Friday, September 29, 2006

Self-promotin' is the best promotin'

Hey world, so, as I may have mentioned to you, if we've spoken briefly or gmail-chatted, or even if you've just noticed me falling asleep on the floor (actually, I think that only applies to BH), I'm extremely busy.

The reasons for all this bustle are multifold, but the most exciting of them is that I'm involved in three productions in the span of six weeks. 24-hour theater, which I am "curating" aka "doing a ton of work for" will be going up in a week, so right now I'm herding the Drama School cats into writing, directing, designing and producing in a period of time (24 hours over 5 days) that is both too short and not short enough. Once it ends, there's:

We're Celebrities . . . We're Just Not Famous Yet written by yours truly and premiering at the Yale Cabaret. It's about teenage girls, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Simpson, and the fact that I spent waaaaaaay too much time last year watching "My Super Sweet Sixteen." Directed by the fabulous Ms. Becca Wolf and going up October 19, 20, 21.

Then, mere weeks later, is:

Bibles and Candy also by me, and going up at PlaySkool. This is my official yearly production, and is about NGO workers, missionaries, journalists and the fact that I spent a certain amount of time in pre-Aristide-coup Haiti. Directed by the talented Mike Donahue and going up November 9, 10, 11.

Let me know if you're interested in tix to either or both, and apologies in advance if I forget your birthday, don't return phone calls, and am generally a social delinquent. My already-picked New Year's resolution is not to put on any plays for a couple of months.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Hello again

Notes from all over:

1) I made jelly! And it gelled! We have a lovely grape arbor in our backyard, which means that, in early fall, we are suddenly innundated with pounds and pounds of Concord grapes. And they're actually harder to use than you'd think -- you can't really make grape muffins or grape pie, so you're pretty much left with jelly. For my first batch, made a couple weeks ago, I followed the directions on the pectin box religiously and ended up with several jars of grape syrup. So, this time, I disregarded their timetable and just boiled the tar out of my grapes and it worked. Six whole jelly jars worth. And there are still enough grapes out back that I could probably get another batch in. Yay. The true victory will come when I eat the homemade jelly on homemade bread this winter. Mmmmmmmmmm.

2) School goes well. Not quite up to first week levels of stylishness and confidence but a hell of a lot better than I was doing a year ago this time. Various scheduling demons are conspiring against my production this fall, but I feel, perhaps due to the 2 beers I had with dinner, that the show will emerge victorious. At the very least, I don't hate my play yet, so that's nice.

3) The cold is better. I actually did the mature thing and stayed home from school, instead of being brave and carting tissues everywhere and dragging the whole thing out for weeks. So, I mostly feel fine . . . except I still have a window-rattling chest cough, that prompted the following exchange this morning.

Me walking down busy street: Cough Cough

Dude on cellphone walking past me: Blah, blah, blah . . . . Wait, hold on a sec.

Me: COUGH COUGH COUGH

Dude (clearly annoyed that he might have to save my life): Are you, like, okay?

Me: Cough. (Nod). Cough. (Nod).

Dude (back on his cellphone): So, anyways, then I said . . .

4) Wonder dog is back in obedience school, in the hopes that he will become even more wonderful. And, God willing, learn to walk on a leash without dislocating the shoulder of whoever happens to be walking him. So far, my favorite thing about it is I'm forced to remember where he was, obedience-wise, in January, when we first signed him up and how far he's come since then . . . for example, we couldn't even leave him in the house alone uncrated at that point. So that feels nice. Even if he's a yanking machine on leash.

5) I like fall. Always have. Comes from being a nerd, I think, and enjoying school-supply shopping a little more than is socially acceptable. Also sweaters and apples and everyone's birthday. And lots of holidays and the good kind of Daylight Savings. It seems appropriate to be bustling around and getting things done, as opposed to February where all tasks except for the most nesty seem onerous, and I really just want to swath myself in flannel, read dense Russian novels, and wait for spring.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Bleh

So the first week of PlaySkool went quite well -- I made it to classes more or less on time, knew what I was supposed to be doing, enjoyed the polite chitchat at the requisite BBQ and managed to pedal myself around town on my newly gearless (early anniversary present) bicycle. The Year 2 version of me was kinder, wiser, better dressed, and more self-possessed. I was thinking of declaring victory and looking into cloning myself.

Then we went away last weekend for a lovely wedding in Chicago, featuring a record four ministers (2 getting married and 2 performing the ceremony). Unfortunately, the weekend also featured: strong unidentifiable allergens, many smokers, 2 airplanes, 2 trains, 2 subways, a bus and a car, and a 30-minute period spent standing outside in the rain after 4 hours sleep. Not surprisingly, I am now staying home from PlaySkool, rubbing the skin under my nose a deep magenta, and frightening the dog with my deep-chest coughs.

Much sleep and tea are the day's agenda and I am, actually, starting to feel a little bit better, which is why I can summon cogent self-pity as opposed to yesterday's mere clogged bewilderment. But still. I was doing so well. It's only week 2. How can I already be miserable, wearing a sweatsuit, and behind on my schoolwork? How?

Monday, September 04, 2006

Ready or not . . .


It starts tomorrow.