See this? It's getting ready to bloom. So is the show I'm working on. So is a project I've been working on. And the grass in my yard is way past the bloom stage (meaning I am way past overdue on mowing it, at least in the front yard).
Haven't written much this week for a couple of reasons. First, I had food poisoning of some sort or another. That has REALLY wiped me out. Three times this week I have fallen asleep on my couch and woken up at 4AM. Crazy! I've also been working on publicity for the show at the theater, and attended a retirement party last night up in Haslett for a woman I've known my entire life. So yeah, a bit busy. OH, and rehearsals too.
So, just so we're clear, you can see me on stage (dancing like a complete and utter dork) in Disney's High School Musical on June 12-14 and 19-21 at 8PM, and June 15 & 22 at 3PM at the Sauk Theatre in downtown Jonesville. We're aiming for sell-outs every night, which hasn't happened in a couple of years. But if you're limiting yourself to one MJ theater production a year, save it for Escanaba in da Moonlight or On Golden Pond in the fall -- I'm directing those, and while I won't be on stage, my personal work will be much more in evidence. :)
OK, that's half my lunch hour. Time to actually go eat!!
6/6/08
6/2/08
Sob Story
After my 4th year of college, I lived with my parents for about 9 months. I worked 3 jobs, about 90 hours a week, and I was exhausted and nearly insane. My parents were extreeeeeemely good sports to put up with this nonsense. For some reason, I was usually home during the week in the late afternoon when my dad got home from school. He and I would go into my folks' bedroom -- he would sit in the recliner, I would kick back on the bed -- and we would watch Michael Landon's "Highway to Heaven."
If you're not familiar with "Highway to Heaven, here's a partial description from imdb.com: "Jonathan Smith is a probationary angel sent back to Earth to help people. During the series' first episode, he meets embittered ex-policeman Mark Gordon... Jonathan helps reform Mark, with the grateful Mark agreeing to become Jonathan's right-hand associate in carrying out the heavenly mission...to deliver love, understanding and humility to the people they encountered..." Most episodes were played for high drama, with maximum heartstring pluckage. This was good for my dad and me. I don't really remember talking too much during the program, but we would get to the most heart-rending moment of the show and each of us would just bawl our heads off, sniffles and sobs unacknowledged by the other. When the credits rolled, we would get up, blow our noses, and start dinner before my mom got home. We did this nearly every day.
As anyone who has watched any sort of drama with me knows, I still sob at movies and TV. [The animals get concerned when I do this, by the way. Once I start crying, each of them approaches me in turn, trying to comfort me in their own way. In fact, I can never cry for long because their immediate attention makes me laugh. ] So tonight, as I watched a TiVo'ed version of "Extreme Makover: Home Edition," I was sobbing my head off and blowing my nose handily while an entire community gave a family a new home and a new lease on life. I couldn't help but think about how my dad would be amused that, out of all the things we shared, this particular quirk would become a lifelong tradition for me. I think I'm a generally happy person, but you'd never know it if you were a fly on my wall, viewing me while I watch TV.
Anyway, that's what I've got tonight. Weird, the stuff that comes up. I have some theater paperwork to wrap up, and it's off to dreamland for me.
If you're not familiar with "Highway to Heaven, here's a partial description from imdb.com: "Jonathan Smith is a probationary angel sent back to Earth to help people. During the series' first episode, he meets embittered ex-policeman Mark Gordon... Jonathan helps reform Mark, with the grateful Mark agreeing to become Jonathan's right-hand associate in carrying out the heavenly mission...to deliver love, understanding and humility to the people they encountered..." Most episodes were played for high drama, with maximum heartstring pluckage. This was good for my dad and me. I don't really remember talking too much during the program, but we would get to the most heart-rending moment of the show and each of us would just bawl our heads off, sniffles and sobs unacknowledged by the other. When the credits rolled, we would get up, blow our noses, and start dinner before my mom got home. We did this nearly every day.
As anyone who has watched any sort of drama with me knows, I still sob at movies and TV. [The animals get concerned when I do this, by the way. Once I start crying, each of them approaches me in turn, trying to comfort me in their own way. In fact, I can never cry for long because their immediate attention makes me laugh. ] So tonight, as I watched a TiVo'ed version of "Extreme Makover: Home Edition," I was sobbing my head off and blowing my nose handily while an entire community gave a family a new home and a new lease on life. I couldn't help but think about how my dad would be amused that, out of all the things we shared, this particular quirk would become a lifelong tradition for me. I think I'm a generally happy person, but you'd never know it if you were a fly on my wall, viewing me while I watch TV.
Anyway, that's what I've got tonight. Weird, the stuff that comes up. I have some theater paperwork to wrap up, and it's off to dreamland for me.
6/1/08
BANG there was red
I've spent several mornings on my patio, staring at the green flower buds (that look suspiciously like something out of "Little Shop of Horrors"), and willing the flowers to bloom. But this morning, I had been outside three times before I noticed these had exploded in their annual red. Yay! I need to spread these around into several places in the yard, because the color explosion is so intense. Much more flowering to come.
No actual rehearsal today, though I was at the theater to let folks in, work in the office for a bit, and attend/run a board meeting. There was a vocal rehearsal going on during the board meeting and I swear they sounded better than I'd heard them yet. We just might pull this thing off. And I figure, with 200 pre-teens singing along to almost every song, anything that doesn't sound great will still sound pretty good!
I read a book this weekend! An actual, not recorded to audio, hold-in-my-hands book. I sat in my reading area and reclined and drank coffee and read. And then I went out on the patio and sat at the table and drank coffee and read. Perhaps the never-empty cup of coffee is why I'm still awake so close to midnight?
Anyway, the book: "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is a mixture of graphic novel, art book, and intriguing children's story. I could look at the pictures all day, but that would neglect the most amazing story of a young boy who solves a mechanical mystery to discover history. Best of all, it's based in fact, set in Early 20th Century France, and covers the start of the motion picture industry. Fascinating, and very, very interesting. Not high literature, to be sure. It didn't capture my imagination entirely, but it was a fun read. I really enjoyed it. (It helped that it was short enough to finish in a couple of hours -- otherwise, I would have tackled something with a little more meat.)
Bedtime. If the caffeine will let go...
No actual rehearsal today, though I was at the theater to let folks in, work in the office for a bit, and attend/run a board meeting. There was a vocal rehearsal going on during the board meeting and I swear they sounded better than I'd heard them yet. We just might pull this thing off. And I figure, with 200 pre-teens singing along to almost every song, anything that doesn't sound great will still sound pretty good!
I read a book this weekend! An actual, not recorded to audio, hold-in-my-hands book. I sat in my reading area and reclined and drank coffee and read. And then I went out on the patio and sat at the table and drank coffee and read. Perhaps the never-empty cup of coffee is why I'm still awake so close to midnight?
Anyway, the book: "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is a mixture of graphic novel, art book, and intriguing children's story. I could look at the pictures all day, but that would neglect the most amazing story of a young boy who solves a mechanical mystery to discover history. Best of all, it's based in fact, set in Early 20th Century France, and covers the start of the motion picture industry. Fascinating, and very, very interesting. Not high literature, to be sure. It didn't capture my imagination entirely, but it was a fun read. I really enjoyed it. (It helped that it was short enough to finish in a couple of hours -- otherwise, I would have tackled something with a little more meat.)
Bedtime. If the caffeine will let go...
5/31/08
Playground
I love this picture. I didn't take it. My sister did. Last weekend, she took K to see her dad in our hometown, and got a picture on the playground where my dad was the elementary school principal for 13 or so years. He would have gotten the biggest kick out of K. And not just because she's his granddaughter.
Long day at the theater. I think we made some progress, though, which is very positive. If only we could figure out a way to keep the energy up through an entire song, let alone the whole show. These kids just look WIPED OUT the entire time they're on stage. I give a lot of credit to the directors. I couldn't take the frustration. I'll stick to my non-musical comedies/dramas, thanks. (Even if I am INSANE for trying to direct 2 this fall...)
Disney's got a helluva franchise with that High School Musical, though. I have to admit, I had the music on my iPod before we ever talked about doing it at the theater. Now that I'm hearing it in rehearsals, I am humming or singing it all the time -- in private, of course, so as to avoid collateral damage. The music is just damn catchy. But it's more than that. The themes are common but good ones: Be yourself and support each other. I think we could all use a little more of that, eh?
Long day at the theater. I think we made some progress, though, which is very positive. If only we could figure out a way to keep the energy up through an entire song, let alone the whole show. These kids just look WIPED OUT the entire time they're on stage. I give a lot of credit to the directors. I couldn't take the frustration. I'll stick to my non-musical comedies/dramas, thanks. (Even if I am INSANE for trying to direct 2 this fall...)
Disney's got a helluva franchise with that High School Musical, though. I have to admit, I had the music on my iPod before we ever talked about doing it at the theater. Now that I'm hearing it in rehearsals, I am humming or singing it all the time -- in private, of course, so as to avoid collateral damage. The music is just damn catchy. But it's more than that. The themes are common but good ones: Be yourself and support each other. I think we could all use a little more of that, eh?
5/30/08
My "library"
I wanted a place where I could sit and watch the backyard, as well as read. When K&K moved out, I moved the bookshelves to the "dining room" and got the chairs and table from my former mother-in-law's house. The cats love having the chairs because they can bask in the morning sunlight -- the glass doors face east. We have a huge herd of deer that use my backyard as a corridor, so we all have fun things to look at.
Work has been crazy the last few days, but it's troubleshooting and problem-solving. This is a challenge, which I am enjoying as it gets me out of some of the tedium of my daily stuff. Still haven't moved offices, but it's coming. I dread packing and hauling...doesn't everyone?
Rehearsal has also been tough -- we're pulling a show together in a shorter amount of time than usual, and all the kids are less-than-focused due to the end of year. Not their fault, but it is frustrating. It makes me a little crazy to spend so much time at the theater for so few lines, but that's what you sign up for when you audition. *sigh*
Came home last night and had a large glass of scotch. Sleep came easy after that.
Work has been crazy the last few days, but it's troubleshooting and problem-solving. This is a challenge, which I am enjoying as it gets me out of some of the tedium of my daily stuff. Still haven't moved offices, but it's coming. I dread packing and hauling...doesn't everyone?
Rehearsal has also been tough -- we're pulling a show together in a shorter amount of time than usual, and all the kids are less-than-focused due to the end of year. Not their fault, but it is frustrating. It makes me a little crazy to spend so much time at the theater for so few lines, but that's what you sign up for when you audition. *sigh*
Came home last night and had a large glass of scotch. Sleep came easy after that.
5/29/08
Mom's Yard
Isn't my mom's yard lovely? I can't stop myself from taking pictures when I'm over there. She's such a green thumb! (I am jealous, but not jealous enough to be quite the gardener that she is.)
Not much to write this morning. I missed the girls' birthday (though I remembered on the right day - Tuesday - but didn't think to call until it was WAY too late at night) so I called each last night with congratulations for 23 years on the planet and sincere regret. Oy. Someday I'll be timely. Someday.
Still feeling such a mixture of joy at the excitement of having my house all to myself and oddness at the quiet of it all. Then the dog starts howling and I remember I have 5 animals who aren't all that quiet at all. I have enjoyed my patio the most, and can hardly wait for warmer evenings and a chaise lounge from which to take it all in.
Not much to write this morning. I missed the girls' birthday (though I remembered on the right day - Tuesday - but didn't think to call until it was WAY too late at night) so I called each last night with congratulations for 23 years on the planet and sincere regret. Oy. Someday I'll be timely. Someday.
Still feeling such a mixture of joy at the excitement of having my house all to myself and oddness at the quiet of it all. Then the dog starts howling and I remember I have 5 animals who aren't all that quiet at all. I have enjoyed my patio the most, and can hardly wait for warmer evenings and a chaise lounge from which to take it all in.
5/28/08
I will not get sick, I will not get sick
I woke up this morning with a runny nose and a really persistant cough. My head is throbbing and my eyes are watering. I have no time to be sick, people, so I'm telling the germs in my body to just get over it. Quickly.
Got an unexpected reprieve from rehearsal tonight, so I will have a chance to mow lawn and plant a few trees my mom got for Arbor Day (or some such thing...I don't really know where/why she got them).
Last night, I was sitting on my back patio and watching the big tree in the back yard, when a gust of wind blew through. A thousand little helicopter seeds spun down and it was AMAZING. I don't know how I have lived this long and never seen that happen. Ever. It was just joyful. If it's windy tonight, I may try to get a video. You know, when I'm mowing and planting. Heh.
Got an unexpected reprieve from rehearsal tonight, so I will have a chance to mow lawn and plant a few trees my mom got for Arbor Day (or some such thing...I don't really know where/why she got them).
Last night, I was sitting on my back patio and watching the big tree in the back yard, when a gust of wind blew through. A thousand little helicopter seeds spun down and it was AMAZING. I don't know how I have lived this long and never seen that happen. Ever. It was just joyful. If it's windy tonight, I may try to get a video. You know, when I'm mowing and planting. Heh.
5/27/08
Missed a Day!
I was a complete slug yesterday morning and didn't blog. But I loved every minute. While I miss some things about living with K&K, quiet mornings are something I enjoy immensely. I can wake up at my own pace, eat breakfast on the patio (with every animal crowded at the screen to watch me), wander the house looking at what I might want to redecorate/remodel/clean, maybe actually do a little cleaning, and it's all without the soundtrack of cartoons. Nice.
Play rehearsal was fun yesterday...it's good to see things start to come together. We have a long way to go, but the work is paying off for those kids. If only we could effectively teach them FOCUS. Oy. Teenage hormones preclude that, methinks.
Back to work today. *sigh* I like work, but I sometimes wish life were like a three-day weekend.
Play rehearsal was fun yesterday...it's good to see things start to come together. We have a long way to go, but the work is paying off for those kids. If only we could effectively teach them FOCUS. Oy. Teenage hormones preclude that, methinks.
Back to work today. *sigh* I like work, but I sometimes wish life were like a three-day weekend.
5/25/08
Bleeding Hearts
Ha - I've been accused of being a bleeding-heart liberal for so long, perhaps THAT's why this is one of my favorite flowers. (Though, just to clarify, I don't consider myself a bleeding-heart anything...I'm pretty liberal, but it's based more on fact and logic than emotion.) I spent some time at Mom's yesterday, taking pictures in her flowerbeds and helping her reconnect some new soaker hoses. Don's been ill, so I gave him a big hug and chatted a few minutes, then I got Mom's voicemail set up on her cell phone. She knew how to use it yesterday when I left...we'll see how she does when I leave her a voice mail today. :)
Last night, Kaelyn spent the night and we had a lot of fun...so much, that we're going to try to do it again next week. Much will depend on rehearsal schedules, however. Scott and Breeanne helped me move a lot of furniture from his mom's house to mine yesterday as well, so I made them dinner. We all ate in the living room, using the "new" coffee table.
After they left, K and I watched part of a movie, she ate cookies, we played some computer games, she took a shower, and she crashed HARD. I hadn't gotten a guest bed yet, so we shared mine -- and it's amazing how a 55 lb kid can take up an entire queen size bed. By the time I came to bed, she was all over the place, and I slept on the edge all night!
We had pancakes and bacon this morning. She slathers peanut butter and syrup all over hers and it makes me nauseous to even contemplate it. Ugh. I was told that I make my pancakes too dark. Live and learn. Katie popped over to eat breakfast with us, and then she took K to church. Now I have a little over an hour until rehearsal starts. It's going to be a Long Day.
Last night, Kaelyn spent the night and we had a lot of fun...so much, that we're going to try to do it again next week. Much will depend on rehearsal schedules, however. Scott and Breeanne helped me move a lot of furniture from his mom's house to mine yesterday as well, so I made them dinner. We all ate in the living room, using the "new" coffee table.
After they left, K and I watched part of a movie, she ate cookies, we played some computer games, she took a shower, and she crashed HARD. I hadn't gotten a guest bed yet, so we shared mine -- and it's amazing how a 55 lb kid can take up an entire queen size bed. By the time I came to bed, she was all over the place, and I slept on the edge all night!
We had pancakes and bacon this morning. She slathers peanut butter and syrup all over hers and it makes me nauseous to even contemplate it. Ugh. I was told that I make my pancakes too dark. Live and learn. Katie popped over to eat breakfast with us, and then she took K to church. Now I have a little over an hour until rehearsal starts. It's going to be a Long Day.
5/24/08
Sunny Hose
So Happy Weekend! I have so much to do today. As usual. (I'm avoiding thinking about why I'm keeping myself so busy...at least for now. I know I'll have to deal with it eventually.) I have furniture to find, gather, and move. I have my mom's cell phone to set up so she can actually get voice mail. Then I have to teach my mom HOW to get said voice mail, as she never learned on the last cell phone. Then I have my lawn to mow. Then, my niece is coming over for a sleepover!! Her Uncle Scott and Cousin Breeanne are joining us for dinner.
After our company leaves, we have a mission. K and I have created a list of things to do when she spends the night. Tonight, I believe the things we will check off will be: Crazy Hairstyles, Paint Fingernails, Listen to "Video Killed the Radio Star" (don't ask), and Watch "Mr. Magorium's Magical Emporium." You should see how long that list is. We'll be covered for things to do until she's at least 12.
And now...laundry, shower, breakfast, and on with the day in my still American-Idol-soundtracked home. (My speakers are getting a workout.)
After our company leaves, we have a mission. K and I have created a list of things to do when she spends the night. Tonight, I believe the things we will check off will be: Crazy Hairstyles, Paint Fingernails, Listen to "Video Killed the Radio Star" (don't ask), and Watch "Mr. Magorium's Magical Emporium." You should see how long that list is. We'll be covered for things to do until she's at least 12.
And now...laundry, shower, breakfast, and on with the day in my still American-Idol-soundtracked home. (My speakers are getting a workout.)
5/23/08
Music and chives
See pretty chives? One would think that I planted and nurture them because they are such a great addition to most any meal. One would be wrong. The flowers are purple -- this is the big attraction. Of course they're tasty, but since my cooking is often limited to cereal, the taste doesn't enter into it. I just love me some purple.
Music has been the focus this week. Despite many protestations, I was sucked into American Idol and am still riding a high that David Cook won. I downloaded the audio stuff and have been playing that while putzing around the house. Yesterday was my 2nd rehearsal (about the 20th for most cast members, but I have a tiny part) for High School Musical. And last night I spent a good long time looking up videos for some of my most played iPod songs. (They were, in no particular order: "The Trapeze Swinger" by Iron and Wine; "The Compromise" by The Format; and "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by The Arctic Monkeys.) Eclectic mix? Yes. Great tunes? Also yes.
What are YOU listening to?
Music has been the focus this week. Despite many protestations, I was sucked into American Idol and am still riding a high that David Cook won. I downloaded the audio stuff and have been playing that while putzing around the house. Yesterday was my 2nd rehearsal (about the 20th for most cast members, but I have a tiny part) for High School Musical. And last night I spent a good long time looking up videos for some of my most played iPod songs. (They were, in no particular order: "The Trapeze Swinger" by Iron and Wine; "The Compromise" by The Format; and "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by The Arctic Monkeys.) Eclectic mix? Yes. Great tunes? Also yes.
What are YOU listening to?
5/22/08
The deer ate my lilies
They left my iris, but chomped all the lilies in my backyard. Dagnabbit. Still, I don't think I want anyone shooting them, which is what is going to happen if the city council has their way. Poor bambis.
Just one other thing to say this morning: David Cook is MY American Idol. I was so surprised and pleased that he got the nod last night. After a few calls to friends, I watched the whole show again (minus commercials) while actually making headway on organizing my house. Wonders will never cease.
Just one other thing to say this morning: David Cook is MY American Idol. I was so surprised and pleased that he got the nod last night. After a few calls to friends, I watched the whole show again (minus commercials) while actually making headway on organizing my house. Wonders will never cease.
5/21/08
Backyard Morning
Starting an experiment -- 30 days of quick blogging. I am alive and well, but just unbelievably busy. I am generally uploading pictures from my new Palm Centro daily to my Flickr account (go to www.flickr.com/klutz67) and you can see what I see by checking that.
I want to keep this up regularly, so these posts may be short.
I'm rehearsing for a teeny tiny role in "Disney's High School Musical" at the Sauk next month. Then I have 2 months to prepare to direct "Escanaba in da Moonlight" and immediately follow that up by directing "On Golden Pond." What have I committed myself to?!?!
Since I last blogged, I have visited Ocean City, Miami Beach, and NYC. They've been fantastic trips, punctuated by meeting and hanging out with fantastic people. No more big trips, I fear, until fall. But rumor has it I might be taking a 3-day weekend in Paducah, KY at some point mid-summer. And a weekend in San Fran is definitely hoped for.
I've seen all the kids in the last couple of weeks, which has been awesome. The girls were home from grad school (just prior to their 23rd birthdays) and Sam is on summer break from CMU.
Here's hoping you're well (and maybe still reading this??). Drop me a line and let me know what's up if you have a chance.
I want to keep this up regularly, so these posts may be short.
I'm rehearsing for a teeny tiny role in "Disney's High School Musical" at the Sauk next month. Then I have 2 months to prepare to direct "Escanaba in da Moonlight" and immediately follow that up by directing "On Golden Pond." What have I committed myself to?!?!
Since I last blogged, I have visited Ocean City, Miami Beach, and NYC. They've been fantastic trips, punctuated by meeting and hanging out with fantastic people. No more big trips, I fear, until fall. But rumor has it I might be taking a 3-day weekend in Paducah, KY at some point mid-summer. And a weekend in San Fran is definitely hoped for.
I've seen all the kids in the last couple of weeks, which has been awesome. The girls were home from grad school (just prior to their 23rd birthdays) and Sam is on summer break from CMU.
Here's hoping you're well (and maybe still reading this??). Drop me a line and let me know what's up if you have a chance.
2/20/08
It's All About...The Moon
I am photographing the process of the Total Eclipse of the Moon this evening. Already, just 40 minutes into it or so, I have come to the conclusion that by December of 2010, when the next one occurs, I will need a better camera. Already this one is better than the one from this summer, but I really would love to be able to zoom so much closer. Ah well. Progress has been made, and I hope to have some cool shots. Of course, I'm an idjit and left my card reader at work, so the photos won't be uploaded to Flickr until tomorrow. But Rick should be happy to know that the tripod he gave me for Christmas is doing a bang-up job.
Other than that? I got my picture taken with the Rotary club handing me a big check for the theater. That should hit the local paper soon. Can't post that tonight either.
***********************
Tonight, I heard the oddest thing when we were out to dinner:
We were sitting in the new sports bar/restaurant, and a kid that worked at my plant last year, "M", had come in and sat with us, as did another of our current employees, and we were all talking and eating and having a good time. "M" seems to know everyone, and apparently being recognized is very common for him and he told several anecdotes about running into people he knows in bizarre places.
A young couple wandered in and took the table next to ours. I noticed that the guy kept looking at us. Finally, after about 20 minutes, the guy turned around and said to "M", "Aren't you from [a local town]?"
"M" said he was. We all laughed and shook our heads about how everyone knows "M".
The guy then said, "Aren't you "M"?"
"M" agreed that he was. Again, we were cracking up about him being Mr. Popularity.
Then the guy nodded slowly. "So YOU'RE the guy who handcuffed my cousin to the headboard."
"M" turned 12 shades of red, as he nodded and slowly turned back to face us. Then we all died laughing. I am just hoping, in retrospect, that the guy who asked was laughing too. I was to embarrassed to even look at him again.
*******************
With that, I must get back out to shoot the moon.
2/17/08
So much for the Flu Shot...
Well, I spent from late Wednesday night through about mid-day on Friday feeling like my insides were staging a coup. Ugh. Luckily, I was able to sleep a lot. K&K came home Thursday to find I pretty much hadn't moved since they'd left in the morning -- meaning I had forsaken the computer and the television. These are damn good indications that I am not in good shape. By noon on Friday, I was at least semi-functional (though a little bedgraggled, admittedly) and by about 10PM, I was feeling almost normal. Sheesh. My stomach still feels like I've been doing crunches for hours on end, but at least I can complete an entire task without being interrupted by thoughts of curling up on the nearest horizontal suface in the fetal position, and the thought of food doesn't make my stomach lurch like I'm looking down from the top of the Sears Tower.Yesterday, K&K and I went to pick up a side of beef that I'd bought from a friend. We split it in thirds with Shug, and loaded up our respective freezers. After that, I commenced with having a day chock full of near-complete laziness and sloth. (Like the previous two days of flu didn't fill my quota of that. Oy.) I took a nap, played computer games, answered e-mail, thought about theater stuff for the upcoming week (though I did nothing about it), and watched about 4 hours of home improvement shows on TV. *sigh* If only I could do that kind of thing for a week in a row without the sickness part interfering. It was bliss.
The home improvement thing? Completely addicting. I have never lived anywhere that I thought I could make any sort of a dent in "improving" my home. Before living at the farm, I always lived in apartments that wouldn't even allow me to paint. At the farm, Shug wanted things to stay pretty much status quo as far as decor, and I never felt like the house was mine (which ended up being true, funnily), so I never felt enough ownership to offer to improve anything. Now, it's all up to me and it's sort of the only place in my life where I am feeling in control. So I broke out the spackle and sandpaper and fixed several holes, bought towel hooks and other accessories for the "guest" bathroom, and I've started making paint color plans. Several wall seams have cracks, and my plan is to get someone to check for structural problems and, barring anything unexpected, I plan to lay in supplies to repair and repaint most of the house once K&K move out. The busier I am at home, the less money I spend, and since the budget is going to be WAY tight, I plan to have enough supplies on hand to keep me very, very busy.
This week, I have a lot on my plate. Tomorrow (and, to be fair, part of today), I have to catch up on being gone from work for 2 days. Tomorrow night, I need to come up with some sort of handout to give to a service club that's given the theater a bunch of money to upgrade our sound system -- I know it's all been upgraded, but I have to put the details together for them. Tuesday night, I have the service club dinner, where I hope to distribute the handout and get away without having to speak much, because I kind of suck at it. Wednesday, I hope to finish up a template for a friend's website and get her a copy. Thursday and Friday I have to finish up plans for our theater board "retreat." Saturday is the retreat. And a week from today I will begin packing to leave for my scrapbook weekend on the ocean the following weekend.
Never a dull moment...though I plan on working a few more of those into my life, thanks. So what's going on this week with YOU?
The home improvement thing? Completely addicting. I have never lived anywhere that I thought I could make any sort of a dent in "improving" my home. Before living at the farm, I always lived in apartments that wouldn't even allow me to paint. At the farm, Shug wanted things to stay pretty much status quo as far as decor, and I never felt like the house was mine (which ended up being true, funnily), so I never felt enough ownership to offer to improve anything. Now, it's all up to me and it's sort of the only place in my life where I am feeling in control. So I broke out the spackle and sandpaper and fixed several holes, bought towel hooks and other accessories for the "guest" bathroom, and I've started making paint color plans. Several wall seams have cracks, and my plan is to get someone to check for structural problems and, barring anything unexpected, I plan to lay in supplies to repair and repaint most of the house once K&K move out. The busier I am at home, the less money I spend, and since the budget is going to be WAY tight, I plan to have enough supplies on hand to keep me very, very busy.
This week, I have a lot on my plate. Tomorrow (and, to be fair, part of today), I have to catch up on being gone from work for 2 days. Tomorrow night, I need to come up with some sort of handout to give to a service club that's given the theater a bunch of money to upgrade our sound system -- I know it's all been upgraded, but I have to put the details together for them. Tuesday night, I have the service club dinner, where I hope to distribute the handout and get away without having to speak much, because I kind of suck at it. Wednesday, I hope to finish up a template for a friend's website and get her a copy. Thursday and Friday I have to finish up plans for our theater board "retreat." Saturday is the retreat. And a week from today I will begin packing to leave for my scrapbook weekend on the ocean the following weekend.
Never a dull moment...though I plan on working a few more of those into my life, thanks. So what's going on this week with YOU?
2/5/08
I am still kickin'
December hits, insanity ensues, and pretty soon you wake up and it's February. Crazy, Man. I haven't had the time or energy to blog too much, and I haven't even taken all that many pictures, which is SO not like me.
What's been happening? Um....
- In early December, my mother-in-law got sick. After a couple of weeks in the hospital, she passed away. She'd been in horrible pain, and had several strokes and a heart attack, so that made it much easier to say good bye. The funeral (which was not exactly a funeral and, even then, not in strict accordance with her no-funeral-wishes) was the Saturday before Christmas.
- I got her dog, Jessie, and he has spent the last 2 months leaning to cohabit with a 5-year-old and 4 cats. Luckily, he loves to play in the cat litter. *UGH* Other than that disgusting habit, and a chronic case of the smelliest flatulence you could ever imagine, he is a really great dog. He sleeps nearly as much as the cats do, always makes it known that he needs to go outside, doesn't beg at the table, and loves to sleep on my feet in bed. And he is SO excited when I come in the door. I enjoy that, after 20 years with cats who could give a crap whether or not I'm home most of the time.
- I received a promotion at work, meaning I went up a pay grade but have pretty much the same job I had before. Sweet.
- Christmas was really lovely, despite all the stress we'd had. I celebrated with some friends, then at my Mom's with a chunk of the fam, then at Scott's with the kids, then at home with K & K. My favorite pic from that week was at my mom's:
- My Murder Mystery crew was all prepared for our "performance" at the work Holiday Party, but we got snowed out in December. The party was postponed, and we continued rehearsing. The thing finally came together it at the end of January. Some highlights:
The entire crew. I'm playing the bar wench at the far left...it wasn't too much of a stretch.
- Last month, I became the offical (non-interim) president of the Hillsdale Community Theater Board of Directors, which as I said on my Facebook page, is just another title for "Glutton for Punishment." Maybe "Sucker" would also work. I'm directing at least one show this season, and am even thinking about trying out for another. (Not, mind you, that I am much of an actor -- I just think it would be really fun to be in a show I don't have to manage.) The board has had a rocky time of things lately, and we're just trying to get things back on track. We have about 10 building improvement projects started, and it's going to be an interesting couple of months trying to get those done.
- Got divorced. Sad. Relieved. Sad. Moving forward.
- Did another murder mystery the same weekend as the work one -- this one was a fundraiser for the Hudson Community Library. I have a friend who I'd long ago roped into acting in two of my shows, and he requested a return of the favor last year, and again this year. This one was a 1920's Flapper/Speakeasy theme and, unfortunately, I got the most boring costume of the bunch because I was a "plain" waitress. Ah well. I got lots of nice comments as the audience left, so I guess it turned out okay. Picture won't work on the blog for some reason, but you can see it if you click HERE and view it at the website of the Hudson Post-Gazette (Scott was in this one too and is pictured at far left, I am at far right).
- I went to IKEA for the first time and am completely enthralled. K & K are planning on moving out sometime in the next few months, and I'm trying to plan for my first completely MJ-decorated house. My guess is it isn't going to make any sort of interior decorating magazine, because the loveseat I want for my "library" area is going to be this one that I found at IKEA:
- Still working toward that elusive 5K run. I have a co-worker who gave me the greatest list of Michigan races for the next year, and I'm thinking about trying to do one when I get back from Miami in early April. It's amazing how many of them there are!!! I totally slacked on the running for most of December and January, but am getting back on track and I think I can still meet my goal of the end of May.
I guess that pretty much makes us current with the goings-on here at the homestead. The weather's been wonky, with lots of snow, followed by warm temperatures and thunderstorms and tornado watches. Drop me a line if you get a chance, folks. My e-mail box gets kind of lonely. Well, if you don't count viagra ads and fake watch scams...
12/4/07
It's All About...A Little Me & A Lot of TV
Hi friends. Still Reading? I feel like writing about every night lately, but then exhaustion hits, and I end up making a cup of tea, finishing up e-mail business, crawling under the covers, and zonking out. I haven't knit or crocheted in a week, and this is not the time of year for me to NOT be finishing Christmas presents. Oy. Thing is, life got crazy again. Partially, I let it. Partially, I had no control of the insanity.
The insanity defined? Went to a theater board meeting, walked out as president. Some stuff at work that I hope to be able to write about in the next week or two. Got asked to become a member of the board of the Chamber of Commerce (but had to say no, because of big upheaval at theater which will take too much time this year). My mother-in-law fell and broke her elbow and as of this writing has some mysterious crippling pain that makes it nearly impossible for her to move, yet they can't find a drug to stop the pain. My heart is breaking for her. My mom's husband had a small stroke yesterday morning and was in the hospital overnight, but he came home earlier tonight and other than mixing up a few words here and there, he's doing well. (I told him that I wished it would have taken away only his propensity to watch Fox News 24/7. He laughed.) My niece has bronchial pneumonia. I am running a silent auction to raise $ for American Cancer Society that was supposed to start Monday but will now begin tomorrow because I am so behind on stuff. Ugh.
So, since we spoke last, what's up? I started running on the treadmill in the mornings instead of outside after work. This has been lovely on two counts -- I'm not so wound up from walking at 5PM that I can't sleep at 11PM; also, the treadmill is so easy on my legs that I can run without any shin pain whatsoever. (A friend at work assured me today that as this weight continues to come off, the shin pain will go away too...or at least it did for him.) I am still loving it. My old iPod is skipping songs and doing weird stuff so, though I still use it in my car, I bought a new Nano. I have that thing on full blast when I'm running on the treadmill and it is AWESOME. (Someday I really do need to get decent speakers for this computer...)
Um. TV. Since pretty much everyone who reads this knows me personally, you might know that I have a geeky, addictive personality. And I generally love stuff that is big on the pop culture map. For example, I came late to watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but bought or rented every DVD until I'd seen the whole series. Same with Gilmore Girls. Same with Battlestar Galactica. TiVo (and the related digital video recording device I own) was invented for people like me, I think. You can set your machine to tape every episode of a series, no matter when it airs. When you're ready, you can watch seven or eight of them in a row in one sitting on a weekend. Or late at night when you can't sleep and have had way too much coffee. Or when you're trying to forget that you really ought to be doing laundry and vacuuming. And mine has the added benefit that I can burn the shows to DVD.
So what am I recording these days? I'm feeling chatty tonight. I give you my own TV guide:
Chuck. Chuck is my number one. I want Chuck to be my friend. I want to date Chuck. I want to eat a turkey sandwich and play Halo with Chuck. (This is saying a lot, because I do not like Halo or related shoot-em-up video games in the least, nor do I have the least amount of skill in playing them.) OK. Maybe we could just play Guitar Hero III. Anyway. I really enjoy this show. The premise is that the government created a supercomputer whose data got encrypted into an e-mail and all the data got transposed into Chuck's head when he read the e-mail. Now he has a hottie CIA agent posing as his girlfriend to protect him, and a psychopath NSA agent protecting him too. Chuck lives with his sister, her boyfriend (who they call Captain Awesome, which is dumb but it makes me laugh every time because it really is the perfect name for the guy), hangs out with his best friend Morgan, and works at a Best Buy clone called BuyMore as a computer tech in the "Nerd Herd." While the situations are over the top, the relationships are very, very real. OK. And I suppose I like it because I have always been attracted to dorky smart guys with unruly hair. [Chuck is on NBC at 8 on Mondays. Watch it. I dare you. You will love Chuck. You. Must. Love. Chuck.]
Heroes. This probably comes as no surprise. While I didn't really get into "Lost," I do -- by nature of some innate personality flaw -- tend to watch the one big show in the country. Heroes is it, but I haven't liked this season much so far. Last year was really incredible, but I have watched every show since September and barely cared who did what or why. They introduced a bunch of new characters and did very little development of them and now I could care less if they live or die. The exception? Veronica Mars herself, the lovely Kristin Bell, who plays Elle. Elle is a selfish, naive little bitch of a villainess, except that she wasn't really evil last night, so I don't know where that leaves her when we start "Volume 3" after the new year. I hope they give Peter (who I loved last year, and loved in Gilmore Girls too, though he was never right for Rory) more things to do next month, because he was pretty much boring as boring could be for the last few months. I was so excited to see the evil guy from Alias play the evil Kensei/Adam in Heroes...until he was boring and I didn't care about him. I was thrilled that he is buried alive in Japan somewhere after last night's episode just because it was the most interesting thing he'd done so far.
Bionic Woman. Oh. I loved the first episode. It was everything I'd hoped for. It was slick, it updated a show that I'd watched as a kid, it made everything new and technologically wild, the storyline was intriguing, the special effects rocked, the cinematography was slick. I love the lead actress, I love Gabriel Ferrer (who is Rosemary Clooney's son, btw), and I love the geeky computer tech who has a mini crush on the lead. The 2nd episode was okay. As was the 3rd. And the 4th. I really perked up when they brought in the love interest CIA guy. And then the next episode was okay. Which would all be okay, except that I was really hoping this show would Rock. My. Socks. And it's just okay. I still watch every week. I keep hoping I'm going to care. Please, Bionic Woman, make me care just a little.
Journeyman and Life. Meh. They're fun. Lead actors are quirky and caring and easy to like. Storylines have plenty of pop culture reference to keep me happy. Journeyman is a modern "Quantum Leap" (minus Al), and Life is a cop show that needs to stop with the underlying "where-the-conspiracy-theory" subplot. But fun to watch if you're feeling like killing a few hours.
Pushing Daisies: Perhaps it's just my state of mind, but I want to date this show's lead too. (But not if I've died once first, because then I couldn't touch him...you have to really see the show to get this part.) Anyway. The story is weird and fairytale-ish: Boy has the power to bring dead things back to life with his touch. But if he touches them again, they are dead forever. And if he doesn't touch them again within a minute (to make them dead again), someone else dies. Therein lies the plot. Boy falls in love when he is little. Boy's mom dies. Boy brings mom back to life, and his little love's father dies. He never tells her. Many years later, when boy becomes the PieMan, he sees his old true love has been killed and runs to the morgue and touches her and brings her back to life. (The morgue guy dies.) They are in love, but they cannot touch. OK. I could go on an on about this plot, as it is complicated, but it is very fun to watch, very comedic. The visuals are rich and comic to watch. And it's narrated by Jim Dale, who narrated all the Harry Potter books on audio and whose voice I adore. Even better, Kristen Chenoweth (who is most famously from the musical Wicked) is in the show and they even had her sing a few weeks back. Delightful. Highly recommend this show.
Bones: I love this show. It has my murder mysteries (which I listen to on audio all the time), and in fact, is even based on a series that I've been reading for years. It has forensics, which I have been creepily interested in since high school. It has David Boreanaz, who was in Buffy and Angel and reminds me of my brother, Drew. It has geeky people working in a lab who are all okay with being geeky. It is mind candy and I love, love, love it.
House: Oh, it's a trend, but I adore Hugh Laurie too. Not House necessarily, but the actor? Mm Hmm. I am also House in my mind. Most people would not ever have a clue how negative and cynical and bitchy I can be on a regular basis, but if they could see into my mind? I am a mini House. People Lie. This is the basis of the show. And I agree, wholeheartedly. I have loved this season with his picking a new team. I didn't like his old team. I especially liked the episode with DAVE FRICKING MATTHEWS, who was INSANELY GREAT as a savant piano player. And of course that's the episode I accidentally deleted before burning. So I bought it on iTunes. Heh. Now I can watch Hugh AND Dave Fricking Matthews on my Nano. I know you're jealous.
I am having too much fun typing and before I embarrass myself with telling you how I watch CSI and Forensic Files late at night when I wake up afraid that I have crashed the network server at work, I am going to make some peppermint tea and climb in bed. And watch Chuck again. I love Chuck.
Next Time: Why Karaoke Should Be A Mandatory Weekend Activity
11/23/07
It's All About...The Cheese
And amid the belated Happy Thanksgivings I wish to each of you, I wish you a little cheese. This entry will end up being a little cheezy, no matter how you "slice" it. (Warning: The bad jokes will not improve from here on out. Turn back now.)
My Thanksgiving was not typical, but I sure give thanks for it today. What a BLAST! Scott got me tickets to go see the Packers vs. Lions at Ford Field, and I was ready to deck the halls with green and gold. I woke up early, decorated my face with some GB tattoos...
donned a bit of the green and the gold and the cheese (with water all glamorously down the front of me from applying the tattoos)...
It didn't even take 2 hours to get to Detroit. There was almost no traffic until we got within a mile of the stadium or so. Once we got parked, we found we had to walk right through the middle of the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade to get to the stadium. I have watched that parade since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and it was really neat to see the huge floats and balloons in person. The Tuskeegee Airmen passed right in front of us and it was very, very moving.
And as the policeman let us across the street in a lull, I risked my cowboy-hat-cheesehead blowing away to snatch a picture of the parade from the middle of the street:
Getting closer to the stadium, we saw as many cheeseheads tailgating as Lions fans!!
Security there was tighter than any airport I've been to since 9/11. We got frisked and wanded and my purse was searched. There's a limit to how nice of a camera you can bring into the stadium, and mine fits the lens limit. I had to convince this nice security man that my camera was a still camera and not a movie camera. Sorry, Mr. Security Guy. I was lying. It does both.
I grabbed a beer -- NOT a common thing for me to do at 11AM, but it was a Packers game, sheesh! -- and bought a program and climbed and climbed and climbed to our seats. I am not complaining. They were nosebleeders, but it was a great view of the field!
Even being there early, my boys showed up on the field with an hour to go:
And the only man who has my heart at the moment, my revered Brett Favre, warmed up. Even from that far away, and even when running drills, that guy just looks like he's having a blast. I do appreciate watching that.
As you may or may not know now, my boys pulled through in glorious form, winning the game 37-26. Favre set a Green Bay record with 20 consecutive completed passes, his 7th 300-yard passing game this season, and passed for 381 yards. Jennings caught 2 more touchdown passes, Grant scored again, and Driver had 147 yards. Now I'm thinking that I need to drive to Wisconsin to see if I can buy same-day tickets for the 12/30 Detroit game...but we'll see. I Tivo'ed the game, but haven't had time to watch it yet. I'm saving that for tomorrow night.
As we left the stadium, we noticed yet one more sign that Packer Fans are just the BEST:
And there you have it. My fantastic Thanksgiving Day, 2007. We made it back to Scott's house in time to watch the last quarter of the Dallas game, and then I mosied home. NFL Football Rocks My World.
(More to write about today, but no time. Must. Go. Buy. Sweet Potatoes.)
11/17/07
It's All About...Birthdays and Plans
So, thoughts to begin the weekend:
- I can't believe that K is going to be FIVE YEARS OLD next week!! I can still remember hanging out in the hospital room after she'd been born, not quite believing she had arrived. And five years later? She's my roommate, my little buddy, my foot tickler, my almost-always-waker-upper-at-6AM, a big source of laughter. What a fun kid. Birthday party today is bumper bowling and a Scooby Doo cake and eight other kids and too much sugar.
I am really missing the kids lately and can hardly wait for the holiday season to get underway because it means I'll get to see them all at some point or another. This picture is from this past summer -- I keep a copy at work.
- The Walking/Running endeavor is going really quite well. I've been going almost every day in the late afternoon. With the dark coming earlier, it's getting harder to squeeze in the time outside after work during the week. I'm almost always mid-trail (it's a 2.8 mile trek) when things start to look like this:
I'm hoping to attend my first 5K Walk/Run around midnight on New Year's Eve. I am going to try, but I don't think I'll be able to quite run the whole way by then; however, I need a goal that's closer than springtime. So there it is. Instead of drinking on New Year's, I'll be running. It's actually a HUGE high, all these endorphins I get from being out and working so hard. It takes me hours to calm down afterward. Not that I'm complaining!
- Speaking of running, many time when I'm out there on the path, I see people with dogs. All shapes and sizes of dogs. They all run along. They are cute and fun and...I want one. And then my buddy from across the street comes to see me:
...and I want one even more. So I would imagine, if this enjoyment of running continues through spring, I will be the proud owner of a dog. Stop shaking your heads.
11/11/07
It's All About...Bon Jovi
Gotta say it: I'm a fan of the 80's hair bands. Pretty much always have been. Even in the midst of my moodiest Bob Dylan-Leonard Cohen-Tom Waits lovin' periods, a good power ballad could brighten my day. Bon Jovi was almost always top of my list, and not just because Jon has really awesome dimples. The band just rocks, the melodies are good, and they've been around long enough that a sampling of their catalog is a fairly decent soundtrack for my last 20 years.
While driving for almost 10 hours through Ohio and Pennsylvania (as I did a few weeks ago), a person has time to think. I was thinking a lot about road trips, and all they've come to symbolize to me. Freedom, independence, adventure, spontaneity. And not that I haven't had my fair share of road trips in previous years, but this last year (with all its change and scariness and sadness and upheaval and...change) has really made the road trip a major feature of my life. In a very, very good way.
So, all of that said, I wouldn't say I'd ever been DEEPLY TOUCHED by a Bon Jovi song. Until the last trip. Funny thing is, I'd heard this song and enjoyed it when they played it on SNL during my PREVIOUS road trip, but really hadn't heard the words. While taking a break from the iPod somewhere in PA -- a rare break, I might add -- I heard this song on the radio and really listened to the lyrics. Oof. Hit me in the gut, they did. And no, they're not sentimental or mushy. That's not what touched me. It's just that they are exactly where I am at this moment in my life. I really am not feeling very sentimental or mushy at all lately. I feel like the song is explaining something that I just can't express. So. This morning, I wanted to share a little glimpse into the me that Jon Bon Jovi expresses better than I do. (And if you think THAT doesn't keep me awake nights...)
FYI: Song is "Lost Highway" off the album of the same title.
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