Funny Vlog

So I've been known to waste quite a bit of time on youtube and I have to tell you, this election is not helping me at all. I was looking at some of the clips of Sarah Palin's interview with Katie Couric (can you say trainwreck?) and I happened to come across some videos with this girl doing a pretty funny impression of Palin as well. Don't get me wrong--she is no Tina Fey but she does a rather hilarious job of poking fun at Palin. Take a look:

The Phantom of the Opera

Wednesday night I had the pleasure of taking in one my favorite stage performances at The Paramount: The Phantom of the Opera. I went with my co-worker Christa and we had great time.

I have a storied history with the Phantom. I was originally introduced to it when I was a 4th grader--my music teacher at the time was in love with it as well and shared that with our music class. So my appreciation for Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic started early. And continued until the accumulation of seeing it in London while studying abroad in the summer of 2005. I was fortunate enough to see it at Her Majesty's Royal Theatre right in London--the very theatre the original the play debut at. It was a pretty great experience.

Here is Brandi and I in London before the 2005 show:

The Seattle performance was quite good! As with the London performance, I did not particularly care for the gentlemen playing the Phantom. But I think I have pretty expectations seeing that I've been listening to the soundtrack since elementary school! But the man who played Raoul was fantastic! He had a great voice and really good staged presence. The woman who played Christine was pretty good! Overall, I really enjoyed this cast. The Paramount is such a great venue to begin with, adding my favorite performances only makes life better.

My next show at The Paramount will be Spring Awakening--critically acclaimed and winner of 8 Tony Awards.

Promotion!

I quit my job as a project coordinator on April 25, 2008 with the intention of pursuing my Starbucks career full time. My hope was to become an assistant store manager.

Today is September 16, 2008 and as of last Friday I have obtained that goal. I am now the assistant store manager at Starbucks Store 3402--Lake City Way and 120th. And quite honestly, I could not be more happy.

While it is still very fresh and I'm not sure it's really hit me yet, I am so excited for this next step. By staying at the store I started at I am able to stay with my store manager, Erin, who has the capacity to teach me so many things. And I will be a sponge for her knowledge and experience. She has been instrumental in getting me to the place I am today and I'm so honored that she wanted to hold on to me as her ASM.

I took a big risk by quiting that other job, but my risk has paid off with huge rewards. I am working a job that I enjoy, for a company I love and with people I admire.

Simple as that.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Neill
Assistant Store Manager
Starbucks Coffee Company

Politics & SNL

The minute I saw a picture of Sarah Palin, I thought to myself that it was a shame that Tina Fey was no longer a player on Saturday Night Live because I thought Fey would be able to do a spot on impression of Palin. Well, lo and behold, Lorne Michels and I think alike because the following is the opening sketch from the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. Amy Poehler helps add to the hilarity with her Hilary Clinton impression. (and sidenote: Poehler is totally pregnant!)

Take a look here.

Yearbook Pictures

A huge thank you goes out to Gina G for sending me the link to this AMAZING website: yearbookyourself.com

Basically, you upload a picture of yourself (or your friends) and then they put your face on an actual yearbook picture of someone from a various time period. You can select any year from 1950 through 2000.

As you can see from below, I had WAY too much fun with this:

Here's me in 1962:

Lovely Kristina in 1978:
Stephanie in 1958:
And Annie in 1960:
And Whitney looking fantastic in 94:

My friends were lookers even back then!

New Bad Habit

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry if you are a member of the group of people who I've been a jerk to lately.

And by jerk I mean either:
a) not returning your calls
b) not returning your emails
c) not responding to text messages
d) all of the above

I must insist that you believe me when I say it is not a conscious decision. I don't do it on purpose. I don't not want to talk/communicate/catch up with you. I have no excuse(s). I'm just a thoughtless, inconsiderate jerk. It's definitely a horrid habit that I have unconsciously developed over the past couple of months.

It has been brought to my attention and I assure you that I am trying very hard to abolish the habit via post it notes and reminders on both my cell phone and computer.

So, if you have been personally affected by Hurricane Jen the Inconsiderate, I do apologize! Please find it in your heart to forgive me.

All in Due Time...

I definitely went to Denver like 3 full months ago, but I just recently got the pictures from the my disposable camera back today. And please do not judge the fact that I bought a disposable camera--I still use my digital (even if it's the Zach Morris cell phone of digital cameras) but we ran the Bolder Boulder and I thought it would be fun to have a camera during the run.

So, here are my pictures from Memorial Day Weekend with Steph and Brian in Denver:





And then I must share that I got a 'professional' photo taken of me during the race. Check it out here.

Dave @ the Gorge

There are a few weekends I look forward to every year in Washington.

Bloomsday. Check.

Hoopfest. Check.

Dave at the Gorge. CHECK!

I just got back from beautiful George, Washington where I was fortunate enough to take in the final day of Dave Matthew's Band weekend at The Gorge. This was my 4th year seeing DMB and I have to admit, this was far and away my favorite one I've been to.

On the drive over, I always ask the people I am with what song they absolutely want to hear. And then, should that song be played during the concert, we all go crazy because that lucky individual got to hear 'their' song. Mine has been and always will be 'Seek Up'. It's an old song many have never heard. I've never heard it live and every year I cross my fingers they will play it.

This was my year.

Dave opened the show with this musical nugget! I almost fell down the hill I was so excited. I've sang that song at the top of my lungs in the shower, in my car, in my apartment, on the treadmill a million times, but NOTHING is better than singing it at the top of my lungs with Dave. At the Gorge. With a few of my favorites.

His set list also included a few other favorites. He played Warehouse AND All Along the Watchtower--back to back. He also played Rhyme and Reason #41 and Where Are You Going. It was amazing. And Tim Reynolds was there too, so the jam sessions were crazy good.

I will continue to be on my DMB High for the next month or so. Currently, the play count on 'Seek Up' on my itunes is 17. We'll see what it is in a month or so. Plan on triple digits.