lets do the time warp...again.

I know I have been lazy in my blog this summer- last summer I posted something almost everyday. But also, last summer I was stuck in Augusta (ick!) and this summer I am here in Columbus. It's hard to believe that the fall semester is already upon us in a couple weeks. I literally feel like I have never escaped school or left the "grind" so to speak. I mean, as soon as school let out I was doing Into The Woods, and then my biology class started, and then rehearsals for Rocky Horror started, and now we open Rocky this weekend! In the midst of that I need to read about 6 plays, mail off my headshots/resumes to agencies, get prepared for school, etc.

(By the way: here are the headshots I am going to be sending off- I LOVE the way they turned out! A totally different look from my last shots. For fun, I'll include an example. I love how completely different I look, haha!)^-----OLD! haha.

But anyway. I am moderately stressed about my fall classes- Directing is somewhat scary to me. It just seems so stressful because you have to do all these huge analyses and schedule extra directing scene rehearsals all the time... I'm sure it will be fine but it is just new to me so I guess we will see how that goes! Also, Seminar in Auditions is probably going to be a moderately stressful class, but it will help alot. I know that I could use the help in auditioning! Then of course I have Meisner, which gets more and more intense. It is a good class and program but there is no denying the stress factor of coming up with new activities and the like. The really exciting part about this semester is my double dance classes- Theatre Dance 1 on MW(?) and Tap dance on TR (?) The days could be switched. But I have a dance class everyday at the end of all my classes! And then I still get my Gold's gym membership because I am in Cannibal The Musical with Chattahoochee Shakespeare. Yay!

So I haven't heard back from the Springer regarding Footloose or any other show yet. I have a feeling I am not in Footloose, but there is always the other shows in the season! I hear they will contact you for each individual show- not regarding all of them at once. So I still have a chance to be in a show there, which will be good. I'm not stressing. Maybe then I can have some time to focus on classes and such... I will need the focus! I'm kind of worried that I won't be able to really have time to do tech work for CSU this fall semester... I know I need to though. Hopefully they will let me do makeup for Cloud Nine or something- all the cross-gendering going on haha. That is the greatest tech job of all! But either way, spring semester is when all the stops will come out. Crazy for You...One-Acts...Piece of My Heart... I'm working my butt off for Crazy for You. I know I deserve it, and I hope that (finally!) my hard work and dedication these past couple years will pay off. But we will see...whatever happens happens! =]

In other news, the cast of Rocky had a get together at Rachel's house the other night. It was alot of fun and a great way to unwind a bit before stressful tech week starts! (Although today was our first tech run and it was not stressful at all, really! So yay!)

Staggering.

We Americans have a love affair with restaurant-eating. There's just something special about going to a restaurant with a bunch of friends and getting other people to cook for you. However, upon doing some research of the nutritional information of some meals at restaurants I like to eat at, I have found things that may shock you.

For those of you that are not familiar with the amount of calorie/fat percentage you need in a day, heres some basic info:
-Since I am physically active (gym 4-5 days a week plus dancing), I need approx. 1800 calories a day and I should not exceed about 39 fat grams to maintain my weight. If I eat more than that, I will gain weight. If you are taller or male that number may be more, and if you are not as active and my size, it may be less. Go here to find yours if you want to know!

So anyways, using 1800 cals. and 39 fat grams as a benchmark, take note of how many calories and fat grams are in the following menu items at restaurants. Some of these may even surprise and/or scare you. It sure scared me!

Chilis

• Smokehouse Bacon Triple Cheese Big Mouth Burger: 1750 calories, 123 fat grams.
  
• Big Mouth Bites: 1580 calories, 97 gat grams.
• Fire Grilled Bacon Chicken Ranch Quesadilla: 1750 calories, 122 fat grams
• Grilled Shrimp Alfredo: 1320 calories, 76 fat grams
• (Remember as you see these figures- this is for ONE MEAL. I typically try to keep my meals under 400 calories!)
• Chicken Crispers: (Get ready. I know this is a popular menu choice but...) 1780 calories, 123 fat grams (All the sauced-up chicken crispers are even MORE in calories.)
• Chicken Club Tacos: 1500 calories, 45 fat grams
• HALF order Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch: 1400 calries, 111 fat grams
• Onion String and Crispy Jalapeno Stack w/Jalapeno Ranch: 2130 calories, 213 fat grams
• Quesedilla Explosion Salad: 1270 calories, 76 fat grams.
  
• Southwestern Cobb Salad: 1080 calories, 71 fat grams.
  

Those are pretty much the worst ones I could find. But have no fear! There are better options.

• Pretty much every single soup is under 600 calories. And only a few are over 400. If you get a cup size, that cuts it in half. A bowl of Chicken noodle soup is only 120 calories, and the Southwestern vegetable is only 210.
• An entire basket of chips and salsa is only 470 calories, so split that up with others at your table and you're splitting the calories as well! A much better appetizer choice, and couple that with a soup and I guarantee you will get full at a fraction of the calories of some of the other meals!
• Obviously, anything off the Guiltless grill menu option is a great choice here. The Grilled Cedar Plank Tilapia is only 200 calories and 4 grams of fat, and the Carne Asada steak is 370 calories with 10 grams of fat.

Want to know how many calories is in your favorite meal here? Check it out.

Panera
Ahh...breadland. I love Panera so much but I was wondering- how many calories are exactly in my breadfeast that I used to eat? Here are some of the worst menu items at Panera.

• Full Chicken Bacon Dijon on Country Bread: 940 calories, 46 fat grams
• Full Chipotle Chicken on Artisan French: 1070 calories, 55 fat grams
• Full Sierra Turkey Sandwich: 970 calories, 54 fat grams
• Full Tomato/Mozzarella Salad: 980 calories, 47 fat grams
• Packet of Greek Dressing: 220 calories, 24 fat grams ( Just add that onto a salad! Eek!)
• Sourdough Soup Bowl filled with Baked Potato Soup: approx. 1000 calories, 24 fat grams
• Cinnamon Roll: 620 calories, 24 fat grams
• You Pick two- Half Italian Combo sandwich, Half Greek Salad with French Baguette: 1000 calories, 55 fat grams

Eek. So you thought Panera was super healthy. Well, it CAN be healthy. But you have to avoid things like bacon, creamy sauces, and an overabundance of bread. (A sandwich, soup in bread bowl, and baguette is a recipe for caloric overload!)

Some better choices:

• Full Bowl Garden Vegetable Soup: 120 calories, 1 fat gram (It's really yummy!)
• Full Bowl Chicken Noodle Soup: 160 calories, 3 fat grams
• Full Bowl Broccoli Cheddar Soup: 290 calories, 16 fat grams
• Half Strawberry Poppyseed Salad: 80 calories (140 with chicken), 3 fat grams
• Half Mediterranean Veggie on Tomato Basil: 310 calories, 7 fat grams
• Half Asiago Roast Beef sandwich: 360 calories, 16 fat grams
• Any half portions of the salads are pretty much under 300 calories.
• Whole grain baguette: 140 calories, 1 fat gram
• An apple: 50 calories
• Grande Frozen Lemonade: 90 calories (YUM!)

So, you could get a half sandwich and a FULL bowl of soup for under 600 calories as opposed to some of the other menu items if you get the right thing! Also, you can look up this nutrition information yourself here.

I could go on and on but I think you get the idea.
I know many of you may be wondering... Janine... why are you spending so much time doing this? Well, its mainly for my own purposes, haha, and I think that most people don't realize how many calories they are taking in, and people wonder why they gain weight. The food industry is not nice. You kind of have to fend for yourself. The best way to fight back is to be informed and do your research. You can find nutritional information for any restaurant online! Just google it, it's there. (personally, I think they should print the cals/fat grams on each menu. It may force them to find different ways of cooking so as not to overload your poor body with fat!) These excess amounts of calories and fats are what also cause diseases like high blood pressure, cardiovasculatory disease, and numerous other diseases that can be easily reversed by switching your eating habits.

I urge you to look up your favorite restaurant menu items and see how many calories/fat grams it has. You'll be surprised, and it's really eye-opening to see all the menu items of a restaurants' nutrition facts.

Now every once in a while, it's totally not a big deal to splurge- but its good to know exactly how much you are splurging if you decide to do it, so that you can downsize your other meals, or work out extra hard the next day, or what have you. It's when you get in this cycle of "Oh well, I don't care" that you start gaining weight and start feeling sluggish and crappy again. Trust me, I know. Again, it's all about being INFORMED. Don't believe what everyone tells you, and just because something seems healthy, for example a salad, doesn't mean that it IS. Do the research for yourself and your well-being, and your body will love you!

happiness.

Happiness- people are contuously in search of it. Some people seem to always be on cloud nine, while others seem to be in a continuous state of depression.

Now, I would say I'm a pretty happy person. I've never taken depression medication, have ever committed suicide, etc. But that's not to say everything in my life has been hunky-dory. I have gone through events in my life that are devastatingly awful! But I really think that we can control our happiness. We can choose to wallow in sadness, or continue living to our fullest capacity. No matter how you were brought up, or whatever has happened in your life- it IS possible to be truly happy! But in order to do so, I think there are some key points to explore in any individual's life, and if one is not attending to these needs, i twill ultimately result in unhappiness.

• Faith. I believe this is the number one factor in determining happiness. I am a Christian, and I know what I believe. I know that I am a sinner, but I have been forgiven which does not mean that I am perfect, and I have no right to judge anyone because we are all in the same boat. It's each individual's choice whether they want to accept the forgiveness, or continue on in life thinking they are right. But when you put your trust in someone bigger than yourself you are able to accept things that happen in your life, good or bad, andknow that there is a reason and a plan for everything. When you have faith, you are simply better able to see the light in dark situations. Most people that do not believe in God are constantly searching for something in their lives...and turn to less than favorable things to fill that void. I personally believe one cannot be completely happy without faith.
  

• Goals. I think that having goals in life is so important- because constantly striving for something gives you somewhat of an anchor. There should always be one major goal, (For me- to make a living doing what I love- acting) And then smaller goals along the way. (To get cast in this local production, even though I won't get paid- I am getting myself out there, getting experience, and building my resume.) Mini goals are like the fuel that keep you going and working your hardest. (Think- ifI am lazy and don't show up to rehearsals, my name will be tainted in the theatre community andI may not be asked to be in a show with this company again- thereby possibly reducing future employment opportunities.) It seems like a no-brainer, right? But personally, it boggles my mind that people will do things like that. If you are goal-conscious, even things like going to a 9 AM math class that has nothing to do with theatre will contribute to your goal. (If I make an A in this class, I can keep up my GPA, thereby enabling me to receive scholarships so thatI don't have to work and take away time from theatre!) Think of what you spend the majority if your time doing. If it is not helping you reach your goal, then change it.

• Personal acceptance and confidence. If you are not happy with the way you look/feel, you are the only person that can do something about it. If you look at yourself in the mirrorandsay, "I am ugly and nobody will love me." Then guess what? More people will pick up on your attitude and they will feed off of that, making them not necessarily want to be around you. But if you decide to love yourself, people will feed off of that and they will love you too!
  
• If you really want to love your body, don't put things in it that will harm it. For example, if you receive your dream car, you would not put maple syrup in the gas tank would you? You would put whatever makes it run the best. If not, your car will punish you by refusing to run. The same with your body. If you continue to put "maple syrup" in your gas tank, (fast food, processed food, sugary soft drinks, cigarettes, drugs) it simply will not run to the best of its capabilities. And as a way of punishment, it will produce more fat cells, resulting in weight gain, create diseases in the body, or just make you feel lethargic/sluggish all the time. When you feel this way, it is hard to really love your body. But when you put things in your body that it really is craving,(water, fruits, veggies, grains, etc.) It begins to thank you by providing you with energy, better brainpower, ridding your body of toxins that cause diseases, and will get rid of excess weight that is bogging you down.
  
• And as superficial as it may sound- girls-fixing your hair and makeup and putting thought into what you wear will have such a profound impact on how you feel about yourself. Granted, the more you love your body and treat it right, the less you feel you will need things like makeup- (ever since I have become a vegetarian and have started thinking about what my body wants instead of what I want to stuff in my face at any given moment- my skin has gotten so much better, and I feel as if I don't need to even wear makeup alot of the time! There was a time when I would never think of leaving the house without makeup or fixing my hair! ) but still, making an effort to look nice is always a mood-booster for me. Finding ways to express yourself through clothes/makeup/hair showcases your individuality to the world! You are unique, and if you are an actor/performer, you are your own product. A concert instrumentalist wouldn't dream of performing with a scuffed,dull instrument with stains on it, right? So why should you! This is where destructive habits also come into play. You are your own instrument. There's only one of you. Make it the best version of you it can be. (This doesn't mean that every single day you should look like you stepped out of a fashion magazine, obviously. Everyone has their bum days and is allowed them. But not everyday please!)
  

• Passion. It is so important to have something to be passionate about in life. (This sort of goes along with goals as well!) Indulging in your passions brings you alive! Do things for YOU and don't depend on others for your happiness. Of course, others can and may bring happiness to you, but if you depend on other people for your sole source of happiness, you will end up hurt and disappointed. You should always have something that makes you happy regardless of whoever else is there. Whether it is artistic or not- there should be something that just makes you so happy that you couldn't dream of life without it. If you have not found your passion yet, go out and explore! Take new classes in something you would never do, like some unknown martial art, or pastry cooking. Heck, take these classes even if you have already found your passion. Having lots of interests and hobbies makes you more open to the world and whats in it. And being open to many different things, as opposed to living in a closed-off bubble (that tends to happen in the south!) will help you connect with more people and will enable you to discover more things about yourself at the same time.

Things that people think constitute happiness but actually do not:

• Having a significant other. Now I know this may seem strange to say. Especially coming from me, as I have a boyfriend. But SO many people get into a relationship and all of a sudden their entire world is that other person. They neglect their interests and other friends, and live in this bubble consisting of them and the other person. This is DANGEROUS because what happens when the relationship ends? There is nothing left. You've expended all your energy on the other person. You're done. And that is when depression hits for some people. It's also dangerous for people that are continually in relationships- never being single. These people constantly use their significant other as their main forms of happiness, never being happy on their own. A significant other is definitely A source of happiness, I am definitely happy being with Matt! But a boyfriend has never been my MAIN source of happiness. Of course, we are human, and we all want companionship, and if you have been single for a while, there is nothing wrong with wanting someone there- but don't settle for anyone, make sure it is someone that adds on to you as a person-not one that takes things away from you,whether it be your individuality, or just specific quirky traits that you quell just to seem "sane." haha

• There are definitely other things that people constitute for happiness, but I won't harp on it. Things like money, promiscuous sex, etc. all have their downsides and you don't need me to tell you that. But I hope that my blog has provided the tiniest bit of insight. I don't know why I was compelled to write this- maybe some random web-surfer in Wyoming, or South Africa needed to hear it. I just thought I should share some deeper thoughts :O)