Do Re Mi Fa So La TeeDotally

Whether I’m singing or doing voiceover, warming up is important. Everyone has their way of doing it.

Personally, I’ve got a soft spot for my old choir & theater warm-ups:

“Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do” 

“To sit in solemn silence on a dull, dark dock in a pestilential prison with a life-long lock awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big, black block”

As much as I love them, I can’t do these (and others like it) all the time. If I did, they would get stale.

That’s where “La La Lah” comes in. That’s the name of my warm-up playlist and I’m fully aware of how silly the name is. It’s an eclectic mix of 200+ songs.

“Care to share some of your playlist, Terri?”

… Hitting shuffle on “La La Lah” and…

#1 Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics is probably one of my favorite songs & it just happens to be a go-to when it comes to warming up. Why? Because it’s awesome, duh.

#2 Though I love many songs by Nancy Sinatra, I actually sang These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ for choir in junior high. Years later, I’m singing it solo before sessions.

#3 I heard Aloe Blacc perform I Need A Dollar when he was on Conan & I’ve been in love with his voice ever since. If you haven’t heard of him, you’re missing out.

#4 If Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa is on & you’re near me, prepare to witness something quite special… Or insane. Either way, I’ve been told it’s pretty entertaining.

#5 Pretty much anything on the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog soundtrack is “La La Lah” worthy. I Cannot Believe My Eyes allows me to play with different registers and that’s always fun.

Random, I know. That’s just the way I like it!

And don’t hate on my selections. If they’re not your cup of tea, don’t listen. Simple.

Glower Shots

No new blog this week.

Enjoy another random photo courtesy of yours truly.

Recipe for Disaster

Turns out this food stuff is kind of important. Apparently you need it to live or something. Who knew (ah, sarcasm)?

If only I could show food how much I cared for it by preparing awesome meals for my friends and family. I’m not that great when it comes to the whole cooking thing. Well… I’ve been told otherwise, but my confidence when it comes to my culinary skills is quite low. Not a complete novice in that place with the ingredients and the silverware and the uh…. KITCHEN! That’s it! I do know how to make a few dishes: enchiladas, spaghetti, guacamole, hummus… Yeah, most of the things I prepare are kind of on the easy side of things.

Honestly, I’m amazed by those that make delicious food and how effortless they make it all seem. One of those amazing individuals is my husband, Stephen. Now I know my opinion is biased, but his meals are downright stellar. It’s been brought up a few times on That Anime Show, but a dish worth mentioning is his white pizza (damn, now I want pizza). He makes everything from scratch, even the dough. It is so good, we’ve had more than a few friends invite themselves over when they know he’s making it. I’m actually intimidated to cook for him, he’s that good.

I’ve learned so much from Stephen about cooking and food in general (the dangers of processed foods, organic vs GMO, etc). He’s a cook that cares about the components of his dishes and that’s something to admire. Fun fact: Stephen worked in several kitchen off & on for years before becoming a sound engineer. He’s used his knowledge to school me on a few things and help me become a better cook. Needless to say, I rarely step foot in the kitchen without the supervision of Mr. Hoff.

Along with being a fantastic cook, my guy is wicked smart. That is not a biased opinion, it is fact. For the past year and a half, Stephen has been going to school at night and online to finish out his degree in Environmental Science (just a couple semesters left). Add that to working full-time and the guy has a pretty full plate. I’m so proud of him. As much as I love his cooking, I think its time for me to step up and get over my culinary insecurities (at least until he’s done with school)!

Wish I’d paid more attention in that one cooking class I took in high school. Best to start with recipes I’ve grown up with and others that I’ve watched Stephen execute. Once I’ve mastered those (or at the very least, succeeded in making them edible), I’ll move on to some of the more advanced dishes.

I can do this!

… Right?

AnimeFest 2013 Highlights

AnimeFest was my third convention of August (hooray for sleep deprivation). I’d been a guest in 2011 and was excited to be asked back. AFest is probably one of the bigger cons that I’ve gotten to go to and it just so happens to be in downtown Dallas (only minutes away from mi casa). Since my last visit, the con has changed quite a bit (venue change, more staffers/volunteers/programming, etc). Other guests included: Stephanie Young, Alexis Tipton, Greg Ayres, Amelie Belcher, Greg Wicker, and many other fantastic individuals!

Okay, so this might not exactly be a highlight of the convention itself, but it was quite funny (least for me). As I’ve mentioned more than a few times, I used to work at a music shop. Needless to say, you become familiar with brand names, especially if you spend a good chunk of time working on displays (yay, merchandising). I was more than a little surprised to see Vic Firth salt and pepper grinders in the restaurant downstairs, Vic Firth Gourmet (wonder if they have anything featuring Neil Peart). Thought former coworkers and musicians would get a kick out of that, I know I did.

So… I’ve made it no secret that I’m not a fan of Sailor Moon. I know, I know… “How could you not like Sailor Moon?!”… It just wasn’t the show for me growing up (didn’t know I liked anime until I found Ghost in the Shell), but I can see why it’s popular though. Despite my not being a fan, I was still pretty excited to be at a convention with Linda Ballantyne (Sailor Moon), Susan Roman (Sailor Jupiter), & John Stocker (Voice Director). I even got to participate in a couple of panels with them (along with Alexis & Stephanie). It was interesting to hear the differences in vocal styles, techniques, etc (according to them, they do things a bit different in Canada). Plus, Linda and I geeked out about Black Butler. That was cool.

Along with my love of cosplay, I’ve had a deep sadness related to it (yes, I’m being overdramatic)… I’m fully aware that this might come off as egotistical, but I have never seen someone cosplay as one of my characters. Thing is, I see photos of peeps all the time as Virgo in Fairy Tail, Alice in Ōkami-san & Her Seven Companions, and a few others. I’ve just never seen any of this at conventions that I’ve attended.

CUT TO:

Me: “Are you Virgo?”

Cosplayer: “I’m actually an Aries, but I’m cosplaying Virgo.”

Me: “I’m an Aries too and I actually voice Virgo!”

Success! Sweet, sweet victory! A mere two hours after my little post, I spotted a Virgo in the Dealers Room! I probably scared her when I ran up to her, but I just so excited (wonder if she follows me on Twitter). She was adorable and we both geeked out about Fairy Tail. I have no regrets about pestering her for a photo!

The dealers room was full of temptation: posters, action figures, geektastic shirts (got a Batman shirt), and much much more. Shortly after my Virgo encounter, I found RIN: Daughters of Mnemosyne playing cards… Not familiar with RIN? It’s just this awesome anime that me and my amigo, J. Michael Tatum, directed. As much as I love this show, any time I see merchandise for it I’m baffled. For those that don’t know, RIN: Daughters of Mnemosyne is about an immortal detective that tends to attract disaster and scandal (that is the best way to describe it for the time being). Totally the kind of show you need playing cards for (seriously, I regret not buying them).

I’m gonna admit this right now, I don’t remember the details exactly so forgive me if I get some of the facts wrong. During one of my autograph sessions, I met a fan of That Anime Show (always love meeting a podcast fan). This particular TAS listener let me know how much he loved the show and how much it meant to him. While he was stationed elsewhere, he used podcast episodes to stay connected to the world he knew back home. He said it helped when times were tough. The way he put it was more eloquent and it actually brought tears to my eyes. When he asked me to sign his iPod, I had to hide my face (FYI: I rarely have a cry like that). I never thought my lil’ podcast would be so important to someone and I am deeply touched.

You’ve never experienced the DJ skills of Mr. Greg Ayres? YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Seriously. Not just saying this because he’s a friend of mine. This guy is the real deal, not any ol’ schmuck armed with an iTunes playlist and crap-tastic speakers (better known as a Laptop DJ). Greg and I have done a few conventions together, so I’ve had the pleasure of going to a few of his dances. Alexis & I danced on stage for a bit, then we joined the crowd. After about 45 minutes, we admitted we were old and joined Mike McFarland at the bar.

Shout out to Courtney, Kelbie, Caleb, Kara, & Jason! These lovely folks joined me for a beverage (or three) on Sunday night and I didn’t bore them to tears! Win! SO MUCH FUN!

“What else happened, Terri?”

I don’t know… I’m sleepy.