that I wanted:  Star Trek and Terminator: Salvation.  And a few Wii games as well.  My Aunt Sandra got me Ghost Whisperer Season 4.  All in all...an amazing Christmas this year.

I spent some time Christmas evening after everyone had left just meditating and remembering those people who are no longer with us at Christmas...my grandparents, my dad, my Aunt Margie, my best friend, Ron...so many wonderful memories that I carry in my heart and mind of Christmas with them through the years.  I know they were there in spirit...I felt their presence many times throughout the day on the 25th.  While prepping the turkey that morning, I suddenly had a picture of my grandmother in my head and I felt like there was a touch on the side of my cheek.  Little things such as this firmly root my belief that our friends and family never leave us...they are still around us and will be there to meet us when it's our time to cross over.

So, now my thoughts turn to 2010 and look forward to another amazing year of blessings.  Sending love and light to each and every one of you during this holiday season!

New adventures and a Happy Friday to ya!

I am happy that it's a Friday as I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights.  I seemed to have pulled something in my shoulder, so every time I move in my sleep it hurts.  One of the joys of nearing a half century old, I guess!  LOL!

My mother took a nasty fall at my house this past week.  She seemed to be okay, but a day or so later she started having a lot of pain in her right leg.  Of course, trying to see a doctor has been a challenge due to the flu season, but we have another appointment on Monday.  Until then, we're keeping her off her feet and using ice and heat.

I had my first meeting with a new real estate broker last night.  I am moving my license under his brokerage starting tomorrow.  He's training me to be a loan officer using my existing real estate license and I should be set up to start processing loans next week.  We begin training Saturday morning at 10am.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I mean, I love my day job...but doing this part time will help me become debt-free in the next couple of years and sock away a lot of money for retirement.  Hopefully, it will also help me stave off bankruptcy in the event of another layoff.  Three layoffs in the last five years have made me a bit paranoid.

Tonight, I am cooking dinner for the family and my dear friend, Anne-Marie Trout.  We're planning pot roast (by special request since I haven't made one in 10 years or so) followed by Ghost Whisperer and Muppet Christmas Carol.  Plus, my hubby has the night off as well.  I'm really looking forward to a relaxing evening surrounded by good food and family.

My friends at Runaway Stage Productions are in rehearsals for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which opens January 8th.  I don't know this show at all, but I hear it's hilarious!  Davis Musical Theater Company is rehearsing the outrageous musical comedy, The Producers.  It's quite the coup as they are the first community theater company to be doing this show in the Sacramento area.  They have a New Years' Eve gala for this event as well.  Should be a lot of fun.

My dear friends at Artistic Differences are closing 1940's Radio Hour this weekend, but I hear they are all sold out.  Congratulations to them on a successful run!

I feel way out of the loop on shows lately as I'm not involved in productions any longer.  It's not that I have no interest...it's simply a matter of time these days.  I haven't even sung on stage in 2 1/2 years now and I need to change that soon.  More information will be coming about my new web series in the new year, so watch this space!

We are almost done with Christmas shopping around our house.  Thank spirit for many blessings this year as we will have a wonderful holiday surrounded by great friends and family.  That's what Christmas is all about and I, for one, try to be thankful on a daily basis for all that I have.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all of you!