Books Read in 2007, 2008, 2009

January

February

1. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, Seth Godin
2. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell
3. How to Run a Theater: A Witty, Practical and Fun Guide to Arts Management, Jim Volz
4. Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture and Community, Donna Walker-Kuhne
5. The Art of the Turnaround: Creating and Maintaining Healthy Arts Organizations, Michael Kaiser
6. Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business, Erik Qualman
7. PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences, Deirdre Breakenridge
8. The Commercial Theater Institute Guide to Producing Plays and Musicals, Frederic B. Vogel and Ben Hodges
9. Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
10. Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission: A Strategic Guide for Nonprofit Leaders, Holly Ross, Katrin Verclas, and Alison Levine
11. The Performing Arts in a New Era, Kevin F. McCarthy, Arthur Brooks, Julia Lowell, and Laura Zakaras
12. Marketing for Cultural Organisations: New strategies for attracting audiences to classical music , dance, museums, theatre and opera, Bonita M. Kolb
13. Performing Arts Management: A Handbook of Professional Practices, Tobie S. Stein and Jessica Bathurst

March

14. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, Elizabeth Gilbert
15. Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction, David Sheff

April

May

16. School for Husbands, Wendy Holden
17. 21 Steps To Happiness, F.G. Gerson

June

18. The Break-Up Diet: A Memoir, Annette Fix

19. Everyone Is Beautiful, Katherine Center

July
20. The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown

August
21. The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
22. The Giver, Lois Lowry
23. Moloka’i, Alan Brennert

September
24. The Birth of Venus, Sarah Dunant

October
25. As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl, John Colapinto
26. It’s a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths About Life in Your Twenties, Emily Franklin

November

December
27. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Tom Wolfe

• 12/18/2005 -- 101 in 1001 – 67.33% Complete
• 7/19/2006 -- About
• 9/15/2008 -- 101 in 1001 #2 – 47.52% Complete

The Sound of Music tied for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1960 with Fiorello! – a show I honestly know nothing about.

A bit of a random note – this past December one of my professors took our class to New York City to meet with a LOT of industry people (it was amazing).  Our first stop was at the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization to meet Ted Chapin, and it was absolutely breathtaking.  Original drafts of all the music, really neat pieces from the various shows throughout the years . . . it was really awesome to see so much recent theatre history!

Look for details soon about a contest for my sponsors!

This post is for the Blogathon 2009! I am blogging for The Actor’s Fund. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!

• 7/25/2009 -- Theatre in 1965 (Blogathon ’09 #10)
• 7/26/2009 -- Theatre in 2004 (Blogathon ’09 #44)
• 7/26/2009 -- Theatre in 2001 (Blogathon ’09 #41)

I have blogged for The Susan G. Komen Foundation during Blogthon 2006 and Children’s Literacy Initiative during Day of Blogs 2008.  This year I am going to be blogging for The Actors Fund.

The Actors Fund is actually a bit of a misnomer since it benefits actors as well as all other performing arts and entertainment professionals (which, as you may have guessed, includes me, LOL).  Here’s some general information from their website:

The Actors Fund, a nonprofit human services organization founded in 1882, serves all professionals – and not just actors! – in film, theater, television, music, opera, and dance through programs that address their unique and essential needs. As a national organization with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, The Fund directly serves over 8,000 entertainment and performing arts professionals across the country, and approximately 300,000 more through Web resource programs. In providing care and service to professionals throughout the industry, The Fund’s programs are wide in scope, responsive in nature, and produce significant results, affecting the lives of people in our community year after year.

Employment in any division of the entertainment and performing arts industry is unpredictable. The life of an entertainment professional is very similar to any worker or independent contractor that moves from job to job to make their living. Work is erratic, security is fleeting and health insurance is often just a dream. For all of these reasons and many more, The Actors Fund is an indispensable and deeply significant part of the entire entertainment community.

I always think it’s important to know the mission statement of an organization before I decide to give money to that organization, so here is their mission statement:

The Actors Fund Mission Statement

The Actors Fund is a nationwide human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund is a safety net, providing programs and services for those who are in need, crisis or transition.

If you would like to view their profile on Charity Navigator, then click here.

As always, I will be sharing fun facts and trivia throughout the evening as well as some nice ramblings!  Please consider sponsoring me for Blogathon 2009. Even one dollar an hour would help! You can either sponsor by the hour or a flat sum for the day.  If you have questions about sponsoring, please visit the Blogathon FAQ.  Essentially, you click on my sponsor link to pledge your donation – then after the Blogathon you will receive an email directing you to the correct place to make your donation.  Yes, it’s that easy!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask – otherwise, I’ll see you at Blogathon 2009!

This post is for the Blogathon 2009! I am blogging for The Actor’s Fund. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!

• 7/22/2008 -- Are you ready to stay awake?
• 7/26/2008 -- Recycled Reading Meme (Day of Blogs ’08 #17)
• 12/18/2005 -- 101 in 1001 – 67.33% Complete

However, there is one woman who has been able to reach many adults and encourage them to read.  Oprah’s Book Club has gotten the adults in lower income families to pick up books and has encouraged people (particularly women) of all socioeconomic statuses to read a higher quality of literature.  Oprah has quite responsibly used her celebrity to start a literacy movement in the adults of our country.

Plus, she also has a fun kids reading list .

This post is for the Day of Blogs 2008! I am blogging for Children’s Literacy Initiative. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!

• 7/25/2008 -- Increasing Adult Literacy (Day of Blogs ’08 #19)
• 7/27/2008 -- Longest Meme Ever (Day of Blogs ’08 #32)
• 7/26/2008 -- Top of Amazon in 2007 (Day of Blogs ’08 #20)

• Khouria Jen @ The Literate Khouria
• Lindsey @ her Open Diary (yes, another Lindsey!)
• Shadarus @ her Open Diary

I’ve noticed that a LOT of the bloggers are either on Open Diary or LiveJournal this year . . . are there any other WordPressers out there?

This post is for the Day of Blogs 2008! I am blogging for Children’s Literacy Initiative. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!

• 7/26/2008 -- Another Book Meme (Day of Blogs ’08 #12)
• 7/27/2008 -- Day of Blogs 2008 Wrap-Up!
• 7/27/2008 -- Longest Meme Ever (Day of Blogs ’08 #32)

However, there is one woman who has been able to reach many adults and encourage them to read.  Oprah’s Book Club has gotten the adults in lower income families to pick up books and has encouraged people (particularly women) of all socioeconomic statuses to read a higher quality of literature.  Oprah has quite responsibly used her celebrity to start a literacy movement in the adults of our country.

Plus, she also has a fun kids reading list .

This post is for the Day of Blogs 2008! I am blogging for Children’s Literacy Initiative. For more information about what I am doing, please click here, or you can sponsor me!

• 7/26/2008 -- Increasing Adult Literacy (Day of Blogs ’08 #19)
• 7/27/2008 -- Longest Meme Ever (Day of Blogs ’08 #32)
• 7/26/2008 -- Top of Amazon in 2007 (Day of Blogs ’08 #20)

This post is very picture heavy, so read on at your own peril !

This year I decided to tackle my storage issues, which encompasses the outside patio storage closet, my guest room, and the closet in the guest room.

I had Christmas decorations piled up in my living room from bringing them up from Florida, so the first thing I did was pull out everything from the outside closet so that I could put all the Christmas decorations in there.

I didn’t sort them yet – I figured when I had finished everything else I would pull them back out and use them! And when I got them out to use them, I would then sort through them. I put everything else back into the closet as well except for some things that needed to go to work. My reason for doing this was so that I had a living room to work in for all the rest of it. I then proceeded to pull EVERYTHING from the guest room into the living room. First I had to pull all the things out of the room so that I could even get to the back of the room and the closet.

And of course, the closet.

Then came the sorting. I began with all the paper clutter. I store all my financial stuff and school stuff in my desk, but since I haven’t been able to get to the desk, the papers have all been collecting in piles on the floor and I have an entire box of binders and such that I haven’t even used for school this year. So the first order of business was get all the papers in order so that I didn’t lose anything important while I was shuffling things around.

Oh yes . . . the desk!

I managed to organize the entire trimester’s worth of handouts and assignments into one 1″ binder! I was so thrilled to toss out all the excess. I’ll also note that the reason this was possible was because most of my class notes are on my computer – how much clutter have I saved myself from by keeping everything organized on my laptop? I also got the past couple of months worth of my bank and credit card statements all straightened out too (I keep all my receipts, but since I couldn’t get to my desk, they were all in a big pile waiting to be “processed”). It’s nice not to have all that floating around, just WAITING to get lost!

In my progress report I said that I wanted to get done before Thanksgiving, but the contingency plan was to put whatever was left into the closet and come back to it after my family left. Unfortunately, that is what I had to do, and I got slowed down even more because I got sick! Of course.

The day after Thanksgiving started decorating for Christmas. I put out all my Nutcrackers and my nativity set, and then left the tree for last night. Since I included sorting my decorations as part of my storage organization project, I first sorted through all my ornaments. There was a bag that I set aside that would be great for a little girl (but are a little too young and pink for me), and the rest I put on the tree. I also am donating a few other decorations to Goodwill that I don’t think I will be using anymore (some nutcrackers in poor condition and some stuffed animals.

So, without further adieu, my AFTER pictures!!!

The guest room:

The closet:

The desk:

Where the decorations were . . .

And where they are now (please notice that there are two boxes that I was able to get rid of a few boxes and I labeled the ones that I kept as I sorted through everything)!

And, of course, the back of my car (plus two more bags that are still in my apartment, but I had to take them out to use my backseat, LOL)!

One of the hardest things that I found about the challenge this time around was letting go of some things that I’ve carried from apartment to apartment the past few years . . . things that I don’t really ever use, but think “oh, I could use that one day!” It was also hard to let go of some of my sentimental Christmas things that I never use anymore. I love that I’ve finally got my closet functioning so that I know where things are and everything is compartmentalized (things that are longer term storage as well as better paper management). This is so exciting, and since the room isn’t a wreck any longer, it is a room that I can actually USE!

Almost all the purged stuff is going to Goodwill. There are a couple of things that have been relocated in the apartment, but seriously, they would all fit in a purse. It’s all getting out of here, and that is so refreshing! This apartment has so much more room now, and I know that I will better be able to function myself as well as having guests over!

I really hope that I win this challenge because I put a LOT of hard work into this (especially considering that I work 30+ hours a week, am a full-time graduate student, and hosted my first holiday with my parents coming from Florida, my brother coming from his university, and my boyfriend, who I had not shared a major holiday with yet). Sorted through so much stuff, and have made my life so much more functional. In all honesty, just finishing the challenge feels like winning to me, and the prize is an apartment that works!!!

I can’t wait to read everyone else’s challenge posts!

• 12/5/2006 -- The Closet Caper!
• 12/18/2005 -- 101 in 1001 – 67.33% Complete
• 9/15/2008 -- 101 in 1001 #2 – 47.52% Complete

For this year’s 30 Day Organizational Challenge, I’m tackling my storage situation. A little background: I moved to a new apartment in July. For the first time I am living in an apartment all by myself, but it is a two bedroom apartment. I feel like I’ve got my own little house – this place TRULY feels like it’s mine! When I moved in, I got the kitchen all set up, the living room is all nice and homey, and my bedroom has everything just where I want it. The only problem? All that stuff that didn’t really have a place to go, so it got tossed into the spare bedroom/office (with a little overflow into the outside storage closet). And I just kind of . . . left it all there. 5 months ago. And about a month ago I went to my parents’ house and brought back all my Christmas decorations (Christmas at my place!!!) . . . and I just stuck them in the living room because there was no other place to put them.

So for my challenge, I am getting my storage situation all figured out! I’ve got a massive closet in the spare bedroom as well as a great storage closet outside by my little patio area. I’ve also got my desk which, once I get my computer actually set up, will provide great storage. And since I’ve already sorted through the rest of the apartment as I was putting things away from moving in, all the stuff in my apartment that could be purged is in that room – so not only am I anticipating using my storage space, but I’m also sensing a trip to Goodwill.

Here are a few before pics – I have more, but you’ll just have to wait until November 30 to see the whole process!

Patio Closet Before

Guest Room Closet Before

Guest Room Before

It’s time to get organizing!

• 12/1/2007 -- Storage Solutions
• 12/5/2006 -- The Closet Caper!
• 10/31/2007 -- Works for Me: 30 Day Organizational Challenge!

Personally, I work well at the last minute. Working to make the deadline keeps me motivated on tasks that I might not ever get around to otherwise. This works to my detriment when it comes to housework, because unless someone is coming over there is no deadline for housework.

Until now. Last year, Laura “The Organizing Junkie” (check out her new digs on WordPress!) gave us an awesome deadline – the “30 Day Organizational Challenge.” And I totally participated (read all about my great closet adventures from last year – it’s a doozy of a post, lots of crazy pictures). And since I took the time to truly sort through things and get my closet under control, it stuck. Like, really stuck . . . the closet truly stayed that organized until I moved in July, and when I moved I carried over the organization to my new apartment. And it’s still organized the same way!!! I am in total shock people, and if you knew me at all in real life you would be too.

So, since this CLEARLY worked for me last year, I’m taking it a step further with this year’s 30 day Organizational Challenge. How am I doing that? You’ll have to come back tomorrow, cause that’s when the challenge begins! Plus side – since the challenge runs the entirety of November, I’ll have my big organizational nightmare taken care of by the time December rolls around . . . I may actually try to get done in time for Thanksgiving, but I do reserve the right to use up my entire November !

You should participate too! The first day is tomorrow, so post up your goal and make sure to visit I’m an Organizing Junkie to link to your post!

The awesomeness of the 30 Day Organizational Challenge? Works for me!

• 12/1/2007 -- Storage Solutions
• 11/1/2007 -- It’s time to get ORGANIZED!
• 12/5/2006 -- The Closet Caper!

I’m also nervous because I’m going to keep working at Starbucks. Class is about 12 hours a week plus 20 hours a week of working on campus for academic credit . . . and then 30-35 hours a week at Starbucks. I hope that I don’t kill myself. Organization and motivation will have to be key.

I’m really liking my new apartment. For the first time I’m living somewhere that feels like it could be home. I haven’t felt that outside of my parents’ home before, I’ve always felt like I was just at the current stopping point. It’s a little strange living by myself though (I really really want kittens, but so far my parents say no . . .)

How are you doing? I feel like I haven’t heard from my (few) readers in forever . . . I don’t even know who still pays attention to my blog anymore, I’ve been so sporadic lately . . .

• 7/28/2007 -- Take Two
• 1/23/2008 -- Holidays, Hospitals, and Higher Learning
• 7/19/2006 -- About