The Jennifer Blogs

Another day, another chiropractor appointment.

I've been going to the chiropractor for some problems with my neck for several weeks now. It started out as a 6-week therapy. Then, because there was really not very much improvement, another 6 weeks were added on. Three days a week for 12 weeks. Let's hope at the end of this we see some improvement.

I initially went to the chiropractor because my neck had been hurting and I'd been having headaches. This has been going on for some time. So the chiro took some x-rays and showed me where my neck is pretty screwed up. A healthy neck is curved about 15 degrees. My neck is curved about 5 degrees -- in the wrong direction! So that's a 20-degree adjustment he has to make on my poor little head-holder-upper.

This is no ordinary treatment, either! We're talking about crazy vibrating beds, neck weights, head weights, vibrating platforms, jock straps on the chin and forehead. Yeah, sexy! (That vibrating bed thing isn't as appealing as it sounds - this is no massage, I assure you!)

How did my neck get so screwed up? Probably from looking down at my computer so much. I have been using a laptop for a long time and I guess it's taken its toll on me. So anyway, posture is important; ergonomics are important; therapy is important. So we're doing all we can to get this thing fixed.

We don’t have cable TV here because we’re worried the kids will spend their lives in front of the idiot box rather than out exploring the country. So when we want to relax on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, this is what we’re stuck with -- Bollywood. The sad thing is? My husband actually watches it and complains when I get between him and the bad acting.

I really love what I do for a living. I can't imagine doing anything but voice-overs.

There's something about using my voice to bring life to some words on a page that really excites me! I love how just using some different inflection or slowing things down or speeding things up or pausing somewhere unexpected can make someone really listen to what I'm saying. I love to voice commercials and audio books and radio imaging. I love all kinds of projects and I love that people actually pay me to listen to me talk! Seriously, what could be better?

This morning I had another session with my voice coach, Moneen. I love how she stretches and me makes me try things I never would have ordinarily tried. I like how I'm a little bit nervous to talk to her sometimes because I know she's going to be honest with me. I need to know what stinks just as badly as I need to know what's good. I'll never get better if I only hear the good stuff, so I appreciate that she's honest with me.

There are a lot of opportunities in Singapore that I haven't even delved into yet! I've been talking with this guy who is pretty much a legend in Singapore radio. He's been doing it here as long as I've been doing it in the US. We've talked about teaming up for some stuff and at some point we'll actually get together and discuss these ideas. So far our schedules haven't exactly matched up though.

In the meantime, I am enjoying my voice coaching sessions and I'm practicing every day. I've started reading out loud more, auditioning for everything I can audition for, and have been practicing my character voices more frequently.

Just think, when the roof blows off this thing, you can say you knew me when I wrote some stupid blog.

As the sign explains, they pretty much do it all here. My favorite is the surgical procedures. If you want it removed -- no matter what it is -- looks like they can do it!

Be honest. Would you have known this was a McDonald’s ad if it weren’t for the Golden Arches in the bottom right corner?

First of all, it’s served in a non-McDonalds-like container. Secondly, there’s a GLASS of green tea. Not a paper cup. I thought it was an interesting local ad for McDonalds in Singapore.