Telling of spelling and all that is well (ing)

Monday, February 27th

Telling of spelling and all that is well (ing)

music: Lots of stuff
mood: indigo

Bytes…I’m alive…and well.. and singing. Life it good, busy, and ever amusing…here are the highlights…

Closing Fruit: Pear slices has had a good run. Almost all sold out for the entire run. We had about 20 seats free dispersed throughout the 11 performances. Only two shows that proved an energy challenge and two audiences that were…let’s say…quietly appreciative. Fascinating how live theatre revolves around not only the energy of the actors but the audience. A bad one can suck the performance out of you, a good one can boost your performance. New life long friends and respected fellow artists out of this production, Josh who will indeed be famous one day, mark my words, and Troy, who I would work with in a heartbeat in any capacity. A great, articulate, intuitive director. My stipend will pay for my speeding ticket. I decided to pay rather than face Officer Apollo. It would have made for a good blog no doubt…but I couldn’t bring myself to risk going to court and fainting. Good stuff….aaannndd scene.

Design THIS!: Set design goes tremendously well for Magician’s Nephew. We have had two EXTENSIVE meetings and I feel like a princess indeed working with a crew that is dedicated to make my visions work technically and maybe it’s all the coffee, but I feel like I’m on a roll with concepts myself. For a girl that’s not a land mammal I have to say my choreography comes from some wickedly awesome muse. I found the PERFECT music after probably 20 hours over the last 3 weeks of searching finally presented itself and in 1 ½ hours I got 8 kids and adults with 1 silk WWII parachutes (thank you ebay) and 4 satin bed sheets to simulate the creation of Narnia during a 4 minute and 50 second piece. They did great and I have to say I was amazed at how well it worked out. Without lighting, and costumes our first trial run of the whole piece brought chills. For all the challenges we have had (did I mention I’ve somehow lost the key to the dance studio…grrrr gremlins) there is certainly magic surrounding this. I feel like a fairy. Definitely a sparkle in my eye these days.

Garbage Truck: I know my life is hectic when my lovely yellow jeep starts to fill up with garbage. Among this mornings motley sightings in Jeep were 6 pairs of shoes, 3 coats, a parachute, a live cactus, 2 nail clippers, various Tupperware as I make an attempt to get them to the washing machine before they grow things, but we all know they are going to get thrown out anyway, and a box of publicity flyers for Magician’s Nephew. These are just a few of the many many things that live in my vehicle at present. I am milkdud and french-fry free I think at this time….I haven’t checked under my seat. And I’m missing a dance studio key….be afraid….be very afraid.

Home on the range: Congrats to Robert 4 (Chris Bartlett) and his new yellow (we approve of the color to be sure) VW golf and even better, his new 5 bedroom house. It’s a bit of a trek to Manteca (which I am offended means FAT/BUTTER in Spanish) which will mean my rouge fix of Irishman blarney and the big furry muppet known as Cuan will be greatly reduced no doubt, but I’ve signed on unofficially to spend his money on decorating the house. Gotta love that arrangement. I will have to get in touch with my feminine side of spending money and balance it with the masculine, macho, Irish, cop side. I’m thinking pastel pinks. Not. Reminds me of college and high school when I used to completely rearrange my room every 6 months and make little window displays. Gypsy roots no doubt. In the tradition of naming ones locale (the Lounge, the Highland Palace, etc) I nominate Chez Bartlett’s new abode to be referred to now and forever as Banba. What better name for the Irishman away from Ireland than a word meaning both a goddess or rather one of a trio of Celtic goddesses (meow) and an ancient poetic name for Ireland. My two cents. Can’t wait to start in on that project…

Under Age Labor: I was rung up at Quizno’s downtown last week by a little girl who could not have been more then 9 years old. Weird. Same day I saw a 14 year old boy behind the counter at my local coffee shop. Maybe it’s spring break, maybe he’s home schooled, maybe though….that’s just wrong.

Graveyard Shift: My favorite cemetery on Alum Rock is a huge HUGE catholic plot with lots of statues, mausoleums, and artistic gravestones. Quite beautiful. The iron gate surrounding is a wonderful touch and with this overcast weather it’s eerily soothing to drive by. They are “developing” a previously just lawned section and have stacked scores of stone crypts (empty) three high and maybe 20 across over the path as they dig up rows for them. Would make a really interesting discovery channel show. I wonder if the dead complain about the noise. I can almost imagine a corpse….”well there goes the neighborhood, a new bunch of deadbeats moving in”.

FAT Tuesday: Susannah’s National Holiday. I want everyone to send me flowers….or doughnuts. And apologies for calling me fat, in front of the whole world.

Apprentice Where are they now: Raj is running for Congress. Crazy man. Any bets on if he will win. Young, smart, smart ass, celebrity in the house….I wonder is Donald Trump will support the candidate. Should be interesting. I recorded the Apprentice which started its new series tonight...not a lot of hope for it..but we will see.

Clothes on demand: Threadless.com. Crappy shirts but a GREAT concept. For those of us who only do laundry once a month….I could stand having affordable clothing sent to me like xmas each month. I think they have something here.

Spellbound: Saw an EXCELLENT documentary called Spellbound about the national spelling bee. I am in preparation for my free tickets to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee next Saturday. 5 out of 5 rockwell/Rutgers/D’nofrios. Poignant, funny, cute and a really well put together piece. See it. I will be seeing Putnam with a real live Putnam County/WV representative from the 1981 National Spelling B. He came in 40th. He may be an insensitive asshole to others, but he’s perspicacious in my experience. Spell that.

Progress: My niece Kayla has her own email address. This amuses me. What amuses me more is that she will go to the computer and when my sister asks her what she is doing the 28 month old says…: I’m checking email. Mom of course sends Kayla her own e-cards which she very much enjoys. Too funny. I know a couple of dogs who have/had there own accounts, but this goes beyond novelty. The first time I used a computer was in 3rd grade. We actually in the city of the birthplace of Apple and HP among other pioneers had a computer lab with 6 very large and loud computers. We took turns with reading and spelling games. In 6th grade we played 30 minute sessions of Where in the World is Carmen San Diego for a Geography Supplement and by 7th grade I was writing most of my papers on our green screen DOS IBM. But 2 years old? Crazy.

MUSIC PICKS: The Fray, Matt Kearney, Agustana….and Colin Hay from Men at work fame...They should totally play his and Lazlo Bane's songs onthe radio....great rainy day weather music…which it is….

Count down: 33 days to Sandy and Espe’s wedding (I pick up her dress with her Thursday), 21 days to Hawaii, 19 days to Magician Nephew opening. 7 days to Craig Furguson. 24 hours to mental breakdown…just kidding.

Have a good one.
princess on 02.27.06 @ 11:14 PM PST [link]

Tuesday, February 14th

Pear Slices Devoured...Aslan discovered

music: Keane, Killers, Switchfoot
mood: crampy

Good stuff all around as a soldout weekend of Pear Slices, produced 2 decent reviews (one here) and another 3 yet to come, plus we cast an Aslan this afternnon for The Magican's Nephew. Dad enteres his 4th and 5th interviews at a job at Adobe and the book club tea on Sunday was delightful and intellectually stimulating. I believe I ran a salon in a past life, or was a member of one. I gotta figure out how to find the time, topics and participants to run one in this life. Maybe in the Serengeti.

The list has started to get to a reasonable manageable level....and so I watched a movie late last night. Corection I fell asleep while watching the Dukes of Hazzrd. I don't htink it had anything to do with being tired...I love Johnny knoxville, but...I did not love this movie....I think I needed to watch it with rednecks or at least with guys for it to be entertaining. A disappointing 2 Rutgers/rockwells/d'nofrios.

Annnnndddd.....scene...

princess on 02.14.06 @ 05:09 PM PST [link]

Thursday, February 9th

The body Electric, Poker and Shooting at Blanks.

music: Rufus Wainright
mood: Retarded

Welcome to Clumbsy mode. Tonight your host will be...me. It took me FAR FAR to long to make a latenight milkshake the other night thus indicating I have entered the clumbsy zone. I must have opened the fridge and switched items on the counter about 10 different times. The walls insist on bumping into me, brusing arms and legs equally and speaking has become a challenge. Tuesdays tech rehearsal for the Pear show resulted in me leaving out "s's" and well let's just face it...entire lines. This phase only lasts a couple days though, so I am confident that tonight's preview, and our sold out opening weekend will be smooth. Not so smooth was me walking out the door with my sweater on inside out. Thankfully the winner of the week award was the woman at the coffee show who enlightened me of my state of sweater. The sad thing was I had put it on inside out this morning and realizing I was a moron I had taken it off and put it back on....correctly...I thought...only not. It's a sweater, not rocket science. I think I will write a song called "I go blonde every 6 weeks". Sigh.

Despite my retarded control of my physical body it appears to be in tune with the rest of the world. My joints don't usually hurt when its warm outside, and it has been stunningly sunny. Even the cherry trees are confused and blooming a full month early. I have had two bouts though with join pain which despite some major skeptisim on the part of the general public, usually means 1) Earthquake 2) someone I know is having pains. So my wrist was hurting for about 2 days, and then very suddenly wasn't. I had avoided taking any pain killer as a way to measure the pain I suppose, and when it ceased very suddenly after a consistant drone, I did a quick search. I came up with this. The timing was right. And this was a relief, both mentally and physically.

Next up my knee started hurting last Wednesday. My knees are about the only joint that never hurt. Hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles yes. Knee, no. Only when someone elses knee hurts. This did not feel like a preventative pain though if that makes any sense at all. It was more of a current hurt pain. The fact that all three of my roommates were going skiing didn't make me nervous. So I called Brette who had knee pains growing up. A quick call confirmed her LEFT knee mostly had started to hurt a few days before. This explained it...maybe. It was mostly my right knee, and though I chocked it up to Brette's pains ( what sisterly bonds huh?,glad you aren't having any children Brette =]) I wasn't completely satisfied to have the wrong knee. Tuesday my friend Laurina called to give me some good news about our Friend Leslie who is 7 months pregnant and mentioned her knee was all messed up for no reason. I asked her when it started to hurt and she said Wednesday. And it was her RIGHT knee. It's swollen enough for her to have some shock and ultrasound therapy, and if that doesn't abate the situation she will see a surgeon about it. And there you go. I walk into walls, but at least I can live vicariously via pain through those close to my heart and distant from it.

Amongst my activities this past week outside of Theatre and Work I got to see Robert Schimmel at the Improv (I think it was a guy thing, ragged on your ex the entire time makes me think you need to just move on) and play poker. I was short on cash ( 75 cents from the floor of the jeep, not quite enough to stay in for too long) so I borrowed $10. Then I borrowed $5. Then I borrowed $5 more. And by the end of the 4 hours, I had repaid my generous financier his $20, and had $1.70 bounus. Somebody take my ass to Vegas. I got a nearly 2% return....garunteed. And I can walk away from the table.

A discovery ( not of my own, thanks to Pease) has resulted in a most excited Susannah. The Blank Club provides what is called Union Jack Off Kareoke night on Mondays. This is soooooo up my alley. All British Music. Ash, Travis, Coldplay, Cure, Clash, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Damian Rice, Blur....groups and songs no one here EVER plays on the radio let alone has to sing to. And a real stage, and a dj mixer that is killer, and british beer and a small, fun and supportive diverse talent pool. Awesome. I was like in my element. I couldn't leave. We shut the place down. It was...Brillant.

Best wishes to Phil as he journeys to his home in Florida. The visit was fun, educational, imperative. Your new life is a journey you will learn much from. I'd admire your faith. If more people felt as strong about the things you do, I imagine we would be closer to paradise. Build those wings and call whenever you need some wind beneath them dude.

Over and out my loves....your angel has work to do...
princess on 02.09.06 @ 02:14 PM PST [link]

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