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April 19th, 2007
12:59 am - A Random Act of Kindness
I drove to work this morning.
Now, in general, I shouldn't drive to work; it's much, much cheaper to take the train. But I like having my car with me as soon as the day ends. It's dumb, because I probably spend as much time in traffic as I would sitting on the train; but somehow, I like the control of having the car. (I also like the silence in my passenger seat, and the lack of people sitting on my hip, but that's probably my growing hermit tendencies.)
But anyway, the driving to work is sort of incidental to this entry. Normally, I, like every other driver in Massachusetts at 8 AM, get very cranky because people do randomly stupid ass things and just get in my way.
As you all know, today was the 3,216th cold and rainy day in a row. That, combined with the events of the world, have combined to put pretty much everyone I know into kind of a rotten mood. I am not immune to this condition, I hasten to add. I think the cast is actually becoming afraid of me.
But then something happened.
I was driving down Trapelo Road, and I saw a bus.
This is not unusual. THere are a lot of busses on Trapelo Road. But this one was doing something different.
It was just sitting there.
Then I saw a woman running towards it.
And realized - to my complete shock - that the busdriver was waiting for her!
This woman was running hell for leather down the street, her umbrella was inverting, and she was wearing silly shoes. Normally the bus would peel out leaving her to suck in exhaust fumes.
But not today. The bus driver waited for her! I was stunned. And then, I realized I was actually smiling. Now, I'm sure that some person on that bus was bitching and grumbling and moaning about it. Me?
It put me in a good mood for the rest of the morning.
My only regret was that I didn't note his bus number, because I would have written the MBTA a note telling them how cool I thought that was.
I'm not sure what it says about my expectations or the world in general that this tiny, stupid thing made me so happy. I don't want to analyze that too much, because it will probably kill my buzz.
But for three solid hours, all was right with the world.
Until the jackass down the hall yelled at me about something remarkably stupid.
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January 10th, 2007
02:42 am - Publicity
So, come see the show! And we still desperately need box office volunteers, which means you see the show for free!
Hovey Players Presents:
The Woman in Black
By Stephen Mallatratt
Directed by Kristin Hughes
Arthur Kipps, a middle-aged lawyer, hires a theater and its actor/manager to help him re-enact and ideally exorcise a ghostly event that he believes has haunted his life. At first, Kipps is hesitant; but he and the actor work together to bring the story to life, using the theatrical effects left from other productions. Kipps, coached by the actor, portrays a variety of roles, as the events he narrates begin to come to life on the stage. The actor portrays the young Kipps, sent to an isolated location to settle the estate of an elderly recluse - where he encounters the Woman in Black. Through a series of events, he learns her tragic story - and how it may affect him.
Performances: January 12, 13, 19, 20 , 25, 26, and 27, 2007, at 8:00 pm and January 21 at 2:00 pm
Tickets $15.00 -- Seniors $13.00, or work box office for free!
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July 4th, 2006
10:24 am - Today's a holiday, right?
Maybe I'm once again betraying my age, but isn't today a holiday?
If so, why are all the stores open? I just called the supermarket. Not only are they open, they're open their regular hours.
Doesn't that strike anyone else as a bit strange? I swear, when I was a kid, nothing was open on the 4th of July. Or any other holiday. Now I think the only days you can't go to the mall are Thanksgiving and Christmas...
God. I sound like my grandfather.
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankthinkg.gif) nostalgic
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July 3rd, 2006
12:44 pm - I haven't done one of these in a while.
Food Entry.
So, dinner went well. I tried three new recipes, and was still remarkably stress free (that's what happens when you're up early, and finish the actual cooking part early, I guess). And my apartment looks fantastic, if I do say so myself.
The menu included
White Bean Dip with Vegetables and Pita Chips
Salsa
Chilled Watercress Soup
Grilled Steak Salad with Green Beans and Blue Cheese
Key Lime Bars (July 2006 Cooks Illustrated - it's a pay site, comment/email if you want the recipe).
Changes and additions
- Watercress Soup
I substituted half and half and only one 3/4 lb potato for the whipping cream and the 1.25 pounds of russets. The soup is tasty, though not South Beach approved. I may experiment again with cauliflower and plain yogurt, to see if I can get the consistency and keep it South Beach friendly. And I'll definitely put in more watercress next time; I wanted more of that bite.
- Steak Salad changes
Nothing too dramatic here, except I don't have a grill. So I put a crust on the steaks of crushed peppercorns and kosher salt (I have some four peppercorn blend) and pan seared them. I also added red peppers and cucumber to the salad, and used a lettuce mix instead of just arugula. Very tasty, and South Beach approved. I cooked two steaks, but we only ate one, so I have an entire steak that I can use for other meals.
- Key Lime Bars
Wow, were these fantastic - and so easy! As you'd guess from the name, they're Key Lime Pie in bar form. The crust is crushed animal crackers, the filling is 2 oz of cream cheese, a LOT of lime juice and zest, sweetened condensed milk, and one egg yolk. Sooo amazing. Great for summer, too, because they're very light. I'm going to have to get them out of my apartment, or I'll eat all that's left. They're calling my name as we speak. And they're sooo not Beach approved.
Boy, do I love to cook.
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/anktiredg.gif) Insomnia is the pits.
Current Music: The top 929 songs on 92.9
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June 20th, 2006
08:59 pm - Wow.
I think I found the perfect ice cream flavor.
Mayan Chocolate.
This is what the website says:
"Inspired by the original chocolate crafted by the Mayans more than 2500 years ago, we blend rich dark chocolate with a hint of cinnamon for a magical Mayan offering."
What I say?
"Chocolate crack!"
It's unbe-frickin-lievable. And addictive. I'm now eating gazpacho in a desperate attempt to persuade my taste buds that I don't want to eat the entire pint.
Current Location: My computer
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankscaredg.gif) addicted
Current Music: General Hospital
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June 16th, 2006
04:17 pm
Baaaaa. Baaaaa. Baaaaa ( Read more... )
Current Location: Work.
Current Mood: apathetic
Current Music: Receptionist left, so we're music free.
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June 14th, 2006
10:06 am - Choices, choices.
I have two options.
1. Go back on South Beach, start hitting the gym, and lose that last 20 pounds.
2. Put the 30 pounds I lost back on.
Because right now, my clothes drive me crazy! And buying new ones isn't the picnic I thought it would be. I'm RIGHT BETWEEN sizes right now in shirts. The large is often a wee bit tight, and the XL is just a hair too big.
I'm wearing a brand new XL Sigrid Olsen sweater (that I got for $10!) and the damn thing is sliding off my shoulders. Oops. Whereas the L Michael Kors sweater ($20!) I wore yesterday was probably too snug for work.
Such a dilemma.
One's probably the only real option, right?
Current Location: Work.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankwinkg.gif) ditzy
Current Music: The tappity tap of keyboards
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May 18th, 2006
12:55 pm - What's the borderline between multitasking and insanity?
So, I forgot (until last weekend) that I'm going on in one Midsummer performance. Small role, but still. Oops.
That's in addition to stage managing it in two venues, attempting to do prep work for Liaisons (the Babson stage is like, three times the size of Hovey's so we're re-working some stuff to use more areas of the stage and kill most of the set changes between scenes), and attempting to hold down a job.
I think I want to just do one thing for a while in addition to the job. Maybe just be IN a show. I can't remember the last time I only had one position on a show I worked on. I'm usually in it, on prod staff, or on dir staff and filling an additional prod staff position, or working on multiple shows simultaneously.
So, goal for summer: ONE SHOW. ONE POSITION. I'd also like to, oh, I dunno. Go on a date. Which would, I suppose, require meeting someone who it was appropriate to date.
Not sure how to work that one out on my own, exactly.
Current Music: There is no music, only Zul.
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March 14th, 2006
01:44 am - She lives!
I just realized it's been over a month since I updated. Huh.
Interesting month. I went to a slew of unsuccessful auditions. Not unsuccessful in that I was displeased with them, but unsuccessful in the sense that I wasn't cast. I'd forgotten exactly how fierce the competition is for roles out in the world. So this spring I will be stage managing Hovey's production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Should be interesting: I haven't stage managed in about ten years, and we're performing in two venues, on entirely different sets - so we have two tech weeks.
Buried Child is underway. I am NOT a fan of the play, which makes absolutely no sense to me. I am, however, a huge fan of the dead baby skeleton that ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) wendyhouse and I collaborated on. It's just the right blend of creepy and realistic. Fun story about the leg we built: we were convinced - convinced! - that it had to be structural so that the actor could walk on it. So we built it that way. Until I was driving home with the contraption in my backseat and it dawned on me that uh, no it really didn't need to be walked on. Luckily, the actor and the director agreed with us when we presented that idea. I also question the logic of doing a play that requires corn to be husked onstage in March in New England. I've overspent my props budget by a factor of four. (It was a really, really small budget, though.)
Full Monty opened and closed at Turtle Lane. I house managed half the performances, but didn't get around to seeing it until the closing performance. I like the show very much, and the production was very good. Well cast, good performances, funny, and great choreography. I did feel that some of the smaller moments were missed, though (the relationships between Jerry and his ex-wife and son could have been better delineated), and now I want to direct the show.
And the best news - Liaisons is going to EMACT! Well, we've put in an application, at any rate. We're taking Act II. It will be interesting and exciting and all sorts of other -ings, as we'll need to restage some of it for a larger venue, and work rehearsals around the Dream schedule (Valmont is playing Bottom and Merteiul is Titania).
Updates should become more frequent, and may occasionally include television related content. (My squeeing inner fangirl is all excited about last night's West Wing, and there's new Veronica Mars this week, and TAR just started and American Idol and Dr. Who!!!! and lord only knows what else...)
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankhappyg.gif) mellow
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February 8th, 2006
09:50 am
The universe is conspiring to keep me humble. One must remind oneself that this is a good thing.
Liaisons was so successful I somehow expected things to keep going that well.
Since then -
AFD rejected me as a director.
Turtle Lane rejected me as an actress (Well, not technically. But I have no interest in the General in Guys and Dolls, especially not for a six week run when I could make more money and probably have a better time house managing. So, not even a callback.)
Concord is full up and can't even interview me as a potential director for next season.
And I think there was some other rejection somewhere, but I've already blocked it out.
Which raises the question - what rejection should I seek out next?
Hmmm. So much theater, so little time...
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February 7th, 2006
11:57 am - Reason #2,342 why I love the theater
2,342. Long email chains about the availability of corn in the cob (on the husk, in March) and viable substitutions for chewing tobacco. Complete with remarkably erudite emails from the Royal National Theater.
Beef jerky, anyone? How about seaweed?
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February 3rd, 2006
11:31 am - Accckpt!
So much for my ticket saying Urinetown.
Y'all are reserved out! Anyone got an extra ticket for tonight?
Anyone? Bueller?
Current Mood: ditzy
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January 24th, 2006
12:32 pm - One from the Random file
So I just got off the phone with Turtle Lane about a couple of things and got this random nugget, "If you're ever interested in stage managing let me know."
So far I've acted in their shows, expressed interest in directing there, and house managed.
I have no idea how that translated for the general manager into me stagemanaging Guys and Dolls - especially when the director already asked me to audition, but hey. It's flattering, I guess. Not bad money, either. If anyone who reads this is qualified and interested, let me know and I'll put you in touch.
Liaisons continues to rock my world. There are still tickets for this weekend, so CALL NOW. You won't be sorry.
In other news, I seriously need to find and propose something for next season at Hovey. By Tuesday. Last year I was really torn between Stoppard's The Real Thing and Liaisons - should I go back to that? Other possible options: An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, Arms and the Man by G.B. Shaw, or The Hollow by Agatha Christie, all things I've suggested other places. But none of them really set my world on fire. I'm stuck. I would really like to find a good, fun comedy, as Hovey always gets lots of 'serious' plays and they are usually looking for submissions to balance all the angst. (Take a look at this season - Liaisons is at the light end of the scale for them.) But nothing comes to mind. I guess comedy really is hard.
Suggestions welcome. Keep in mind that Hovey's a basement. Liaisons worked, but it took a lot of work to get it there.
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January 19th, 2006
02:28 pm - Wow.
OK, he doesn't like the play, and he has quibbles with one performer.
But, damn. It's a good thing I already got turned down by the Arlington Friends for next season, or my ego would require its own room.
Latest review is up, this one from the Metrowest Daily News.
Three astonishingly positive reviews. It's enough to make a girl giddy.
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January 4th, 2006
03:44 pm - It's SHOWTIME....
Ahem:
Please come. This should be an excellent show. The cast rocks my world on a nightly basis at rehearsal. It's a small house - 45 seats, so reserve early!
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON
Directed by Kristin Hughes
Opens January 13 and runs through January 28, 2006
The plot: Boiling beneath the elegant surface of this scintillating study of
sexual politics set on the eve of the French Revolution are the deviously
twisted sensibilities of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont a
pair of schemers (and former lovers) who take pleasure in coolly manipulating
and seducing those around them. The Marquise challenges the Vicomte to seduce
the virtuous Madame de Tourvel but when he finds himself genuinely falling in
love with his intended prey, the game quickly turns fatal--with devastating
consequences for everyone involved. Dangerous Liaisons is decidedly wicked fun!
The Cast includes: Melissa Sine as Madame de Murteiul, Jason Beals as Vicomte de
Valmont, Sara Jones as Madame de Tourvel, Anne Freund as Cecile de Volanges,
Leslie Wagner as Madame De Volanges, Andy O'Kane as Chevalier de Danceny, Chris
Wagner as Azolan, Kristin Shoop as Emilie, and Sandi McDonald as Madame de
Rosemonde.
Performances
January 13, 14, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28, 2006 at 8pm with the
January 22 at 2 PM.
Hovey Players is
located at the Abbott Theatre, Joel's Way, 9 Spring Street, in Waltham. Tickets
are $15, Seniors/Students $13. For reservations, please call (781) 893-9171.
Everyone who attends our opening night performance on Friday, January 13th, is
cordially invited to the opening night party, which will be held at Baan Thai
Restaurant, located at 659 Main Street in Waltham, a 5-minute walk from Hovey.
Please join us for complimentary refreshments, cash bar, and meet our cast and
crew.
Current Mood: Terrified yet jazzed
Current Music: I don't need no stinkin' music. I got the voices in my head.
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December 27th, 2005
03:04 pm - So good, so good, so very very good.
I made a new dessert for Christmas dinner this year:
Double Chocolate Torte
Man, was it awesome. Normally I don't love a dessert I baked myself - my tastebuds don't work right, or something.
This was to die for.
The bottom cake layer was dense, moist, and like a quality brownie. The mousse layer was very rich and creamy. I put the whipped cream on; I skipped the currants and the glaze, but put raspberries on individual slices (my brother's anti-fruit).
Just, wow. You like to bake? You like chocolate cake? This is the cake to make. The best news is that you can make it at least a day ahead of time.
I want to have a dinner party just so I can make it again...
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankgeekg.gif) accomplished
Current Music: A very, very quiet office.
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December 21st, 2005
11:04 am - "Father Christmas, give us your money"
I have no Christmas spirit this year. I'm just not into it.
The stores aren't bad though. Everyone's in a pretty good mood, and the lines aren't obscene, and the parking's been doable. But even though the process hasn't been horrific, Christmas shopping has been a bit... bleaurgh. I'm not remotely excited about any present I bought for anyone. So I haven't wrapped what I bought, because even the shiny wrapping paper and ribbon aren't getting me excited.
I've done no baking because I've been so sick I don't want to bake whatever I have into the stuff I make for people.
I have no Christmas tree, because getting one on your own is kind of a pain - especially when you're sick.
I have insomnia and a cough that hasn't gone away and which today seems actively worse.
We finally signed the last of the divorce papers on Sunday night; I assume they were mailed out Monday morning, but I haven't checked with him yet. We expect a court date in February/March sometime, and then the final decree some multiple of 30 days after that. On both occasions I expect to go out and raise a glass to something-or-other.
I also have new jeans. Calvin Klein, dark wash, that fit and are only a size 14! (Still much larger than I want to be, but the last pair of jeans I bought were a size 16W. So this is an awesome thing!! Makes the french fries I ate last night seem even easier to resist the next time I go to the mall.)
Things left to do:
1. Wrap stuff and mail it to Virginia
2. Make Peppermint Bark to include with wrapped stuff mailed to Virginia
3. Buy something for my brother and father, the men who are impossible to buy for.
4. Find out if I'm on tap for any cooking/baking for Christmas Eve and or Day from my mom.
5. Mail props list and furniture list for Liaisons and find out if we've got builds over the holidays.
6. Buy a Christmas CD that doesn't suck. Much as I love the Nickelodeon Cartoon Christmas, I need something else. Anyone who has recommendations, leave a comment.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/niaha/kitty/ankangryg.gif) grumpy
Current Music: "All I want for Christmas"
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December 16th, 2005
11:23 am
We ran Act I last night. Went pretty well, although now that we have the chaise I think I need to cut a chair and rework a couple of things. I'm going to upgrade my account so I can put the purty purty publicity pictures out.
Still completely gone on Zach and Kendall on All My Children. They're killing me, people. I got all sniffly. Check this out:
Zach: I love you. And I don't want this marriage to end. It's as simple as that. And I know, you don't want me in your life, I get that, I accept it, and I'm not telling you this to change your mind.
Kendall: Well, then why are you telling me this?
Zach: Because I want you to know where I stand.
Kendall: Well, I don't know where you stand. I mean, you tell me that you love me, you say that you don't want our marriage to end, but you're not lifting a finger to fight for me.
Zach: And I won't. The whole world's pressuring you to do what they want to do. You know, everyone knows what's best for kendall, but no one's asking you. No one is trusting you to know what you want and what's best for you. Well, I do. I trust you. I -- I believe in you, your mind, and your judgment. And how could I know your heart better than you do? I don't. I can't.
Kendall: That makes you the only person who has ever believed that I know what I'm doing.
Don't look at me like that. It was beautiful, dammit. They underplayed the hell out of it, and it worked beautifully.
Meme, gakked from someone on greenlily's f-list.
You say you LOVE Musical Theater/Broadway? Let’s see how much. Next to each show put one of the following.
* (X) If you have heard of the show
* (CD) If you own/listen to the CD/Cassette
* (LIB) If you own the libretto
* (SEEN) If you have seen the show (Professional, Community Theater, etc) If you’ve seen it more than once write the number after SEEN
* ("Your Part") If you have been in it (put your particular part)
Leave it BLANK if none of the options apply ...
( I do way too much theater. ) I used to have access to a lot more CDs, though.
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December 15th, 2005
01:08 pm - Honey, get the Botox shots or buy him a sportscar, mmm-kay?
This just in:
Our society is doomed. I'm quoting the headline, but if anyone subscribes or has access to today's Wall Street Journal, it's a must-read.
"U.S. Women Seek a Second First Time
Hymenoplasty, a controversial hymen-repair surgery known mostly for its prevalence in the Middle East and Latin America, is becoming popular in the U.S. But restoring innocence this way has sparked criticism."
One woman had it done to 'give' her virginity to her husband on his 40th birthday.
Takes re-gifting to entirely new levels, no?
Current Mood: appalled
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01:12 am - "Zach Slater, Lobster Slayer."
Why are coughs always the worst in the morning when you first wake up and at night when you're trying to sleep? I spent a good chunk of the weekend in bed trying to get rid of the season's first monster cold. So far, no go. I also am getting no sleep and have no appetite.
Liaisons continues to go remarkably well. Tonight the fight choreographer was there and in spite of the small stage, the duel is going to look HAWT. We may give some poor subscriber a heart attack, but hey. What price art, right?
Overall the actors are all amazingly strong and are working their asses off - especially Valmont, who is in all but one scene of the play, and who is called every night. I still love the play, even though I think it might be a bit beyond me as a director. It's just so damn good. It's beautifully constructed, for one thing; for example, Tourvel and Merteuil appear in the exact same number of scenes - and a Valmont/Tourvel scene is always either preceded or followed by a Merteuil/Valmont scene where they deconstruct his methods of seduction. There are also a lot of interesting ambiguities in both the lines and the stage directions that we've been having a great time examining.
Great script. Great acting. Great costumes, courtesy of wendyhouse and elsinoreblue. And a duel! Everyone needs to come see it. So here's the relevant info.
And now, the Simple Pleasures meme, for which I was tagged by wendyhouse.
Name 5 of life's simple pleasures that you like most, then pick 5 people to do the same. Try to be original and creative and not to use things that someone else has already used.
1. Sleeping in with the cat snuggled in the small of my back.
2. A newly made bed.
3. Christmas lights in windows on cold, clear nights.
4. Really hot showers
5. Mashed potatoes.
I'm not tagging anyone else; run with it, though.
Finally, I have another new obsession. Zach and Kendall on All My Children are killing me. They got married to teach his son a lesson (don't even ask) and for business reasons even though they hated each other; six months later they're madly in love with each other and getting divorced. She's pregnant with her ex-fiance's baby. They're snarky. They're sexy. And, God help me, they remind me of Angel and Cordelia in all their dysfunctional glory.
Don't look at me like that.
He's withdrawn and convinced his love can only hurt people.
She's got a somewhat deserved reputation as a selfish bitch, but she loves hard and makes stupid mistakes.
They're getting divorced tomorrow. In today's episode he arranged for a private fireworks display for her to celebrate her independence. Yesterday they had lobster dinner and he explained to her how to find a lobster's sweet spot. Both days, I squeed and sighed like a teenager. And read fanfic.
How obsessed am I? Last night at rehearsal I told the actress playing Tourvel that she's just like Zach, because he manages to maintain a lie without actually lying to Kendall by giving her oblique answers to direct questions.
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: The Late Late Show
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