Thank you, LA Fitness, for my wonderful Athlete’s Foot.

I got a packet of info today about arranging/directing a huge show in Irvine next May. It looks great. I have yet to watch the DVD of last year’s (this past May’s) show, but I will soon. This would be a really cool thing to do since I would not only get to direct the show and play piano for it (or hire someone else to play and just conduct, if I wanted), but I’d also get to arrange & orchestrate the entire thing. I’m pretty flabbergasted that I even got asked to consider it, but from the looks of it, it might be perfect for my gifts. We’ll see, nothing is set in stone yet…I’m really excited about it, though.

As my wife mentioned in her recent post, I joined LA
Fitness. How could I possibly do this while our finances are in disarray?
I gave up Starbucks.

A change had to happen in my life, and it needed to be
drastic (and let me tell you this, it feels great). I had been consistently
tired and relying heavily on caffeine to keep me going. It was working alright,
but I didn’t feel good, I felt dependent. Obviously, I wasn’t addicted, since I
haven’t had coffee in several days and I feel better than ever, but I sure felt
like I was.

So the gym costs about a dollar a day, as opposed to the 4
dollar a day Starbucks. It’s actually going to save us quite a bit of
cash…and let me say this—I’m sure I’ll go to the ‘bucks every once in a while
for a treat, so I’m not giving it up completely, just giving it up as a habit.
I’ll probably stop by road trips and stuff…

So yeah, that’s pretty big news.

On the bright side, I feel awesome. I’ve never had so much
energy. I FEEL better, I feel happier; it’s really weird that exerting energy
would actually give you so much more of it, but it’s true. I’m making great use
of my iPod’s 6,500 songs, and even after walking out of there on the very first
day I worked out, I felt a huge difference. I’m excited about this new change
in me.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to become one of those wacky
people that talk only about working out all the time. I’m not going to go
around telling you how much I bench pressed or how long I spent on the exercise
bike…those people are annoying.

Side note: Went to see Nacho Libre last night again with
Christy (her first time). It was funny. Jack Black is just a funny guy, and in
the moments where he really did his thing, were definitely the funniest parts
of the movie. Christy enjoyed it too. Thanks to Joe for watching the kids.

I’m taking Christy out on a day long date on Friday. We get
a half day at work, and some folks are watching the kids so we can just go off
and be together for a while and not be pressured about getting here or there
for our dinner reservations or movie times, etc…we’re just going to be together
for a while. It will be nice.

EDIT ADD: So, I totally bumped into the film composer and musical director at the health club I was checking out. I literally walked in the door and they were walking out. We chatted, and it turns out he’s a real big racquetball player, and she doesn’t like to play so much…hmmmm….AND he asked if I played. Nope, but I’m willing to learn. You BET I’ll play racquetball with this dude.
Alright. I gotta learn how to play racquetball…
——

This is definitely my high score so far–and I’m totally beating Noah…

This last week was spent playing synth in rehearsals and
shows of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in Baldwin
Park. It was a great experience. Not only did I get to
connect with other gigging musicians, but the boyfriend of the musical director
happens to be a film composer. It turns out his regular orchestrator just had a
baby, so he’s not as available right now…he told me to give him a demo. Yeah,
no problem! Coming right up!

Another cool thing happened last week also—my folks told us
that they would take out a loan against their house to pay for the lawyer for
Noah. Wow. We were going to try and put it on our charge card, but that wasn’t
going to work. We had pretty much given up hope at that point—because if we
didn’t get the hours we needed right now, there was pretty much no way for us
to get the hours we need for him when he turns 3. Thank you Mom & Dad!!
This is really a turning point for Noah…this time in his life is absolutely
crucial to determine whether or not Noah has to live with us for the rest of
his life, or not…

Thanks everyone for your prayers!

I just received an email with information about upcoming concerts in Southern California. Lo an behold, Michael W. Smith will be in concert at Yorba Linda Friends Church on October 15, 2006. YES–one of my single biggest musical influences will be at MY HOME CHURCH in concert. Holy smokes. I’m a little excited right now…
I’m SO going to that concert–and I’m SO going backstage…wow…
Mikekenaj, eat your heart out!

Do you know what’s great? Talking with someone you haven’t
talked with in a month or two that asks you a question about something that
happened to you yesterday. How? This
lovely blog. It is so great to keep in touch with people that you really
wouldn’t otherwise be able to keep in touch with—especially for Christy and I,
since both of us have that area as a weakness. We don’t keep in touch with
people very well. Now, we are able to thanks to xanga and all our friends that
blog and read our blogs. It’s wonderful. If you are a subscriber, but don’t
blog, I encourage you to start. It is easy, and regardless of what you think,
people do want to know what’s going
on with your life—we will read it!

Time for a list:

-Chris & Melody’s wedding was wonderful. It was small
and intimate. It was held outdoors at Presidio Park
and was really fun. We felt honored to be two of only about 50 people there
(including family and everything). I arranged two songs for the string trio
that was there, so of course we sat right next to them, and it sounded lovely.
Chris and Melody wrote their own vows, but it was kind of hard to hear them.
I’m hoping they’ll post them (once they get back from their honeymoon—not a
minute sooner!).

They were really a joy to watch get married. There was lots
of laughter and fun. I’m so proud of them. This July marks one year since
Melody first played at Midway, and when her and Chris starting entertaining the
idea of Midway as a home church, etc…it was the beginning of an awesome
friendship! We love them so much! Thanks for letting us be a part of your
wedding ceremony and a part of your life!

-Playing keyboard in a production of Beauty and the Beast. It’s
pretty challenging, and fun for that reason. It also requires a lot of time,
but overall at this point in my life, it is worth it. I get to meet some new
people, and play with some musicians that do this all the time, hopefully
forming some connections to get some more gigs like this. Also, my friend Scott
is playing Beast, and he’s great…I can’t get the music out of my head…

-Got a phone call from a guy that plays piano at Yorba Linda about directing a huge show next May at Concordia University. This includes arranging and
orchestrating the show, as well as rehearsing the groups and playing piano/conducting
from the piano. Wow. I’m praying about this one, it sounds awesome—and a great
opportunity.

-I saw a vending machine for iPods and accessories in a VONS
in Yorba Linda
yesterday. It blew my mind. You could buy the iPod Nanos and a bunch of stuff
to go along with it. I was totally flabbergasted, and also quite impressed. Only
in The O.C…