Almost there

So, I'm feeling a bunch better today.
I slept a whole bunch and I'm feeling well rested, which is a great first step.
I had no plans, which are my favorite days. Those are the days when I catch up on TV,a movie, and completely "veg"out in front of the laptop. And I did all of those things and it felt GREAT. I caught up on Top Chef (it's so OBVIOUS that Stefan is going to win!), I re-watched LOST (I mean that show can always use multiple watchings...), "Goodfellas"was on - who can resist?
Once Sara got home from work, we watched some Law & Order SVU and played each other in Scrabble on Facebook.
It was lazy and wasteful and I loved every minute of it!!!!
We leave for vacation in exactly 1 week- boy, I'm gonna need it!
This coming week is gonna be a little tight, too.
I have rehearsal tomorrow (then Super Bowl). Work Monday, no rehearsal. Work Tuesday, rehearsal in evening. Wednesday I'm off work and rehearsal but I'm working all day at the Chicago Public Radio annual gala. Mad props to Don for the gig. Then I work Thursday, have a benefit to attend that night for LS, then work Friday - and Friday is MY BIRTHDAY!!! Then, we leave for Florida first thing Saturday morning.
So, no rest this week either, but almost to vacation!

Trust me, I was touched

Last night, I joined Jen, Dave & Jen's sister Amy to go and see New Leaf's production of "Touch". When the show was over, we were all smushed into Amy's car, and Jen asked all of us what we thought - we all agreed that we needed some time to let the show "marinate" in us, if you will.

For me, the answer is simple and yet complex. I loved it and hated it equally. I loved the show and the performances were absolutley outstanding. I hated that it completely knocked me sideways. I cried throughout most of the show - I'll drop the tears on movies and even commercials for crying out loud, but it's rare to find a theatre piece that moves me as much as this one did. Which is funny, when you think about how I've always pursued the theatre life, and never tried to do any movie work, etc. I mean, theatre is my life of choice, my adopted family that always hugs me and tells me that I rock. Why had nothing ever affected me like this before? Without sounding trite, perhaps my heart was waiting for the perfect confluence of events to spill forth ragged tears of sorrow.

(**if you haven't seen the show and plan to, I plan on discussing details - you were warned**)

I can pinpoint the moment I started crying. Kyle tells the story of how his beloved Zoe one time came over to where he was sitting one night, amongst a group of friends, and didn't simply sit on his lap, but curled up ON HIM. She then told him that she loved him "...in front of other people!"
I couldn't help it - the intimacy of the gesture just filled my heart to overflowing, and i started to cry.

The loss and pain that Kyle dealt with during this journey was so overwhelming, that I felt overwhelmed for him - I wanted to hug him, and yet knew that my gesture would accomplish nothing, as his sorrow was too great.

There's a beacon of hope for Kyle at the end. Things aren't perfect, and never will be (how honost is THAT), but there is HOPE, which is very important.

Jen dropped me off at the red line, and I sat on the train, listening to melancholy music as I usually do, but this time it MAY have been a mistake. I bit the inside of my cheeks from Sheridan all the way to Jarvis to keep from crying. As I got off the train and made my way down the alley toward my house, the music shifted to The Beatles "Yesterday". It made think of Sara, she's the one who has turned me on (late, i know) to The Beatles, so all their music makes me think of her by default.

I quickened my pace - it was FREEZING, by the way, which is in and of itself depressing. With a heavy heart, I did my usual nightime routine. Put out my bag, keys, clothes for work. Kept holding it in. Got into bed. Sara came in a little later, slid in beside me. I held her tight, as if I thought she might not be there when I let go. I tried to explain why I was so melancholy, and for once she didn't call me a nerd for crying about something I saw. I tried to impart why it had affected me so deeply, but I'm pretty sure I was just yammering.
She held me close and then kissed me tenderly while we made love in the dark.
I told her I was so sorry for being so out of sorts, and she just held me and stroked my head while we fell asleep.

My heart still aches today.

Well....whaddya know....

Whether or not I step in a 4 inches deep freezing, slushy puddle is greatly dependent on whether I decided to wear my sneakers or not when leaving for work.

I did.


and....I did.

(stupid soaking wet sneakers.....)

Who are you trying to kid?

I thoroughly enjoy using the "self-checkout" aisle in pretty much any store. I enjoy the control. I swipe things in the order I want, I fill the bags correctly (bread on the TOP, thank you), and I can go as fast or slow as I want.

The Jewel at Grand & State is right by the train station so I go there a lot- yogurts and juice a couple of times a week for breakfasts at work, andalso veryconvenient for grabbing something on the way home from work for dinner.

I did both today- I was out of yogurt so I grabbed some on the way in, and I swung by after work because I was jonesing for mac n' cheese (sue me).

Both times, I got in the (very short) line by the self checkout aisles.
BOTH TIMES, someone just wandered in front of me ,camein from theside and attempted to go to the next open spot.
Both times, I said "exscuse me- the LINE is right here"
Both times, they said "what?"
Both times I repeat,"The LINE is RIGHT HERE"
Both times, I get the stink eye.

My point?
Who goes into the supermarket and just expects there to be no line for something?
I mean, what planet are you from?

(And before you ask, YES, I always point out when someone cuts in line. I'm an asshole like that.)

Seriously?

I mean, could we have a more douchebag governer?

What a fucking idiot.

The Blue Sack

My buddy Joe gave me the title.

Blue Man gave me "the sack"... witty, isn't it? :)

Oh well, I can now say "the current economic crisis has affected me". The silver lining is that I only worked there part time, and I do have a well-paying day job, so money-wise, we're ok.
But, I loved working there, and I'm going to miss it terribly.

Anyone out there looking for a house manager for their winter show?
Or a Stage Manager for their Spring one?
I am clearly available.

side note

Let me preface this by saying that I love Obama as much as the next democratic guy.

But....

Is it so wrong to want Jed Bartlett back in the Oval Office?

"....I'll be watching you...."

Jen Ellison has officially thrown her hat in the ring as my stalker.

Is it any wonder why I didn't stay after the show on Friday?:)

Don't you worry, stalker-girl, I'll probably be coming to see the show again.

Babies, Babies, everywhere...

While I know that my well wishes are not terribly welcome, I can't help but give them.
Mazel tov and congrats to Jenn & Tony.

Get off your ass...

...and fucking go see Schmuckt Die Hallen RIGHT NOW.

placating Joe

I've been instructed to post. Post I shall.

During my blog "downtime" I have actually been writing, I've just been doing it in a journal (you know, those antiquated blank notebooks that you write in, you know, with a PEN)

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I'm more of a "jotter" than a writer. Here are some of the jotted highlights from the interim journal.

10/17/08
* (on the train) Actually just had someone nudge me in the back to push me toward the door - even though there was obviously people crowded in frontof me - and OF COURSE there was no "excuse me".

10/18/08
* The ratio of crazy people to normal folk in any CTA setting is much higher than in regular day to day life, in my humble opinion.
* Jeff Tweedy from Wilco came to Blue Man. This would have been far more exciting for me if I actually listened to their music - or better yet, even knew what Tweedy looked like. Still, interesting for a regular old boring Sunday @ BMG.

10/22/08 (I had actually made a note that gas was 3.25/gal.....it's 2.22 now)
*So, the song on the iPhone flipped to "Don't Fear The Reaper". Now, talk about a song that got ruined by comedic circumstances! I love the song- and I always have. Remember, Nancy was a young mom - Danny & I listened to a lot of 70's rock stations growing up. As a consequence, I heard plenty of Blue Oyster Cult (and Queen, which is on now...). Now, as an adult I have always associated the song with Six Feet Under. Great show, great song. Then Ferrell had to go and take out that damn cowbell.

PRETTY much says it all

(stole the image from Wil Wheaton's site, which he stole from elsewhere)


Ok,thats it....I promise...
No posts in 3 months, and now 3 in one night

DADA Friday

I'm going to opening night of WNEP's newest DADA show- "Schmukt Der Hallen".

Metaluna wasn't scary because I was in the booth, but for this one I'm in the audience.
Jen Ellison is totally gonna fuck with me.

"Now the first of December, was covered with snow..."

James Taylor songs always make me think of Jenn Leavitt Adams.

Good Karma

Yesterday was a good karma day.

Something spectacular happened - it's a little bit personal, so I'm going to keep it to myself for a bit, but suffice to say I feel like a million bucks because of it.

(and no, Sara is NOT pregnant)

color me confused

The Presidential race this year has had its share of ups and downs.... I believe I even said here on the blog that I was predicting a Romney vs. Clinton showdown... what a difference a few months makes, eh?

Those that support John McCain, while I don't agree with their views, I understand their need to stick with a conservative, like themselves.

Those who are supporting Obama (like myself), I obviously completely understand them.

You see, Barack was not my first choice. I found him a passionate guy, but I didn't know a lot about him.
My guy was Joe Biden - I have always loved his straight-forward talk. Sure, he's had some foot-in-mouth moments - haven't all politicians? He gets to the point, and he doesn't fill it with an over abundance of scenery-chewing vocabulary (**coughcoughJOHNKERRYcoughcough**). Joe had to bow out of the race a little early - he didn't get any kind of support during Iowa, so he set aside his campaign and got back to Delaware. My focus shifted to John Edwards, whom I have always admired. His positions were very similar to mine and I loved his commitment to the working poor - there was no one else making the promises he was. Edwards dropped out just before Super Tuesday, which is when Illinois votes in the primary.
Now, Sara and I were set to be in LA visiting my cousin Martin during that week, so with my absentee ballot firmly in hand, I pondered the list on the ballot.
John Edwards was actually still listed, having dropped out too close to Super Tuesday to actually be taken off the ballot. As much as I loved Edwards, I didn't want my vote to be wasted.
Next choice? Hillary Clinton. I have never been interested in Hillary - just a personal thing. I don't dislike her or anything vicious like some other people say, I just have never "warmed" to her, I guess is the word. Good legislator? sure. Great leader? ehhhhh....not so sure.
So this left me with one choice - Barack Obama. I put my "x" in the box, sealed the envelope, and dropped it in the Mission Viejo, CA Post Office.
Over the coming weeks and months, I found myself listening to Obama, and listening hard. If this was going to be my guy, I needed to know more. The things I have seen and heard have inspired me. He's a "lifter-upper", he can stir your emotions and get you thinking that YOU can indeed accomplish anything. And then when he's done speaking, you think about the MEAT of what he said - and you agree with him and see that his ideas have so much merit and he's so ready to be the arbiter of change.
Watching the Obama vs. Hillary stuff play out was painful to watch as a democrat. To watch the party become divided, especially over something as stupid as someone not knowing when it's the right time to leave? infuriating. The vitriol coming from Bill? It killed me. Bill was my guy, I voted for him. It wasn't like he was talking about a political rival, it was like he was talking about someone he HATED. It was awful.
Once Hillary bowed out, and after taking some time and throwing her full support behind Barack, it really felt as though things would turn around....
And then the rumblings began.
I started hearing about people who were Hillary supporters were going to vote for McCain.
I'm sorry....what?!?!?!?!?!?
Are these people even AWARE of what they're voting for? Because while understand the "nyah, nyah, nyah" motivation a bit, I wish these people would realize that not only is it a slap in the face for Barack Obama, its a SLAP IN THE FACE TO HILLARY. You are considering voting for the man that she RAN AGAINST... don't you understand how fucked up that is?
It's so screwed up, I can't even come up with a decent analogy to it!!!!!!
If Obama isn't your guy - I get it.
But if thats the case DONT VOTE.

wait, wait, I have the analogy. Remeber "Friends" when Chandler wore Joey's underwear and then Joey put on ALL of Chandler's clothes???? The entire argument started when Joey took Chandler's seat. Then Chandler took the seat cusions away.

Voting for John McCain is like taking the seat cushons away. In practice, it's a great way of saying FUCK YOU to the guy sitting in the chair, but then you're left with a couple of cushions and no chair to sit in...how stupid is that????

HOORAY

Wow... IT Department at work does one Security patch, I restart my computer and VOILA - I am able to VIEW everyone's blogs again.....

AND NOW I CAN POST AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Fuck yeah!

hellooooooooooooo

Criminy!

I haven't blogged since before we opened! Now it's AUGUST for crying out loud!!!!



Well, we opened, and had some good reviews and some great ones - the audiences just LOVE the show. Well, some people seem to not be sure exactly what they saw but they know they were entertained and thats good enough for me!

I'm going to be really sad when this show is done - I love working with these folks, and its great to work on a show that doesn;t BORE you by week 3. I'm not involved with WNEP, so the only way I can work with them again is if they ask, so here's hoping they do that!

We've only got 2 weekends left, and I'm actually only there for 1 or 2 shows this weekend because I have a prior commitment (family in town), so I have only about 4 or 5 shows LEFT! Boo!


Well, in other things - busy, busy, busy.... working at Blue Man pretty much anytime I'm not at Metaluna, and also working the day job - it feels like Sara and I haven't hung out in eons!

HERE WE COME!!!!

Don took some great pics last night at "Metaluna".

Here' s a great one of the cast (minus our 2 fab-oo understudies)

(there are some more great ones on his BLOG)

We had our first of 3 previews last night - and things went REALLY well. It was great to finally put it in front of an unsuspecting crowd. There were a couple of SUPER minor hiccups, and the cast made it look like everything that happened onstage happened for a reason.

Two more chances to see it for 5$, tonight & tomorrow night, then we're off on Thursday (not me, though - I have to work at Blue Man of course!), then we OPEN ON FRIDAY!!!!!