Samsung

It's the last day of April and boy did the month FLY by! Auditions have been really low this month partly because I (Nathan) have been sick for 2 weeks and we've hosted many wonderful guests this month. My schedule though this week has been brilliant. I am mainly working in the mornings from 8:30 - 1:30 which is a solid 5 hours and then I get to go work out or relax at home. The weather has finally warmed up once again. I think my allergies have been the worst so far this year - that or I am just so easily prone to getting colds. I had a congested nose / stuffed up / for 2 full weeks and just yesterday while I was running I felt things loosening up and after blowing my nose for 5 minutes I could finally breathe out of my nose. Whitney has had a very hard time sleeping these past couple of weeks because every night I would snore - I guess very loudly too - I felt soooo bad, but there was nothing I could do. I tried everything! I took Mucinex, nasal spray, allergy medicine, inhaled steam, nothing worked. I hate that I get on a germified train everyday and help germified children paint. My immune system needs to get with the program and step it up!!!

At work I have been very vocal about my opinions and ideas to my manager which I'm proud of because management doesn't really know what they're doing. Every week I find some new policy or new rule that we are having to inform our customers (or guests rather) on. They're rules that I don't agree with, higher prices, less value, strict rules about groups and food etc etc. I decided to email the area manager who is in charge of all three Make Meaning locations and told her that I would like to speak with her about all of these changes. We talked today at work for 45 minutes. I just spoke what I was thinking, honesty is the best policy right? Well, she ended the conversation with telling me that she truly appreciates my feedback and thinks of me as a leader of the pack. I felt accomplished even though I didn't get her to change the new policy completely I was glad that she listened. What is great about my job at Make is the fact that they are growing rapidly and building a new gigantic store in Manhattan with lots of other crafts including; candle making, making glass, making fragrance, molding pottery, painting pottery, and making your own candy. I think it's going to be mind blowing awesome. If Broadway hasn't happened by then I hope to be an assistant manager or maybe on some planning committee, who knows, they plan to open the new store in August/September. Which means the store that I have been working in will sadly close.

Whitney has been more involved with the Corporate side of things with Make. She makes many many phone calls to organizations to try to get them to plan an event at one of our store locations. It's a great way to make business for the company and she also gets to lead the private parties which hopefully then leads to tips. The other day I helped with a private party and got tipped $60 for doing hardly anything.

Today I got a call to be in a Samsung commercial for tomorrow. I'll be a background actor but they are paying more than usual so I'm excited about it, but not about the time. I just found out that I have to be there at 6:00AM which is the WORST. I'm supposed to be working at Make but I'm calling in because I'm getting paid more:)

My mom and dad are preparing to move out of the house that I grew up in. They've been living in that house since 1988! That is 22 years! That is a long time! I'm so proud of them though because it's a huge feat to tackle and they're doing it. They already fell in love with a home in Park View which is about 10-15 minutes from their old house. It's going to be weird not going back to that house-so many great memories! Keep them in your prayers that they get a good deal on the house they want and they sell theirs:) I think they are planning on putting it on the market sometime in May.

That's it for now. I'll let you all know how the commercial goes. Sorry no picture for this blog.

Andrew and Cameron

Our adorable nephews on the Meyer side - Andrew Ohlson (our Godchild) and Cameron Bailey!
Andrew will be turning 2 in November and he is the son of my sister Diane and her husband Ryan.
Cameron will be turning 1 in July and he is the son of my oldest sister Christine and her husband Sam.

WE LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Vote for us to be on the TV show 'GLEE'!

Everyone:

Go to www.myspace.com/gleeauditions

TO FIND NATHAN:
Then under 'Gleeks', go to the search engine and either type in 'Nathan' or 532662529 to find his auditions video. You can also try this URL:
   http://www.myspace.com/gleeauditions?link=532662529

TO FIND WHITNEY:
Under 'Gleeks', go to the search engine and either type in 'Whitney' or 532619327 to find my audition video. You can also try this URL:
   http://www.myspace.com/gleeauditions?link=532619327

We need GOLD STARS! And you can give us numerous Gold stars if you'd like.
I think you have to be a myspace member to vote, but it is really really short to sign up.

THANK YOU!
and tell your friends :)

The Bunches and The Big Apple

This past week my sister and brother-in-law came and visited us in the city! Neither of them had ever been to New York City and it was a joy touring them around. I decided that I would take all the exciting tourist pictures of Marissa and Kevin on their camera, and I would take all of the 'resting' moments with my camera. So, check out the Bunches blog for their trip highlights.

A few things that we did while they were here:
Times Square
Toys R Us (in Times Square)
Hershey's store
M&M store
Eating at an Irish Pub
Trying the WICKED Lottery (matinee)
Ground Zero (Financial Building, and many many 9-11 memorials)
Walking down by the Hudson to see the Statue of Liberty from a far
Riding the Staten Island Ferry, to get a closer look of the Statue
Century 21 Department Store
Eating at Juniors (cheesecake is the best there)
Trying the WICKED Lottery
THE LION KING
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The Bodies Museum
Eating by the Hudson at a wonderful restaurant called UNO
FDNY Museum
Seeing the statues of men on top of buildings that they call 'art' (down in Chelsea)
Trying the Wicked Lottery
Showing Marissa, "Sephora"!
Eating at CHEVY's in Times Square
Going to see 'Alice in Wonderland' in 3D in Times Square!
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The Apple Store - checking out the iPad
FAO Schwarz & where I work
Central Park
Eating at 'The Boardwalk" on the water in Central Park
watching some street performers
Walking down 5th Avenue
Tiffany & Co.
Showing Kevin and Marissa, "H&M" for the first time!
Rockefeller Center
Trying the Wicked Lottery
Trying the 'American Idiot - Green Day musical' Lottery and WINNING!!!
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We had an AWESOME time with them! We were running around everywhere...here are our resting moments between all of the above.

Waiting at the Wicked Lottery

Waiting for Alice in Wonderland to start

Family & Decor

It is has been hard to keep up blogging lately due to all of our wonderful visitors this month! My parents (Shirley and Fred) came this past weekend, and all of the Belmont Seniors have been in town the past few days as well for their senior showcase. And to top it off, my sister and brother-in-law, Kevin are on their way here right now for the rest of the week!

During the past few weeks, Nathan and I have gotten to be tourists around the city, meet up with our Belmont buds, spend time with my family, and thanks to my parents - we were able to add a few things to our house to make it a little bit more of a 'home sweet home'.
Here it is in pictures:

We finally found a MOE'S in NYC!!! Oh, I love their burritos and chips!

Mom and Dad bought us a new couch (since our old one couldn't fit into our apartment) and these amazing wall-art decorations. WE LOVE THEM!!

There is out past few weeks...in pictures. :)

Since You've Been Gone

It has been a while since we have updated you on our auditions / theater lives.

Here are some bullet points to catch you up to speed:)
      
     WHITNEY

• Auditioned for Next to Normal - the Broadway show, got to sing 8 bars!
• Auditioned for Spiderman the Musical - the upcoming Broadway show, got to sing 16 bars!!
• Auditioned for Mamma Mia - the Broadway tour, got to sing 16 bars!!!
• Took a master class (which consisted of 2, 3 hour classes) with the casting director Rachel Hoffman from Telsey + Company who casts many many shows on Broadway. She got to sing 3 songs and then she was given sides from a show that Rachel might see her as. She was given Natalie from Next to Normal - got really good feedback.
• Complained to her manager about not getting enough hours per week at Make Meaning. 
• Got promoted to be a party planner organizer receptionist. 

     NATHAN

• Auditioned for Next to Normal - the Broadway show, got to sing 8 bars, got asked to sing another song!
• Auditioned for Mamma Mia - the Broadway tour, got great feedback and was asked questions!
• Got to go on set again for Mercy!
• Got to go on set again for 30 Rock - Matt Damon guest starred!
• Got an audition for a new comedy series for the lead role, made some very strong acting choices, and they hated every single one .... didn't get a callback. 
• Saw Matt Damon's daughter in his store - told her to bug her dad about something from 30 Rock. Obviously Nathan and Matt need to become friends - they keep almost meeting. 
• Has learned how to glaze pottery and load/unload it in the kiln. 
• Learned that if your sink is clogged, a plunger works just as good as it does in the toilet.

Both saw Hair on Broadway..... Whitney didn't really care for it, Nathan loved it!

Both are excited to have Fred and Shirley come this week!!!!

Easter

       This was my third Easter with Whitney! Sadly I haven't been home in Iowa for Easter since high school. The first two years at UNI, I couldn't go home because of shows that I was involved in were around Easter. Then at Belmont, I spent two Easters with the Garmon's. This year... Whitney and I got invited to the Rosano's house. Marissa and James Rosano are also married and also graduates of Belmont University. They have been living in New York now for a couple of years and James grew up in New Jersey. Our colleague and close friend Paige Salter was also in town so the five of us crammed into James' very tiny two door car and drove the hour and a half to New Jersey. I forget what town. We went to a very contemporary church service and then went to their parents house for an Italian meal. The Rosano's are 100% Italian. There were moments when we felt like we were in "My Big Fat Italian Easter Dinner!" It was hilarious. I mean these people were such characters! We had such a great time. 8 of us young-ans played volleyball and were fed the most food. I ate and ate and ate! It was awesome. Interesting tid bit... Instead of having an Easter egg hunt, the Rosano's Nanny Tina (aka Grandma) would throw out eggs to her grandchildren outside. And when they caught them they would open them up and each egg had a saying writen inside. "Get a kiss and hug," Get kicked in the butt" and then they would line up and the Nanny Tina would do what was on the piece of paper. At the end they each got money. It was funny.

This Easter was my mom's 56th birthday... sorry mom if I spoiled your age, but you look amazing, so I wanted everyone to know how great of shape you're in:) And the day before Easter it was Diane's 30th birthday. This week should be exciting because our friends from Belmont are coming to stay with us because they all have auditions for the tour of Grease. YAYAYAYA can't wait!

Unfortunately no Easter pictures this year.

A Damsel in Distress

I (Whitney) was off work this past Tuesday and also had no auditions to go to. Therefore, I decided to get some errands done around the house and pick up a few things around town. (Lightbulbs, groceries, laundry, returning DvD's, etc.) Well, after cleaning up the house and getting ready for the day I walked down the stairs in our apartment complex and turned the knob that would bring me to outside. When I turned the knob...it just popped off!

On the other side of the door there isn't a knob, there is a handle -push down with your thumb thingy. The door was also locked and the only way to UNLOCK it is either with a key from the outside, or a button that you push that is in the 'width' of the door by the bolt (which means the door would have to be open to do that). I put my hand in the letter slot to try to swing the door open, but I couldn't cause it was locked. Hm....I was locked IN my own apartment building! Nathan was at work all day and NO ONE was in their apartments. (There are only two other apartments in our building, and one being our landlord) I knocked on all of their doors and no one was home. I called and texted our landlord telling him I was locked in...oh it was funny. I called Nathan and he just couldn't understand how I had gotten myself in this situation! :)

So, I tried a few things to help!

I tried to throw my long locks out the window so my prince could come and save me! But he was at work...

I tried to yell for help! No one heard, not even the birds.

But, I was stuck.
Then I thought..well this isn't that bad, I'll just watch movies and rest. But then I started to get really hungry and then remembered that I needed to go get groceries because we had NO food! 'Ah ha! I'll call for take-out and then when I buzz them in, the door will open! But wait....once I buzz him in he'll walk in the door and start walking up the stairs and the door will shut behind him and we will BOTH be stuck in the apartment!' So then I decided to call my friend Julia who lives three blocks over. She luckily was free and said she would come over and save me! I told her to leave the door open once I buzzed her in so I could unlock it and then keep it propped open just in case. I ended up putting this note on the door.

Julia finally came and saved me from my imprisonment. We ordered take out and watched the episode of 'Friends' where Chandler and Ross make a fort in their living room. We then decided to....MAKE A FORT! We made it in the hall stairs so when Nathan came home from work he would be surprised with our...silliness, really. :)

I know...we act like we're 12. :) haha