things are A-OK

Work is doing ok in terms of business - one way they've been able to offset any drops in business is to have everyone use ALL of their accrued vacation days.

So now, I have to take a day or 2 off in April and..... I dunno.... go to the dentist?

I'm an "accruer". I enjoy watching the hours stack up, and then take a PLANNED vacation of a week, or a long weekend, etc.

The whole idea of "Uh, I guess I'll take off the 17th, and I guess the 27th", doesn't work well for me.

FIRST and foremost.... what the hell happens if I get sick and can't come in? I always like to have at least one day sitting in my "bank" so I can use it for emergencies. (If I have 6 days, I'll take a 5 day vacation so I have something left). So, I guess the practoce worries me about having a back up plan.

Although in the long run I should be pleased I have a job.
You know, one where I'm able to access Blogger???

Red Noses, and more

How cool does this show look? I'm ashamed to say I've never been to a Strawdog show, but the description of this show sounds so engaging!

I have a little time in April before my next show -- I think I need to cram some good theatre in there. This one is at the top of my list.

I also need to go see my favorite diminutive Texan in this


I won't be able to see D-Ray or Adam in THIS, becaue it runs during my show in May.
Maybe I can finagle my way into a rehearsal before I go into tech on the 27th.
(Bob Fisher, I'm looking RIGHT AT YOU)

I'd also like to squeeze in Bries-y in Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Busy Busy Busy April!

the vague stops here

There's a subject close to my heart that I've discussed on my blog from time to time...
here:
http://allthingsdianna.blogspot.com/2007/08/regret.html
and again here:
http://allthingsdianna.blogspot.com/2008/05/want-to.html
and for the last time, here:
http://allthingsdianna.blogspot.com/2008/08/good-karma.html

Each time, I've been vague to the point of pulling my hair out - inserting vague pronouns, deleting names, being vague about the circumstance(s).

Well, I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm too old to be the "beat around the bush" gal.

Let me explain the posts once and for all.

The regret? I did something awful to my old best buddy, Jenn Leavitt Adams. I was trying to put into words (albeit, code words) how awful I felt about it and how there wasn't anything I could do. I was already toying with apologizing somehow back then, but was afraid that it would be too self-serving (or appear so), so I didn't.

Then, about 8 months later, I posted that I wanted to apologize again. I felt that it would still be kind of dumb. (more for me than for her, you know?)

That last post? "Good Karma"?
Well, I had finally mustered up the courage to email an apology letter. I also asked if there was anyway I could be a part of her life again?
And the spectacular thing that happened? Jenn emailed me back, and thanked me for apologizing. She didn't think we could be friends again, but thanked me for apologizing, nonetheless. While I was dissapointed that she didn't see us being able to reconcile, I was pleased that she had even taken the time to respond to me - something she had no need to do.


Now - we have a couple of friends in common (duh, theatre is a completely small world, so thats not surprising), and one of those friends, Kevin, was in the show I was just stage managing, and Jenn came last Sunday to our closing performance in support of Kevin. She brought along her mom, and another mutual friend, Jessica. Now, not wanting to make anyone's time uncomfortable, when the show was over, I just popped my head into the lobby really quick - gave Jess a quick hug hello and thanked her for coming. I didn't want to assume that it was at all OK to hang out and chat, so I was slowly inching back towards the theatre and out of the lobby when Jenn's mom Pat approached me from the side, and gave me a hug hello. In hindsight, I can say that I was so blown away by that, that I actually nearly fell down.
Meanwhile, while all this is happening, Jenn is in the bathroom. So basically, I'm just trying to say hello, and catch up before Jenn comes out of the bathroom!!! No, no - not in a bad way! Basically, I just don't want her to feel uncomfortable - and if she doesn't want to be friends, perhaps she'd react strangely? I don't know - I just wanted them all to have a good time and enjoy the show, and I didn't want my stupid drama to interfere with that.

Then Kevin comes over to say hello, so now all 3 of us are chatting, and then Jenn comes out of the bathroom - and all is good. Casual, catching up kind of conversation - the usual theatre banter "what are you up to?" "what's your next show?". Discussion, laughter, eye contact - all things that others take for granted and that I was relishing. I think I had a little diahhrea of the mouth for a few minutes, but all was good.

Jenn, Pat & Jess - I'm so glad you all enjoyed the show, and best of all it was LOVELY to see all of you!

Strangely interested

After watching LOST tonight, our roommate wanted to watch the latest episode of "The Real World" she had taped (yes,that show is STILL on...)
Well, there's a kid on the show who is an Iraq war vet, and the whole episode is dealing with him educating his roomies on The Iraq War, and what he went through. And it showshim learning about some different veteran groups and support groups.
Strangely proud ofMTV of having such a great episode.

Glutton

So here's what I usually do.

I do something dumb and hurt myself (slip, trip, fall, you name it), and I don't take it easy enough and my healing time goes slow (see last post...).

Then, as the twinges and pain subside in whatever area, and I'm on the road to complete recovery, I invariably re-injure the affected area and I'm right back where I started, and usually in more pain than when I started.

So....my hand.

My poor right hand.

Yesterday (for some reason - I have NO idea what I did), the joint of my thumb and my pointer finger started to THROB. And I mean, arthritic-style throb. I ignored for a bit because I figured it was a twinge or strain of some kind and would subside.
No such luck.
Hence one of the most tossy-turny nights I've had in awhile. So I can't sleep on my usual LEFT side due to the tattoo I got on my shoulder Saturday (story for another day, I promise), and I can't sleep on my RIGHT side, because I'm afraid of laying on my screwed up hand...
What's a gal to do?
I hate sleeping on my back, I never feel comfortable. And sleeping on my front doesn't work either (trust me, big boobs may be pleasant to look at but they are KILLER to try and sleep on).
So I sort of HAVE to sleep on my back. I curl my arm with my wasted hand up above my head, so that the useless appendage is resting on my pillow a bit.

And the throb continues.

I remember how good I am at mind over matter stuff - and I start to pretend I'm back in my Voice & Movement class. Laying flat on my back, eyes closed, with Patty DeLorey walking around saying softly "imagine that your ankles....are filled....with air...."
Instead, I'm quietly saying to myself "your hand is RESTING now.... its not moving.... the pain is going away.... the throbbing is subsiding..."

And it WORKED! just long enough for me to fall asleep an get an hour or two - then I'd shift in my sleep, feel pain in my hand, wake up from the pain, and then start all over again.

Now - last week or so with the healing of the hand the first go around, I would rest my hand from time to time, but I would still type and click the mouse with my right.

Not today - the first thing I did when I got in today was move my mouse over to the LEFT side, and used my left hand to click all morning. I was a ton slower than usual, but my right hand got a bunch of rest it needed. And I'm usually a "hunter - seeker" typise, so I just took my pointer finger and my thumb out of commission for the day...so far so good!
That, plus some Ben Gay and some ibuprofen.
There's still some pain, but it's way better than before.

If you look at the orginal post from when I slipped on the Ice, that happened almost a MONTH ago!

If when you next see my hand has been cut off in frustration, now you'll know why!

pain and stiffness

Thats gonna be the name of my new all-girl, alt-rock, lesbo band.

Oh, and it's also what I'm STILL feeling after my dork escapades with the sidewalk across the street from my house 2 1/2 weeks ago. Mostly my hand still hurts. It's supper hard to just rest the sprained wrist and hand when it is your dominant one and you sit at a computer all day- clicking a mouse with your dominant hand... vicious circle. Then yesterday, theExec. Chef, who had been on vacation, swung by my office to say hello to my boss, as he usually does every day but hadnt in awhile. He's a huge Yankees fan (and he's German, go fig), so we have this friendly baseball rivalry thing. He'll come in, shake my hand and say hello, then give me shit about fouling up the Teixeira trade or some other bullshit, and he'll laugh and walk on to my bosses office. SO, yesterday, he walks up - says "Hello girl", his usual hello to me, I'm not sure he knows my name, then reaches out his hand for our usual shake, and I reach out my right hand, and JUST as he starts to squeeze, I remember. And he squeezes my hand like he's making up for the 2 weeks he missed, dammit. Needless to say, it hurt so much I almost cried, and it throbbed for the next 30 minutes or so.

fuicking Germans.