Well, I didn't run out of gas on the side of the road this morning, so that was nice. I made it to the gas station at Bee Creek Road just in time. Then I put gas in my car at a whopping $2.75 a gallon. Holy crap!

I think I've mentioned my horror at the gas prices before, but let me just say that, at least in Branson, it's getting out of control. Last week I was at the Rapid Robert's on bus. 65 and someone drove off without paying. (Idiot. They're going to catch him.) There's a certain feeling when I go to the gas station now- it's like a storm cloud hovers over the place. Everyone's all depressed and they have these blank faces like it's Night of the Living Dead or something. If they're all thinking what I'm thinking, they're imagining getting rid of their SUV and replacing it with a Honda Civic Hybrid. (I really want one of those. The Beast needs so much gas that I'm considering renaming her "Audrey II.")

Today at work a woman called looking for A Seperate Peace and informed me that it was spelled P-E-A-C-E. Thanks. I've worked at a bookstore for a year, a library for two and a half years before that, and I've been able to read since I was five years old. I think I know what the name of the book is. Also, a woman asked me "Are you having trouble understanding me?" when my answer to her question was not to her satisfaction, and a man implied that I didn't know how to count change. Other than that, though, it was a lovely day. I read part of Dry by Augusten Burroughs, which I have read before. He is a very funny, sarcastic man. He presents his horrifying life in a matter-of-fact way. He somehow makes it funny that he's an alcoholic.

I finally got Don't Eat this Book by Morgan Spurlock from the library, coincidentally right after Danielle and I went to McAllister's for our weekly fat-fest. I will feel guilty later.

Okay, folks. I just realized that I've mostly been typing crap here, so I'm going to stop. Obviously, nothing of real importance has happened today, or I would have more to report. Here's hoping that tomorrow will be a day of fun-filled day of excitement! I think I'll go to the Rent website. Obsessingly yours,

Brianne <><

I just got home from work after spending thirty minutes longer there than I should have. I was having trouble balancing my drawer, partially because I can't count, and partially because my co-worker, Jenn, and I were playing "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." She didn't think that I could take any actor and link them to an actor from Rent. I proved her wrong. I even did Kevin Bacon. (That one's easy. Kevin Bacon was in Footloose with John Lithgow, who was in the Broadway production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Norbert Leo Butts, who was in the Broadway musical Wicked with Idina Menzel, who was Maureen in Rent. Yes, I count Broadway shows.) I am good at this for two reasons: 1) I have watched a lot of movies and TV shows and 2) I am a very light and poor sleeper and this is what I do when I'm laying awake, staring at the ceiling.

This was absolutely the most God-awful boring day in the history of working at the bookstore. Plus, a man walked in with his athletic shorts all riding up. As my friend, Daniel might say, they were heading towards the man's "crotchal region." It was disgusting. (Although, not as disgusting as it might have been. Read Jenn's comments on "The Grossest Customer Ever.")

The most interesting thing that happened today was that I listened to the Franz Ferdinand CD before I opened the store. Man, is that a good CD. Strong melody, lyrics, vocals, instrumentals, everything. A good rock album. Oh, and I also finished reading Kitchen Confidential. It was funny but extremely vulgar in places. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. And the vulgarity wasn't exactly gratuitous; the author made it clear that he was depicting the world he lived and worked in. So if you can take a lot of dirty language, go ahead and read it. If not, that's okay, too. It's not like it's the Great American Novel or anything. (Technically, it's not even a novel. It's a biography, but who's being picky? Besides me?)

I accidentally left my wallet at work today, which sucked because I needed to get gas in my car and I just know that it's going to be about eight dollars a gallon when I leave for work at seven thirty tomorrow morning. I mean, my "low fuel" light came on when I stopped at a stop sign. So if anyone's reading this, please pray that I don't run out of gas on my way to the bookstore tomorrow morning, for three reasons: 1) I don't have anyone to call to come and get me so I can fill up the gas can I keep in my car, 2) All my cash is in my wallet, and 3) I'm still hurting a little from my back episode this weekend and I really don't want to have to hoof it if my car stalls out on good ol' highway 65.

Anyway, I know things will work out. If I have to walk somewhere, maybe that is God's way of getting me some exercize (I don't think he's some kind of cosmic trickster, but I do think that he has interesting ways of guiding us sometimes.) Anyway, I have a long evening of lazing around on my couch and watching reruns of House, so I'd better cook myself some food before I miss anything! A bientot,

Brianne <><

Today went by fast. I mean, one second, I was limping in to work at one o'clock, and the next I was limping home at nine thirty. Yes, you heard right, limping. The back pain has only relented enough so that I can go to work. I can stand up straight today, which is a switch from this weekend.

It was basically a delightful day. There were no offensive customers, it was slow enough that I got to read but we had one really big sale that helped us meet our day. Even though I could barely stand up straight, I had a great day. It really made me appreciate my job.

**"And now for something completely different."**

I would like everyone to know that the Lost Season 1 DVD is coming out next week. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching this fantasic show, I suggest that you run, not walk to Blockbuster and rent it. You have to watch it in order from beginning to end. I know that it will change your life as it has changed mine.

This morning I watched horrifying footage of Hurricane Katrina as it hit land along the Gulf Coast. it made me very worried about my friend, Trey, who lives in Louisiana. I didn't know what part of the state he lived in, so I Googled it. I learned that he lives in the northern part of the state, so hopefully his missed out on most of the worst of it. Please pray for the people who live down there. The stuff on TV this morning was pretty scary.

That's basically it for me. Have a good night everyone,

Brianne <><

Today I was supposed to go to church and work, but I hurt my back yesterday. I was getting out of my car at the gas station and something just popped. I think that it was my body's way of rebelling against the truly heinous gas prices.

I was on my way to work at the bookstore when this happened, so what I was I supposed to do? There are only three of us working there right now, so if I had called in, I would have really been inconveniencing everyone. By the time five o'clock rolled around, my back hurt so bad that I was doubled over. I looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I'm sure I scared some small children.

Jessica and I talked last night after I got off, so I complained to her and said that I was tempted to skive off church today to recouperate. She asked, "Why don't you?" Wise woman, that Jessica. What a good friend. I was also listening to the soundtrack from the Broadway show Aida, and I got extremely distracted every time Adam Pascal started singing. Jess is patient, too.

This morning I woke up and my back was still hurting, but I got mostly ready for church, trying to ignore it. It was taking me almighty forever to put on my makeup and fix my hair, I can tell you. It got to be fifteen minutes before I had to leave and my clothes were still wrinky. Usually, fifteen minutes is more than enough time to finish getting ready to go somewhere, but not today. So I called work (my other job, not the bookstore,) and told them that I couldn't come in, and I called Travis to let him know that I wasn't coming to church. I didn't want anyone to worry, because they all know that the only reasons I wouldn't come to church would be "meteor, extreme loss of blood, or death," (to paraphrase Two Weeks Notice.) At least I didn't have to sing, or anything.

So today has been laziness to the extreme, and I feel incredibly guilty about it. Sure, I'm in unbelieveable pain, but I've gone to work with a fever before. I've gone to work sick to my stomach, thowing up in the bathroom between customers. You would think I could handle a little back pain, right? Yeah. "But it hurts!" I whine. I have to go to work tomorrow. Hopefully things will be better then.

On a happier note, I was sitting at the computer with a hot pad pressed onto my back (I know, unwelcome image,) hoping that the internet would connect long enough for me to download the new Rent trailer. I guess that Sunday is the one day a week I can expect it to be reliable, because it worked. You guys, this trailer was so moving that I cried. Twice. And that's not just the high levels of ibuprofen in my blood talking, either. I am so excited about this movie that I can hardly contain myself. If you want to watch it, go to: movies.channel.aol.com/franchise/exclusives/rent_movie. Then click on "Watch new trailer" over in the sidebar. You won't be disappointed, I promise you. Unless you hate the musical, in which case, I'll pray for you.

Anyway, that's all for now. I'm going to go lay down with my hot pad and my ibuprofen and watch episodes of Friends on DVD. Or maybe I'll listen to Aida again. Both of those make me happy. Cheerio,

Brianne <><

So I've been trying to post for the last two days, but my internet connection has been in such a fragile mental state that connecting for more than five minutes at a time is hard work. If you're reading this at all, it means that I have triumphed over technology. We will see.

Yesterday was praise team practice, which is always fun. Because I am on the praise team at church, I can tell people that I am sort of using my major. Plus, the people are great and I really enjoy singing with them.

The other day I made the statement, "If you can't laugh at church, what can you laugh at?" I've been thinking about it, and some of the funniest and most embarrassing moments of my life have happened in church. A partial list:
1. 1992. I accidentally sat in a nativity scene during the children's choir musical. "Happy birthday Jesus..."
2. 1994. I fell down the stairs in the Sunday school wing, nearly pulling down the set of mini blinds that lined the windows next to it.
3. 2001. My mother came close to stabbing with me with my own pencil for drawing in my journal. This was because I was drawing a picture of the bumper sticker from Spaceballs, the one that says "I heart Uranus."
Things haven't changed much since I moved to Branson and started to go to the Presbyterian church.
1. One of the kids at church overhears me saying that I cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner for my family and asked incredulously, "You cook? I thought you had a mom!"
2. My friend, Travis and I join the praise team and we re-write the lyrics of several praise songs to include the phrase "your mom." "Your Mom is Gracious and Compassionate," "Shout to Your Mom," and "Better is One Day With Your Mom" are among our favorites.
3. Ryan, one of the guitar players on the praise team, wanted to change the name of the praise team from "Salt and Light" to "Ryan and the Calvintones."
4. (and this is my favorite) We were talking about John the Baptist in youth one evening and my friend, Trey said that "John was a dirty hippie freak."

My church has been going through a lot of flux lately, re-evaluate our purpose and how best to fulfill that purpose. We're starting a new worship service specifically geared toward doing things in a different way. Teaching in a different way, singing new songs or old songs with a new twist. Using mulitmedia and engaging more senses than just the eyes and ears. I'm really excited, because I get to be on the planning team for that service, and I am psyched. Our very first service will be Sept. 11. It's a loaded date, but it's the day that we're going to do things different. I can't wait.

Anyway, it's late and I'm tired, so I'm going to sign off and leave the rest of my comments for another time. I have another day selling books tomorrow. Goodnight, all,

Brianne <><

I think that my internet connection is having a nervous breakdown. For a few minutes it will work fine, then... total chaos. Last night I attempted to post and I wrote an entry roughly the size of the Biblical book of Philemeon and when I tried to save my draft (because I knew how fickle the internet connection can be) it said "Cannot find server" and kicked me off. Just like that. I was a little upset. It felt like I had wasted a siginficant portion of my life. And indeed, I had.

So here I am again. I'll attempt to recreate that lost post, but I'm afraid that I've slept since then so I'm not promising anything.

Yesterday I went back to work after two luxurious days off. I mean, these were the best two days off ever, no foolin'. I sat around in my jammies all day, I read books and surfed the net and watched TV. It was great. There aren't many days when I can just sit around like a lazy bum and not do anything (working two jobs and volunteering take up a lot of my time.) Anyway, I really did not want to go back to work yesterday, but I dragged myself out of bed and marched off to the bookstore like a good little worker bee. Now, don't get me wrong, I really love my job. I'm not just lying because my assistant manager Jenn might be reading this. (If I was lying, I would say that Jenn was a completely normal human being. Heh heh.) But eight o'clock in the morning after you just spent two days as a grease spot on your couch? Yeah. However, I got to work on time, opened the store... and sat there for an hour, waiting for someone to come in and buy something.

One of the best and most infuriating aspects of my job is the people. I am confident of the fact that there is something that happens to people when they come to Branson on vacation that drops their IQ a couple of points. Some of these people are brain surgeons in real life, and they come to Branson and drive like they just finished clown school. The worst thing is, most of the people who shop at the outlet malls in Branson are cheap, so they expect a discount on everything. I had a woman come up to me yesterday with a book in her hand. She showed me the book and asked "Can you take ten percent off this?" I looked at the book and there wasn't anything wrong with it that I could see, so I asked what I thought was the most obvious question. "Why?" "Oh... I understand," she said, and she walked off. I thought for sure that she was going to tell me that there were pages missing or that it was bound backwards or it was written in Arabic or something weird like that, but no. I also had a person call me three times in one hour for the book Renovation of the Heart. They didn't believe that Jenn and I had both looked to see if we had a copy, and they kept calling back to make us check again. If you know where this person can find it, give them a call.
The weirdest things happen to me when I'm working at the bookstore. I work somewhere else in Branson, too, but nothing beats the clientele at the bookstore. (I am not going to say the name of my other job because it's part of a big corporate chain that might eat me if I say anything bad about it.) Seriously. Here's a partial list.
1. A man reached into his pocket for change and pulled out his false teeth and some change. He poked around in his hand, seperated the change from the teeth, gave me the change, and put the teeth back into his pocket. I mean, these teeth weren't in a case or anything. I felt so dirty.
2. A woman flopped out her boob and started breast feeding her child while I was ringing up her books. The worst part of that ordeal was that she couldn't hold the child up to her breast and sign the credit card slip at the same time because the paper kept sliding away, so I had to hold the paper for her while she signed. I did not ask her for ID in conjunction with her presenting a credit card. It didn't seem to matter. In fact, nothing seemed to matter anymore.
3. A man scolded me for not smiling enough as I rang up his books. "I think I deserve a smile, seeing as I'm spending money here." I took his money and gave him his books and very politely said, "Have a nice day." I was completely stone-faced. I was smiling on the inside.
4. A big ol' woman in a little bitty skirt bent over and showed me her panties.
Just a partial list. I'm sure it will grow, I'm going for a top five.

Yesterday after I got off work, Danielle and I went to Springfield for our weekly Library/McAllister's run. We have a very intimate relationship with both of these places. For one thing, the Springfield Library Center is the coolest library I have ever seen. If I were a kid, that place would be my candy store. And they share books among all the different banches of the library, so you can basically get any book you want. Right now I have Don't Eat This Book by Morgan Spurlock on hold, and I can't wait to read it, for three reasons. 1) I watched Super Size Me last summer and I was so fascinated and grossed out that I will never eat at McDonald's ever again. 2) Morgan Spurlock is hilarious. I'm sure this book will be, too. 3) I have been feeling fat this summer and I need a fresh dose of gross out to convict me into eating bettter. So lay it on me, Mr. Spurlock. I'm ready.

Speaking of feeling fat brings me around to McAllister's. This is a magical place that serves soups and salads and sandwiches. That basically makes it just like Panera but oh, so much more. For one thing, they serve baked potatoes the size of your head. For another thing, their sweet tea is so good that it will be served at the wedding feast when I get to heaven. And for another another thing, they have an item on the menu called "The Big Nasty." Just that name alone makes me want to eat there.

On our way home last night I called my sister. She and my mom were just getting back from church- they have a Bible study on Wednesday. Jenny reported that my mom nearly made a scene in the middle of the sanctuary and passed the phone off to her for the full report.
My mom said that the lesson this week was about David, and the person teaching went on a tangent about David and all his wives and concubines. Momma was okay until he made the comment "David was so busy with the concubines that I don't know how he got anything done." That was where she lost it. I can imagine the scene perfectly. My mom, rocking back and forth in silent laughter, tears rolling down her face. She is where I inherited (most of) my sense of humor and hey, if you can't laugh at stuff that happens at church, what can you laugh at? My friend Travis said "fart" instead of "heart" when we were praying one time. You can be sure that I laughed about that (hard, and with abandon.)

The real reason that I called my sister was that I wanted her to listen to the clips from the Rent soundtrack that are on the show's official site. They were so good that I wanted to share them with the people that I love. When she finally went there, she was more interested in the fact that Taye Diggs is in the cast. ("I didn't know he could sing! I love him! He's hot!") But she did appreciate Adam Pascal singing "One Song, Glory" and also "Light my Candle" with Rosario Dawson. (In fact, I just went to the site to turn on the music player just now, because I couldn't talk about it without listening to it.)

Well, this post has shaped up to be just as Biblically porportioned as the one that got lost last night. I should probably sign off. I actually have things to do today- I need to pay my car insurance (gasp!) and I have praise team practice and a worship planning team meeting this afternoon. Those things are both exciting because we're planning a new worship service at our church, one with new music and new forms of teaching. But I'll talk about that later. Via con dios (or something like that,)

Brianne <><

It's my day off and I'm bored, so here I am again.

I'm halfway watching a rerun of House, but I'm taping it for my ever-patient roommate Danielle. She has a very small obsession with Hugh Laurie and all other British actors (even the ugly ones.) I think it's the accent. Anyway, I had a few phone calls to make and missed part of the episode, so I'll catch it when Danielle watches it.

**What you are about to read is going to sound dorky and obsessive. I apologize. I tried, but there is no way that I could have possibly made it sound less dorky or obsessive.**

I almost had a coronary episode earlier because I went to the Rent movie website and they had audio from the new soundtrack. This is something that I have been waiting for ever since I heard that there were new cast members and they would be recording a new soundtrack. I am telling you, as a person who has listened to the entire show once a day for the last three months, I am well-acquainted with the nuances of each performance. I love them all. There is not a weak performance among the original cast. But listening to the snippets of the new recordings... oh man. Oh man. Let's just say, Adam Pascal singing the new version of "One Song, Glory" had me physically shaking, and they only have thirty seconds or so of it on the website. His performance ten years ago was phenomenal, this takes it up a notch from to... inspired. (What is above phenomenal?) And Rosario Dawson is amazing as Mimi. I knew that she was a good actor, but I had never heard her sing before today, and she is really good. Besides that, the new arrangements of the music are all great, too. It definitely has a more updated, rock sound. I am so excited about the soundtrack coming out in September that I can't stand it. Having that in my hand will keep me from freaking out before the movie comes out in November. Holy crap.

Okay. I'm going to stop obsessing about that. I'm so passionate about music that when I get started it's hard to stop.

This day has been blessedly uneventful. I didn't even change out of my pajamas all day. I literally did nothing. It's nice, because normally my life can be pretty hectic (two jobs and volunteering takes up a lot of my time.) My day started at ten. Actually, someone called at nine and woke me up, but they didn't leave a message on the machine so I didn't pick up. ( We screen. That offends some people, but we had a major problem with telemarketers and at least one strange boy a couple of years ago, so it's just become something we do.) I didn't really go back to sleep, I just laid there thinking about "life, the universe, and everything."

When I did get up, I puttered around the apartment for a little while, sacked out on the couch with a peach (for breakfast) and watched the season finale of Lost over again. (you can learn more about Lost by going http://lost-media.com>here.) I have it on video tape. That was mostly for the amazing music at the end of that episode. (Michael Giacchino, you are a god among insects. I hope you win an Emmy.) Then I got up and cooked pasta and red sauce. I started to call it spaghetti, but it wasn't because I didn't use spaghetti noodles. I only really like three types of pasta and here they are: bowties, angel hair, and shells. I'll eat spaghetti if I have to. My ever-patient roommate Danielle informed me the other night that "it tastes the same" (quoting Rent again) and I know this, but it doesn't matter. I'm a texture person.

For the rest of the day, I read books, surfed the net, and worked on a project on my computer. I really like to write, I always have. I've been writing stuff down since I could hold a pencil and I've always been taken with the written word. It's sort of just a hobby, but who knows? Maybe someday.... anyway, my friend, Jessica in Pittsburgh and I send each other copies of the stories that we write and give each other notes on them. It's a great way for us to get feedback on stuff from someone we trust, and I completely trust Jess with anything I write. Besides that, she is a truly talented and gifted author who isn't published yet, but she will be. Remember this name: J.M. Richards. You heard it here first.

Then I went to the Rent website and heard those amazing clips of songs, so I called Danielle at work screaming "Holy crap it's amazing go there now Adam Pascal new version of 'One Song, Glory' Rosario Dawson can sing oh my gosh!" But we've already talked about that, so I'll try to restrain myself this time. Then I called my family, intending to do the same thing, but my dad answered the phone so that put a little damper on my musical fervor. My dad is hugely supportive of all my musical endeavors He has never once made a comment about the fact that I am not using the major he and my mom paid for four (and a half) years of college so I could earn, but I know that he is just not that interested in musicals that I am not in. So he passed the phone off to my mom, who was interested up to the point that she appreciated the fact that I was interested. My sister, Jenny was not home. I don't think she cares either. The only person who would scream with me was Danielle, but she was at work and I hear they frown on screaming uncontrollably. Something about how it scares the guests.

Anyway, that more or less brings me back up to the present, watching House and posting. And now, this has turned into a small novel, so it's time to say goodnight. I need to listen to some more Rent. Till next time,

Brianne <><

Well, last night my friend Jessica and I were talking on the phone (typical length of conversation: three hours) and I suggested that she start a blog. She's a frustrated writer who needs a forum for her ideas and I thought this would be something she would enjoy. And this morning I had some time off work, so I was messing around on the net. I went to Sarah Dessen's blog and then to Lauren Winner's blog, and I thought, "Hmm. This might be fun." So I just signed myself up. And I don't know if anyone will ever read this, but I'm putting my thoughts down for the world to see anyway.

Some things about me: I'm a recent college graduate with a degree in music that I don't use; I work at a bookstore and read about a thousand books a month; I drive a 92 Buick Roadmaster named "The Beast;" I live with another girl (the ever-patient Danielle) just so I can make rent; speaking of Rent, I'm completely obsessed with that show and I can't wait till November when the movie comes out; I volunteer with the youth group at my church, which is about the most worthwhile thing I do with my life.

I like books, movies, TV and especially music. I seriously could talk about music with anyone. Actually, I do talk about music to anyone who will listen. In my CD player right now is David Gray's New Day at Midnight. It's good (of course, this is David Gray we're talking about.) My friend, Trey thinks that it's not as good as White Ladder and I agree, but it's still a stong album musically. It makes my heart beat and it puts a smile on my face when I need one.

The latest book I finished was Real Sex: the Naked Truth About Chastity by Lauren Winner. (In my head I always called it "The Sex Book I'm Reading," but that's trivializing it.) I know I already mentioned her once in this post, and I would highly recommend anything that she has written. She truly speaks for this generation. Also good is her memoir, Girl Meets God. She has lots of good things to say about living a messy faith, and I epecially like reading that there is someone else in this world who's friends are all getting married and having babies and she's (I'm)... not.

The last movie I saw was Red Eye, with Rachel McAdams and that creepy scary man, Cillian Murphy. It was good- not the definitive movie that changed my life forever (that was Lord of the Rings) but it was a solid end-of-the-summer action thriller. I personally think that Cillian Murphy is the most frightening man I've ever seen on screen. Anyone catch 28 Days Later? Yeah. And he was the protagonist in that. He's so beautiful, but it's like putting your little brother's face on Freddy Kruegger. Not that I have a little brother, but still. By the way, my ever-patient roommate, Danielle (who went to see the movie with me) spied a Rent poster in the hallway of the movie theater and we spent several minutes analyzing every detail of it. Seeing that poster was almost as good as watching the movie we had just watched.

This has gotten to be an awfully long post, especially for my first one. I'll have to save my discussion of the television shows I watch for another time (Lost, Alias, Veronica Mars, House, and Everwood.) I'm sure that you won't be able to sleep for looking forward to my "incendiary wit" (that's a phrase from Rent. I'm telling you, obsession.) Till then,

Brianne