Has Xanga lost to Facebook?

Hi there all! I'm not even sure if anyone check xanga anymore..it's obvious I haven't used mine in a while either lol! Yes, I know, I think we've all fallen prey to that silly Facebook! Well that and in my case as well I've become so busy I just keep getting side tracked and forgetting to update! It's been almost a year since my last post and I have NO IDEA where to begin because so much has happened since I wrote last!!! LOL...I'm still trying to catch up my regular diary (I'm behind in that one almost 3 years...I've just been keeping jot notes of specific things.  Funny because I've written more on here than in my actual diary lol). 

Well lets see (referring to my "annual Christmas letter for 2007")...you know now that I"m thinkin about it, my best bet is to copy and paste that letter for 2007...I think that's what I'll do! Hope you don't mind (if you're even reading this lol - I have no idea who read this anymore?)...

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Emily and Jamie’s letter for 2007

Yet another year has come and gone and it’s hard to believe it went by so fast.  So here I am with the highlights of our year.  I apologize if I miss anything, which with everything that has gone on over the past year, I may. 

Dec 2006: My friend Maggie gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Lillian Marie Patricia Swan on Dec 18^th weighing 8lbs 12oz.  Sadly on the 20^th my friend Erin’s mom, Barb passed away.  On a bright note, the Family Christmas’s went very well! We came home on the 21^st and spent the 22^nd wrapping present.  Family friends Chrissy, Corey and their 2 little girls came over that night for a visit.  On the 23^rd my best friend Andrea and her daughter Lily came for a visit. That afternoon we had the Lindgren family Christmas.  My brother’s fiancé Nicole, asked me to be in their wedding July 2008 and of course I accepted! Grandma and Grandpa Morris and Aunt Heather came over later that night for a bit of Christmas with them too! I spent the 24^th in Bancroft with Mom & Dad visiting Nanny while Jamie spent the day with his family.  On the 25^th we took Jamie’s Mom out of the Picton Manor for the Rallison Family Christmas at Jamie’s brother Dave’s house.  It went VERY well! My Dad drove us back to Toronto on the 26^th along with the company of Jamie’s Dad. 

January 2007:  Audition applications started to come up so we began sending off our headshots and resumes in hopes of auditions.  We went up into the CN Tower, it was my first time.  I attended my first open call audition for Disney.  With Disney auditions they can cast you for anything but Disney World and it’s possible to receive a call back even a year after the audition.  We’ll have to see what happens, either way it was more experience.  Jamie began a one day a week standup comedy workshop at Humber College.

February:   We met my friend Mandi’s boyfriend Svien before he headed back home to Norway.  We returned to work at the Princess of Wales Theatre the production of  “Phantom of the Opera”.  I returned full time while Jamie only returned part time so he had more time to focus on his standup.  We both switched back to part time at Starbucks as well.

March:  I am sad to say that a dear family friend, “Aunt Carol” passed away this month.  On the upside, Jamie completed the standup comedy workshop and began preparing for his upcoming open mic set at Yuk Yuk’s Toronto in May. 

April:  This month, Jamie and his comedy buddies did an open mic night at the Yuk Yuk’s Hamilton. Mom and Dad came to visit us.  During their visit we surprised them with tickets to see “Phantom” as an early anniversary gift.  We were also able to arrange a backstage tour for them, given by our new friend Billy, who played a Swing in the cast.   A couple of our friend’s from Ottawa, Julia and Johnny also came to visit later in the month to see “Phantom”. 

May: Jamie celebrated his 25^th birthday this month.  I held him a party at our favourite nearby pub and we had a great time.  Jamie did a killer standup set at Yuk Yuk’s Toronto and I was so proud of him. 

June: Sam and Jon came to visit and we surprised Sam with an early birthday gift of tickets to see “Phantom”.  They also got an impromptu backstage tour.   After almost 5 months, “Phantom of the Opera” closed on the 17^th.  It was hard to say farewell to our newfound friends.  We both got new jobs as stable hands at Medieval Times so were finally able to leave our job at Starbucks. 

July: Sadly another dear family friend “Papa Delbert” passed away.  On a brighter note, I had another audition for Disney and although I didn`t get a call back, I was approached by one of the castings directors as I was leaving.  He said to me “Great job today Emily and thanks for all your hard work.”  I felt so pleased he knew my name, and was encouraged as he recognised my hard work.  My boss at Medieval Times asked me to be a “groom” working directly with the horses and Squire/Knights backstage.  Jamie continued working as a stable hand.

August: Jamie took a weekend away and attended his bachelor party back home, and oh the stories he could tell.  A few weekends later I went home for my bridal shower and bachelorette party and I had a blast.  Due to the wedding coming up and returning to the Princess the next month, sadly we had to leave Medieval Times.  We went to the CNE for the first time.

September:  Getting close to the wedding and therefore we were really busy with planning.  We worked a 3 week run of “High School Musical” at the POW.  I had the honor of being a maid of honor in Maggie’s wedding.  Jamie returned to the Yuk Yuk’s in Hamilton to do another open mic night.  On the 29^th Mom and Dad picked my cousin Jenny up at the airport, picked us up and we were on our way home to prepare for the wedding.  

October: On October 6^th at 1pm at the Village Playhouse in Bancroft, Jamie and I happily became husband and wife.  The reception took place at the Legion in Bancroft and it was so much fun.  It thunder stormed all night and all morning before the wedding, but apparently that’s REALLY good luck.  There are too many wonderful stories to tell in this letter.  It was an unforgettable day.  Jamie and I went to Stratford, Ontario for 3 days for our honeymoon and it was beautiful.  After returning from our honeymoon we spent the rest of the week with family before returning to Toronto to work a week long run of “Cats” at the POW. 

November:  We returned to the POW again for a 5 week run of “Sweeney Todd”, the version where the performers were their own orchestra! Brought back a lot of memories from when I did “Sweeney”.  I attended 2 different cruiseline auditions as well as a booked audition for touring children’s theatre company.  I got to sing my 2^nd piece at one of the cruseline auditions which I’ve never got to do before.  No call backs for those but still more experience.  I was offered a call back for the Children’s Theatre Company “Big Kid Entertainment” but unfortunately due to the hectic daily schedules of their tour, it would not allow my body the proper nutrition or sleep I would need to perform to my full potential. 

December:  “Sweeney Todd” closed on Dec 9^th, and again had to say farewell to our new friends.  On the 10^th we attended the POW Christmas party enjoying 5 pin bowling with our fellow friends and co-workers.  On the 16^th there was a really bad snowstorm and we had to work a performance of “John McDermott and Friends” that day and trudged almost 2 hours trying to walk home.   From the 20^th-31^st we will be back at the POW again working “Christmas with the Rat Pack”.  Due to this show we won’t have as much time as we wish with our families over the holidays.  We will be going home the evening of the 23^rd, spending the day with our respective families on the 24^th, on the 25^th we’ll be having Christmas breakfast with my family and Christmas dinner with Jamie’s family and returning to Toronto on the 26^th.    

We hope everyone had a wonderful 2007, we wish you all the best in 2008 and of course Happy Holidays everyone! Lots of love, hugs and kisses…

Jamie and Emily Rallison

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Now...the question is, should I leave this post at this, or should I continue to update?? I have no idea. I think FOR NOW I'll leave it at that, and try to update more at a later date again (lol..lets see how soon I post again - and who actually reads this one for that matter).  Hope everyone is well and hasn't completely deserted Xanga for Facebook (although Facebook is GREAT!!!).  Miss everyone, luv yas and hope to be in touch soon!

Em

xo

PS)If you are reading this still (xanga) and have read this post...PLEASE comment on my post so I know there are still people out there who read it! THANKS!!

I know what you're probably thinking...I'm posting sooner than usual...but I wanted to make sure to post about my audition yesterday!

I had an audition for Disney Cruiselines at 10am for the Musical Theatre performers (singing audition).  I feel it went very well and I definetly improved from the last audition I had for them!

No call back yesterday, but that's alright! With an audition for Disney, it's not nessesarily just auditioning for that particular part of the company the audition is being held for, but all parts of Disney except for Disney World! There is still a possibility I could get a call back for anything, even a year from now, so you never know Even if I don't, I'm still going to keep trying and the more they see me the better! I would LOVE if I made my break with Disney! Deep down, for quite some time now (even before I started auditioning for them), part of me has had a feeling it will be (maybe it's just wishful thinking?)! Either way I'm not going to give up on my dreams and in due time I'll make my break no matter how small or big it may be! I'll just be happy doing what I love to do!

I decided to go back at 4pm for the Character Perfomers/Look-a-likes audition (which was more of a dance audition) for more experience and again, to get my face out there and show them how much I want to be a part of Disney and what I can do! 

I felt great after both auditions as it was, but what made me feel even better about them, was at the end of the dance audition as I was getting ready to leave, one of the casting directors said to me "Great job today Emily, thanks for all your hard work!"

Anyway...I just wanted to make sure I shared how happy I was with my audition(s) yesterday!
Hope everyone is well! *hugs*

Em

Okay...so more time has passed since my last update and more news to tell.....

Sadly "Phantom of the Opera" ended on Sunday, June 17th and what a hard day that was for me! After having been invovled with the show for almost 5 months and made many new wonderful friends in the cast and crew I was very sad it was all over! During the curatin call of the final show all of us Ushers gave a flashlight salute to the cast, waving our flashlighsts like crazy all over the stage at them I tried so hard not to cry at that moment, but as soon as Bruce Winant (who played Mr. Firmin and one of the cast members I befriended) saw me and reached out toward me (as I was standing very front of Orchestra) the tears started! The hardest part of that day was saying my farewell to William Patrick Dunne (aka Billy - the cast member I became closest to)...I kept stalling and hugging him over and over again and just didn't want to leave his side! As soon as I couldn't see him anymore I bawled! I love all the friends I made during the run of the show and I made sure to get pictures and contact info so we make sure to keep in touch and I'll always have the pictures to look back on (and my family years down the road )! I'm sure I'll post some of the pics once I've got them developed! Billy, Carl, Eddie, Scarlet, Edgar, Sal, Bruce...I MISS YOU GUYS..and I hope I get to see you all again soon!!! Who knows, maybe I'll get the chance to be in a show with some of them some day? That would be pretty cool! Oh and by the way, by the end of the run, I had watched "Phantom" 123 times LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
F.Y.I. for those in Ottawa or who didn't get to see it, the same cast of "Phantom" will be coming to the National Arts Centre in Aug so you should DEFINETLY go see it if you haven't already!!!

...we wont be back to the Princess of Wales ushering until Sept when "High School Musical" comes in for at lesat 3 weeks...if it extends any more than a 4 week run, Jamie and I will have to take our 2 week vacation time for our wedding and honeymoon WOW...about 3 months left!! After the wedding "Sweeney Todd" will run at least from Nov 3rd - Dec 21st with hopes that it will extend past that! CAN'T WAIT!!! (for the wedding and to be back at the Princess of Wales)

So I finally quit Starbucks!! I never did get a transfer to a closer store and they just couldn't give me the hours I needed to survive! I was only scheduled for 22-23hrs the last two weeks of June and I needed to be back to 40hrs/wk by then! GOOD NEWS...Jamie and I both got full time positions as stablehands at Medieval Times! It's right around the corner from our apartment (like a 15min walk), it pays more than Starbucks, AND we're not only getting 40hrs a week...we've actually been getting overtime already in our first 2 weeks PLUS I love working with the horses..feeding them, bathing them, grooming and walking them...next week we should be learning how to get them ready for the show and helping with the changeovers backstage during the show...NOT TO MENTION we'll eventually get to ride them too (not in the show but that doesn't matter, I'll just be happy to be riding again!) dunno what'll happen at the end of the summer when we're back at the Princess of Wales (I'll be going back full time for sure) but I would like to see if I can go to part time in the stables cause I love the job, the people and I'm getting rather attached to the horses!

What other things have gone on between the last time I wrote and now? well...we treated Sam and Jon to "Phantom of the Opera" as an early bday gift for Sammi about a month before the show ended and they had a great time! We got them the best seats we could get them on Dress Circle (same level Mom and Dad had) and Billy even gave them a quick backstage tour after the show which I think they enjoyed even more! Jamie and I got complimentary tickets to see both "We Will Rock You" and "Vida" from Mirvish (well all the P.O.W. ushers did and we each got to bring a guest with us)! Sam and Jon came with us to "We Will Rock You" cause Aar and Nic couldn't make it up and it was AWSOME! We had very front row of Orchestra! AWSOME show and a great cast (of course they're Canadian ) and well worth seeing, so if you can, you should! for "Vida" we took Jeanette (who is a friend Jamie and I made from his comedy workshop/course) and Brian (a friend we made from the Princess of Wales but quit cause he got a better job) and we girls enjoyed it, but I don't think the boys were enjoying it all too much! It was a Cuban dance show and I thought it was really cool!

hmmm...what else? can't think of anything else right now, but that could be beacuse I'm ready for bed! I've got an early morning tomorrow (7-2 for the rest of this week while the temporary horse trainer is in and then we SHOULD be back to 8-4 by next week) and I wanna make sure I get a good night sleep! I'm finding it's a good habbit I've gotten myself into, going to bed early (not too early, but earlier than I used to go to bed so between 930-1030 instead of midnight or later!) and getting up early (right now with the 7am shift I get up around 530am but normally I'd get up around 630-7am with the 8am shift!) Anywho...nighty night all! xo

Em
....Even if we may not talk all too often, just know you're always on my mind and in my heart!!.......

PS)Again...Feel free to check out our wedding page if you'd like
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/EMILYLINDGREN&JAMESRALLISON

well everyboy...time for another update Questions is where do I start?

Well I guess I can start with saying "Phantom of the Opera" is going AMAZING!! I've now watched it 73 times and still going, and LOVING every minute of it! I'll be sad when it leaves! The last show is Sunday, June 17th so if you can, you should REALLY come see it! I'm on pretty good conversational basis with most of the cast and crew and have managed to befriend a couple of them too! I'm gonna miss them when they leave too!

Starbucks is STILL driving me nuts! we'll see what happens after the wedding and whether or not Jamie and I stick with it or find another job! I'll probably end up staying, if only for a couple of hours a week.  HOPEFULLY I'll get the trasnfer to the store that's like 5 minutes from my apartment and maybe it'll be better? It's not the job I don't like, I like what I do there! It's the people I work with and their work ethics!! I'm tired of working my butt off (like I do at EVERY job! Not to mention also following the rules that have been set down!) and then turning around and my work has gone to nothing! It's rediculous!!! People at my store know I keep things clean, but it can't JUST be me doing it! It's supposed to be a team environment and team work, but no one else really seems to care! It really makes me wonder what is going to happen to the kiosk if I do get the transfer to the other store! lol

It'll be nice at the theatre for their 2007/2008 season though! All but "Dirty Dancing" (which will be at the Royal Alexandra Theatre) will be at the Princess of Wales theatre! From November to June!! EVEN BETTER...the first show will be "Sweeney Todd" starting October 30th 2007 and scheduled to run until AT LEAST December 3rd! If we're lucky it will stay longer! I hope it does!! not only because it's a great show, but that means more hours at the Princess...because otherwise we will be out of work there from the beginning of Dec until the end of January when "Twelve Angry Men" comes in! So we'll probably have to have another job of some sorts to keep the imcome coming in until the next show! Either way I'm excited!!

This weekend was AWSOME!! Mom and Dad came up on thursday night to see Jann Arden at Massey Hall (which aparently was a great concert! I don't doubt that, Jann Arden is amazing!).  They picked me up from the Princess that night and we went back to the apartment.  Jamie was in Hamilton doing an open-mic night at Yuk Yuks, so when he got home we gave them their surprise! As a VERY early Anniversary gift (cause it's not until Aug 13th) from all of us kids and Grandma, hidden inside a signed program by the cast, we got them tickets to see "Phantom of the Opera" on Sat, Apr 28th! We got them GREAT seats (Dress Circle, seats row A, seats 35 & 36) and to top it all off....we also arranged for a BACKSTAGE TOUR with one of the cast members after the show! They LOVED the show, and we had a wonderful backstage tour with William Patrick Dunne (aka. Billy...he's a swing in "Phantom" and what a darlin!)! I even got the chance to sing "Think of Me" on the Phantom stage it was such a great feeling!
That same evening our friends from College, Julia and Johnny came to see the show and they really enjoyed it too! Mom and Dad were home at the apartment while we went out for drinks with some fellow usher friends after the show! When we got back to the apartment we stayed up until about 3am just talking and having a great time!
Julia and Johnny left just shortly after we left to go work for the matinee on sunday! Mom and Dad picked us up from the Princess after the show that day and we went out for a nice dinner together and then they headed home!
WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Wedding plans are coming along quite well! I know something is supposed to go wrong in every wedding, and think we hit that snag! Of all things to go wrong.....thank goodness we solved it, and fast!! about a month ago (6 months before the wedding - ya...it's now 5 months away!! WOW!) we found out that we could not have the wedding ceramony in the courtyard of the Bancroft Manor (nursing home) because it would be too much hussle and bustle for the residents (which is understandable because it is their home - it just would have been nice if they had told us sooner!).  Thank goodness that same day I was able to book us our current ceramony location!! We're now getting married on the stage, in the theatre of the Bancroft Village Playhouse!

Other than that, just keeping busy EVERY DAY with wedding stuff and then of course working the two jobs! Keeps us on our feet thats for sure! Hope everyone is well and hope to hear from you some time!

Em

PS)Feel free to check out our wedding page if you'd like
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/EMILYLINDGREN&JAMESRALLISON

Hello everyone!!! Thought I'd post another update since it's been a while since I posted last! I've been keeping pretty busy these days, so sadly it takes me longer to update than I'd like some times!

First off, for all of you who don't know, I now have a facebook, so feel free to check that out as well! I'll be continuing to post updates on my life here on my xanga though! My sister got me started on facebook and now I'm hooked! BUT...it has brought me back in touch with some people I thought I'd never see/hear from again (and you know me, I HATE losing touch with people) and finding out how life has progressed for those since I saw them last! Jamie has started one too..now I've just got to poke him to get on updating and using his xanga again

Company wise...my sister has been up to visit a couple of times and we've had a pretty good time together! I really miss her! I really wish my brother and Nic were able to come and visit too! And Mandi & Svien came down for one more visit before Svien had to go home to Norway.  Mandi was pretty upset that night but we kept her company!

Jamie and I had a wonderful Valentines Day! We went to Swiss Chalet for a nice sit down meal together, just the two of us which was really nice! For the rest of our Valentines we actually did it a few days later because we went to see “Ghost Rider” and it didn’t come out until after Valentines day! It is a really good movie and we had a wonderful evening J

“Phantom of the Opera” has since started and I’m soooooooooo…HAPPY to be back at the Princess of Wales ushering for the show! J It is AMAZING!!!! I had never seen it on stage until now! Opening night I got to be front of Orchestra so I got to see it up close and personal the first time I ever saw it on stage! I’ve been in house (watching the show) for all but 3 shows so far and I’m LOVING it!! I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it! Considering the fact this is one of my favourite musicals!!! If you get the chance to come see it you REALLY should, it’s worth it! Tickets range on matinee from $30+ and evenings $40+ and there really aren’t any bad seats in this theatre at all!! I’ve also already acquainted myself with some of the cast and crew! The ones I’ve met so far as so nice and very helpful too when asking questions about their careers! I LOVE THIS JOB!! I may not be on the stage, but I’m so happy being my element! The end of the show always gets me *tear* and I can’t help but fall in love, especially with the Phantom He is…..WOW! His wife must be so proud of him!

Starbucks on the other hand is really starting to drive me nuts! I think our managers are doing what they do to us because they’re trying to spite us…they’re trying to spite us because they made Starbucks their careers because they didn’t do anything else, whereas Jamie and I are only there to help us pay the bills while we’re perusing our dreams/career! Jamie got screwed out of his benefits until Aug for no fault of his own.  He didn’t get his 1^st pay cheque until the 2^nd week of October (so 3 pays later) because his SIN# was entered in the system wrong.  When he recived this cheque we realized that this address was TOTALLY wrong.  He then asked his manager to correct his address so he will be sure to recive his benefits package.  Months went by and no package and his address was still not changed.  I didn’t put him on as a dependant (although if I had known this was going to happen I would have!) for my benfits.  By the time he recived his package, it was sent to his store because he address it was sent to didn’t exist and the deadline had passed.  He contact them, and they said they would NOT send him another package and he had to write into the exception office.  A month after having sent that letter, he received a reply stating “absolutely no exceptions, your address is on your pay cheques” even though we had explained the situation with his pay cheques.  I’ve been getting paid $.10 less than what I should have been since I’ve started employment and I still wont get the back pay from that for another 2-3 pays! They also don’t seem to understand what we mean when we say we NEED a certain number of hours to be able to pay our bills without struggling/pinching pennies! I’m looking into a transfer to the store that is closer to our apartment so hopefully they can work better with my availability so I can keep my benefits because we have to have 240hrs/quarter (so as of Mar 25^th I would have to get 15-25hrs/week to keep it during the run of “Phantom”). 
Worse part is Jamie ended up having to go to the dentist to get a filling for a very bad cavity (which we had no idea how he got because he brushes and flosses EVERY DAY!! No joke!) He had to pay the new patient fee, and for the filling out of his own pocket with no benefits to re-emberse him! If he hadn’t got it done, he would have needed a root canal! YIKES!

Anyway….I think that’s my update for now! Hope everyone is well! J *hugs*

Em

PS) If you get the chance, check out our wedding page:
http://www.theknot.com/our wedding/EMILYLINDGREN&JAMESRALLISON

PPS)I FINALLY got my pics developed from way back in Sept up till now! So here’s the pics I wanted to post of Me&Kevin Richardson (from the BSB) after opening night of “Chicago” at the Princess of Wales Theatre Nov21/06 and of Howie (from the BSB) when he came to Much Music to promote his protégé, George Nov/07! J