The High Priestess....is blessed!
For someone who has dreaded birthdays for about 15 years now and up to this year couldn't even answer the question "So, how old are you now Pua?" without saying "Um...I'm thirty-eleven (or thirty-twelve)," I have to tell ya...I'm 43 as of last Monday, and it's been one of the very best birthdays of my life.
I have received calls from Hawaii, Texas, and Mexico. I have gotten e-cards from New York, San Francisco, and Iowa. I have been given tributes by a "pseudo-daughter", (though when she is in my presence is as real a daughter as it gets!) which made me weep. I played covert "drop off" games with Caris in the morning and we "ditched" school and went to breakfast together. There, we talked smack about stupid volleyball coaches and reminisced about Grandma Jackie and how we both missed her, while we ate pumpkin pancakes at IHOP. Then we went home and along with Averie, got ready to head out to Long Beach and pick up the aforementioned daughter from another mother.
Even though Mapquest let us down (SERIOUSLY!), we made it to Mary's place of employment, where she lavished me with beautifully handcrafted earrings by Elizabeth, and off we went to Tinseltown. The drive was somewhat stressful (LA traffic is just that way), but so much fun as we played and sang Broadway tunes. With three amazing voices in the car, how can it NOT be fun? I remember at one point in the middle of our "aria" Mary even saying.."I want everyone to know that we are now having a 'movie moment.'" And you know what? She was right!
We made it to the NBC Studios earlier (and hungrier) than expected. There were possibly thirty or so people waiting in the audience line at 3:30 when we arrived. The tickets said to be there early even though the show didn't start taping until 5:30. They weren't kidding. By the time we were searched, went through security, visited a restroom, were given a seating number, and FINALLY made it to our seats (numbers 42, 43, 44, and 45), we came to find out that half of the people in line didn't even make it into the studio, but had to watch the show from out in the "lobby." Two hours of excited anticipation. Two hours of standing in line and being "processed." Two hours of growling tummies and doing the potty dance." It was a blast, but for heaven's sake NBC, you're a Mega Power in the industry....get bigger bathrooms for crissake! Think about the audience for Ellen....yeah that's right....do something about the women's facilities!
Averie and Mary are "old hats" at this, having been "Studio Brats" at Warner Brothers, thanks to Mary's dad and the Drew Carey Show. But this was Caris's "maiden voyage," and EVERYTHING was as exciting as it could be to her. That made it all that much more exciting to me. She loved every minute. She was savoring every second. I thought to myself that this is one of the best days of my life...please never let it end.
Ellen is as effervescent in person as she seems on screen. And so damn cute it isn't even funny. She sparkles. I love her. They had told us that they tape a day ahead, so the show we were seeing would be shown the next day, on September 11th. Though Ellen would say something in tribute, the show would be an "up and lively" show celebrating life. It was just that.
I'm gonna say this. It was LOUD and FREEZING cold in that studio. Megan Mullaly (Karen from "Will and Grace") is funny and beautiful. Michael Vartan (from Alias) is a, as Mary says, hot, hot hottie. Ellen's puppy, (Oakland; named after the pound she got her from) is beyond cute (don't worry, you'll get to meet her soon...but WE were first!)...but no one outshines Ellen. I've loved her for years and thought she was quite possibly the funniest woman in the world BACK IN THE DAY. I remember seeing her at a small club in Newport Beach called "The Laff Stop" (which was torn down and replaced by a Burger King) and she was introduced by a guy with a whole gimmick called "Mr. Bullhorn". I think it was like the early 80's (yeah, that's right) when her claim to fame was being the sister of the masochistic "Mr. Hand" (the hands of her brother Vance) from SNL's "Mr. Bill Show" . Anyway, you get the idea, I've been an Ellen fan a long, long time. So this day was complete heaven to me.
Not only did I get to see an amazing and talented comedienne, thanks to the foresight of my beautiful Averie, but I got to spend this spectacular day with three (four) awesome young women who I just happen to love.
The High Priestess is, indeed, blessed. And if you ask her how old she is, she'll happily say "I'm 43."
For someone who has dreaded birthdays for about 15 years now and up to this year couldn't even answer the question "So, how old are you now Pua?" without saying "Um...I'm thirty-eleven (or thirty-twelve)," I have to tell ya...I'm 43 as of last Monday, and it's been one of the very best birthdays of my life.
I have received calls from Hawaii, Texas, and Mexico. I have gotten e-cards from New York, San Francisco, and Iowa. I have been given tributes by a "pseudo-daughter", (though when she is in my presence is as real a daughter as it gets!) which made me weep. I played covert "drop off" games with Caris in the morning and we "ditched" school and went to breakfast together. There, we talked smack about stupid volleyball coaches and reminisced about Grandma Jackie and how we both missed her, while we ate pumpkin pancakes at IHOP. Then we went home and along with Averie, got ready to head out to Long Beach and pick up the aforementioned daughter from another mother.
Even though Mapquest let us down (SERIOUSLY!), we made it to Mary's place of employment, where she lavished me with beautifully handcrafted earrings by Elizabeth, and off we went to Tinseltown. The drive was somewhat stressful (LA traffic is just that way), but so much fun as we played and sang Broadway tunes. With three amazing voices in the car, how can it NOT be fun? I remember at one point in the middle of our "aria" Mary even saying.."I want everyone to know that we are now having a 'movie moment.'" And you know what? She was right!
We made it to the NBC Studios earlier (and hungrier) than expected. There were possibly thirty or so people waiting in the audience line at 3:30 when we arrived. The tickets said to be there early even though the show didn't start taping until 5:30. They weren't kidding. By the time we were searched, went through security, visited a restroom, were given a seating number, and FINALLY made it to our seats (numbers 42, 43, 44, and 45), we came to find out that half of the people in line didn't even make it into the studio, but had to watch the show from out in the "lobby." Two hours of excited anticipation. Two hours of standing in line and being "processed." Two hours of growling tummies and doing the potty dance." It was a blast, but for heaven's sake NBC, you're a Mega Power in the industry....get bigger bathrooms for crissake! Think about the audience for Ellen....yeah that's right....do something about the women's facilities!
Averie and Mary are "old hats" at this, having been "Studio Brats" at Warner Brothers, thanks to Mary's dad and the Drew Carey Show. But this was Caris's "maiden voyage," and EVERYTHING was as exciting as it could be to her. That made it all that much more exciting to me. She loved every minute. She was savoring every second. I thought to myself that this is one of the best days of my life...please never let it end.
Ellen is as effervescent in person as she seems on screen. And so damn cute it isn't even funny. She sparkles. I love her. They had told us that they tape a day ahead, so the show we were seeing would be shown the next day, on September 11th. Though Ellen would say something in tribute, the show would be an "up and lively" show celebrating life. It was just that.
I'm gonna say this. It was LOUD and FREEZING cold in that studio. Megan Mullaly (Karen from "Will and Grace") is funny and beautiful. Michael Vartan (from Alias) is a, as Mary says, hot, hot hottie. Ellen's puppy, (Oakland; named after the pound she got her from) is beyond cute (don't worry, you'll get to meet her soon...but WE were first!)...but no one outshines Ellen. I've loved her for years and thought she was quite possibly the funniest woman in the world BACK IN THE DAY. I remember seeing her at a small club in Newport Beach called "The Laff Stop" (which was torn down and replaced by a Burger King) and she was introduced by a guy with a whole gimmick called "Mr. Bullhorn". I think it was like the early 80's (yeah, that's right) when her claim to fame was being the sister of the masochistic "Mr. Hand" (the hands of her brother Vance) from SNL's "Mr. Bill Show" . Anyway, you get the idea, I've been an Ellen fan a long, long time. So this day was complete heaven to me.
Not only did I get to see an amazing and talented comedienne, thanks to the foresight of my beautiful Averie, but I got to spend this spectacular day with three (four) awesome young women who I just happen to love.
The High Priestess is, indeed, blessed. And if you ask her how old she is, she'll happily say "I'm 43."
posted by Pua; Bakin' and Tendin' Bar | 8:45 AM
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