My Life in Lists: 1 Million Dollars

Well if nothing else, this weekly link-up with my cousins Cali and Kelli is getting me to blog at least once a week!  Yayyy!!!  It's also a wonderful way to procrastinate mountains of homework.  Yuck.

5 Things I'd Do With A Million Dollars

1. Buy a house in Studio City!

Unfortunately that would be the bulk of our million dollars because that is what homes go for out here in L.A.  So I'm going to do this list as though I had 5 million dollars (because hey, if you're not dreaming big why dream at all?) so the other 4 things will all be equivalent to 1 million dollars each!

2. Range Rover

Because I can.

3. Brand new designer wardrobe

Some people might find it hard to spend a million dollars on clothes but I bet you I could do it in A DAY!!!  Barney's, Bloomingdales, Saks, and Neiman...Prada, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Burberry...these things are my Heaven people.

4. Walt Disney World Resort family vacation!

This has been a family tradition of mine for years and it's one I can't wait to start with my own family.  If we had a million dollars we could stay at the nicest resort at the park, eat all of our meals there and shop till we drop!

5. Retire in Hawaii

Why not?

My Life in Lists: 5 Professions

Okay I'm definitely setting a record here with TWO blog posts back to back but this is part of the "My Life in Lists" linky party that my cousin Cali created!  I LOVE making lists so I am very excited to have an excuse to make a list every week!  If you want to join the fun, head over to her blog for the rules!

5 Professions

1. Voice Over Actress

As a little girl I used to memorize Disney movies and on long car rides, my brother and I would recite the whole movie back and forth, playing all the characters.  I loved trying to imitate different cartoon voices and eventually started making up my own, for people, animals (our pets) and my toys.  When I got older, I developed a love for acting and have been pursuing a career as an actress while studying at USC's School of Dramatic Arts.  The biggest problem with a career as an actress is the amount of trash that's being made out there so the competition for the really good stuff is crazy.  The thing I love about voice acting is that it's pure and fun and all completely within my standards.  I am currently represented by a fantastic voice over agent at Coast to Coast and working on a general audition for Disney!  Here are a few of the characters I created (too bad you can't hear their voices!)

     

Hazel, an adventurous explorer (artist: Jenna Hamzawi)

Dawn, a British bubble

Sarah, a southern ballerina

2. Model

In another life I would have loved to be 5'11, with long legs and a perfect face because I mean, how awesome is the life of a model!  You get paid to wear high fashion, designer clothes and look pretty all day!  Haha, I know there's a lot more to it than that.  I just think that is like the pinnacle of glamour.  And I actually have done a little modeling myself!  I guess I have the perfect size feet for shoe modeling (6 in case you were wondering) so I did that and got paid in shoes!  Modeling also comes in handy for taking amazing headshots to get you in the door.  Here is one of my favorite shots!

3. Fashion Designer

So besides the fact that I know nothing about sewing, I am VERY into clothes and high fashion (if you didn't get that from the last job).  And that's pretty much all it takes to be a fashion designer, right?  I'm also like the worst drawer ever so it'd be hard getting my ideas across but I still think it would be fun.  Mary-Kate and Ashley are my inspirations because I'm pretty sure they get paid like a billion dollars to tell people their ideas and don't do any of the actual designing so that would be the ideal job for me.

4. Interior Decorator

My childhood best friend's mom is an interior decorator and their house looked like something out of a magazine!  You should have seen that place at Christmas.  Like a winter catalog!  Her mom is just so sophisticated and classy too so I associate that with her job.  I also actually do have skills in this area!  I'm very organized and pay strong attention to detail.  I love making our bed in the morning and trying to copy Pottery Barn displays. :)

5. Mother

Last but definitely not least, this is actually a job I'm going to have someday!  I definitely think this is the most rewarding job a girl can have and I am so excited to be a mom!  I'm currently learning all about what to expect when you're expecting and how to take care of a baby...hopefully I will be able to put this information to good use in the near future!

My husband holding our newborn niece

Liebster Award!

I am so incredibly honored to be nominated by my cousin Cali (that's my nickname for her in case you are confused when you go to her blog) for the Liebster Award!!!  This is my first time being nominated for any kind of award and I am just so excited to answer her questions!  Here are the instructions for my nominees:

1. List 11 facts about yourself.
2. Answer the questions of the person who nominated you.
3. Create 11 new questions.
4. Nominate 11 new bloggers.

I'm not sure if I even know 11 bloggers, haha but I will do my best.  Okay here's a little about me:

1. I just got married a little over 4 months ago to the best guy I have ever known, my sweetheart Mark.

2. I'm a full-time, make that double full-time, Senior at USC, graduating in May and literally counting the days until I'm done with school forever!!!

3. I'm an actress!

4. I'm not pregnant but you would think I am with the amount of researching about pregnancy and babies that I do!  It's my latest obsession.

5. I watch TONS of movies with my husband and it's my absolute favorite way to relax.

6. I'm OBSESSED with all things Disney and it's my dream to be the voice of an animated Disney character!

7. I'm a princess!  Also a fairy, mermaid and ballerina!  I get to go to little girls' birthday parties and make their dreams come true!

8. I love scary movies but the bad thing is I get really, really scared after watching them and deeply regret it.  Then I forget and watch another one and the cycle continues!

9. Mark and I are Primary teachers for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We get to teach 6 and 7 year olds about Jesus Christ and choosing the right and how families can be together forever!  It's pretty awesome.

10. I spend a lot of my time thinking about my future children's names.  They change month to month but right now they are Hadley Rose for a girl and Clark Douglas for a boy!

11. I'm not into big crowds and parties...I'd much prefer hanging out at home cuddling with my hubby than a room full of people any day!

Okay, now for Cali's questions!

1. Why did you start blogging?

Honestly, because it's the fun thing you do when you get married!   Hah.  I'm not very good at it though.  Maybe it's because I don't have kids yet so there's nothing really exciting going on but actually I take that back because once I have kids I probably won't have time to blog!  I guess it's just a habit you have to develop and I haven't quite developed it yet.

2. What is your biggest phobia?

DOTS!!!  Specifically little clusters of dots, like on the back of loaves of bread or some types of rashes or clusters of mushrooms.  EWWWW omg I'm freaking out now!!!   It's a real phobia actually called Trypophobia.  Google Image that word and you too will have Trypophobia.

3. What is your top item on Pinterest that you really actually want to try?

Wow I hardly ever try any of the things I pin but any of the crockpot/frozen dinner recipes!  I can't wait to be done with school and have time to cook for my husband.

4. What is your favorite thing to do in your city?

Well I live in Los Angeles so you can pretty much do anything here but my favorite is trying out new restaurants with Mark!  We found this delicious Indian restaurant and my next goal is to find a homemade pizza parlor!

5. What is the #1 blog you would recommend someone to follow?

My cousin Kelli's blog is super funny and cute...just like her! Follow her at Team Gilbert!

6. If you have to dress/get ready and leave in a hurry what is the one thing you can easily cut out of your routine?

Showering?  Lol it sounds gross but it's true...

7. What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Marrying my Mark in the temple so we get to be together forever!!!

8. What would constitute a perfect day for you?

Well I would be done with school so I wouldn't have any homework to think about.  In fact I would be on vacation with my husband in Paris!  We would sleep in until around 8 and then order room service and have a delicious, gourmet breakfast in bed.  Then we would go sight seeing, walk through the park, eat creme brulee on top of the Eiffel tower, take pictures, and just be lovebirds in the most romantic city in the world!  We would have lunch at a cute cafe and then head back to our hotel for some relaxing.  We would end with a romantic dinner for two at a fancy restaurant and order Ratatouille (never tried it but always wanted to!).  Okay now I gotta make that happen!  (This is the closest we've come...Epcot!)

9. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one quality or ability, what would it be?

I would be able to do any kind of voice in the world!  (Guaranteeing Fact #6 to come true!)

10. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?

Cuddles!  He's a teddy bear that Mark got me before we were engaged and is so special to me.  In fact, our apartment building's fire alarm goes off frequently (one time there was almost an actual fire) and I always grab Cuddles, even before my phone and computer!  He is part of the family. :)

11. Are you currently watching a season of something on Netflix? What is it? If not - what is your top favorite TV show?

Nope, we mainly watch movies but my favorite show of all time is The Office!

Okay here are my 11 questions 

1. If your life was a movie, who would play you and why?
2. What's your greatest talent?  How did you get so good at it?
3. If you have kids, what is the greatest thing about being a mom?  If you don't what are you most looking forward to about being a mom?  And if you don't want kids then why not?
4. What's your fondest memory with you and a family member?
5. What is the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
6. What 3 things would be in your Heaven?
7. What food can't you live without?
8. What's the weirdest thing about you?
9. If you could be friends with someone famous who would it be and why?
10. If you are married, what's the main reason you married your spouse?  If you're not married, what is the biggest thing you look for?
11. What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Finally, here are my nominations!

1. Karen at #karenallen
2. Laurin at And Then There Were Three
3. Cassandra at On The Common
4. Brittany at Hitch A Ride
5. Megan at Jordan & Megan
6. Rachel at Matt + Rachel Taylor
7. Tina at Smart Child in the City
8. Amanda at The Ogletree Family
9. Katie at The Things I Haven't Said
10. Brooke at Forever Lektorich
11. Ashley at The Sullengers

Joint Blog

Mark and I just finished watching an hour's worth of funny/sweet YouTube videos together after a long day of work/school.  We watched a bunch from an organization called "Prank It Forward" with awesomely sweet April Fools jokes.  This one made me cry!

After we were sick of videos I decided we needed to write in our blog.  Together.  So we will alternate every other paragraph and only write about what's going on in the other person's life to see how much we really know about each other.  Okay, my turn first!

So Mark has been pretty tied up at work the past few weeks.  He has more projects coming in than he has time to do so whenever he catches up, he immediately falls behind again.  Something like that would drive me crazy but it doesn't seem to bother Mark.  He lets me know what's going on but he never complains.  He's so optimistic and happy all the time and when he comes home from work he just cares about my day and my problems and they consume him until he helps me solve them.

Catherine is working on her last official semester of college and really just trying to get through.  Her biggest concerns right now are her advanced writing ten page research paper and her crazy geology class that has yet to talk about rocks.  She is realizing that there are only 25 days left in the semester and although that is such a joy, it means that everything is due before.  She is wondering if the world is going to end before that and wants so badly to bank on it ending, but diligently pushes forward studying and writing clawing her way through to the finish line.

Mark should never have gone into the powdered metal manufacturing industry but instead should have become a chef.  In fact, I tell him all the time we both need to move to a small town and open a fancy restaurant.  He can do all the cooking and I can do all the serving in a cute 50's girl outfit...not that he specializes in hamburgers & shakes or anything but I'm really considering getting a job at our adorable regular Friday night restaurant Cafe 50's simply because the girls walk around in cute 50's outfits!!  They play 50's music and have the walls covered in movie posters and magazine ads from the 50's and they have over 42 different kinds of shakes!!!  It's such a great, friendly atmosphere!  Oh and they even have board games for you to play while you wait for your food!

But I digress...no we wouldn't open a 50's diner, probably a fancy Italian restaurant or just a fancy restaurant in general.  I guess I couldn't wear the 50's girl outfit then...  ANYWAY he is a fabulous cook and cooks dinner for me every single night!!!  I am so spoiled by him seriously.  I do my part by washing the dishes and setting the table but I have tried cooking for us and it's just embarrassing so why not let him do what he's great at?! :)

When Catherine isn't working on school she is making her characters for a Disney general.  A general is a collection of different characters a voice over actor can do that is given to a production company to pull from whenever they are looking for an actor.  The company will only keep an actors general if they decide they are good enough, so the real audition is the general.  After that it is only a matter of time befor they call you to play a role or two and hopefully the carreer cruises on from there.  Catherine has been given this opportunity through her new VO agent Porche (that's how you spell the car, I don't know how she spells it haha).  Porche believes Catherine will be on a Disney show by years end!  Well as we all know Catherine is going above and beyond for this general.  Porche asked her to develop 5 voices.  Catherine took that as developing 5 characters including backstory, plot lines, and the characters image.  She has basically written out 5 ideas for short animated features.  Its part of her character development and her way of acting.  You really can't just tell her to be like this or sound like this.  She needs to be the character and know who they are.  We went on a hike on saturday and I got to hike with a 12 year old boy inventor named teddy, a ballet dancing giraffe, and a soap bubble named dawn.  It was fun.  I love that Catherine loves playing such innocent young characters and I get to be a part of their stories.

Teddy, 12 year old kid inventor, drawn by my talented cousin Jenna Hamzawi

Sarah, a southern ballerina

Dawn, a British bubble

Sometimes I try to imagine what a fly on the wall in our apartment would think of Mark and I.  I think he would notice right away that I do about 85% of the talking.  Mark doesn't mind though...I don't think, haha.  He's a really good listener...he doesn't just pretend he's listening like most guys would, he truly listens to everything I'm saying and whenever I let him get a word in, he's trying to give me helpful advice or let me know that he understands how I'm feeling.  While I do most of the talking, Mark initiates most of the cuddling.  He's always giving me kisses on my forehead or I'll catch him staring lovingly at me while we're watching something.  Then again I also tend to randomly crawl into his lap and wrap myself around him at least once a day so maybe we're tied on that front.  We are definitely newlyweds!  And now I'm excited to read all of his parts because we weren't allowed to while we wrote (his idea).

Spread the Word

So I'm sitting here in my living room working on a paper that's due tomorrow, which I've spent over 25 HOURS on in the past few weeks (I better get an A!) when I notice outside a red car has stopped in the middle of the road.  I look to see what's going on and watch a man get out of his car and approach the car behind him.  He proceeds to yell every curse word I've ever heard (and some I haven't) at the woman behind him for 'cutting him off'.  It's 'F this' and 'F that' and he's making all kinds of obscene gestures and motions at this poor Chinese girl who looks about 18 years old.

I get very scared for her but finally he starts to head back to his car and then turns around and comes back.  Now I'm terrified for her.  I'm praying he doesn't have a gun.  He continues to yell at her some more calling her every sexist and racial slur in the book that obviously have nothing to do with the situation.  Then he finally gets back in his car and drives off.  I'm practically shaking in my apartment and I see the girl proceed to slowly back into a space on the street.  She wasn't cutting him off...she was just trying to get a parking spot on this busy street, minding her own business.  And even if she did cut him off, I bet you she didn't mean anything by it.  She definitely didn't deserve to be yelled at and called terrible things that had nothing to do with anything other than his desire to make her feel horrible and insignificant.

I bet she will be feeling bad about herself for the rest of the day, maybe the whole weekend.  I know I would  be crying if that happened to me.  I always cut people off or do dumb things when I'm driving only because I'm lost most of the time and trying to find my way!  I never intentionally do things out of impatience or selfishness, they just sort of happen.  And I bet that's the way a lot of drivers are.  You have no idea why that person may have cut you off.  Maybe they just came from the hospital where their mother or spouse or child died and they're just not paying attention.  Did you ever stop to think that they have enough to deal with in their lives that pissing you off is not on their agenda?  Why can't people just be nice to each other for the heck of it and give people a break?

Maybe all this anger inside me is coming from something else.  I read this article yesterday about one woman's experience in the world of human trafficking.  Now, I have known and understood for quite some time (having been in a documentary on the subject, Nefarious: Merchant of Souls) that human trafficking does indeed exist in the United States.  Even though I am aware of this fact, I guess I never really comprehended it.  I can't really wrap my head around the idea that young girls my age and younger (as young as 7 years old!) are being kidnapped, hidden, and kept locked away for years tortured as sex slaves for most (if not all!) of their lives!!!  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!?!?  Who allows this to happen???  How can we prevent it?  What can I do to save a 7 year old girl from being raped by 12 men in a row day after day after day.  Yes, this happens.  Below is a link to the article and I encourage you (though it's a VERY tough read) to read it so that maybe if more people are aware of the real inhumanity that is happening right here in the United States, that slavery STILL exists for many young, innocent girls, then maybe, just maybe, we can find a solution to end it.  Because while your life may be hard right now, I can't even imagine what a day in the life of one of these poor girls is like.  I am praying for each and every one of them.

http://investik8.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/eden-a-sex-slaves-story/

A Glimpse

I haven't written in soooo long and for that I apologize but just know it's because life is very very busy!!!  When I actually don't have any homework left to do I spend every second of free time with my Mark.  We watch tons of movies together...it's our favorite!  A really sad but good one we watched recently is "What Maisie Knew".  It's the story of a little girl whose parents are going through a divorce and fighting over custody...but not because they love their daughter.  It's more of a pride thing for them and throughout the movie it's truly shocking the way they treat her...and the saddest part is there are probably tons of parents really like that.  Anyway, the movie ended on a positive note but Mark and I still talk about Maisie as though she were a real person.  Haha, I guess that's my actress side coming in...

So today I had a glimpse.  And kind of a wake-up call.  Of what life could be like...without my Mark.  It only lasted for about 5 minutes but it was the most panicked I've been in a long time.

I had a long day at school today from 8-6 and Mark gets home from work at 4.  I talked to him on the phone briefly before rehearsal and knew he hadn't left work yet at 5 but I figured he would have left soon after that.  He usually stays at work later on the days I'm at school late so he doesn't have to miss me too much (adorable, right?)  So I get home at 6:30 on the dot and am so excited to see him.  But I get a strange feeling when I try to open the door (he never locks it after he gets home) and it's locked.

I open it and our apartment is dark.  There are clothes on the couch and recyclables on the counter and I suddenly feel like something is not right.  I quickly call him.  No answer.  I call again.  No answer.  Where is he???  I call his work but I don't remember his extension.  I try 17 but it's the guy who sits behind him.  I try 18 but now I'm being transferred to the receptionist who has already left.  By this time I'm on my knees saying a silent prayer that everything is going to be alright.  But I look around the apartment and see the pictures of us above our bed, his clothes folded on the couch, Cuddles, the bear he gave me for my birthday before we got engaged who we treat as though he is our child, who is lying on his back on Mark's bedside table.  Mark didn't put him in a cute position the way we always do.  And suddenly it hits me.  What if Mark got into a car accident?  What if I never see him again?  What if that phone call that lasted 5 minutes at 5 o'clock is the last time I ever spoke to hiim???  I remembered saying "I love you" so casually and wishing he had really known just how much I love him.

A part of me felt a little silly for acting this way just because Mark wasn't home but he always answers his phone for me and he is ALWAYS waiting at home for me when I get there.  He would never just not call if he was going to be late.  I think of calling my mom so she can calm me down but instead I leave the apartment.  I can't bare to look at everything the way it is right now because I keep thinking that the next time I put the clothes away and take out the recycling, my life will be changed forever and Mark will not be a part of it anymore.

Tears build up in my eyes as I head down our apartment stairs, not knowing where I'm going.  Then I realize I'm going to look for Mark.  If I find his car then I'll know he's okay.  Of course, the thought doesn't occur to me that if I find his car outside our apartment, he would have gone inside! But none of this matters because as soon as I step out of the door, Mark is pulling up right in front of the apartment in his silver Honda that has never looked more beautiful.

I run over to him and his windows are rolled down.  He's listening to some cute oldies station, smiling his adorable innocent smile.  That smile I was so scared I would never see again.  I lean my head into the open window on the passenger side and give him a long kiss.  As I break away, the tears begin to roll down my cheeks and I choke out, "Where were you?  I was so scared something happened..." and he's out of the car so fast, with his arms around me and it's the best feeling in the world.  Every time.

He's used to my over-reacting and tears (every day...I'm such a girl...but half the time they're happy or laughing tears) and he quickly calms me down but the thoughts keep racing through my head.  What if something did happen to him?  What if yesterday was the last day we spent together?  What did we do?  How did we spend those last moments?  And some day will be the last day.  Hopefully that day doesn't come for many, many, MANY years (and hopefully my day comes first) but right now I am feeling so lucky and blessed that I get to spend another day, another moment with my favorite person in the whole wide world.

Time is all relative

In 3 days it will have already been 3 months since Catherine and I got sealed.  Now you all say ya ya 3 months you're still so fresh, but really 3 months has felt like 3 weeks at most.  I have been so buried at work since the new year I have not had a second to relax!  It seems like the times I may have a relaxing moment something huge comes up with Catherine where we have to find a way to get a bunch of work done.  I think how nice it will be when Catherine finishes school and my work project (33 new parts for Schlege Locks) is over.  I know we will have new stresses and such, but once we get past these two huge milestones we can actually be newly weds again!  Right now we feel like a forty year old couple cause we come home and are pooped from work/school.  We will get through this and around May we will be beginning to see new exciting changes as things start coming around.  I will have my old job back running production at Capstan with a whole lot more experience, understanding and trust in my employees.  I will have gained the trust of new customers .  I will have gained the trust of new suppliers and most importantly I will have proved to myself that I can really do this.  I can be in charge and get HUGE projects done.  At this same time Catherine will be working an internship, will probably be going through an interview process with Disney Voice Over, and will be finding out how great and desirable an actress she really is.  We will still have the same apartment, the same general schedule, and associate with the same people but life will have advanced.  I cannot wait.  We both have a lot of work to get there but I always like to think of time as my ally, constantly rolling on even if the times are hard.  Hard times end and New beginnings come.

I'm currently waiting in my car for Catherine as she films a scene for a class.  I decided to take Catherine because if I didn't drive her she would've stayed at SC and not gotten home until I was asleep most likely.  This gave us at least a couple of hours together today.  Lots of times we are hesitant to tell people how much we truly want to just be together all the time, but really I love that about us.  It is now a part of who we are.  We both go out of our way to be with each other.  Before we got married Catherine would surprise me at work and we'd go out to lunch.  I only get a 30 minute lunch, so she would basically take an hour driving out of her day to spend 30 minutes with me.  I love her so much for that.  We used to, and sometimes still do, sent countdown texts on when we will see eachother again like "7 Hours!!!!!" at 9 in the morning when we were with each other just 3 hours before.  Haha.  Why are we so scared to tell people how much we really love each other?  Why are we scared that people will think we're crazy for going so far out of our way to spend just a short amount of time together?  Well this is my way of throwing caution to the wind and saying yes I am in love with Catherine and I am not ashamed of all the obsession, addiction, and illogical acting that comes with that love.  I can't wait for her to come back.  20 MINUTES!!

Sitting in the car typing