There's No Business Like Show Business

So last night was the Oscars...

I haven't seen any of the movies nominated for best picture...not one...

In fact, I haven't seen many of the movies that had nominations...period...

Except for "Bridesmaids"...and that was so awful I fell asleep watching it with a friend and my friend said that watching me sleep was more interesting than the end of the movie.

Sorry if you loved that movie...

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I did love seeing Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) finally get an Oscar...and I'm always happy when Meryl wins...and I really wanted George to win (and I hope Stacy Keebler enjoyed herself because next Oscars there will be another beautiful woman on that man's arm).

I always really watch it for the fashion.

My favorite was Gwyneth Paltrow...hands down. I would kill for that white dress. I love love love Tom Ford...sadly the only thing I will ever own of his is his perfume. I do love Violet Blonde (it would be my signature fragrance if not for the Angel) and Black Orchid.

I also loved Viola Davis in that green Vera, Angelina's beautiful black gown with the biiigg slit, Cameron's blush colored gown, Jessica Chastain's fabulous Alexander McQueen, Emma Stone in that red dress, Rooney Mara in that very fashion forward white gown, Robin Robert's was amazing in her white gown, Milla Javovich's gorgeous white beaded gown (no, I do not wish to be a bride but I am loving white gowns at the moment), Missi Pyle's turquoise gown (not shown much) and Leslie Mann's gorgeous navy (not shown much but gorgeous)...and Michele Williams coral gown.

Hated JoLo's look...that was the only one I truly disliked.

I was "meh" on Sandra Bullocks' dress...but I did like her hair and makeup and was pleased that was the look I sported to the Mardi Gras ball.

And for once Meryl didn't really look like a mess. Her gold gown was good...as was Stacy Keebler's (like I said, I hope she enjoyed that moment with George...).

It was an "acting" weekend for me...the Oscars just capped it. Because this weekend I chaperoned the one-act play competition trip for my son and his classmates...and I had costumed the show.

Our kids performed "The Diary of Anne Frank". They did it superbly. They were amazing.

14 year olds performing a play about one of the greatest horrors that ever happened...and they did it quite well and it did not look like a junior high production. But then again nothing GOTT every directs looks like a junior high production.

So we took off Friday for the small Texas town of Seguin.

We haven't done one-act competition for a few years. GOTT and TTG declared "never again" after we had a great show but lost because part of our set fell over during the show. We had the best show but the set fell. Then one year we had a judge who went with "feelings and not based on points" so we lost that time. And one time we had a judge who placed a play higher than ours because he directed the other show and "just loved that show". One year we lost to a play that had no set, lights, or sound...just 7 kids talking about suicide (how depressing).

One act competition is strange. I have seen everything from "Women of Troy" done as a 911 (as in September 11) show complete with bloody "dead" baby doll on stage to a really horrible thing called "The Cave Cat" (you tube it) that was so bad that to this day GOTT and TTG and I can't speak of it without cracking up.

The kids were happy to miss school.

I was happy we were not on a school bus but a nice travel bus.

The trip down was fine.

I fell on the sword and ate a Whataburger. I think it was the first one I have had in 2 years.

It was good...not great but good...I didn't add cheese and I don't feel bad about the calories.

But then my stress eating kicked in and I was all over the munchies that the other moms had provided and the ones I came with.

Uh-oh...

When I am stressed I munch out...on anything I can get my hands on. Thank goodness we missed our exit for Bucees or the munchy madness would have been worse...thanks to jerky, fudge, and popcorn...

We got to Seguin, checked into the hotel, had the kids rehearse a bit...

And made a few take showers...

14 year old boys can stink...really bad...

So we went to the high school, had our rehearsal, and then took the kids to dinner...where I ate horrible and bad bar-b-que (who knew it could be bad but it can be).

I was grateful to get to bed so I could stop eating.

Thank goodness my friend Mrs. Sharp (not her real name but those who know her will know why I call her that)was with me...she helped curb the eating and she did all the girls' hair in the morning because I am NOT a hairdresser.

Mrs. Sharp and I were about to fall asleep when we heard a lot of noise from the next room...sadly it was a room 4 of our boys were in...thankfully it was not my son's room.

We got the kids up the next morning and got them ready and fed.

We checked out of the hotel...but not before I yelled at the girls for trashing their room.

They must have thought they were rock stars cause that room was a mess.

I told a friend today that they left that room looking like Steven Tyler and Aerosmith had partied there all night...that is if they partied with M&M's and candy...

Our kids were the second to perform.

So Mrs. Sharp and I went to watch play #1 so we could tell GOTT and TTG about it.

The first play was a non-musical version of "Fiddler on the Roof". As performed by children who were all Hispanic.

So "Tevye" sounded like "Puss in Boots"...but he did a good job...for a little kid...playing an old Jewish dairyman who wants to marry off his daughters.

We went next.

The kids were incredible.

I cried...I always cry at the end of that play...Excellent Emma played "Anne Frank" and she was letter perfect.

The Cutest Boy in the World played "Mr. Kraler" and my son has a very low Barry White-like voice so he was a bit hard to understand...on stage he sounds like Barry White doing Marlon Brando in "The Godfather"...I know...hard to understand.

I didn't see the next 2 shows but the kids did and they said they were not good shows...very silly...very junior high...no great acting.

I was feeding the kids during the 5th show but Mrs. Sharp saw it and said it was good and our closest competition.

I watched...and slept through...shows 6 & 7...so did my son...

So then it was time for the awards.

2 of our actors got awards...the boy playing "Mr. Frank" got All-Star cast (so proud of him)and the boy playing "Mr. Dussel" got Honorable Mention All-Star Cast (so proud of him).

So GOTT, TTG, and Mrs. Sharp and I assumed Excellent Emma was going to be "Best Actress" since she wasn't named to All-Star cast. No one gave a performance even close to the depth of emotions that our Excellent Emma did. Anne Frank is a very difficult role for any actress.

So I readied myself to applaud wildly for Excellent Emma...

They called another name.

What the hell?

They gave the award to a girl who played Fairy Godmother...she ran around on the stage under a strobe light.

Really?

What the hell!

Wrong Wrong Wrong

They overlooked my Excellent Emma.

I. was. pissed.

I.am.still.pissed.

Excellent Emma once again showed poise beyond her years.

I told her that no trophy would make a difference. She was the best actress that day and everyone knew it. She had been stopped by many other children and told what a great job she did.

She didn't NEED the trophy but I wanted her to have it.

I may just go and buy one myself for her.

She has been my hero this year...and I told her so.

We came in 3rd.

We should have won.

I never have a problem losing to a better team.

But we lost to inferior plays...very junior high plays. The play that came in 2nd had no lighting or sound or sets. We did. The play that won was a stupid farce about a Cinderella play and they spent the entire length of the Blondie song "One Way or Another" running about the stage with strobe lights on. Bad.

The whole system is wrong...there is one judge (there should be 3 since it is so subjective) and the rules are not always followed by the directors. The "winning" play even broke a major rule and was forgiven.

I felt bad for the kids but they recovered quicker than GOTT, TTG and I did...

A little stop at Bucees made them happy and once they had their jerky and fudge and sodas they forgot about the fact they had been robbed and started to look forward to the next show.

I.am.still.pissed.

But I'll get over it...I have to...I have to costume "Peter Pan"...

And that is how show business goes...so we go on with the show...

And I told GOTT and TTG "never again"...I will do shows with them but no more one-act play competition...I can't stand the heartache. Since I don't get paid any money I like to get paid with happy kids. We did not have happy kids. I did not get paid. I mean GOTT and TTG and the kids were grateful for the work I did but all I wanted to see was a trophy in Excellent Emma's hands and our kids to move on to the state competition...and we were robbed.

But you know me...I'll go on with the show...because I love it too much...

Inspiration Song: "There's no Business Like Show Business" from "Annie Get Your Gun". I love that song and I am very very fond of that show. I hope I get to work on it sometime!

There's no business like show business
Like no business I know
Everything about it is appealing
Everything the traffic will allow...

There's no people like show people
They smile when they are low
Even with a turkey that you know will fold
You may be stranded out in the cold
Still you wouldn't trade it for a sack o' gold
Let's go on with the show
Let's go on with the show!
The show!
The show!

Bye Darlings...disappointments happen...but we must all go on with the show...