Had a fantastic time this weekend at the wedding of two very good friends of mine -- Chris Walsh and Mandy Harbut. I was the best man, and even with an insider's view, I have to say that everything went swimmingly. We had fun at the bachelor party on Thursday night, fun at the rehearsal dinner on Friday, fun at the wedding on Saturday, and fun at the post-wedding brunch on Sunday.
We ended up keeping the bachelor party pretty simple -- we went out for a fancy dinner, then headed to a dive bar with Karaoke to while away the hours forcing each other to sing silly songs, and finished up with a brief but obligatory visit to a strip club.
The food and drink at the rehearsal dinner were excellent (as was the dessert -- it was an entire weekend of excellent cakes). I'm not sure what the bridesmaids received from the couple, but the groomsmen all received T-shirts with humorous sayings on them. Mine says, in very small print, "If you're close enough to read this... You now have SARS." Hee hee!
The wedding was beautiful. Very simple and elegant, exactly to my taste. We looked good, if I do say so myself. I'll post some pictures soon! The photography didn't last too long, and then we were off to the reception. The speeches led off the evening, starting with the bride's mother and the groom's father, then the matron of honor and myself. I thought that my part went pretty well. At least, several people told me afterward that they had enjoyed it. I had been agonizing over it for weeks, and I can at least definitely say that it went better than the last best man toast that I gave, where the reception was outside and there were no microphones, so I was shouting my speech :) Makes it hard to get any nuances across.....
The DJ was kind of cheesy, but the music selection was pretty good. Everyone got really drunk and danced a LOT. Oddly, many of the songs we had sung at Karaoke on Thursday turned up in the mix, which gave an those numbers a little added pleasure. After heading out of the restaurant, a select few of us spent a final hour enjoying the ambiance at the hotel bar, where a very silly 80's cover band was playing. All in all it was one of the most enjoyable evenings I've had in a long time.
[Except for the fact that there seems to be some part of the human genome that is activated only at weddings and causes people to walk around asking every unmarried person present when they plan on tying the knot. I must have answered that question a dozen times over the course of the weekend. Sigh. ]
And then Mandy's mother hosted a brunch today, where there was enough food to have an entire second reception, and we all sat around watching the Bears lose and cooing over the three babies present.
Now that's my kind of weekend!
Monday, October 25, 2004
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Home Sweet Home
I just flew in from Virginia, and boy are my arms tired!
And pretty much all the rest of me, too. Just returned about an hour ago from a very long exhausting tour that included stops in Washington, Oregon, Virginia and ended tonight with a show back here in Chicago. All in all we were gone for ten days. For the most part it wasn't too bad, but it was a lot of travelling. If it had just been Washington and Oregon, I think we would have been okay; by the Virginia leg of the trip we were all pretty beat. And little things just kept going wrong! Traffic jams, flight delays, lost keys, etc. The shows went really well, though, and I really enjoyed our time in Seattle. That's a city I could visit again.
While there I picked up a few books -- the one I've started reading (and am almost through) is "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke. I'm enjoying it, but not loving as much as I had expected to. I also picked up a Steven Brust book that I hadn't even known existed (I just finally read his "To Reign In Hell" last month), and "The Briar King" by Greg Keyes, which is at last out in paperback now that its sequel has been published. Speaking of sequels, I'm rather peeved with George R.R. Martin, whose book "A Feast For Crows" was supposed to be out last November, and has been pushed back four times -- it's now scheduled for December 30! And ditto for Atari games which was supposed to release the updated version of Sid Meier's "Pirates!" in April and has pushed it back to November. Oh, and for those who don't know, Terry Pratchett has a new book out!
And pretty much all the rest of me, too. Just returned about an hour ago from a very long exhausting tour that included stops in Washington, Oregon, Virginia and ended tonight with a show back here in Chicago. All in all we were gone for ten days. For the most part it wasn't too bad, but it was a lot of travelling. If it had just been Washington and Oregon, I think we would have been okay; by the Virginia leg of the trip we were all pretty beat. And little things just kept going wrong! Traffic jams, flight delays, lost keys, etc. The shows went really well, though, and I really enjoyed our time in Seattle. That's a city I could visit again.
While there I picked up a few books -- the one I've started reading (and am almost through) is "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke. I'm enjoying it, but not loving as much as I had expected to. I also picked up a Steven Brust book that I hadn't even known existed (I just finally read his "To Reign In Hell" last month), and "The Briar King" by Greg Keyes, which is at last out in paperback now that its sequel has been published. Speaking of sequels, I'm rather peeved with George R.R. Martin, whose book "A Feast For Crows" was supposed to be out last November, and has been pushed back four times -- it's now scheduled for December 30! And ditto for Atari games which was supposed to release the updated version of Sid Meier's "Pirates!" in April and has pushed it back to November. Oh, and for those who don't know, Terry Pratchett has a new book out!
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Oops!
Well, I just looked at that last post and noticed that I never posted anything about the results of the Pittsburgh trip! It was also a lot of fun, but the big news was that we had a day off while we were there and Jenny (one of the cast members) and I took the opportunity to drive to Niagara Falls! Neither of us had ever been, and I have to say that it was pretty amazing. I've never used the scanner function of my new all-in-one printer, but I'll try and figure it out tonight and post some photos. Wish me luck!
All this and new shoes!
Well, I'm back from another tour. We were back and forth between northern Wisconsin and southern Minnesota for 5 days. Had a great time!
Highlights:
-- A visit to the "World's Largest Six-Pack of Beer" at the La Crosse brewery. Bonus: $3.50 for all-you-can-eat brats, and the beer was really good.
-- Stopped at the Mall of America. Bought a phone charger. Didn't ride the roller-coaster. Had a hat embroidered to say "Blueco." You see, the three touring companies at Second City are called Redco, Greenco, and Blueco. I'm with Blue. And the cast all has matching track suits that say "Blueco" on the back that they bought shortly before I came on board. So now I can participate in my own small way :)
-- Had lunch in Taylors Falls. It was their fall festival, and it was just a super cute little town on a gorgeous fall day. The epitome of "Americana."
Lowlight:
-- One of the cast members had her wallet stolen. Second City replaced the money she lost, but it was still an unpleasant morning.
Other things going on:
-- Saw "Garden State" tonight. Really enjoyed it, except for the ending.
-- Bought new shows today (finally!). I've been trying to find time to do that since I got back.
-- Got a library card.
-- Fixed a bunch of stuff around the house today -- mainly doors.
Oh, and the day before I left on the tour we got internet in the house!! So I will try to update this more often, although I wouldn't count on it, if I were you ;-)
Highlights:
-- A visit to the "World's Largest Six-Pack of Beer" at the La Crosse brewery. Bonus: $3.50 for all-you-can-eat brats, and the beer was really good.
-- Stopped at the Mall of America. Bought a phone charger. Didn't ride the roller-coaster. Had a hat embroidered to say "Blueco." You see, the three touring companies at Second City are called Redco, Greenco, and Blueco. I'm with Blue. And the cast all has matching track suits that say "Blueco" on the back that they bought shortly before I came on board. So now I can participate in my own small way :)
-- Had lunch in Taylors Falls. It was their fall festival, and it was just a super cute little town on a gorgeous fall day. The epitome of "Americana."
Lowlight:
-- One of the cast members had her wallet stolen. Second City replaced the money she lost, but it was still an unpleasant morning.
Other things going on:
-- Saw "Garden State" tonight. Really enjoyed it, except for the ending.
-- Bought new shows today (finally!). I've been trying to find time to do that since I got back.
-- Got a library card.
-- Fixed a bunch of stuff around the house today -- mainly doors.
Oh, and the day before I left on the tour we got internet in the house!! So I will try to update this more often, although I wouldn't count on it, if I were you ;-)
Monday, September 06, 2004
I'm so tired
Man, I'm getting too old for this, I guess :) Moving didn't used to be such a big deal. There was a time when everything I owned fit in the back of my Toyota Tercel. Now the what used to be so simple takes weeks and costs hundreds of dollars. Sigh. Anyway, it's an ongoing process, so please bear with me. Someday I will be more settled. Just in time to move again!
Had my first tour this weekend. Had a great time! The show went really well and everyone in the cast is really cool. Since Saturday night was one of the cast members' birthday and it was my first show, we celebrated quite hard. What happens on the road stays on the road, but suffice it to say that even those of us who left the party early didn't get back to the hotel until 4:30am!
Will be spending today and tomorrow trying to get caught up on some little things that need doing. Also have to prepare because we're leaving at an ungodly early hour on Thursday to perform in Pittsburgh for a week. Should be fun! I'll post again when we get back.
Had my first tour this weekend. Had a great time! The show went really well and everyone in the cast is really cool. Since Saturday night was one of the cast members' birthday and it was my first show, we celebrated quite hard. What happens on the road stays on the road, but suffice it to say that even those of us who left the party early didn't get back to the hotel until 4:30am!
Will be spending today and tomorrow trying to get caught up on some little things that need doing. Also have to prepare because we're leaving at an ungodly early hour on Thursday to perform in Pittsburgh for a week. Should be fun! I'll post again when we get back.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Not #5.
Just a quick note to let everyone know that the move is over. It all worked out in the end, but went a little crazy in the middle. Hopefully phones and internet and such like things will be sorted out by the end of the week and I can get back to finishing the top ten list and give you info about the move and the new place. In the meantime, keep cool and eat your veggies :)
Friday, August 27, 2004
6
Top Ten Things I Will / Won't Miss About Living In Tennessee:
#6: Water
Will Miss: The creek. I've spent my entire life living near bodies of water, but this is the first time that I've lived near running water. Having the creek here really makes the farm special in my opinion. And there's nothing like taking a walk on a hot day and being able to stop and dunk your head in the creek! It's one of Eddie's favorite pastimes. It's beautiful and practical and just plain fun to have around.
Won't Miss: The drinking water. While the water in the creek tests as 99% pure, the water from our wells leaves much to be desired. The water up at the house still reeks of sulfur, despite all Scott's efforts to purify it. And the water at the cabin has the problem that it comes from the neighbors' well. This doesn't sound like much of a problem, I know, but our neighbors are through-and-through rednecks, and their idea of water softening is dumping a gallon of bleach in the tank once a week. The water quality varies wildly, depending on how recently the bleach was added. Really makes you appreciate city water!
#6: Water
Will Miss: The creek. I've spent my entire life living near bodies of water, but this is the first time that I've lived near running water. Having the creek here really makes the farm special in my opinion. And there's nothing like taking a walk on a hot day and being able to stop and dunk your head in the creek! It's one of Eddie's favorite pastimes. It's beautiful and practical and just plain fun to have around.
Won't Miss: The drinking water. While the water in the creek tests as 99% pure, the water from our wells leaves much to be desired. The water up at the house still reeks of sulfur, despite all Scott's efforts to purify it. And the water at the cabin has the problem that it comes from the neighbors' well. This doesn't sound like much of a problem, I know, but our neighbors are through-and-through rednecks, and their idea of water softening is dumping a gallon of bleach in the tank once a week. The water quality varies wildly, depending on how recently the bleach was added. Really makes you appreciate city water!
Monday, August 23, 2004
Seven, eight, gonna stay up late.
Top Ten Things I Will / Won't Miss About Living In Tennessee:
Numbers 7 & 8: Wildlife.
#7: Will Miss: The animals. The milder climate of the southern US encourages all manner of flora and fauna to flourish. And boy, does it flourish (ever heard of kudzu?)! As a Yankee city boy, it's been fun to watch all of the deer, rabbits, skinks (a kind of lizard), frogs, snakes, crows, buzzards, hawks, goats, donkeys, mules, horses, cows, llamas, emus, chickens, coyotes, turtles, fish, crawdads, possums, dogs, cats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, beavers, and bats; especially the rare ones: salamander, bald eagle, blue heron, indigo bunting, and luna moth.
#7: Won't Miss: The roadkill. I didn't list skunks above, because I haven't seen a live one yet since we've been down here, but I've smelled a dead one at least once a week! I've even left a victim by the side of the road myself -- a stupid buzzard that flew right into my windshield while I was doing 60 miles per hour on the highway. I left both the buzzard and most of my windshield there that night. And several beats of my heart!
#8: Will Miss: The fireflies. There are a number of different species of firefly around the world, although the differences between them are not great. Mostly, different species have different blink patterns for their lights. We have two different species just here on the farm, and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park they have fourteen! Walking the dog in the evenings with thousands of fireflies going off around me has been one of my most favorite things about life down here. And Susan and I made a special trip to the Smokies to see the "synchronous beetles." This is a species of firefly found only two places in the whole world (here and some forest in Vietnam). What's special about them is that their blink pattern consists of five short blinks in a row, and when one starts blinking, any other synchronous beetles that can see him also start blinking. And then any others who can see them start blinking, and so on, so that in a matter of seconds, an entire field of fireflies will all be blinking at once, and then they will all just suddenly stop. Until one of them gets the urge to start up by himself and sets the whole field off again. Words cannot describe how beautiful and magical this is! It becomes really easy to see where legends of fairies may have come from! I hope that all of you may get the chance to experience it for yourselves someday.
#8: Won't Miss: The rest of the insects down here. Remember what I said about flourishing? Well, who wants moths, mosquitoes, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, butterflies, houseflies, ladybugs, asian beetles, cockroaches, fleas, caterpillars, centipedes, millipedes, slugs, wasps, bees, spiders, gnats, dragonflies, and ticks flourishing in their backyard? Especially the ticks. I hate ticks. I had never seen a tick before moving down here, but I can now tell you with certainty that they are one of the most disgusting creatures on the planet. The only good thing I can say about them is that they can't fly. If I never see another tick again in my life, it will be too soon.
Numbers 7 & 8: Wildlife.
#7: Will Miss: The animals. The milder climate of the southern US encourages all manner of flora and fauna to flourish. And boy, does it flourish (ever heard of kudzu?)! As a Yankee city boy, it's been fun to watch all of the deer, rabbits, skinks (a kind of lizard), frogs, snakes, crows, buzzards, hawks, goats, donkeys, mules, horses, cows, llamas, emus, chickens, coyotes, turtles, fish, crawdads, possums, dogs, cats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, beavers, and bats; especially the rare ones: salamander, bald eagle, blue heron, indigo bunting, and luna moth.
#7: Won't Miss: The roadkill. I didn't list skunks above, because I haven't seen a live one yet since we've been down here, but I've smelled a dead one at least once a week! I've even left a victim by the side of the road myself -- a stupid buzzard that flew right into my windshield while I was doing 60 miles per hour on the highway. I left both the buzzard and most of my windshield there that night. And several beats of my heart!
#8: Will Miss: The fireflies. There are a number of different species of firefly around the world, although the differences between them are not great. Mostly, different species have different blink patterns for their lights. We have two different species just here on the farm, and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park they have fourteen! Walking the dog in the evenings with thousands of fireflies going off around me has been one of my most favorite things about life down here. And Susan and I made a special trip to the Smokies to see the "synchronous beetles." This is a species of firefly found only two places in the whole world (here and some forest in Vietnam). What's special about them is that their blink pattern consists of five short blinks in a row, and when one starts blinking, any other synchronous beetles that can see him also start blinking. And then any others who can see them start blinking, and so on, so that in a matter of seconds, an entire field of fireflies will all be blinking at once, and then they will all just suddenly stop. Until one of them gets the urge to start up by himself and sets the whole field off again. Words cannot describe how beautiful and magical this is! It becomes really easy to see where legends of fairies may have come from! I hope that all of you may get the chance to experience it for yourselves someday.
#8: Won't Miss: The rest of the insects down here. Remember what I said about flourishing? Well, who wants moths, mosquitoes, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, butterflies, houseflies, ladybugs, asian beetles, cockroaches, fleas, caterpillars, centipedes, millipedes, slugs, wasps, bees, spiders, gnats, dragonflies, and ticks flourishing in their backyard? Especially the ticks. I hate ticks. I had never seen a tick before moving down here, but I can now tell you with certainty that they are one of the most disgusting creatures on the planet. The only good thing I can say about them is that they can't fly. If I never see another tick again in my life, it will be too soon.
A side note
Yesterday was National Punctuation Day! To celebrate, why not buy a copy of "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation," by Lynne Truss? Or maybe send a contribution to the Apostrophe Protection Society. :D
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to mention this on the actual day, but I spent the weekend helping Susan move into her new house. We're both dead tired, but she's all in! It's a really cute house, and I'm sure that she's going to really enjoy living there. Once she gets unpacked, that is :)
I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to mention this on the actual day, but I spent the weekend helping Susan move into her new house. We're both dead tired, but she's all in! It's a really cute house, and I'm sure that she's going to really enjoy living there. Once she gets unpacked, that is :)
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Number nine, number nine, number nine.....
Top Ten Things I Will / Won't Miss About Living In Tennessee:
#9: Country Music
Will Miss: Okay, I admit it. I have spent the better part of my life dismissing country music as categorically uninteresting. It is the only kind of music that I have been so blindly prejudiced about. These days, however, I have come to realize the expansiveness of the genre. Just as rock can include everyone from the Beatles to Limp Bizkit, so can country music encompass everyone from Ralph Stanley to Tim McGraw. I have finally found the places within country music that appeal to me, from classic artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, to new artists destined to be classics, like Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek (Susan and I got to see Alison Krauss and Union Station in a special concert at the Grand Ol' Opry with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. It was phenomenal!). Country music has, for me, finally reached the same level as all other musical genres; a level where each artist, and even each song, is to be liked and disliked on its own merits, rather than left unlistened to in a lump.
Won't Miss: That having been said, however, there are a lot of country music artists out there to be disliked. The overbearing prevalence of country music down here means we get a thorough cross-section of the good, the bad, and the ugly (Garth Brooks, I'm looking at you.....). For every Nickel Creek there's a Shania Twain. And a Charlie Daniels. And a Kenny Chesney. For every good Toby Keith song ("Beer For My Horses"), there are two bad ones ("Stays In Mexico" and "The Angry American"). Even Alison Krauss can get a little carried away with the hymns sometimes. Another down side of life in "Music City" is the OVER-expansiveness of the definition of country music down here. Have you heard about "cross-over country" yet? I'm sorry, but a musical genre is defined by its music, and NOT by its content. If you're singing a song in a rock and roll style, then that is a ROCK SONG, regardless of if you're singing about how your truck broke down on the day your dog left you for another man.
That's what I have to say about it.
#9: Country Music
Will Miss: Okay, I admit it. I have spent the better part of my life dismissing country music as categorically uninteresting. It is the only kind of music that I have been so blindly prejudiced about. These days, however, I have come to realize the expansiveness of the genre. Just as rock can include everyone from the Beatles to Limp Bizkit, so can country music encompass everyone from Ralph Stanley to Tim McGraw. I have finally found the places within country music that appeal to me, from classic artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, to new artists destined to be classics, like Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek (Susan and I got to see Alison Krauss and Union Station in a special concert at the Grand Ol' Opry with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. It was phenomenal!). Country music has, for me, finally reached the same level as all other musical genres; a level where each artist, and even each song, is to be liked and disliked on its own merits, rather than left unlistened to in a lump.
Won't Miss: That having been said, however, there are a lot of country music artists out there to be disliked. The overbearing prevalence of country music down here means we get a thorough cross-section of the good, the bad, and the ugly (Garth Brooks, I'm looking at you.....). For every Nickel Creek there's a Shania Twain. And a Charlie Daniels. And a Kenny Chesney. For every good Toby Keith song ("Beer For My Horses"), there are two bad ones ("Stays In Mexico" and "The Angry American"). Even Alison Krauss can get a little carried away with the hymns sometimes. Another down side of life in "Music City" is the OVER-expansiveness of the definition of country music down here. Have you heard about "cross-over country" yet? I'm sorry, but a musical genre is defined by its music, and NOT by its content. If you're singing a song in a rock and roll style, then that is a ROCK SONG, regardless of if you're singing about how your truck broke down on the day your dog left you for another man.
That's what I have to say about it.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Top Ten
I love top ten lists! Always have. Most of you probably didn't know that the title of my earlier post, "Pour the gin, Martha, I'm comin' home," is a quote from one of my favorite David Letterman top ten lists. Anyway, my friend Jason recently moved from LA back to Chicago and he did a top ten list of things that he would and would not miss about LA. So, I have decided to shamelessly rip him off, and hereby present:
The Top Ten Things That I Will/Won't Miss About Tennessee:
#10: Space.
Will Miss: When I first moved to Chicago, one of the things that really took some getting used to was the fact that you're never alone there. There's always someone within earshot, if not in sight. Not so down here! In my little cabin hideaway, I could go days without seeing anyone but the dog if I wanted to. And I must confess that it's kind of nice. Speaking of the dog, he's REALLY gonna miss all this space. It's great to be able to just let him roam free -- he can run and play and chase things to his heart's content. In the city, he'll have to be on leash pretty much always.
Won't Miss: I won't miss that it's 10 miles to the nearest place to buy anything. I won't miss that work is 90 miles away, and so is my girlfriend. I won't miss that it's a mile to the mailbox. I won't miss that it's 30 miles to the movie theater, and that it's one of the crappiest movie theaters I've ever been in. (Okay, well that last part doesn't have so much to do with space -- sorry. I got carried away.)
Coming soon: #9!
The Top Ten Things That I Will/Won't Miss About Tennessee:
#10: Space.
Will Miss: When I first moved to Chicago, one of the things that really took some getting used to was the fact that you're never alone there. There's always someone within earshot, if not in sight. Not so down here! In my little cabin hideaway, I could go days without seeing anyone but the dog if I wanted to. And I must confess that it's kind of nice. Speaking of the dog, he's REALLY gonna miss all this space. It's great to be able to just let him roam free -- he can run and play and chase things to his heart's content. In the city, he'll have to be on leash pretty much always.
Won't Miss: I won't miss that it's 10 miles to the nearest place to buy anything. I won't miss that work is 90 miles away, and so is my girlfriend. I won't miss that it's a mile to the mailbox. I won't miss that it's 30 miles to the movie theater, and that it's one of the crappiest movie theaters I've ever been in. (Okay, well that last part doesn't have so much to do with space -- sorry. I got carried away.)
Coming soon: #9!
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Is "trepidatious" a word?
I have used it as one before, but, alas, I don't think it really is. It was used intending to convey having a feeling of trepidation. For example, I have a feeling of trepidation about posting blog entries when I have nothing to say. Or rather, nothing of merit to say. Thus I haven't posted for several days.....
I took the last two days off (gotta use those vacation days before I quit). My dad came down and helped me pack. For those of you who don't know, this is highly unusual for me -- I generally pack by throwing everything randomly in boxes the night before the move. It's nice to have all the non-essential stuff already dealt with. It was also nice to hang with Dad for a couple of days. Saw "The Bourne Supremacy." It was fine. Not great but fine. I have to admit to liking Matt Damon, and it was really nice to see Joan Allen not playing someone's estranged wife!
Tonight Susan and I went to "Beauty & The Beast" at the Cumberland County Playhouse -- they're the local regional theatre. They do good work, and they have a solid reputation. Granted, they're doing the kind of safe, lame shows that old folks can bring their church groups to, but at least they do it well. This is the third show we've seen there (with "Sleuth" and "Cats"), and I would actually say that it was the weakest of the three. It was still quite good, though, and we had a blast. The guys who played Gaston and Lefou were really good, and their scenic painter deserves a medal. The lighting was barely adequate, though, and someone needs to talk to them about how much is too much when it comes to fog machines. The rest of the cast was obviously having a good time, except for Belle's father, Maurice, who seemed more like Belle's retarded younger brother. Seriously.
I'm sure there's more that I meant to say, but I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open. Ta-ta for now!
I took the last two days off (gotta use those vacation days before I quit). My dad came down and helped me pack. For those of you who don't know, this is highly unusual for me -- I generally pack by throwing everything randomly in boxes the night before the move. It's nice to have all the non-essential stuff already dealt with. It was also nice to hang with Dad for a couple of days. Saw "The Bourne Supremacy." It was fine. Not great but fine. I have to admit to liking Matt Damon, and it was really nice to see Joan Allen not playing someone's estranged wife!
Tonight Susan and I went to "Beauty & The Beast" at the Cumberland County Playhouse -- they're the local regional theatre. They do good work, and they have a solid reputation. Granted, they're doing the kind of safe, lame shows that old folks can bring their church groups to, but at least they do it well. This is the third show we've seen there (with "Sleuth" and "Cats"), and I would actually say that it was the weakest of the three. It was still quite good, though, and we had a blast. The guys who played Gaston and Lefou were really good, and their scenic painter deserves a medal. The lighting was barely adequate, though, and someone needs to talk to them about how much is too much when it comes to fog machines. The rest of the cast was obviously having a good time, except for Belle's father, Maurice, who seemed more like Belle's retarded younger brother. Seriously.
I'm sure there's more that I meant to say, but I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open. Ta-ta for now!
Monday, August 09, 2004
Spelunking is a funny word
Behind my cabin is a dry creek bed. If you follow this creekbed back up the hollow, you come to a big hole in the ground which leads to a large cave. Joe Koren, the lunatic who sold Scott this place, told us some stories about exploring the cave with a friend. So much of what Joe told us has turned out not to be true that we weren't sure what to think about his stories of the cave.
Now, Scott loves caves. He has been trying since we got here to talk me into spending a day exploring the cave with him, but circumstances have always prevented it. Today, we figured it was now or never, so down we went (about twenty feet straight down)!
There was, unfortunately, not very far we could go once we got there. The cave runs north and south. We followed the north end for awhile, sighting several frogs, several cave crickets (like normal crickets, only much bigger and albino), a snake (harmless), and a salamander (!), but soon we came to a spot where the cave was blocked by debris.
We headed down to the south end, checking out the cool fossils and rock formations, and enjoying the view of the sunlight streaming down from the cave mouth above. It was about twenty degrees cooler underground than out in the sun.
But the south end didn't go very far at all before there were several inches of water on the ground. This wouldn't have been a problem, except that the floor of the cave was not very stable -- it was mostly piled up branches and mud and small rocks that had swept down into the cave when the creekbed flooded during storms. Anyway, with the water on it, it was pretty much like quicksand. It just wasn't able to hold our weight, and although we racked our brains (and even racked the neighbors' brains), we didn't have anything we could use to get across it.
So, that was the end of our journey to the center of the earth. I think Scott was a little disappointed that we couldn't go further, but I had a great time!
Now, Scott loves caves. He has been trying since we got here to talk me into spending a day exploring the cave with him, but circumstances have always prevented it. Today, we figured it was now or never, so down we went (about twenty feet straight down)!
There was, unfortunately, not very far we could go once we got there. The cave runs north and south. We followed the north end for awhile, sighting several frogs, several cave crickets (like normal crickets, only much bigger and albino), a snake (harmless), and a salamander (!), but soon we came to a spot where the cave was blocked by debris.
We headed down to the south end, checking out the cool fossils and rock formations, and enjoying the view of the sunlight streaming down from the cave mouth above. It was about twenty degrees cooler underground than out in the sun.
But the south end didn't go very far at all before there were several inches of water on the ground. This wouldn't have been a problem, except that the floor of the cave was not very stable -- it was mostly piled up branches and mud and small rocks that had swept down into the cave when the creekbed flooded during storms. Anyway, with the water on it, it was pretty much like quicksand. It just wasn't able to hold our weight, and although we racked our brains (and even racked the neighbors' brains), we didn't have anything we could use to get across it.
So, that was the end of our journey to the center of the earth. I think Scott was a little disappointed that we couldn't go further, but I had a great time!
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Only a week into this...
...and I'm already behind! This week has been "balls to the wall" at work (to quote my boss). I'm working a lot of overtime to try and get everything in good shape for when I leave. But instead of catching up, I feel like every day I'm getting worse off!
Anyway, I do find some time to enjoy myself:
Reading: just finished "Werewolves In Their Youth" by Michael Chabon -- short stories; well written but sad. Just started "Shadow & Claw" by Gene Wolfe -- fantasy; kind of boring so far, but only one chapter into it. Have also been re-reading some Richard Brautigan poetry.
Movies: saw "The Village" tonight. Really liked it. Very stylized, great performances, intriguing concept. Oddly off-putting at times -- I can see why some of the reviews have been mixed -- but definitely my kind of movie.
Shopping: bought a new belt tonight. I can tell that you're all very excited for me. I also bought some "Magic: The Gathering" cards. Scott and I have made it a point to make a little time for playing cards once a week, and we're really liking the most recent edition of "Magic," so I thought I'd pick up a few extras. Got some good ones! He'll be jealous, and isn't that really the point? :)
Welp, it's awfully late and I'm putting in some more overtime tomorrow (!) so I'll close for the day.
Anyway, I do find some time to enjoy myself:
Reading: just finished "Werewolves In Their Youth" by Michael Chabon -- short stories; well written but sad. Just started "Shadow & Claw" by Gene Wolfe -- fantasy; kind of boring so far, but only one chapter into it. Have also been re-reading some Richard Brautigan poetry.
Movies: saw "The Village" tonight. Really liked it. Very stylized, great performances, intriguing concept. Oddly off-putting at times -- I can see why some of the reviews have been mixed -- but definitely my kind of movie.
Shopping: bought a new belt tonight. I can tell that you're all very excited for me. I also bought some "Magic: The Gathering" cards. Scott and I have made it a point to make a little time for playing cards once a week, and we're really liking the most recent edition of "Magic," so I thought I'd pick up a few extras. Got some good ones! He'll be jealous, and isn't that really the point? :)
Welp, it's awfully late and I'm putting in some more overtime tomorrow (!) so I'll close for the day.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
The journey of a thousand miles...
...begins with a single step. Today I gave notice at my current job. My boss took it well -- she's a really great person. Pretty much everyone I work with right now is really great. I wish that things could have worked out differently, but I'll get over it :)
I do hope that things work out at the ol' High-Tech Institute. I'm the third person to quit this summer from our five person department. And I have a suspicion that number 4 is on the way. I have no doubt that they'll hire some replacements and everything will work out fine, but I know it'll be a lot of stress on the manager and the other people who are staying, and Lord knows they have enough stress as it is! I also worry about the students -- I care about them and want them to get the best help they can get, and I know that they won't be getting it for awhile. Sigh. I really should learn not to get so emotionally involved in my work!
But, hey, at least I won't have to wear a tie everyday anymore. And I guess this makes everything official for the move! Yee-haw!
P.S. For those of you who stopped by yesterday, I'm sorry that things looked a little weird. There seem to be some discrepancies between how Mozilla Firebird views and posts to the blog and how Internet Explorer does. I think I've got it figured out now.
I do hope that things work out at the ol' High-Tech Institute. I'm the third person to quit this summer from our five person department. And I have a suspicion that number 4 is on the way. I have no doubt that they'll hire some replacements and everything will work out fine, but I know it'll be a lot of stress on the manager and the other people who are staying, and Lord knows they have enough stress as it is! I also worry about the students -- I care about them and want them to get the best help they can get, and I know that they won't be getting it for awhile. Sigh. I really should learn not to get so emotionally involved in my work!
But, hey, at least I won't have to wear a tie everyday anymore. And I guess this makes everything official for the move! Yee-haw!
P.S. For those of you who stopped by yesterday, I'm sorry that things looked a little weird. There seem to be some discrepancies between how Mozilla Firebird views and posts to the blog and how Internet Explorer does. I think I've got it figured out now.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Pour the gin, Martha -- I'm comin' home!
So, the basic gist of the story is: I’m moving back to Chicago. Soon.
My friend Heather Voss recently graduated from Seabury-Western Episcopal Seminary in Evanston. And she just got hired as the Episcopal Chaplain for Northwestern University. And part of her pay for this job is a seven bedroom house that she gets to live in. And she was looking for roommates. And I got excited about the idea of living in Evanston, and about the low, low “rent” that I would be paying as her roommate (not actual rent, but a donation made to the church each month). But she needed an answer soon (this was Tuesday).
I figured that before I could make any decisions about where to live, I needed to find a job. So I sent out some e-mails to see if anyone I used to work for in Chicago needed any help. And it turns out that the Second City is looking for a stage manager for one of their touring companies. They asked if I was interested, but they, too, needed an answer soon.
So I spent a couple of hours agonizing over the situation, mostly concerned about how much of a blow this is going to be to my current job. And then, as I almost always do when confronted with an opportunity to shake things up, I said yes to everything.
The current plan is that I will be moving the last weekend in August. Scott and I will be moving together and sharing expenses, so we’ll probably load the truck on Saturday, August 28, then drive up and unload his stuff on Sunday, August 29, and spend the night at his place. On Monday morning, August 30, we’ll drive up to Evanston, unload my stuff, and return the truck so that I can be at Second City on Monday night in time to watch the last show of the guy that I’m replacing. Now, the current plan is always subject to revisions, but that’s where things stand. Anyone who wants to come help us move will, of course, be welcomed with open arms!
Also, I’ll be wanting some other work outside of Second City. If anyone knows of any theaters looking for a freelance stage manager / designer / director / technician / jack-of-all-trades, please let me know so I can start sending out resumes. Or if anyone knows of any cool part-time jobs with very flexible scheduling, let me know that, too.
My friend Heather Voss recently graduated from Seabury-Western Episcopal Seminary in Evanston. And she just got hired as the Episcopal Chaplain for Northwestern University. And part of her pay for this job is a seven bedroom house that she gets to live in. And she was looking for roommates. And I got excited about the idea of living in Evanston, and about the low, low “rent” that I would be paying as her roommate (not actual rent, but a donation made to the church each month). But she needed an answer soon (this was Tuesday).
I figured that before I could make any decisions about where to live, I needed to find a job. So I sent out some e-mails to see if anyone I used to work for in Chicago needed any help. And it turns out that the Second City is looking for a stage manager for one of their touring companies. They asked if I was interested, but they, too, needed an answer soon.
So I spent a couple of hours agonizing over the situation, mostly concerned about how much of a blow this is going to be to my current job. And then, as I almost always do when confronted with an opportunity to shake things up, I said yes to everything.
The current plan is that I will be moving the last weekend in August. Scott and I will be moving together and sharing expenses, so we’ll probably load the truck on Saturday, August 28, then drive up and unload his stuff on Sunday, August 29, and spend the night at his place. On Monday morning, August 30, we’ll drive up to Evanston, unload my stuff, and return the truck so that I can be at Second City on Monday night in time to watch the last show of the guy that I’m replacing. Now, the current plan is always subject to revisions, but that’s where things stand. Anyone who wants to come help us move will, of course, be welcomed with open arms!
Also, I’ll be wanting some other work outside of Second City. If anyone knows of any theaters looking for a freelance stage manager / designer / director / technician / jack-of-all-trades, please let me know so I can start sending out resumes. Or if anyone knows of any cool part-time jobs with very flexible scheduling, let me know that, too.
Opening Thought
"It is man's nature to oppose change he doesn't understand and his nature to fail in such opposition. But it is man's potential to try to see how all things come from the light and how they pause in the darkness of matter only long enough to change back into energy, to see that changelessness would be meaninglessness, to know that the only way the universe can show and prove itself is through change. His job is to do what nothing else he knows of can do: to look about and draw upon time.
Like a crazed enemy running amuck, ego, that excessive looking inward, had had its way and now the old life was lost. But what had not been lost was the chance, as Black Elk says, 'to make over.' A man cannot remake ego because it is able to grow only in size like a simple cell. A locked form unable to change its structure, it is ever only what it is. Not so an angle of vision -- that a man could make over. To remake is his potential, his hope. By seeing both the futility in trying to relive the old life and the danger in trying to obliterate it, man can gain the capacity to make anew. His very form depends not on repetition but upon variation from old patterns. In response to stress, biological survival requires genetic change; it necessitates a turning away from doomed replication. And what of history? Was it different?"
William Least Heat Moon
Like a crazed enemy running amuck, ego, that excessive looking inward, had had its way and now the old life was lost. But what had not been lost was the chance, as Black Elk says, 'to make over.' A man cannot remake ego because it is able to grow only in size like a simple cell. A locked form unable to change its structure, it is ever only what it is. Not so an angle of vision -- that a man could make over. To remake is his potential, his hope. By seeing both the futility in trying to relive the old life and the danger in trying to obliterate it, man can gain the capacity to make anew. His very form depends not on repetition but upon variation from old patterns. In response to stress, biological survival requires genetic change; it necessitates a turning away from doomed replication. And what of history? Was it different?"
William Least Heat Moon
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