Moving on up...

Tomorrow is the day --- The movers arrive at 9am. This is my first time ever using movers - I'm PSYCHED to not have to carry heavy objects up 3 flights of stairs. Yeah, our new place is on the 3rd floor. Awesome exercise when you coming and going from work --- awful to be carrying a box full of books!!! So, they come at 9. Sara and I will be filling the car with some smaller stuff (plus the TV - we want to take full responsibility for our expensive set....), and following behind. If things go fast (damn you impending snow), the movers should be done by 11, and we should be done completely by the end of the day (we can move slower...we're not on the clock!). I'll take pictures and post them of the new place, I promise.


On a related note, the condo we've lived in for 3 years actually belongs to a good friend of mine. He and his family moved back to Massachusetts 3 years ago, and we moved in just after they left. Now that we're leaving, he's trying to sell the condo. It's a great condo - if Sara and I were interested in a condo, we'd buy it ourselves. Here's a link to some more info about it, including some kick ass pictures. It is priced to sell as it is, but he is more than willing to entertain offers. Let me know if you want to contact him, or if I can put you in touch with the realtor, Connie, who is super nice.

PEOPLE OF CHICAGO!

I'm not sure if you're aware, but there are only ***3*** more chances to see our smash hit, "The (edward) Hopper Project". I am ridiculously proud of this production, and while I was only a small cog in the wheel, considering the massive numbers of people involved, I still know that my cog was NECESSARY.
(info and tickets - click here)

There are several pictures I could have used for this post, as we've had a bunch of pictures taken by a bunch of different people, but this one is by far my favorite. It sets the tone for the kind of show it is (dark but intriguing), I love the lighting (well done, Mr. Durst), the costumes are kick ass (woo hoo Rebar!), and these are truly 2 of my favorite people (not just in the show, but in life...). This little moment that Joe & Merrie's characters share is one of my favorite moments in the show, it's largely silent, and lasts only about 20 seconds tops. Brilliant.

(Photo by John Sisson - http://www.sissonphotography.com/ )

2 cents on diversity

There are far more intelligent discussions on diversity happening, for instance at Don's place,  99 Seats, not to mention the daily discussions on RVCBard's Blog. I don't consider myself even a SMIDGE smart enough to engage in this discussion. Sure, I would love to see some more diversity in Theatre, and Art in general, but I have no idea how to accomplish that.

Here's the ONE thing that has always needled me in the back of my brain, though. Cultivating diversity is a broader topic than just in the arts - how can I be expected to seek out and cultivate diversity in the arts when I'm not even doing it in my daily life? (and I'm sure I'm not alone). Personally, I need to refelct on MYSELF, and work on my stereotypes and pre-conceived notions that cloud MY head before I can work on coming up with ways to diversify an entire arts structure. Before we are artists, we are humans. The same white people who try to champion "Diversity in the Arts" are the same people who would change train cars if a group of black teenagers came on, or would cross the street to avoid a group of young hispanic kids. Do you look black people in the eye on the train or the bus? Do you choose to stand on the train rather than sit next to the black man?
I include myself in these questions - I *AM* that person. I am ashamed to say I have thought these thoughts. I don't know where they come from. Society? Upbringing? Personal experiences? Probably a fair helping of ALL of those things.
My growth as a HUMAN includes me now sitting anywhere on the bus or train, regardless of my seatmate. I don't change cars, I don't cross the street --- I look EVERYONE in the eye. And I even try to smile at all of them (depends on the mood - PMS usually derails Happy Dianna a little...)
Not looking for a pat on the back, or a parade proclaiming "Dianna is a CHAMPION of trying to bust through the stereotypes she has in her head! Good for her!". This isn't about how OTHERS percieve my changes in thought and action, it should be about how I percieve them. And I while I feel I've made some baby step style progress, I still feel I have miles to go.

At a recent post on Don's blog, Jesus left the following comment:

"Well, when I read all these discussions about diversity in theatre, and how we can expand the presence of minorities in casts and in the theatre as a whole, it feels like watching people wonder how best to spruce up the siding on a house that has no foundation. It all sounds great and pretty, but those communities have bigger issues than how many of their residents are on stages across the city."

And that sums up how I have always felt about this issue....diversity on the stage is the new vinyl siding, but the issues of racial equality and the breaking down of stereotypes is the FOUNDATION.

People, we can't make our house look pretty on the OUTSIDE unless we fix the INSIDE first.

The Facts (again)

I blatantly stole this from Brownlee about 3 years ago.

This is the third time I’ve updated “The Facts”

I am 35 years, 0 Months, 9 days and 10 hours old

I have lived in Chicago (total) for 8 years, 5 months & 20 days

I lived here in 99-01 for 1 yr, 11 mo & 5 days

I moved back here in 03, which now equals 6 yr, 6 mo, & 16 days (and counting)

I have lived in 5 different apartments – but I’m moving to apartment #6 in 2 weeks

1 of them I simply moved from upstairs to the downstairs.

In only 1 did I not have a room mate

Sara and I have been together (officially) since August 9, 2001

I have worked at my day job for 6 years, 5 month, 15 days.

I have produced 4 shows in Chicago.

I (still) have mixed feelings about all of them.

I have been in 1 play since college.

In it, I played mother to an actor who was only 8 years younger than me.

I knew only 1 of my great-grandmothers. She still spoke with an Irish brogue.

I have been to many funerals.

I am 2 degrees from Kevin Bacon. (Although it’s been almost 3 years since I typed this originally, and I can’t remember the connection)

I have skied many mountains many times.

I have owned 3 cars.

I have been in 2 car accidents. (::knock wood::)

I have ridden in 1 ambulance.

I have had 0 moles removed.

I had a throat abscess “lanced” when I was 16. My only hospital stay to date.

I am about 20 credits shy of a BFA in Theater.

I keep in touch with a few friends from high school.

Facebook changes that number from time to time

No offense to all ya’ll from EHS, but reconnecting with Shayna has been the best.

I actually enjoyed my 10 year reunion, and frankly am looking forward to the 20.

I have many fillings.

I have 2 missing teeth (thankfully, not in front)

I have had 0 broken bones. (::knock wood::)

I have been in 1 fist fight.

I have lost 1 fist fight. But became best friends afterward (we were 12)

I have never shot and killed an animal.

I have visited 19 states. This includes airport layovers, which count in my book.

After our planned road trip this June, that number will jump to 25.

This does not include Puerto Rico, which is not a state (yet). But which I have been to. But again, doesn’t count (but should…)

I own more movies than I can count anymore.

For the move, I am actually giving away a lot of them. While I love them, I don’t watch them the way I used to. And MAN, do they take up space. And they are HEAVY.

Pitchers and catchers report in a matter of days. That fills me with glee.

Friday

Just gotta keep sayin: "Good stuff on the horizon, good stuff on the horizon"

I've defintely had a week. The normal jabs and uppercuts of life have connected a little bit better due to my PMS - so, something that would normally just aggravate me for a little while and then fade, well, now it's bringing me to tears. Yesterday, I was so keyed up and stressed out I was choking back tears the entire 15 minutes I was shoveling my pre-show dinner in my mouth (yeah, see how I only had 15 minutes to relax and have dinner? icing on a shit day). Dealing with shit I shouldn't have to deal with, compromising on something only because I was guilted into it, spending the last hour at work dealing with ALL of this so that I left work late (hence, not a lot of time for dinner). What a crap freaking Thursday..

In the "life is good" column, though, I always have to remember that my cup pretty much runneth over. I have a well-paying stable job, where I have seniority, vacation & benefits (yeah, benefits for Sara too...). I have a roof over my head, a nice place to boot, as well as nice material things that make me feel comfy and cozy when I am at home. Best of all, I have Sara. I mean, I get home and she can see the stress on my face and she just wants to give me a hug. Never mind that she got home from work at 8 (she goes in at 7am) and she still had to do a full night of homework before goinmg to bed and doing it all over again tomorrow. She came to bed after I did, and she gets up way before I do. She's a rock star. :-)

So maybe I just feel bitchy and cranky ... maybe I need a vacation ... maybe I just need for it to be the weekend alrready... wait... it's Friday? Well isn't that just fan-freaking-tastic!!!!