Yeah I just came by to see how this place was... I am on facebook now as I said in my previous post.. If you added me on there and I didn't add you back please try again! I was away from it for a few months. I also might not know your real name so please say you know me from LJ.. Thanks and who knows, I may be back on here...

Later,
Mandee Ferrier Roberts

PS yeah I got married! :D :D

*Hugs* it's been a while since I posted to livejournal.. and even now I'm sneaking around it by using a facebook app. I've been on fb for a couple of months now and I like it there! Although my lj is prettier. And I miss some of the friends I had on lj that I don't have on fb! So add me on there, if you got one. And you're out there reading this in LJ land, and you care.

I'm not on myspace ever ever.. maybe now that school is out I'll update that.

I had to go in briefly today and now I am officially completely done with going into and/or seeing that building for a good while now, and it feels good. I've already started some house projects, flooring and dale's office is next.

I have a new song that I recorded a couple of weeks ago, it's in iLike

http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/Mandee+Ferrier

Planning on recording more this summer of course!! Not much has changed, it seems. I'm happy that I have the urge to write at all. More later.

The Beatles!

Mommy had all their records. I even have a bootleg vinyl for "Get Back". Can't wait to see the new movie!


Wow, livejournal! I had all but forgotten about you. It's school world for me now. We cast Joseph and our first rehearsal is Monday. I'm getting the band together for it, going over the music and picking out solos, and working on tough spots (where's my metronome that beats 7/8 and/or 9/8?)

Going on a photo store run today, for more tanks and reels. My photo group is three times the size it was last year, so I need more supplies!

Finally closing down the swimming pool for the year. I wish we could take it out and put a large hot tub in its place.

Tomorrow is the MD wine fest!

Can't say when I'll be back on here.

Ooohhh I am trying not to think about the summer drawing to a close! I am having way too much fun. Saw 311 with Matisyahu this past weekend in Philly. It was a great show. Matisyahu impressed me and I managed to record some video when he came out with 311 to rap during Lovesong. I have to clean up the audio though, it's terrible..

Speaking of which I think I will see if I can tweak the audio on the Come Down Spinkle vid before I post it.

I've been playing and planning for Joseph- the music is really good. Quite a variety of styles in one show. There are some things I want to do with it and I feel like I need to break down and buy a sampler workstation.. they are sooo expensive..

The best news of the past week or so is that I got Nicole and I Platinum VIP tickets to see Tori Amos in D.C. We will get to sit in on her soundcheck, meet her, get a gift bag, and be seated in the first several rows. I am EXCITED!! It's not til October..

Oh Tori fans on my list, I made my profile at http://www.toriamos.com/user/pianoscry so add me as a friend on there!

Well I got the rights to do How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Is that the musical I should direct this year? I think I have the right group for it, but it's a comedy and the version of Robin Hood I am directing is also a comedy.. kinda want to do something more serious.

I finished Deathly Hallows in less than two days last week. it was like crack.

I really want my schedule for my classes I'm teaching!! I'm anxious so I'm going in tomorrow. I have a ton of art supplies and books to drop off anyway.

Got almost 4/5 goal songs at least started.. want to do 5 song ep (at the very least) in the next few months. Depends if I get any new equipment.

I'm never here! Boooo!

Rock on, I'm on break!! I was in shock for the first two days. Unreal!

My mom is up here and I'm going out with her and my brother today!

My dad and his wife leave for their honeymoon today- they are spending Christmas in Thailand and Laos. Crazy!

On Wednesday night I played at our school's little coffeehouse night. I played:

Snowdust Waltz
River (Joni Mitchell)
Tennessee Christmas (Amy Grant)- but I changed it to "Baltimore" Christmas :)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

.. and that's that. It was fun!

Let's see... I plan on doing a lot of visiting with family and friends over this next week, eating, and not much else!!! I'm really enjoying every second of this break.

Maybe I'll even get to log in to myspace. Maybe.

Hmmmmm Guess I'll read my flist with some coffee and then enjoy my day. Merry merry merry merry merry!

Ahhhh no time anymore for lj

Well I guess I made time today.. HI!

Eatsleepbreathe my school. We finished up Annie which was a success and now we're starting Grease!

I'm so busy with school that I don't really have time for lj, don't have time for MY music (although I'm playing everyone elses') so that's what Saturdays are for I guess.. we're gonna put up some Christmas decs today too.

Thanksgiving was nice, spent it at Grandmother's.. miss my mom and bro and sis a lot.. miss Nicole too!! Haven't seen my dad since his wedding either. Think we're going to Annapolis next Sat night.

Found out we have to move out in April when our lease is up because they are renovating the apts and we can't be in here. This is annoying bc we wanted to get a house and we really can't afford one here. So we'll have to switch to maybe a 2BR in the same complex for just one year and then have money for a house? We're sick of throwing our money away on rent!

Got a lot of grading to do this weekend and technology wrassling, and plan everything for the rest of the semester.. and all the stuff I need to do for Grease auditions this week.

Think it's either time to throw a load of laundry in and put up Xmas decs or lose myself at the piano... either or...

But I don't really know what to write.

it's been a long while since i've been on here, you'd think I'd have something to say.. but I don't, not really.

Just been busy doing my job.. doing the play.. no time for internet other than a brief email check.

Yesterday, I got my hair cut and i got new glasses. Looks cute!

One day, I'll let loose on here. But for now I guess this crab is still in her shell.

What'd I miss? :P

In case you couldn't catch my tv show tonight, here's the link to the video clip:

http://cgi.nationalgeographic.com/channel/video/cgi-bin/NGPortal.pl?bitrate=400k&clip=104133805

Barefoot closed today. It was such a good play. I'm so happy to have been a part of it! It's those kids that keep me sane.

Another long week ahead as I go into production on Annie! I might get on here in like a week or so? Comment if I missed anything, anything at all, that you might want me to know. The flist reading has been non-existant. :(

need shleep

However, "I" will "die" this Sunday, September 10 at 10 pm on the National Geographic Channel! The title of the show is "Hunter and Hunted: Ambush". You've gotta tune in if you can (it will be rerun at 1 am and various other times). I'm "dying" to see what you think! (Okay, okay, enough of that :P)

---

Oh man, am I under a lot of stress right now. Yesterday I spent half the day crying and the other half at play practice. I feel better today now that I got it all out. Just stressed about school, and getting everything together. I could complain for days, but not in a public entry :)

I am teaching the following subjects this year:

Music 6
Music 7
Music 8
Art 6
Art 7
Art 8
Photography (high school)
Dramatic Arts (high school)
Choral Music (high school)

9 classes! Lord, help me.

I really do wish I had more time to be on here and yes, even myspace, to connect with my friends.. but I barely have time to visit my friends and family IRL, let alone on the intertubes. Wish I could take the time to play with the new layouts on here. :/

I do have a lot of fun activities and lessons planned for this year. I am excited, nervous, anxious, and stressed though. The first day of classes for my school is tomorrow! I guess I have it lucky as a lot of people started back last week.

I just want everything to be wonderful! I'm trying my best not to let anything slip through the cracks.

Right now I'm working on the play "Barefoot in the Park". It opens this weekend. Immediately after that closes we go into production on "Annie" at the girls' school. Then directly following that, it's my school's musical. Then sometime in February I'll get a break from plays- unless I help out with the girls' school play. Welcome to Mandee's 12-hour work days.

Theatre is my life but it's such a huge time commitment!

Well, time to grab a muffin and continue working on my powerpoint presentation on the history of photography. I just wanted to get on here and say hi youse guys!

The busy-ness has officially begun!

This weekend I scored a short film for a challenge, some of you may remember last year when I did that. This year the theme was Love Story and the script was modern and funny, so I spent Saturday writing and recording for that. Let me tell you how hard it is to write for a film without seeing the film. It's pretty random. I'll link to the movie when it's on the site.

Today was the new teacher orientation at school so I went to that because I didn't get any orientation things last year. I'm excited to start back.. but I have SO MUCH WORK TO DO. I think my time on lj is going to be slim. :( Forget myspace.

It's hard setting up everything from scratch. But I only have to do it once!

It's coming along. I just need a massage. Oh and yay, I get health benefits now and can actually go to the dentist and the doctor and get new glasses.. YAY!

I hung my photo show up in the art department and created a little gallery area :)

Michelle and I painted the stage the other day for the play ("Barefoot in the Park") and this morning I dumpster scored a fake tree and a rug for the set. That opens Sept 7.

Tomorrow we get tablet PCs!!

I still have to make the bulletin boards. So much to wrap my head around.

And my dad gets married September 16 and I'm playing the wedding! ay yi yi

Finally, the National Geographic tv show I did will air (I believe) Sept 10 at 10 pm on the NatGeo cable channel. I'll post again before then (I HOPE!) to remind you to tune in!!

cute thing from anaisbelieve



Ha! Maybe I can play Queen Rania in a production about her life.

---

Been busy with school stuff... I finally got my key I was waiting for and I've been cleaning and preparing the darkroom. Today I spackled all the holes and patched drywall so the dust would be at a minimum. Tomorrow I paint, scrub the sink, and organize my supplies. To interest my students and beautify the new art space I want to hang a small "show" of my own photography! Although most of my best work is currently decorating my walls!

I was just reading my friendsfriends.. and somebody is a member of brutalhonesty.. and so from there somehow I ended up reading the too_much_info comm.. and now I'm totally and completely grossed out and upset. Great. There's some really disturbing posts in there.

I've had a good past couple days now that I'm out and about, but physically not so hot. Yesterday was a red star day for the old calendar here. blech. I'm working on Barefoot in the Park and it's shaping up! :) It runs the first weekend in September. Lookin' good.

Trying to pick the musical for my school which will be in February! We're doing Annie at the girls' school. SO EXCITED. I'll be musical director for that. I think I have the choices down, so why not a poll?

Things to keep in mind: I want a more contemporary story and score, so I'm leaning toward the jazzy or pop/rock selections. Ideally we'd like more of an ensemble cast. Show needs to be fairly popular so we get a good turnout. No fairy tales this time.

Poll #790161 What musical should we do next?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 14

My notes included. Hope I didn't forget any...

So that's that. Feels like I'm back in the rush of things again.

and click on my userinfo, http://pianoscry.livejournal.com/profile

I just installed a script called GeoVisitors that uses googlemaps to plot where you are!

And then go ahead and click the GeoVisitors image to get your own!



I had a weird dream last night. I was in a movie and Cher was playing my mom. There were these four little girls aged about five years old running around. I opened my duffle bag to get out what I wanted to wear but I kept pulling out little girl hats and washcloths with Sesame Street characters on them. Then I looked at a weather map and saw a hurricane was headed right for Pensacola. I was happy that Cher was in the movie because I wanted to be a big hit with the gay guys. :P

This is a Fazioli art case piano. Isn't it gorgeous? I think Fazioli is my new obsession. The pianos are basically handmade and take about three years to make. I imagine the art case pianos take even longer. This piano probably costs around $750,000. I'm not sure because the price isn't listed. If you have to ask, you can't afford it!

This company is special because Fazioli has redesigned the construction of a piano to provide the best possible sound- loud enough to feel like you're playing the entire orchestra, but also maintaining clarity.. no muddy tones. Fazioli searched the world for the best possible wood that would resonate.. gold plated brass fixtures.. this is "il migliore" (the best!)

You can't tell in this picture, but it has a FOURTH pedal! This is a modified soft pedal. Usually the soft pedal on a piano shifts the hammers so that they only strike one string instead of three. (Each note in a piano has three strings.) This fourth pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings so that you can have pianissimo passages that still strike all three strings. This results in an unparalleled clarity and power yet with a softer dynamic.

I don't need a house, I'll just sleep in that. It would certainly be more comfortable than the futon I slept on last night. Ow. Our bedroom was just too noxious last night due to the mold. They should be coming in today to take care of it. It better happen soon. I have way too much to do to be stuck here waiting yet again.

I am very upset right now. So is Dale and he is also making a post. Sorry for any repeats.

Yesterday Dale and I resolved to reorganize the back closet today. What a disgusting surprise when we got a few boxes in and discovered that the majority of the bottom of the closet was covered in mold.

Two years ago, during Hurricane Isobel, a pipe leaked, we had no idea until a month later we smelled something rank in there and the back of the closet floor was mildewed. Boxes on the bottom were ruined, including some of Dale's photo albums and other memorabilia.

The maintenance people for our apartment "fixed it".

A month or two ago we had some serious rain, so Dale checked the closet and didn't notice any leak or mold.

Today, four or five boxes of our stuff is completely trashed. A box of mine included letters from my high school best friend Abbie, cards from my dead great-grandmother, letters from my mother and sister and Nicole.. I wept as I threw them away knowing I would never be able to read them again.

Some things were salvagable, things on the top, but it's the irreplaceable letters, cards and photos from my childhood that really make me angry. The books I can buy again.. well maybe not the antique ones, but there was nothing of monetary value that couldn't be replaced. Letters from people who have died or who I likely will never see again cannot be replaced. I am beyond pissed.

Now I am allergic to penicillin and I assume that includes mold. This is an immediate health danger to myself, Dale and our pets and is NOT acceptable.

Our closet is trashed and we have nowhere to put the items we salvaged since there is no closet space here to begin with.

Of course it's Sunday so the management office is closed. Dale paged the maintenance people but who knows when they will get to us. I consider this an emergency situation bc of my allergy and the pets. The door to the closet is shut so they can't get in, but the bedroom reeks. Now we have the windows open to ventilate it which means no AC.

I can't even think straight. I just blew my nose and there were dark particles in it. We should have worn masks but we don't have any and we had to take care of the situation immediately. I should have at least put a hankerchief over my nose and mouth but I wasn't thinking straight.. I was so upset over losing the letters and other items.

I'm watching some ebay auctions like a hawk; yesterday I got beat out of an art education book that included slides :( I just haaaaad to watch Project Runway didn't I.

Speaking of which, what a surprising episode! Can I just say how much I love Kayne? He is to DIE for. love him

And three weeks and $1400 later, my car should be ready today. In a twist of fate, I discovered that my mechanic owns a recording studio! I was on the phone with him and typing to Dale the specs of the repairs, and the mechanic said, "It sounds like you have five people typing over there!" and I said, "I'm a good typist because I'm a pianist" and that turned into a five-ten minute conversation about his studio, and my experience.. he does commercials, I've done voice overs and tv acting.. hmmm could be the beginnings of a beautiful friendship :) Maybe I can take the car repairs out in trade? I'm going to make new business cards today so I can give him one.

All my lesson plans are coming together, syllabi nearly done, all I got to do now is go in and clean and get set up for school.

And buy back to school clothes, my favorite!

The Soundtrack of My Life meme
yoinked from helmwige

- Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, etc).
- Put it on shuffle.
- Press play.
- For every question, put the song that's playing.
- When you go to a new question, skip to the next song.
- Ready? GO!

Opening Credits: "Danse Russe, Trepak"- The Nutcracker Suite- Tchaikovsky- Vienna Symphonic Orchestra

Waking Up: "Wicked Games" (Chris Isaak cover)- Pepper McGowan

Falling In Love: "The Things We Did and Didn't Do"- The Magnetic Fields

Fight Scene: "Go or Go Ahead"- Rufus Wainwright

Breaking Up: "Lonely Parade"- Tori Amos (80's demo song)

( The rest behind the cut.. )