Hi all.

I'm in a show that Previews tonight; "The Philadelphia Story" at Waukesha Civic Theatre on Main St. in downtown Waukesha. It's been loads of fun to work on so it's almost a shame to reach opening weekend because it means the experience is nearly over! Though I'm sure we're all looking forward to the prospect of having our evenings back to ourselves, so I imagine we'll get over it. ;)


Synopsis, etc. of the show from the WCT website:

The cast includes Ruth Arnell (Tracy Lord), Ramon Campos (Mac & Doctor Parsons), Ruth Caves (May), Jeff Davis (Willie Tracy), Eric Eggers (Sandy Lord), Will Elwood (CK Dexter Haven), Haley Gray-Hoehn (Dinah Lord), Beth Keller (Elsie), Jenny Kosek (Liz Imbrie), Ann Morrow (Margaret Lord), Mark Neufang (Mike Connor), Jeff Porter (George Kittredge), Jim Volden (Seth Lord), and Scott Wendelberger (Thomas).

Reva Fox is the Director. The production staff and crew includes: Costume Designer Aleta Bernard, Co-Properties Designer Kris Kingstad, Wig Master Anthony Mackie, Stage Manager Debi Mumford, Sound Designer John Santroch, Co-Properties Designer Monica Santroch, and Scenic Designer, Master Carpenter and Set Decorator Michael Talaska.

Two people I *must* make special mention of from that list: Michael Talaska and Haley Gray-Hoehn. Michael, the set designer, has once again accomplished weird and amazing things. When we all first saw this set finally pulled together we literally "Oooooh"ed and then broke out into applause. And that Haley girl playing Dinah Lord is an absolute doll. If you're receiving this email and you ever find yourself needing to cast teens (Donna: She sings!), the show is worth checking out if only to pre-audition her. Talented little pistol, this one, and takes direction like a dream.
Performances are Fridays - Sundays and run as follows:

	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Nov. 7-9	8:00 PM	8:00 PM	2:00 PM
Nov. 14-16	8:00 PM	4:00 / 8:00 pm	7:00 PM
Nov. 21-23	8:00 PM	2:00 / 8:00 pm	2:00 PM

Ticket info from the WCT website:

Individual tickets are regularly $19.00 ($17.00 for students and seniors.) Tickets may be purchased over the telephone with VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express during Box Office hours or Mail orders are accepted any time. Mail orders are processed in the order in which they are received. Specify show date and time, and mail order to WCT, P.O. Box 221, Waukesha, WI 53187. Please enclose $2 handling fee per order.

BOX OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION
Box Office: 262.547.0708
Fax: 262.547.8454
E-Mail: boxoffice@waukeshacivictheatre.org

A side note on tickets:
I believe there are cheaper rush ticket options available, but I couldn't tell you the first thing about when they're available or how much they are. I would strongly recommend that you contact the box office by phone when purchasing your tickets to confirm the rush time/cost, and to confirm ticket availability before waiting to show up to get in. There is also a Pay-What-You-Can option during the final Saturday matinee (2 pm, Saturday November 22nd).

This is one of the friendliest, most amiable casts I've ever worked with. I'm proud of what we've all worked together to accomplish, excited about the opportunity to work with Reva (audition for her if you can!), and looking forward to sharing the fun with you. And if you should come out to the show, let me know you're there so I can be sure to pop out and say hi. :D

I fell behind on my video blogging, and then I got tagged by Tia D and made three videos. See, Tia D? You're all it takes to get me on a(n obnoxious) vlogging roll!

Video #1: My response to Tia D.

The deal is you have to make a video response sharing 5 things about yourself. I s'ppose ideally you'll also tag other people to make response videos of their own, but I don't really know that many folks on YouTube likely to make a response video to one of mine so I guess you can consider this me tagging you if you like.

 

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In other news: The job search continues and I'm still painfully under or over qualified for every job I'm finding. People keep saying how there aren't that many job openings out there, but that doesn't seem to be the case where I'm looking. The problem for me so far is just that the jobs are all a poor match for my skill set. Not that I'd particularly mind being overqualified for a position if it was something I could just relax and enjoy, but 1) I know I'd go bonkers after two days of bagging groceries, and 2) those jobs don't pay enough to cover my bills. :S

Where's a good sugar daddy when you need one?

I've got until mid-December to find work, at which point my unemployment insurance runs out and I'm up a particularly dense creek without adequate means of propulsion.

And now, a message to my politically minded friends (of which I have many) who keep sending me emails (by the terabyte) about the November elections:

Don't assume we're voting the same way when sending me politically themed emails, or that the praise you're forwarding for your candidate of choice sounds any less like the brainwashed silliness you complain about from "the other side." For every "My Party's Candidate Is A God Among Men!" link you send me that glows over your candidate of choice I have one that glows in an equally flashy and abrasive manner over mine while debunking everything your videos and links just plugged. Let's just leave it at "we're even" and assume nothing we say to each other will change the other's mind. Because let's face it: It won't.

I could really use some Easy Mac...

Yay yay yay! Guess what?!

I got the part of Tracy Lord in "The Philadelphia Story"!

*dances around the living room*

I auditioned Monday night and would've been happy with either of the two female roles in my age range- just getting in is a treat as I've literally got NOTHING else to do :P- but after I read with the girl who ended up being cast as Dinah, Tracy's younger sister, I knew I wanted to play Tracy so I could work opposite her. I was so glad to find out this afternoon that that's how it had worked out. :)

I don't know who all has been cast and in which parts, but I guess it'll all become known soon enough. In the meantime: Wahooey! =D

Today's Vlog:

A project that could've been, and a possible upcoming audition.

Should I go for it? Do the audition? I have until mid-September to decide... Help!


Well??

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I'm at home watching "Enchanted," drinking a Wild Berry wine cooler, and eating Easy Mac.

...

i would rather be... um... I can't think of any place... I know I'd rather be somehow else, if not somewhere else. :S

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Yes, she looks tired and ill, but give Madonna a break. That's what happens when we women hit 50.
(I tested that link a few times and sometimes it just doesn't work. No idea why. The article is by Liz Jones and is on the Daily Mail website.)

"And do you know what? This rampant ageism really hurts. I was in the hairdresser the other day (the demented, feverish need of all women past the age of 35 to have our roots retouched every 14 days is as oppressive as foot binding) when the young colourist dared to say: 'The white regrowth is really obvious, I wonder you didn't wear a hat!'

I would have been quite within my rights to opine: 'Well, at least I'm not fat and wearing a ridiculous mini skirt and prone to varicose veins because I'm on my feet all day.'

I could have said all this, but I am sure if I had jaws would have dropped noiselessly around me.

When I challenged the young woman, wondering whether, as I was a paying client, she might have been a bit more tactful, she said, affronted and surprised: 'Would you prefer it if I wasn't honest?'

Well, yes, I would, actually, you dim cow. And I would be very grateful if designers and stylists and photographers and magazine editors would stop holding up 16-year-old children as some sort of ideal we should all aspire to.

Yes, teenage girls don't have deep grooves running from nose to mouth, or thinning eyebrows and really stubborn white whiskers, but neither do they have wit, or conversation, or mystery, or opinions, or experience, or memories, or money."

Got an email the other day from a fellow Spiraler with a link to a blog review by Russ Bickerstaff of "Wait Until Dark." It came too late to help the show, but we sold well and got some awesome feedback anyway, even in spite of a weird review in the Freeman, so who the heck cares? ;D

I'm just really encouraged by the fact that the writer of this blog/review still saw the show even though it'd be too late to post anything about it before we closed. I mean-- that's pretty cool, right?

Anyway- here's a link to the blog, and here's a big chunk from it:


Isn't that cool?! :D

I know Brian, Randall and Gloria are in something together that opens in a couple months, and Matthew's in something that opens around the same time. Don't know what Doug and Nate are up to, but when I find out, and when I get the details on B, R, G and M I'll definitely post it here so you can check these people out. They're great. :D

And then today- or was it yesterday?- I also received an email with a link to Russ's Year In Review pt. 2 blog post and man: I just can't stop smiling. :D Part two starts off with:  "Towards the end of last February, Spiral Theatre staged the single best romance of the year with Ruth Arnell and Ryan Dance in Butterflies Are Free..."

*grins*

Too cool, man.

And to Mr. Bickerstaff: Thanks. Really. Thank you so much. You've made my mom 'n' pop 'n' me smile very much this season with your reviews, and we've needed that. Thank you.

Whoa!

Go to Google Maps for directions and check out one of their new features: Walking Directions!

Yup!

You can get directions for if you're driving someplace, or if you're walking there. Sweet!!

The directions I tested when looking this up were to a place miles away in Glendale. 21 miles and 34 minutes by car, 18.5 miles and 6 hours, 17 minutes on foot. Yowch. Think I'll be taking my car... I wonder what walking speed they're using in their estimate.

You know what would be even cooler? If they integrated local bus/train/tube systems into their maps. "If"? Sorry. Should've said "When." And bike routes would be cool, too. But again: I'd be curious as to just how stinkin' fast they think I'm like to peddle that sucker.

I'm $1 over my fast food budget for the month right now. Luckily I have casserole I can reheat before running to rehearsal tonight so it won't be so hard to pass up a $5 15" sandwich from Cousins which would feed me for two days. Oh Mint and the many ways in which you keep me in line!

I have mixed feelings about last night's show.

A lot of weird things happened that had to be worked around, and I don't know if it was stuff you'd notice as an audience or not, but some of it really threw us on stage and it's got me nervous because our SM will be gone for our closing weekend so... yeah. :P

Also: The audience. Most of the time they were great. Vocally responsive at all the right times. Very nice.

But then they kept laughing- loudly- at the worst times. Like- really stressful, "scary" times where honestly: ain't nothin' funny going on here.

And it wasn't that short, clipped, nervous laughter like you get sometimes during suspenseful shows, but loud, prolonged, repeated laughter at the most distracting times that makes you wonder if you are totally sucking up the scene and doing everything wrong because why the hell else would the entire audience be LAUGHING at a moment like this? It makes you wonder what you're doing so poorly that suddenly a murder scene is funny, or whose fly is open, or what fell off the set wall when this is the first audience that has ever responded this way.

*sigh*

I asked my parents about it (they came last night, yay!) and they said they didn't get it either and found it distracting too. That's nice I guess. Means the cast weren't the only ones who didn't understand what was happening.

And then: The cell phone.

It's actually kind of surprising to me that this was the first time where we had a cell phone go off during a performance of this show, so in that respect we've been pretty lucky thus far.

But there we were, second to last scene, everything's finally boiling down to the final moments of *scare*, and this light, tinkly, fairy music starts to play in the front row of the audience. And then continues to play, and gets louder, as whoever owned "the phone too important to be turned off" retrieved it from their purse.

*sigh again*

Why don't people listen to the announcement at the beginning and turn their phones off? Why? I've heard people say as an excuse for this when its their phone that "I never get calls" and "I forgot I had it with me" and stuff like that. But that just seems irresponsible to me. Stop making excuses. If you never get calls then it won't matter that your phone's off because by your own admission you won't be missing anything if you're unavailable on it for 2 hours, and when the person giving the curtain speech mentions silencing phones and you own one, do yourself a favor and check to see if you have yours on you. "Forgetting you have it on you" is a stupid, stupid excuse and I absolutely don't accept it.

And now that it sounds like I hated a theatre full of people last night, allow me to back track... ;)

They actually were a great house overall. Responsive, as I mentioned earlier, and appreciative and just very cool in general. And in addition to my mom and dad being there (yay!), Nicole G., Mark N., and CJ D. were there, as well as Beverly S. and Mary K.. Woo hoo! All people I like. :D

The option of going out to a number of different spots did come up last night after the show, but I mean to tell ya: You run around sweating like that in a show like this and tell me *you* don't feel ready to fall over into bed when it's over. I skipped it all and went home. That's right. Calm and boring, just the way I like it.

Actually, I really hate just going home when shows are over. Especially when I have friends there that I haven't seen in a while. What happened to me? When did I suddenly get so... old? *shudders uncontrollably for three minutes*

Maybe it'll pass...

For anyone in the area looking to see "Wait Until Dark": We've added a row of seats!

Yup. We ran into a rather pleasant problem Opening Night of running out of seats and having to hold the house to find and add more chairs. We've been doing the same thing ever since, and starting tonight we're adding a whole new row to help ease the crowding since, let's face it: It's hot in there. :P

Oh yeah-- if you're coming, wear something loose that breathes well because they don't turn the AC on in that part of the building and it is super stinkin' warm at times. But if you buy/bring a bottle of water or something y'should be fine. :)

Show tonight's at 8pm! :D

"You don't get anything clean without getting something else dirty."
Cecil Baxter

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
Arthur C. Clarke

"Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything, we ought to know a little about everything."
Blaise pascal

Went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire on Saturday and, as usual, had a way excellent time, thanks in large part to the fact that the day was "hosted" by pureinpink  's family full of awesome people. I've got video clips of some of the acts, and a few pictures, but I haven't had time to pool all that into a video yet, so below is one I made out of a video I took on Friday evening when I was, uh... s'pposed to be working on my lines...

In conclusion: I *did* work on my lines that night, thankyouverymuch. Fat lot of good it seemed to do, though. Really biffed it tonight at dress. Ick. I am such an unprofessional boob.

Wishing I was a professional boob,

Ruth

.

"Yoinked from rustyangel  :

Based on the lj interests lists of those who share my more unusual interests, the interests suggestion meme thinks I might be interested in
1. goldfrapp score: 11
2. gardens score: 4
3. kissing in the rain score: 4
4. stereolab score: 4
5. absinthe score: 4
6. bette davis score: 4
7. herbalism score: 4
8. hedwig score: 3
9. jean m. auel score: 3
10. dexter score: 3
11. damn the man score: 3
12. sexy-rexy score: 3
13. hiccups score: 3
14. the sound of music score: 3
15. sylph score: 3
16. womyn score: 3
17. falcon score: 3
18. colleen score: 3
19. urban decay score: 3
20. buckethead score: 3

Type your username here to find out what interests it suggests for you. Popularity Ceiling: (Please be patient!)

changed by ouwiyaru based on code by ixwin
Find out more

Hmmm...

In other news: I got my dad's internet up and running at his new office! Hooray! *shakes clasped hands heartily above head before remembering "I'm not a boxer!!"*

I've been thinking about Jake M. a lot lately for some reason. Jake: How are you?

And to my friend Sarah K. who has been having eventful days right and left lately: Keep on truckin', little lady. You're doing beautiful things oh so beautifully.

Time to wrap this up and frantically try to learn a few more lines before rehearsal tonight. We were supposed to be off book last night. Who had their script on stage for most of her scenes anyway? That's right: ME! *sigh* It's getting easier now that we're not changing the set constantly anymore (I hope). I learn lines by doing them in the context of the scene on stage with the other actors, but when I'm constantly having to re-time stuff it just-- ugh. It throws me. Because I am a big, incompetent, unprofessional boob.

*pllbbbbbbbt*

HAHAHAHAHA!!

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"Pollution to Protest"
Posted by LauraLing on CurrentTV.com


"China’'s rapid economic growth has stunned the world, making it a global power in a short span of years. It has also produced a staggering amount of environmental damage, which the world is also beginning to note. But it has also done something else—spurred ordinary Chinese citizens to start organizing, sometimes in defiance of the government. In the process, they’'ve created the beginnings of a civil society that could bring greater freedom overall inside the world’s largest dictatorship."

And in a timely bit of Stumbling... Olympic nightmare: A red tide in the Yellow Sea

Production Staff
Producers: Mark Hooker, Dave Berg
Director: Doug Giffen
Stage Manager: Marcy Reed

Cast (In Order of Appearance)
Mike Talman: Brian Richards
Sgt. Carlino: Randall Anderson
Harry Roat Jr./Sr.: Matthew J. Patten
Susy Hendrix: Ruth Arnell
Sam Hendrix: Nate Press
Gloria: Gloria Loeding

Production Dates/Times
July 11 & 12, 18 & 19, 25 & 26
8:00 pm

Location
Bucketworks
1340 N 6th St.
Milwaukee WI 53212
(414) 305-1324
(click here for map)

Please note: If anything on you rings, sings, beeps, vibrates, tweets, thumps, dings, whistles, chirps, burps, clicks, or lights up during a performance, I will kill you.

Lyrics from "New Math" by Bo Burnham, a 17 year old boy whose gift for clever lyrics reminds me of a combination of oceandoot and Rick Katschke for some reason.

 And no, I do not mean to imply by omission that that "reason" is pedophilia (see below). In conclusion, watch the video. Or don't. But it's kinda funny. So you should.

Um... How 'bout we just get back to the part where I provide a copy of some of the lyrics...

"Havin' sex is like quadratic expansion
if it cant be split then its time to stop,
and havin' sex is like doing fractions,
its improper for the larger one to be on top,
and havin' sex is like math homework,
i do it best when i'm alone in my bed.
and squarin' numbers are just like women,
if they're under thirteen just do them in your head...."

Ahh... Good times.

Rehearsal for "Wait Until Dark" is going well. I'm off book for my first scene... basically... and pretty comfortable with my lines for most of the rest of the show. It'll be good to finally get that book out of my hands so I can put more of my focus on maneuvering through the set. I'd like to try running the show blondfolded a few times so I can... Did I just write "blondfolded"??

*sigh*

Yes. Yes that's what I want to be. Blondfolded.

Yours truly,

Porphyria's Lover

Goodnight everybody! You've been wonderful! (Exit, pursued by a bear)

ETA: WAIT!! I almost forgot about the two pictures I wanted to post! Egad! DISASTER WAS NEARLY UPON US!

The first is a screen shot of an ad that appeared in my Yahoo account yesterday.

I believe the implication is that the rockin' hot awesome left ass cheek/thigh area is somehow not as rockin' hot and awesome as the ass cheek/thigh area on the right.

Are any of my straight male or lesbian readers understanding this better than I am?

And do you even see the "dimples" they're referring to? It looks like maybe she brushed quickly against an end table in need of a bit of dusting, but is that-- is that cellulite?

If this stuff will make my legs look like EITHER of the legs in this picture, I will pay so much money for it RIGHT NOW.

I-- I'm still kinda scratchin' my head on this one, folks. I'll get back to you if I figure out what they're getting at here.

The next picture is just something I thought was kinda funny.

I was looking up a last name on Facebook when i found two guys in a row with the same exact name (and it's an unusual-ish last name), both from the UK, and both facing the same direction and drinking a beer in their user pics.

"You are not special.

You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake.

You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

Tyler Durden

Okay. Now I'm ready to go.

So did Carroll's "Lend Me A Tenor" suck as much as I am forced to assume it did based on the cast list I just read in the latest "Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social Sciences" newsletter?

Yowch, man.

And who chose that F Train to Dullsville performance picture that accompanied the article? FIRE THEM.

There's almost nothing you could do to get me to see that particular group of people in anything more than five minutes long that didn't involve them working behind the scenes with entirely different people actually up on stage.

Wow. I didn't realize I felt so strongly about their level of suck. Hm.

No but seriously: Double Plus Bad.

Are Carroll shows even reviewed anymore?

Anyone who takes theatre seriously needs to transfer out of that program. Obviously I hate to think of it going away, and I do think wholeheartedly and without any reservations that it can be salvaged, but that will take at LEAST a few years (a few years plus loads of outreach work and bringing in more and better folks), which means that in the meantime students are paying tens of thousands of dollars every year for... for what? Flabbergasting mediocrity? I'm sure it was rough on Tom gettin' the boot (or whatever really happened), but I think he's lucky to be out of there. Whatever was happening wasn't working, and deserved or not he'd've gotten all the blame, and that's no fun.

In conclusion, Carroll Players: Get out get out get out. Try back later. Lights off. Doors locked. Go home.

Or to Whitewater.

I hear they kinda suck too, but I'll be gol'durned if their grads aren't taught which bootays need kissin' back in Milwaukee if they want to keep nice and busy.

So Players: Get ready to pucker up...

"Boy it sure is Monday..."

I'm watching "The Road to Wellville" and wondering what on earth I'm going to do about "Wait Until Dark." I gave one of the dullest, most uninspired reads of my life tonight.

I just don't know to do with her, who she is, what's going on... I felt like such a dope. :S

I'm very excited about it, though, because three of the actors in it gave *awesome* reads. One of them, Randall, and I were cast in a show together several years ago, but something came up and he had to leave the show so we only worked together for about a week. He's got this great vocal quality and a very fun read on his character.

The other two, Brian and Matthew, were in a show together last season, and I've done a couple of shows with Matthew myself, and they're going to be great too! They're both creepy in all the right ways. Very. Creepy.

God I hope I figure something out. And fast...

Geez. Aside from the weird food and the colonics, I could totally do this whole Road to Wellville thing.

Minus Dana Carvey's George character, too. *jibbly jibbly jibbly* The kid who plays young George is also weird looking. Very weird looking. I almost don't know which George is creepier, really.

I could go for some Ramen noodles. Perhaps-- perhaps I shall have some...

"Reality is something you rise above."
Liza Minelli

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In rather shocking news here at Dad's Roofing Company, Inc., one of our sales guys, E.E., called me up on Saturday to inform me that his wife S. E.- the one who sat next to me at the baseball game on Friday- had suffered a mini-stroke some time during the 7th inning and was in the hospital undergoing an MRI at the time of his call.

She's 30.

At the time her speech was slurred- when she could speak- her vision was blurry- when she could see, and her brain was swelling for no discernible reason. They think it might have been stress induced. Stress? Yeah, I imagine a few of us have heard of that.

They are an amazing couple. Different in all the right ways, similar in all the right ways, great relationship, three wonderful kids; all in all a very committed, loving, young family.

She's 30.

I know there are incidences every year of people having strokes, heart attacks, etc. at unexpectedly young ages and at seemingly triggerless times. But it hits home so hard when it's someone you know.

Two of the symptoms that S.E. had which tipped doctors off to the fact that it was probably a stroke were a sudden extremely painful headache in the back of her head, and pupils dilated to the point that there was almost no iris color still visible. Had E.E. known that these were indicators he could've taken her to the emergency room almost 24 hours sooner.

Please please please take a quick peak through this article on WebMD. I know an online article isn't the best means of learning about life saving tips and symptoms to watch for, but even an online overview has got to be better than no prior knowledge at all, right? I just never thought... 30 years old... It's worth knowing more about, especially if it can be brought on for reasons other than age, genetics, pre-existing conditions, etc.

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Just found out I'll be performing in Spiral Theatre's production of "Wait Until Dark" this July. Too cool, man! I'm still waiting to hear who all else is in it. There wasn't a formal audition so I didn't get to see what all of Spiral's choices were but based on people who've given truly exceptional performances there in the past I have a few ideas and let me tell you: I. Am. Excited. If Mark brings out his first string here then this is going to be PHENOMENAL. I know the tickets are higher priced than at his previous location, but if this goes as well as I think it will, this will be a show that is not to be missed. Yay Mark!!

There are only six performances of this one so it'll take some planning ahead. It runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm on July 11 and 12, 18 and 19, and 25 and 26.

I'll be playing the part of Susy Hendrix, a blind woman who... does a bunch of stuff. I won't get into it. Look it up. Or don't. If you've seen the movie version, this is the party Audrey Hepburn played, and oh boy do I hope people aren't expecting to see a Hepburn-esque performance, 'cause "statuesque" I sure as hell ain't.

The show will be running at Bucketworks on 6th and Vliet. Tix are higher by $5 here: $20 for non-Bucketworks members, $15 for members. Though if you think you'll see a few shows there this year it's worth joining to be able to get the discount and to use their space. Holy cow, man. This is NOT the same Bucketworks that was over on MLK the past few years. Wow. Total overhaul. Every reservation I had about working there (which, to be fair, was based largely in part on who I'd've been working with) is gone and I now plan on joining.

If you have time to head down there you MUST arrange a tour with James Carlson, one of the guys running the place. And Erin: if you go, ask him about the "Lego" wedding and the remote control car race.

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I think I'm going to subscribe to Wired. I always enjoy the online articles. I think I'd get a kick out of being able to bring it around with me. And it's $10 bucks for a year's subscription. Not bad, eh?

I'm watching Thoroughly Modern Millie and it's the scene where Millie and Jimmy are out on the ledge of the building and whenever the guy leans too far forward he starts to become invisible. How did they green screen these things back then? Or-- well it was blue then, no? How did they do it with the technology of the day? I mean, fake as it looks, I'm still pretty impressed with what they were able to do considering it was 1967.

I forgot how much I enjoy this movie. I saw it once when I was much much younger and I forgot how fun it is. I know it can be a bit hammy, but I like the little looks Julie Andrews gives to the camera before the text pops up, and the subplot of stealing away the girls from the hotel, and EVERY scene with Carol Channing. Particularly any scene in which she overcomes attacking aggressors with her voice and a few jazz moves. :D And oh God this fellow playing playing Trevor Graydon--- what a square jawed, dull as a boxa, pipe-smokin', piece of blow gun dart bait. Too too funny! He belongs in a Dover boys cartoon. ;)

Fun as it is, though, mayhaps there are a few too many plots.

Still-- we get to see "Chinamen" (one of whom is Pat Morita!) tap dancing in an elevator. And when is that not a lark?

Boy Mary Tyler Moore sure has a lot of wrinkles in her face to be playing such a young character... I find it hard to believe she was only 31 when this was made, actually. I mean-- she's aged extremely well, but really: the wrinkles in her face in this thing... I've nothing against wrinkles but these are surprising!

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One of our vendors gave us four free tickets to the opening day game tomorrow at Miller Park-- Brewers/Giants.

E.E. took two and gave them to his wife and one of her girlfriends, and I got the other two and am taking my mother. They're fourth row seats in a suite above the press box right behind home plate. Nice, eh? And a free parking pass, and a guest pass into the Metavante club.

Whoa. I just looked up the club online and there's a $25 per person fee if you don't cancel your reservations with more than a three hour notice. What the heck kinda fancy pants place am I taking us to?

***********************************************


I was checking my Yahoo email and the ad to the left came up.

*tsk tsk tsk*

This girl clearly wants to be me.

That scarf? I have it; it's from Target.

Blonde hair? My hair is blonde.

Vision? I can see.

*tsk tsk tsk*

What a poser.



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A director of mine called me yesterday to see if I was available to baby-sit his kids tomorrow night. Such great kids. I sat them once before and the 8(?) year old daughter had softball practice and so the 6(?) year old son and I played on the playground at the park. He showed me his dance, which I taped with my camera to show to him, and we just generally had a really great time. And then one of the coaches came over to tell me the daughter was throwing up. Just what a baby sitter wants to be told. :S

I carried her on my back about a quarter of a mile back to the minivan (with a broken odometer; just what a baby sitter wants to see) and took them home for pizza and about an hour of playing pretend before watching cartoons in the parents' bed until they got home.

It's kids like theirs that make me want to have kids of my own some day. They're just great, fun kids who get along with their folks and each other and who are always up for a game of make believe. Just what a baby sitter wants to hear. :)

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Now I'm watching Nicholas Nickelby. I'm on Part 2. Some really excellent performances in this. The good people aren't totally annoying and whiny, and the bad people aren't totally one-sided and obnoxious.

Well, except the mother. She's obnoxious. And an absolute twit.

I'm catching up on so many movies, and I like that. But this is really a pathetic way to spend my evenings. I come home, put away a few things, make myself a sandwich or something, set up my computer on the ottoman, and pop in a flick. I'll watch two, maybe three movies a night depending on how long or depressing any of them might be. Then I hop in the shower, then I get into bed with Alfred and a book and read until midnight or 1, and then go to sleep 'til 7. Get up, go to work, start the whole process over again.

"The process" needs to be something that's a better use of my free time, and "Alfred" needs to be a dude.

*sigh*

May hit the sack early tonight. I plan on going crazy with my mother tomorrow. She's one of my best friends you know. I sure do love that woman. My God am I blessed.

I'm watching "The Darjeeling Limited" and I'm on that short film that plays before the movie and I like Natalie Portman so much more in this than in anything else I've ever seen her in. She should stop doing other stuff and just refilm this over and over and maybe just change the location of her bruises every time. Also: she makes me not want to eat any more. Why are skinny girls so much prettier than non-skinny girls? That sucks and is annoying. :(

NP: "Whatever happens in the end I don't want to lose you as my friend."

JS: "I promise I will never be your friend. No matter what. ever."

The blues and yellows in that final shot are gorgeous. Man... I want Wes Anderson to direct my life. Also: I desperately want to visit India. Like: right right right right now.

Sunset is doing Fame next summer and I kinda have this nagging little thought of maybe working out really hard for like three months leading up to the auditions and practicing the songs and stuff and then auditioning. It'd just be such a drag if I put in all that effort and didn't make it. Not that I wouldn't get a lot out of the exercise and the vocal work, it would just be such a bummer to try so hard for an audition and then get turned down when generally I put no work whatsoever into ANY audition. Maybe I wish I wasn't spoiled by that.

Who's up for a train trip through India with me? Let's pack nothing but passports, money, and cameras.

No seriously. How about this October? I play on taking a lot of pictures, seeing a lot of places, buying something beautiful, and learning to dance...

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So I just put in She's The Man (shut up) and the trailers are pushing me farther towards homicidal than I've ever been.

Trailer #1: Failure to Launch. I've seen this movie, actually. I don't remember why or how. It looked stupid to me, I didn't want to see it, but I saw it, and didn't like it. Why did I see it? Agh!! I can't remember!! Did someone *make* me see it? Whatever. It sucked.

Trailer #2: Season 2 of Laguna Beach. Ohhhhhhhhh my God. If they all developed leprosy and were then dropped into that perpetually burning mine in Centralia, PA that would be awesomer than I care to confess quite this close to Easter. Did you ever see that video of Jason Mraz when he was on Mad TV and they did a Laguna Beach parody? Hee hee hee... Actually it might've been a parody of The OC. I-- I'm not really sure...

Trailer #3: All You Got. Never heard of it? Yeah. Me neither. The IMDB entry doesn't even have a cover pic featured. I have never seen so much head shaking and finger wagging in my life. Hurry, Osama! Huuurrrrry!! We need you now more than ever...

And so far "She's The Man" makes me want to throw up all of the food I've eaten since Tuesday and then lock my sister up so she can't date any blockheads like the guys on this Cornwall soccer team.

Huh. Amanda Bynes. This is a first for me. Never seen her in anything.  I... I really don't mind her... I think. She's kinda cute. :) Granted she mugs worse and more frequently than just about ANYONE I have EVER SEEN in my ENTIRE LIFE on stage or screen. *shakes head* No really: She's The. Worst. How has she been so successful? Or perhaps a better question is: How is it that the way she acts is so popular? I've seen worse, and this isn't *painful* per se. But yeah: stellar she ain't.

Still: Lord knows I'd kill a cute baby goat for an opportunity to replace her in even her muggiest flick.

Ack! :( I can't believe I just said I'd kill a cute baby goat. That's terrible! :'(

Watching Joyeux Noel and indulging the faux-Swede in me by munchin' on some Anna's ginger cookies. They remind me of Christmases at Grandma and Grandpa's house on the island; of the dining room table filled with bowls of various doughs and batters and sprinkles and powdered sugar, and the rolls of wax paper, and cookie cutters, and pans with rusted edges, and the kitchen hot from the oven, and classical music coming in from the living room, and Grandma bustling around keeping everything moving along while showing Bekah and me how to make all different kinds of traditional Swedish cookies and treats.

I don't really know what I am other than German, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the Swedes. :)

Got a call from In Tandem yesterday about volunteering this week for the UPAF thing at State Fair, and about volunteering to usher for "Mass Appeal." I'll have to check to see when I'm free for that. I like volunteering for them. And seeing the show for free? Well that's nice too! ;)

In an interesting and cheering turn of events, Jane also called to let me know I'm one of the folks they're going to be calling about auditioning for one of their shows next spring. I think it goes up in April. Or maybe it's that the audition is in April. Whatever-- very neat. :D

I just hope it doesn't overlap with the things I'm interested in trying out for at Sunset and Civic. I know the competition will be pretty tough for the In Tandem show so it's not really that likely to come about, but still, if it does work out I'd hate to see it replace the opportunity to work with two other theatres I've so enjoyed working with. Especially with the rough time Sunset is having. I don't want to miss out on a chance to work there one last time (if that's what it comes to for them), even though the In Tandem show would pay.

A lot.

I wish I spoke French. I'm watching an interview with the J.N. director and the sound of his language is just fascinating.

Why do we fight? How do you convince people with fact, with honesty, that they ought to go shoot someone? I call we swich to hand-to-hand combat between the people running the countries that are fighting. Maybe give 'em a month to train, first. You know: give the old white guys at least somewhat of a chance so things are a bit more even (otherwise it's just no fun to watch), and then put 'em in the ring and say 'All right, you guys duke it out. We're gonna go have a sandwich. And we want this figured out by the time we get back. You don't *have* to fight, you can talk, too. Just, you know, figure it out. We'll have dessert after our sandwiches; give ya' a little extra time...'

Mmmm... sandwich... Gotta go!

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Why have a sandwich when you can have mac 'n' cheese?

Watching March of the Penguins with Alfred. He's into penguins. penguins 'n' narwhals, but penguins mostly.

I'm with Alfred-- Penguins are pretty cool. We learned about them in fourth grade. With Miss D. Good times.

Too bad we don't do our best "mate attracting" when our bellies are so full they're distended. Lucky penguins...

In other news, my YouTube videos have been watched a cumulative total of 1,996 times. Weird, no? They're long, rambly, and about nothing of any relevance or import. At all. Ever. 1,996. And I haven't posted a new one in over 3 months, so the timing is weird, too.

I'd still be posting if I had a better recording program. I don't know how to record video using my built-in webcam. *sigh* I know... I know... I'm an idiot... I just haven't really done much looking around for programs I can use, and the only thing I've already got on hand is the program that goes with my crappy Logitech cam that I bought last fall and refuse to use.

Man... these penguins are kinda sweet and romantic... And those two are totally gettin' it on... I should probably cover Alfred's eyes for this part. :P Gotta go!

Attempted to see a basketball game after work today. One of my coworkers, E.E., is on a team through... something... and I told him I'd go see his game if he and his wife, S., came to my show.

Well as it happens he hurt his neck last weekend-- something with one of his sons' wrestling stuff at school-- so they didn't make it. But lest we forget: I'm awesome, so I still went to the game.

Except that the other team didn't show up.

So we just hung out at the elementary school gym watching E.E.'s team play a little 4-on-3 amongst themselves before heading to Famous Dave's for a li'l BBQ. Mmmmmmm-mm-mm.

Checked out four more DVDs from the library tonight. Picked up Finding Neverland, The Hours, Showboat, and Children of Dune. I'm watching Showboat right now and thanking the gods I don't live in such a world. Sure it's pretty enough, all that Technicolor, but the racism and corsets and throwin' random trash into the river would drive me to drink. And drink. And drink.

These women. Criminy.  And Kathryn Grayson? "Oh... Oh... Oh... I'm sorry sir... Oh... My, sir... I mean, that is... Oh... I beg your pardon, sir... Oh, but... Oh..."

Oh God and her voice!! Ugh! It's one of this wavering, quivering, weirdo Snow White things, but with an a broader range. Ugh ugh ugh. How and why was that ever a popular style??

And I do not for a moment buy that this woman has a white dad and a black mom. Sorry. Nope.

Old Man River
- Kern, Hammerstein

You and me, we sweat and strain
Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge and lift that bale
Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail
 
I gets weary and so sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin', but I'm feared of dyin'
And Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along

I'm watching "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" and having a hell of a time figuring out why in the world this thing has remained so popular for so long. There's just NOTHING funny in this.

I mean: I can muster a chuckle or two for occasional ENORMOUS, ham-handed ridiculosity, mugging, and unnattractive middle aged men in chiffon, but there is seriously not a single role in this I would EVER want to play- or see played- ever ever ever, no matter how good of a singer I was, no matter how good I looked in a toga. If we're friends and you're in this, you owe me two drinks before the show and three drinks after if you think you're gonna get me to see you in this thing. I think Buster Keaton himself would actually have to make an appearance as the near-sighted father for me to even consider attending a live production.

Is it just better-- is it funny *live*? Is that it? I can see how it could be better live. But "good"? I don't know, man. I just don't know...

I rented it from the library today after work figuring it was probably a good idea that I have some clue as to what it's about since it's still put on often enough that I'm likely to run into it at some point. God bless me I now know better than to audition sight unseen.

Alfred didn't like it either.

Now I'm putting in "Barefoot in the Park" because I can't be bothered to read that either, and Lord knows I'll audition for this some day. Might as well know what it is I'll be auditioning for.

So far the song playing under the opening credits makes me want to don a leopard print dress, a wide belt, and a perma-tini in my drinkin' hand. Ick.

Also: I never noticed how much Brad Pitt and Robert Redford look alike. And how much Robert Redford doesn't do comedy like he knows what's funny. And how much he can't seem to kiss Jane Fonda like they're both the same species. Ah, but who can really kiss Barbarella the way Barbarella needs to be kissed?

"Paul I'm going to be a lousy wife. But don't be angry with me. I love you very much. And I'm very sexy."

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I'm having a hard time with "BitP." In part because Jane Fonda is totally cute in it but I'm only int he mood for so much cuteness right now, and in part because I'm afraid this will be me and my new husband one day. :P

"I feel like we've died and gone to heaven... only we had to climb up."

Fine fine fine... In other news: body sushi. I want sushi. I do. I just don't know that I want to eat it off of a naked person. Don't oils from their skin get into the rice? And I imagine they have to keep the space fairly warm to accommodate the nudity, so what about the possibility of them sweating in my salmon??

How to get rid of headaches.

And now, I'm off to make asparagus and just *listen* to the movie from the other room. God. This husband. What an awful, thankless, boring role. Icccckkkkkkkkk.