March 2010 Archives

Spring!

Today is the most gorgeous day ever!

My big work event in NY is next weekend, so I am only going to be blogging here and there until then. Things are hella busy, yo!

Special day-before Birthday shoutouts to my awesome Sister In Law, Katie, and to my good friend Laura (aka Raunch)! Yeah, April Fools Birthdays!

I'm done with this round of scanning, and it is great. I found this birthday card, which is a treasure in itself. One day soon, I will tell you why.

Yes It Is!

Also, Easter is coming, so it is time to stand next to the yucca plant!
Mom, C, E 79 (Easter?)

We took all (well, most) of our Easter photos next to that plant.

Here's that same year, in front of a different yucca plant.
Dad, C and E Easter 79

More Awesome

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Oh my gosh, look at how amazing this video is, by Raphael Saadiq.

Fun for a Friday

In doing a bit of research just now, I stumbled upon this adorable song and video by Paloma Faith. Enjoy!

MY TALENTED HUSBAND

I am SO PROUD of my amazing, talented, charming and handsome husband.

He just landed another commercial gig.

That's right. He has had 2 commercial auditions and gotten 2 commercial gigs.

Wow.

The man has mad skillz.

That's my husband, y'all!

GDR Poetry

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For those of you who don't know, my dad was a very funny guy.
Also, for those of you who don't know, his cancer started in his rectum.
Furthermore, when Dad went in for radiation of his lower regions, he tried to make it fun and less awkward for the nurses, so he usually put notes/drew things on his butt to make them laugh. Needless to say, his doctors and nurses (and everyone else) loved him.

Usually he had treatment in Vicksburg, but there was a time that his treatment was in Jackson.

Here is a poem I found that he wrote when his Jackson radiation treatment was wrapping up (and don't you know he wanted to use 'kiss' in that last sentence?):

Parting Thoughts...
(to my friends at CMMC Radiation)

We're treating a cancer--this particular kind
Is located close to my "back door."
Your techs are zapping my behind
To kill the tumor ever more.

My two weeks here--a substitute
For where I usually get my blast;
You guys and gals have been a hoot,
The time has come and gone too fast.

I've come here daily and shown my ass-
That is to say, I've bared my cheeks.
This normally would not come to pass;
I am not known to give folks peeks.

But if that's what it takes to cure
My problem, then I have no shame.
I'll drop my pants and that's for sure.
It's funny, however this is no game.

I have for you the highest respect.
You've made me feel completely at ease.
Attitude's the key and I suspect
That I've improved each time we've teased.

I want you to know that if in town
We meet in passing or face-to-face
That though in here my pants were down,
I'll always offer a warm embrace.

I hope you'll get what I'm about to say
In my parting words and I'm going to try
To offend no one, but we've come to the day
When you guys must "bid" my ass goodbye.

--G. David Reid

GDR

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Family Pic 79

Happy Birthday, Daddy. I miss you.

Go Fuzzy Go!

Today is the first run of the season, the Shamrock Shuffle 8k. Last week's 65 degree weather is now 35 degree rain and snow, but that isn't stopping my athlete husband! (it did however stop his pansy of a wife from going to support him downtown.) Go Fuzzy!

Some Thoughts on a Thursday Night

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I was thinking to myself tonight, 'Why am I taking dance classes?' and 'Why do I dance?'

I am having to fight impulses to go to every class and compare myself to others and to hope that someone thinks I am good and asks me to join their company. Cause that isn't going to happen, and I don't want it to. But old performer habits are hard to break. "I need to be discovered! What about me? I am good, too!" Blech. Go away, impulses. Let's leave that stress behind and start to move onward.

So why do I do it? Well, first of all, it is fun. It is hard as shit, but I love it, and I smile and laugh during class. I also do it because it is a great stress reliever. Fuzzy and I watch a lot of dance shows, and we always make fun of the times when they need to "dance it out." Well, now if I have a crappy day, I dance it out. It works. Thirdly, it is GREAT exercise. I mean, seriously. It is an hour and a half of concentrated muscle focus, ab work, strengthening, balance, form, technique, sweating, sweating and sweating.

But on my walk home tonight, I realized that I do it cause it is 100% for me. It is the time in my day when I can clear my head, focus on my body, and feed my heart, soul and spirit with the thing that I have done my whole life. It is done with my purest instrument, I don't have to share it, worry about anyone else, or worry that someone is going to take away the feeling that I get when I am dancing, working, and in the moment. It doesn't matter if I am not a professional, or even that good. I do it cause it is what I want to do.

I also am dancing right now because it takes me back to my youth. I started dancing when I was 4 years old, and I danced solid for 14 years. I had a lot of injuries towards the end of it, so I only took classes here and there in college and after I moved to Chicago. But it was my first love--the one thing I wanted to do more than any other. I wanted to be a professional dancer. As I kept hurting myself, I started to focus on comedy and theatre more and more (I mean, I always did that, too, and choir), and my focus shifted from dance to comedy and improv. Thank God it did, cause I met my husband that way, and he is the best thing I have in my life. But getting back to it and going to 2 classes a week just feels good, and the movement comes semi-naturally to me. My body can go Aaaaahhhhh.

Tonight in class, my teacher (who I take both jazz and hip hop with) said "Your body is changing." He's right--I can feel myself getting stronger and now after class, I feel good and functional, whereas back when I started, I would feel sick and miserable and could barely move afterwards. He then asked, "Are you taking a lot of classes?" I told him "just yours" (which in hindsight isn't true--I've been taking ballet, too. I didn't mean to slight Ann-Marie, but I was balancing and struggling and I didn't have a lot of oxygen going to my brain and it just didn't make it out. It is hard to have a conversation when your calves and feet are cramping and you are trying to balance.) and then he said "Ok, then. You are working it." In a class full of serious dancers, that was great to hear. When I left for the evening, he said "Work it, girl."

I take classes to work it out.

On a separate topic, a few months ago, I was walking home from class, when an adorable old man was walking his dog and heading my direction. It was stupidly cold and there was snow piled up a couple feet, and I was miserable walking home sweaty and cold. This man looks at me and says, "Beautiful weather, don't you think?" It made me smile and change the way I was thinking. I agreed with him and chit chatted for a moment before heading on home, smiling the whole way and thankful for experiencing the night.

Tonight, it is a warm and clear gorgeous night. I was walking home wearing only a light jacket, and it was unzipped. I see an old man and his dog walking my way.

"You see what kind of moon you have up there, don't you? It's a Lil Abner moon!"

I laughed and asked if he remembered talking to me before and reminded him that he said he loved the cold.

"Oh, yes," he said.

I asked if he liked the Spring weather, too, and he nodded.

"I like it all," he said.

We chatted for a moment about how I am a Southern girl from Mississippi, but that now that I have been here for 10 years, I don't know how much longer I can use that as an excuse for not liking the cold.

He went on to tell me that he's traveled the world, and he loves everywhere he's been and all types of weather. He told me that he traveled with his wife, who had cancer and wanted to see the world before she died. That's exactly what they did. He said he has the best memories of her and everywhere they went.

I shared with him that I lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago, so I feel the same way. I want to see the world while I still have time. He told me that is what I have to do.

We talked a little while longer about our neighborhood, Chicago architecture, San Antonio, meeting our spouses in Chicago, and of course, Daisy Mae and the Lil Abner Moon.

His name is Peter. His dog's name is Angel.

I can't wait to run into him again after class.


I'll be honest, here

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I just really identified with a Nickelback song. I never thought it would happen.

Also, I love Tik Tok by Ke$ha. There, I said it.

Congrats to my Bro!

Big Congrats and Good Luck goes out to my big brother today. Tonight he starts teaching his International Social Work class at the University of South Carolina. I know he will be a great teacher, cause he has taught me so much throughout my life.

Knock em out, Professor Reid!

A Message to My Local Friends

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I've had to cancel a lot of plans lately, and hold off on making plans, and there are some sweet babies out there that I haven't met, but it doesn't mean that I don't love you. I'm having a hard time right now with a number of things, so it is really difficult for me to reach out or make any plans, especially around now through early summer. I know I don't have to explain myself, really--everyone is so sweet and supportive about it--but instead I just have to get comfortable with the new me--the non-performing, introverted one with the anxiety problem who can't commit to anything and who has to just say "no, I can't make it" instead of trying to do it all. Anyways, I just wanted to put this out there for anyone that I have the intention to see, but no follow-through. It's not you, it's me. Thank you all for your love and support and patience.

Tiny Dancer

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I've added a new category of posts called "Blast from the Past." As I keep working on this scanning project of old newspaper clippings, programs, etc, I will be posting things here and there on my blog.

Here is a newspaper clipping from the Vicksburg Evening Post publicizing the Nutcracker December 1987. I was a Mouse and Ponchinella that year. That is me and my little butt on the left, and my friend Alison Price and her little butt on the right. In the center is my old dance instructor, Genie Atwater, who I've blogged about before, and also in there, just right of me, is my friend Karla! Look at how cute we all are.

Me, Mrs. Atwater and Alison Price Nutcracker 1987
(They almost always misspelled my name. When I decided to change my last name to Gerdes, Fuzzy said "no one will ever know how to say or spell your name" and I told him that was old hat to me. If I wasn't listed as Reed, I was always listed as Eric.) (Also, it says we are rehearsing at Warren Central, but we are clearly at St. Mary's Gym. I remember that day like it was yesterday and I will never forget the smell and feel of that gym. It was always cold.)

It is fun to find this now that I am back in ballet classes and leotards and tights are a part of my weekly routine. Of course, now that I am pushing 31, I blew out my shoulder this week in hip hop class, but it was totally worth it. I was "leaving it all on the floor" as they say.

My Darling Brother

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When I was cleaning out Mom's house, I ran across this adorable and charming school assignment of my brother's when he was in elementary school. It is a list of things he is thankful for. How sweet! Let's take a look.

Elementary Christopher Reid Art

Nice!

But wait...let's take a closer look:

Detail

This is Freaking Hilarious to me. Ah well, at least I am listed second.
I also love that he listed himself first.

Also also, if you look at the drawing of mom and dad in the large version, it is pretty accurate!

Interesting...

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Really?

This morning, on my drive to work, I passed the Christian bookstore up the street. In their window display they have a lot of tshirts and books and religious art. There was a new painting up that I had never seen before--a collage of different images of Jesus--on the cross, hands praying, on the mound, and in the middle was a giant painting of a reclining shirtless sexy Jesus. With super defined pecs and abs.

I have no doubt that Jesus was an attractive man, but is that really the way you want to worship the Lord?

Really?

UPDATE: Melissa just compared Jesus to Strawberry Shortcake. I just had to get that out there.

One Day...

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...I will have my own bottle tree.

1) God provides.
2) I enjoy leaving my house and going out from time to time.
3) Frosted Flakes are grrrrreat!
4) I'm ok, and don't need to be so dramatic.
5) Planning a vacation is exciting!
6) I have a lot of projects I need to follow-up on and finish.
7) I'm lookin like a fool with my pants on the ground.
8) I got this.
9) The taste of a green pear. We had a pear tree growing up, and it's been forever since I've had one. This pear I am eating right now is sending me back!
10) What warm weather feels like! My God, the sun is shining and it's 65 degrees! I am reborn!

This is random

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I am starting to think that gummy vitamins are the greatest invention of all time. Fuzzy and I would never take our vitamins if they weren't yummy, candy-like, and on our coffee table.

Man

I love my husband.

I just had to say it publicly.
Again.
Cause I do.

Dance and a Review

Here is a clip from the Breakfast Club: The Totally 80's Musical at IO.

And a blurb from a review!

Erica Reid and Jeff Gandy's jerky, self-conscious choreography imparts a good deal of the humor, coupled with the actors' largely deadpan re-creations of the characters.

I love today

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I just have to say that I am feeling great today. The sun is shining, I am wearing a skirt, I had an AMAZING dance class last night, I have hilarious friends that I love seeing and emailing with, I have an awesome brother and we can crack each other up without really doing anything, and I'm going out on a date tonight with my one true love who makes me happier than anything in the world. It feels good to feel good. No, it feels great!

March 3, 2001

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Mom, Dad and I at Melissa's Wedding March 3, 2001

Melissa sent this photo to me this morning. Look how happy! So sweet.
This was taken at her wedding (Happy Anniversary, Melissy!)

I have no idea why I am holding that giant plant. I am such a weirdo.

Just Like Grandma Used to Make

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A few months ago, I decided that I needed Southern rice pudding. Rice pudding in the Midwest is not the same as it is in the South, it's instead some sort of weird gooey condensed milk with some rice in it and cinnamon and raisins. No thanks. Southern rice pudding is thick and more like a sweet rice casserole. So I was going to have to make it myself.

My Memaw Bane and Dad used to make the BEST rice pudding. Dad used to call his "Jethro Tull Rice Pudding" because it was "Thick as a Brick." It sucks that I can't ask either of them for recipes anymore, cause I loved almost everything they made. I did a bunch of google searches for "Southern Rice Pudding" and even looked in my ultimate recipe guide--my Highland Baptist Church cookbook that I go to for everything. Nothing looked right. So I made my own concoction--a mish-mash of a bunch of recipes that I found. The pudding was a dreadful failure.

Since I am currently cleaning out my mother's house and going through a lifetime's worth of paperwork and memories, and having also recently done this at my grandmother's house, I am inspired right now to purge everything from my past. Since Fuzzy and I won't have any children to do this for us, and since we now have the deadline of Age 53 for us (The age Dad died and Mom got sick), I figure there is no time like the present to sort all the newspaper clippings, show programs, and letters that I have accumulated in my almost 31 years, scan them in, and throw them away. I did this for hours on Sunday, and in my giant drawers of keepsakes, I found a number of cards from my memaw that she sent after I moved to Chicago (in every single one, she wondered if I could read her "chicken" or "hen scratch"). In one nondescript one, there it was, a card with HER RECIPE FOR RICE PUDDING!

I wasted no time at all--I made it last night. Holy Moles, is it ever good. It came out perfect, too--the top browned lightly, the rice sweet-but not too sweet, moist, but not gooey. It was perfect. A delicious taste from my childhood.

Here is the recipe:
Use about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp butter, melted
Add about 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk, and mix real good (get the clumps out)

Pour into a buttered pyrex baking dish (I used an 8 in square pan) and cook at 350 for about an hour. Don't get it too dry (mine cooked about an hour.) She says, "I usually just throw it all together and hope for the best." It certainly is.

Another of my favorite recipes of hers is her Chicken and Dumplings. I fortunately had the forethought to get my mother to get this recipe from her before she moved into the nursing home. It can be made in the broth of a boiled chicken, or cubed chicken breasts with stock and whatever veggies you want (usually carrots, potatoes, onions, and I love putting in spinach). You can make it a vegetarian recipe with veggie broth and the veggies of your choice. I like TONS of dumplings, so I usually double or triple this recipe.

Chicken & Dumplings
1 Cup sifted (or wisked) self-rising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup milk
2 Tablespoons veg. oil

Combine milk and oil, add to dry ingredients, stirring til moistened.
Drop by Tablespoons into boiling broth - cover tightly - bring to boil again. Reduce heat -don't remove cover, simmer 12-15 minutes.

These dumplings will be dense and fluffy and delicious. I like to spice them up with cayenne pepper, cracked black pepper and Tony Chachere's before adding the wet ingredients.

That's good eatin', y'all!