It's that time of year...

'Wandered out of the Museum, to the FlintHills Children's Festival going on in downtown (Rice Park) St. Paul. Thus begins festival/fair/Grand Ole' Days season!

- The smell of sunscreen

- The seduction of food tents

- The crush of hundreds of Minnesotans, wandering around, looking at each other. If there's not going to be that many, it seems that you hold your festival in a smaller local, as to feign largeness.

This, being a children's festival and earlier in the season, did not have the skank factor that is equated with later season festivals (i.e. not much skin. Just lots of happy kids, and parents wearing sunglasses & Keens..) Adopted kids, toddler kids, midsize kids - - even a group of Irish dancer girls, all identical in dresses and fake curls, chatting surreptitiously.

Neat-o.

If you go, I suggest Manny's Tortas (as Manny's is dang good) and to watch for Legion 501 - - the StormTroopers are here! I haven't spotted any of them yet (just their handlers), but I'm a little geeked out.

Onward.

Memohz.

Ack! It's beautiful out! Super duper incredibly beautiful out! YEAAA!!

- PG and I went to go get tapas last night. We went to La Bodega, with the back up plan of El Meson if La Bodega was too noisy. Yea for chatting. It looked okay. (nervously eyeing the acoustic guitar players in the corner) We ordered. And then the flamenco dancing started. Bwaha!

I realized that 10 years ago, I would have been "WHOLLY SHIT!!! FLAMENCO!!!!", but in the moment, I was "Oh, of course, how foolish, why didn't I think of this before..." So, I told myself to shut up and enjoy the flamenco dancing (which sounds like someone gave a unlimited use pistol of a fairly rhythmic, sugared toddler). Yea, Mpls. The best part was when one of the diners/audience members stood up and danced with the two ladies. I take it that there are certain learned dances in flamenco - - it was so much fun to watch three ladies, swishing around and laughing.

- Neutrino last night! It went well, except that I think I accidentally hit a key on Troy's keyboard, creating a jazzy composition underneath my questionable underscoring. Verdamnt.

- Finished the very very very last "Slings & Arrows" last night, and cried appropriately. HOLY SHIT... I'm such a sucker for this show. "It never was about us, was it?" Nope. ARGHH! "What are we doing here?" "Why, we're putting on a play" Whew. Delightful. All three seasons are added to my Wish List of Handy Gifts to give Jen.

- Started watching "Enchanted" this morning. Wholly crap, well played, Amy Adams! And as adorable and shockingly un-ironic as she is, I am fully enjoying these male leads. James Marsden (again, un-ironic) is great, and super big props to Patrick Dempsey - - he's the only reason I made it through the Central Park musical number. Speaking of, does Disney just make movies so they can be made into musicals now? I understand if so, but.. This one would be pretty darn easy, minus that chipmunk. *Also, as a side note, who knew that Peggy Flanagan had a twin? (Although Peggy's way prettier)

- Having deconstructed veggie pigs in a blanket for lunch (i.e. a veggie dog next to a leftover pancake). Jealous? (Actually, it came out pretty good. Or my standards for my own cooking might be a tad low. No matter.)

A couple shows at the Science Museum and onward. If you're bored, the last BNI Youth Improv Performance is this Sunday 3p.m. - 5 p.m.. COME!!! It's free, and they're awesome. And to prove how white and old I am, I'm gonna say it: For schnizzle.

Onward.

Put up or hush...

There are things I need to get done. However, I can't seem to step away from this computer. Blurggghhh...

- Man, I hate the way certain mornings make me feel. Stupid mornings!

- Babysat three amazing, wonderful and whipsmart sisters last night. They, individually and as a group, amaze me. However, they sensed my like of all of them, and used this power to their advantage. Arrrrgh! I am a killer diller playmate, a pretty-good-mom-playground-substitute and, especially around bedtime, a crappy authoritarian. It was so close to working! So close!

- Experiencing post-vacation downers. Damn, AZ was nice.

- However, tonight is supposedly yoga and lava cake and good company, and I can't complain about that.

- My roomie may move out come July. Poo. This makes me sad. According to spreadsheets, I should be able to afford stuff for July. Hrm. It hasn't worked yet, but... you'd think the spreadsheets wouldn't lie. But they do. I will probably again look to Craigslist, but... should I just rent the whole house? (that doesn't make much sense)... but.. this is me just putting stuff off.

- I'm actually dreading this summer, which is so lame. This summer holds some unknowns and new situations, and man, is it easy to dread what you don't know. And what you worry about that might not work. Please see above title of blog. That's gonna be my mantra if I get caught in my head. Put up or shut up. Just do it. Stop worrying. Yearrghh!

Onward.

Last bits...

Still processing... The unfamiliar can throw one for a loop...

* Drove through the back roads of North of Phoenix and Sun City. Only took one wrong turn. We are delirious by the time we end up (in what feels like the middle of nowhere) at the amazingly big and put together adobe covered house of Kara's cousins.

* They have toys galore (bikes! Dune buggy thingies! Dogs!) -- they let us try the bikes and make amazing tacos and margaritas. They let us marvel at their relationship and chat politics. So incredibly generous.

* We wake up today at 5 am (owwww) Get Pat to the airport. We suddenly find ourselves exhausted in Tempe, where we eat at a place called Harlowe's (overpriced but good, and the decor is surreal... Are all waittresses hot in AZ? Seriously.), and then find a park. We all attempt to sleep (Kara and I on picnic tables, in the sun).

* See two hummingbirds chasing each other... Adorable!

* In search of a pool, we end up at City Beach, which didn't seem to have much of a beach at all. We watch kids at a splash park, go to get pizza, and I realize that my flight's at 1 pm. Pizza plans smashed. :(

* And now I'm Houston (??!!) bound, next to a very sweet and funny Korean exchange student.

* Whoooaaaa!!! What is with the Hiuston airport?! It bustles... I think I kinda like it.

wha?? How did this trip happen? I know it's not done yet, but... oof. I don't know if I'm ready to come home to responsibilities, but I'm definitely ready to see PG and sleep for reals. That'd be cool.

Still tuckered. Oww... Very very lucky.

Onward.

Steph Cordell called...

.. Holy hannah...

* deliriously tired drive from Flagstaff to bumf*&ck AZ

* 'met a three named dog, which cracked us up

* onward to north of Phoenix & such generosity...

* more soon..

Onward.

Lava tube'd...

Up at 6:30 again... Arghhh...

* Breakfast at a place named Brandy's, which was incredibly delish. Shital (our awesome Flagstaf friend/guide/maven/cool man) invited 3 friends and one of their 12 year old cousins... All 3 of the friends looked unbelievably familar. Rachel asked if we (she and I) had met before, and it felt like we had. Julia, who sat next to me, felt like an old friend. All the talk of past lives swishing in the air.. But so nice to meet them/see them again..

* Onto the Lowell Observatory! Steve the guide and beautiful old telescopes -- this is where Pluto was discovered!! 'Heard a lot about a gentleman named TomPat (sp?) and I'm learning to bring my Museum badge everywhere (I could have gotten in for free...! ASTC...Kinda silly)

* Onward to outside town a bit, thru some woods, dirt roads, and a cave made out of a lava tube. Incredible. Ice and darkness and scrambling over rocks.. other 'splunkers coming up promised us lemonade and popcorn stands at the bottom (of which there were none.) 'Never done anything like that before, never been in a cave like that, never scrambled hand over foot on big pieces of basalt & lava rock.

* 'Grabbed a slaw dog at the Dog Haus, a drive-thru-THE-BUILDING hot dog house. I had a "slaw dog" -- cold slaw is damned versatile.

* Now back to Phoenix for who knows what else. Very lucky. Good stuff.... My ears are popping, as we drive out of Flagstaff... See u tomorrow...

Onward.

Aptly named... Big's not big enough...

Good morning...

* Made breakfast, and got ready.. I still can't sleep past 6:30 am here, but was able to snooze and had dreams featuring Mike Fotis and Lauren Anderson... Hullllooo!

* Drove north out of Flagstaff towards th canyon. 'Saw dear, elk (!), and watched as the landscape melted from tall coniferous trees and mountains to shrubs.

* Blue skies! Cool temps!

* First look at the canyon and 'were stunned. Pictures don't do it justice and words are just an attempt. It's big enough to hold all the love in the world, and coersely, you could stuff all the problems of the world in it, and there'd be room for more. Oh.

* To the visitor center for a talk by Ranger Mandy. Then to a lodge, for a pretty good lunch. Then, to Bright Angel Trail.

* My favorite places were the ones that we came to silent agreements to take it all in. And also, the sheer orange cliff where the condors perch.

* We saw condors!! ... And ravens (that make a funny noise) and were asked for change in the form of granola bars by squirrels.

* You'd have watch where you were walking (it's not the easiest trail), but would then look to your right and.... Bowoww! Beautiful stunning canyon.

* Going back up, just as EVERYONE said, was a goddamn (but fine!) challenge.

* The difference in temp change btw. the bottom of the canyon & the top is amazing.

* Bundled up and headed to Powell's Point for sunset. Froze, but watched the oranges fade to indigo and blue-greys.

* The drive home was populated by coyotes on the road, elk at the side of the road and so so dark -- things that destroy your rental car and stress out five exhausted people. However, we pulled over and looked at the stars, which stretch unbelievably from horizon to horizon. ('Saw a shooting one!)

* Made it home and ordered Dominoes.

So. Please go please go please go. I had no idea and no urge to see it before besides minor curiosity.. But please go to see it. We also met people from all over the world, seeing it too.

Side note: I'm going to write Merrel and the shoe dept. at the Roseville REI for saving my life. These are easily the best shoes I've ever owned. I've been climbing mountains of trail, and my feet are tuckered but great! And I didn't have to break them in! Seriously, Merrel, I'm your whore now and 'will be talking you up to anyone I can wrestle to the ground.

* Today, we toodle around Flaffstaff and head back towards Phoenix. Super lucky. Happy birthday, Partner in Crime!!!!! :) Thanks...

Onward.

Things Flagstaff also holds..

* Sombreros!!!
* the sweetest dog named Jay Jay
* the funniest, pickiest daschund named Sadie
* have I mentioned the nice people?

Onward & goodnight... :)

Flagstaff='s

* cold! holy crap! Cold!
* good food, served by sweet, generous, hot waittresses
* nice people!
* a family gathering filled with laughter & yelling, and a game involving blindfolds and shoes, that none of us had seen before...

Between='s
* the windiest & loveliest of high altitude roads

Sedona='s
* nexuses! Energy!
* flakes!
* beautiful walkable & climbable mountains

Phoenix='s
* a Sonics & a breakfast that we've been continually reminded of.

It's rainy & kinda cold, which is actually lovely (cactuses in bloom).. America up close still looks like America, but far back, it's still mind-blowing how much difference (landscape in the macro, not so much in the personal and micro) it holds. We're super lucky.

Onward.

And it's... one more *something*... *day* in the canyon...

Why can't I remember the rest of that Counting Crows' lyric? Why does it matter? Why? Hah! It's day! I remember! Take that Adam Horowitz, dready mopey man!!

It's in the mid fourties in the Grand Canyon, according to the interweb! Oh crappers. I have packed only shorts. This may required a change of packing (I packed yesterday, and it was all shorts) And perhaps... I dunno. What do you do when its rainy in AZ?

Saturday
Chance of Rain
47° F | 29° F

Sunday
Partly Cloudy
56° F | 36° F

Monday
Partly Cloudy
61° F | 36° F

Either way, it doesn't matter! Desert in bloom, Desert in cold, Desert in hot is all desert I haven't seen yet. My partner in crime turns thirty in mere days, and wanted to do a trek with friends. To the Grand Canyon.

I like this idea. It seems both very young, yet very adult. It's the sort of trip that you're supposed to do in college, but I never did (barring one trip to MN to ski. Which was lovely, short and I don't remember most of it). And wouldn't adult friends go traveling in groups for fun? I guess... we never have so we're going to try it. Four adult friends, toodling around Arizona. Possibly cold and rainy Arizona!

The NanoForum just about wore me out this week. There's so much sturm und drang around these things - - right now, I expend about as much energy at it as doing a big ole' show, but instead of show"wheee!!", I have to watch what I say. And facilitate conversation. And that doesn't need to be stressful, but right now, it kind of is. It's not performance, but it's like performance. It's improv, but what you say is actually vaguely important. Whewwwwww.. Bu† it's done. I've been debriefed. The next one doesn't happen for at least a month. W00000000ttt!!!

Yoga class last night was all shades of lovely. I like yoga and that stretching makes you sweat. Also, giving running an A. I like running. I like being outside. I like that it makes me feel all endurance-filled. cool.

Hit the Loring Pasta Bar for a going away party after Yoga. Darn lovely. Darn lucky.

CTC lobby class of mysteriousness tonight, then looking forward to relaxing and goodness... finally, catching a plane way too early in the morning, landing in AZ around 9:30 a.m., and we'll see what this holds.

Pictures soon too.

Onward.

They prolly looked better (or crappier) on the shelf

Big trip a'comin'! Pair of Walgreens crappy aviators purchased. I take them so far away from any semblance of what might have been cool, it's embarassing.

- My hiking boots are pretty, but I'm not sure if they actually fit me.

- Nano-forum today. It was fine. Doing a forum is almost as exhausting as doing a show, but less fun. Forum = cool. My part of the Forum = a tad exhausting.

- Boss Dave got Cosettas!!! After 3 hours, their salad becomes blue cheese & lettuce soup. Pls do not waste that blue cheese & lettuce soup. (the croutons become noodles!)

- Six Ring Circus was a hoot last night. That's right, I said it, a hoot. The Mill afterwards was damn fine too. A really lovely evening... :)

- argh. Time to either sleep or pack.

Onward.

Why, the next one is sloth...

Really really wonderful weekend, and I almost typed in vacation. It FELT like vacation. I was so relaxed and happy, and suddenly found myself with another day off (technically, my days off are Sun & Mon) that I didn't know what to do. So... I did... nothing. I couldn't muster much more than:

* I went to the grocery store, and remarked at how food prices have gone up, just like how NPR told me to.

* I washed the floors. Good job, me!

* I made a damn fine homemade pizza, prepping lunch for this week. I may never buy pre-done spaghetti sauce again.

* I... Uh.. Watched a lot of Netflix. Pre-chosen indulgent entertainment! Needless to say, me heart "Slings & Arrows" almost unconditionally (Season 3 has special features!!!) and "The Namesake" is very long, but fine.

* I went to Mounds View and watched a movie. In this movie, 'are the amazing Dave Jennings & Clarence Wethern. Not only is Harry an excellent director, but he does a damn fine job grilling.

Grilled corn on the cob is one of the best things in the world. I wish to have a corn party: corn on the cob & corn bread & corn spoon bread & a gallon of high fructose corn syrup, to make up everything else.

I should have done more stuff... But I'm not sure what though. Also, doin' stuff tends to cost money. So.. Yeah. Trying to be prudent and judicial about that too. So, yesterday = slothiness. But super lucky for it: it can be a rare thing.

I live with the, at least right now, fussiest animals in the world.

Onward.

Nothing much to report...

* Delicious dinner, a movie and lava cake is ... wonderful.
* The movie was French: basically, adults are complicated, and children live in the sunlight of their youth. And red balloons are both sad and sweet... like a stalker. The cast, including the balloon, was wonderful.
* I almost ran around the Lake of the Isles! Almost... Still very W00t!
* Stepped on the scale again. Whoww. Ok. Cool! But strange..!
* It's all sunny here in almost Philadelphia (which, I hear, is hilarious)

Very lucky.

Onward.

Best designed signs...

For design teams interviews, ever. I can totally get behind this team. :)

My sister rules...

For Julie Grover's baby. Kay drew and silkscreened the bird... Awesome.

Onward.

Things I learned from Indiana Jones...

- Nazis are bad
- Indian people eat monkey brains
- Girls can be annoying
- Don't eat dates
- Always keep your hat
- God can get pissed

Will another generation enjoy these movies and learn these same lessons? I'd like to hope so...

Go Friday! I went jogging after work (5.5 songs!) -- I like this excuse for being outside. It's both socially acceptable, and weirdly private. And equates to outside goodness. I then laid in the grass, and attempted to suck in some color - both thru my skin and my eyes. Beautiful day! And the colors are pretty rockin' right now...

Then to Partner in Crime's and onto Joe's Garage. Hello patio! Hello leisure! Hello Steve-our-waiter!

Drew has a new theory which I dig, and he'd do a better job explaining, but the main question to ask yourself is "Are you an omega man?" vs. an alpha male... If you read this blog, you might just be an omega man, and that's pretty awesome.

I raced over to Bedlam and failed getting into Romeo & Juliet -- I suck. However, I succeeded in getting rained, giving/getting hugs, spending some time on another patio, and sharing beers with Brinsley & her fiance', who both rocks my socks. Awesome and lucky.

Met back up with Partner in Crime, and onto Nye's. Nye lended itself excellently to conversation, and Drew even danced the tail end of a polka with me.

I went out for a smoke, only to find a crap load of happy people and an amazing bike-contraption, as big as a car. The bike contraption took 8 people to pedal (2 rows facing each other), one person to steer, and one guy in back to shift gears. I didn't have time to grab Drew: they screamed "Get on!!!!" so I got. Awesome -- we went really slow for two blocks before I got off: it was fun to work together, scream at everyone, and pedal this monstrosity up Hennepin. And it was just play with happy, generous strangers. Thank u, stoned bike-mashin' engineering nuvo-punks of the west bank! :) 'Came back to Nye's all grinny.

So --
a) Partner totally gave me a great night -- thank u, POC!!! :)
b) I will see other people's shows and not suck so much!!!
c) I need to get my a$$ in gear.... Right now. Museum and hopefully go help some Beukemas!

Onward.

This is what happens when we all get along....

Whew. Beautiful day out. I've been trying to spend part of my day pulling dandelion heads out of my yard, and its impossible not to repeat the time-tested dandelion head-popping phrase "momma had a baby and their head popped off" *pop dandelion head off of unassuming dandelion stem* Get about 8 or so 3rd graders doing this, and you'll have a horrible dandelion genocide... (in writing this, I'm assuming that y'all learned that very handy, fairly graphic phrase in elementary school. That's where I learned it, I swear...)

Last night was a Bingo show of very loud proportions, and Jen-as-nun forgot what Jen-as-nun usually says. Bad interactive comedian. Blood of Christ jokes (as this is all I know of Catholicism) and, when accused of not having an uterus (seriously... strange audience), I told her that I'd get it back in heaven. Not particularly funny, but she drunk-laughed... That's a memory, dammit! (errrrr...)

My roommate's cat has gone mad... Or is just goofy. It's kinda cute, actually... :)

Let's go to the museum, booyah booyah... Let's go to a show tonight, booyah.... Have a lovely Friday please!

Onward.

Past lives, former wives...

Steph and I were talking about past lives (I guess Oprah just did a special about these things) and how sometimes we feel connected right off the bat with certain people, and not so with others...

Morning grumps were dusted off by doing a game show at the Museum today. This game show is totally dependent on how your audience is - - I was super duper lucky to have an awesome audience of 5th? graders.

There was a girl, front row center, skinny in misfitting clothes, with long brown hair and glasses and right off the bat she smiled at me and I smiled back, and we just kept making eye contact and smiling at each other the entire time. She came up to 'spin the wheel' and she had a soft voice, and you just knew she was killer diller smart, and after the game show, she came straight up to me and said "YEAAAA!!!" and that's all I wanted to say back. (and probably what I did say).

Her name was Britney. And Britney made my day. And I had to giggle. W00t. Thanks, Britney! (and all I can think about is "did Britney and I know each other in a past life?" - - pure sillines..:) )

Can you tell I didn't see many people last night? (chatterchatterchatter)

Onward.

Amazingly beautiful out...

It was lovely last night too.

My Wednesday night plans got shifted, so I ended up taking a run on the St. Anthony Pkwy (which was lovely).

Listening to npr before running... Melissa Bloch was covering from China, following a young couple to the apartment building where their 2 yr old was being watched by a set of grandparents, and were crushed by the earthquake. It was horrible and sad, and Melissa Bloch is a real person, and so her voice 'on the scene' would torn up/exhausted/tear-filled, and then she would add in a very calm voice-over later, which I could only think that adding that wld be so strange, like narrating your relative's funeral.

I went home, made delicious dinner (yea!), and not knowing what else to do, moved some rock. My computer's down, it was beautiful out... And my thoughts kept going back to that poor 2 year old boy who didn't do anything but make his mom happy (as I'm pulling up pounds of rocks, and pulling the earthworms out of the rubble).

I am a melancholy dame. (that's not even a pun... Lame!)

'Finished "Slings and Arrows" which was completely satisfying. I do a Bingo show tonight, which I'm not really looking forward, which is truly lame. (didn't we close this? I haven't been in in over a month... Ehhh) Mom says put a positive spin on it, so I'm using the positive spin called money. Cool.

In a tad of a funk, but it'll go away soon...

Onward.

PB & Js on Toast

PB&Js on toast may be one of the best things ever. This morning, a PB&J on toast has not only soothed my stomach, but filled it. Much like a mother. Thanks, PB&J.

Last night was madness! Madness! Not crazed madness, but hey-look-what-we're-doin'-now madness.

College friend Becky flew out for the Flight of the Conchords. She met up with me at the museum (got to see an old acquaintance and her huge adoring baby!), we picked up Steph, drove to Mpls, changed in the parking garage (Beck even changed her bra), and onto Solera. Damn, the food at Solera is good. Damn, the food at Solera is pricey. The trouble with tapas. We got happily filled and sauced, and then walked next door, where herds of FOTC fans were flocking. We took some pictures. People were happy.

Becky and my dear friend Dave-in-SanFran were college-sweethearts. It ended painfully, but they were together for 5+ years. In your early twenties. That's something huge and painful at a time when everything is huge and dramatic. Becky and Dave unknowningly circle and satellite each other, no matter how far they live apart. If I hear from one, I am almost guarantee'd to hear from the other in about a week. After months of not hearing from either. I'm just a moon, who gets aftershocks of whenever these planets unknowningly come aligned. Someday, there'll be an eclipse, and they'll run into each other, but for now - - they just circle.

Needless to say, Dave called while we were in the Orpheum's lobby, buying booze. Funny.

FOTC:
- they were wonderful.
- I need glasses.
- crowds kinda suck. Please stop screaming things at them, and let them play. I am a grumpy old woman.
- It felt like they kinda rushed through a lot of their "hits".
- I wanted them to play a simple cover song, super bad. You know.
- There's a new wonderful song about Jemaine falling in love.
- I am not a Jemaniac. However, I am Bretarded.

One of the best parts of being at the Orpheum - - all the old crew who worked the Proms were there. Many hugs. Much goodness. Even saw Travis and Eric - - so funny. :)

We then raced our way to Rock Bottom Brewery, where we were confronted with some of the strangest appetizers in existence ("Titan Toothpicks"! There's pesto in this "quesadilla"! Weird!)

Woke up with an upset tummy (thanks PB&J!) and the leanings of a headache (hello, ibuprofen). Becky left with friend Alicia (a lovely lady I didn't really know in college, but now has a beauuuutiful little boy. More babies!) and I am left feeling a tad old. I love the FOTCs. Did I need to go see them with 1,000 other people? Probably not. Does this make me oldoldold and slightly obsessive? Yes. My relationship with FOTC was personal, and confined to a box in my living room - - and people were screaming all over the relationship at the concert. Boooo, grumpy old lady. Was being with old and new friends just frickin' awesome? Yes it was. And worth the screaming. Oui.

Today looks beautiful. I'm gonna run and try and work off all the delicious bits of fried stuff from last night. It felt like a weekend, but it was just Tuesday.

Onward.

It may not look like much...

...but it looks pretty good to me.

I have yarded. It's kind of slip shod, but mother nature has a way of taking down the perfection sought after by man, so I figure slip shod is pretty good. Right? Right. ... (this is my justification of 'i don't quite know what i'm doing')

The animals were out there with me for most of the time and I talked with two neighbors; yard work = one form of social glue.

I made the mistake last night of stepping on a scale. I tend to avoid them. Scale told me I was doing pretty good -- yea me. Now, however, I get to obsess just a little. Ridiculous.

Off to St.Paul to a dear friend who's gone thru some stuff. If I don't have to teach tonight, I might just plant a veggie garden. W00t!

Onward.

Morning is good...

Sunday was chock-a-block with loveliness...
- sun & spring & brisk
- ran the most I have yet... Ellie's doing a 5K soon. This blows my mind.
- lunch at French Meadows where Miss Sara (and thousands of moms) were seen
- Musical Pubsical at GoGo!! I'm so proud of them, and feel purty darn good about how did. Huzzah.

Today, I get to see friend Sue and do yard work. Really really lovely and wonderful weekend. :)

Onward.

I can eat yogurt again!

Just found out that the Eastside coop will be taking all those plastics that the City of Mpls won't pick up! W00t! How awesome is that? (the catch - they need to be separated by number and can only be dropped off on Thurs. but that's cool. Awesome.)

Mystery Cafe show - which was good! - and then onto a bonfire of Museum people with my partner in crime. Very very nice. Partner and I then attended 25 minutes of Nye's action. Nye's a half hour to bar close is not a bad thing. We met gentlemen from Cedar Rapids IA and discussions were had.

Partner in Crime turns 30 in a couple of weeks. :)

It's Saturday.

oh! Creepy above photo taken at my friend Karen's place - - it's their next door neighbor's kid's Disney Princess dress, just hanging...

Onward.

What the hell am I doing?

Yes.. I know it's morning, and morning is when my heart and brain does a bulimic dump, and I get a tad emo.

I've made some choices which kinda make me wonder what the hell am I doing, but I'm all I have and I, now.. In general.. trust myself... So i'll just go with those choices, right? (aghhhhh!!!)

This is what is following me around this morning. Along with the fact that I realized I paid the wrong company my mortgage payment for May. if you want to know how that happens, I'll be happy to tell you.

Despite my morning induced emo, it's a lovely morning! And I got to read the Onion. In a coffee shop. Fancy and nice.

Onward.

A questionably named sandwich...

I don't think the title adds any appeal.

Ohmigoodness. Today was good - pretty lucky.

Museum. My brain was mostly focused on tonight. 'Was able to take a break around 3:45, and jog for four songs. I've been doing jogging by mp3 player distance - Monday was 5 songs, Tuesday was 3 songs, today was 4. I'm taking it slow and short, which works fine for me. Beth mentioned running/training for a race, which sort of blew my mind -- I hadn't even thought of that. Weird. How goal oriented...

And then - whew! - nanoforum. (Dave got us Cosettas for dinner -- yummers!) 13 people showed up for the forum, 10 people stayed -- and it went really well! Awesome discussions and sharing. Very lucky! Lovely people! We did it! 'Proud. Yea! I'm learning a lot, I think...

Now, I'm home and there's animals and I'm watching Episode II, brain draining happily into droids (I swear it's for work.. a little) and a beer.

Onward.

He.. Was.. Iron Man.. Do be do be do be do be do

'Saw Iron Man last night. It was romperrific. Kudos to Mr. Favreau, who made a damn fine superhero movie. And the casting *was* grade A yummy. Super pretty effects too. A solid blockbuster sort of thang.

We stayed til the end and all I can hope for is that Mr. Favreau contines to be involved in these sort of projects. How diplomatic of me.

It's interesting-- casting is not race-neutral, but rather race-familiar. I'm not disagreeing with it (except for possibly making the Mandarin -- 10 Rings? C'mon -- Afghani. Worked fine, but it's the Mandarin...).. I'm just saying it's interesting. The previews were... -- it's like we just figured out that the rest of the world exists, and now we have to make fun of it. Which I'd rather see that than making it go boom, but... Hey America. How's it shakin'?

I just so rarely go to a big 'ole Hollywood movies. (I'm still rarely sold on the experience) And I like making grandiose uninformed statements. ;)

Today will be thick with stuff -- wish me luck. Friday should hopefully be thick with fun stuff, including a shindig in St. Paul.. And I'm looking forward to Saturday. Get me to Saturday, if you could.

Yesterday was grumpy-making, until the afternoon. I'm gonna try and make today a more positive experience... A romp, if you will... :)

Onward.

..P.S. Someone I know -- an older lady I used to work with -- we weren't close, but we worked together, and she cast me in her show a couple of times -- is dying. I'm not sure what to do. Even as a type this, and all the excuses that I'm about to make, it's becoming clearer... Okay. Send your love and thoughts to Fran Ford, and I'll do the stuff on my side too.

Onward.

False alarm...

Bad mood usurped by a group of 2nd & 6th graders.

Lessons relearned:
a) The worst sort of thinking happens when you're stuck in your head.
b) This sort of thinking happens to me most often in the mornings. Stupid mornings! Some day I'll learn how to deal, but right now, shaking tiny fist. .. .mornings.

Onward.

Just a tad grumpy. Stoopid Wednesdays...

Honestly, there's nothing that stupid about Wednesdays. I just have little get up and go today.

Tuesday was Six Ring auditions, which went fine. I just hate the sort of "I NEED - - or rather, my team NEEDS - - this person" feeling that we all know is a lie, but we all fall into. It feels like fighting over my dad's stuff - - we all benefit from just being cool and understanding and moving forward - - and, actually, us coaches totally did. It's just so damned attractive to try and want - - basic want, about something/someone you didn't know you wanted 15 minute ago. Bah. Anywhoo, the auditions went fine, I love me some Six Ring coaches, and it should be a fun summer.

And then, pow! Everyone was in the lobby and talking and chatting and it was too much. That was too much drama to follow up with millions of awesome, chatting and smiling people, that I'm too scattered to have a true conversation with. Over-stimulated! Onto Katy's photo show (which was lovely), which was again filled with awesome and smiling people that I, again, was too scattered to have a focused conversation with. bah. Go home, to find that my computer decided to turn on!!! YEAA!!

Some of what I have invested in a while ago is on it's last legs - - and understandably so. My laptop is four years old. I pray my camera (three years old) holds out.

So - - truly - - there's a lot of really good stuff, but I'm emoting all over. Ah well. I may not have gotten enough sleep last night, or I may be a bit done this morning. Mpls held no happy gleam. The joy will come back to Mudville soon, but right now..

I got to sub miss Anderson's awesome class on Monday, and I fessed up to living in Mpls almost 10 years, and the lovely lady I fessed up to said "It's been a real chapter in your life" - - I think I am old enough to have chapters. And yes, it has been. I'm sorta open and ready for a new chapter. Whether it's here in Mpls or not. This, is kinda strange, but mostly awesome, I think.

I decided to try running. Madness. I've been told to go really really slow, and what do you know, it works. :) A plus about living in North Minneapolis - - I live damned close to Theodore Worth, and Theodore Worth rocks. Jogging is the anti-yoga - - I feel all whooooooo and happy after yoga; after jogging, my eyes feel explodey and my legs are sore. However, I sort of want to do it again. Creepy!

Blogging helps. You're my therapy, three-people-who-read-my-blog. ;) You poor things.

Onward to solidifying stuff.

Onward.

He only stands still when he wants food....

Blogging pictures of the animals is a bit redunk.

Sunday was lovely! I cleaned out my car! Today, I hope to fill it with mulch and garden bits... my day off became a day on rather quickly, but that's okay. Hoping the girls I'm babysitting for a couple of hours will want to go outside for a bit, hoping that Microcenter will have a sweet and cheap back-up hard drive, hoping Como HS will be awesome (that should be a blast), and finally, hoping to mow lawn/attempt jogging before improv class. Day on.

Improv a gogo was rockin'. IFSGWIS let me play with them, and Musical Pubesical made their debut. :) Green Mill afterwards was just sort of an affirmation -- a good night!

Nothing more to blab about... except that, now that May is underway, June is going to come screaming around the corner. June involves a trip to Norfolk NE, which makes me laugh.. I hope we can stop by my mom's place, and she can feed us en route... June also involves a trip to San Fran, which makes me squirmy with yeaa! But first, let's get thru May first.

Onward.

Done with the eugenics show.. Possibly...

'

Did my (possibly -- who knows with SMM) last eugenics show with mister Malos yesterday. We got the kindest, longest applause for our 3pm show (longest for museum theater) -- we did good.

Onto a show about liquid N, and then onto a Target run. 'Getting my tax refund (actually getting my taxes done!!!) has tricked my brain into a $$ mode. It'll stop, but it was fun to peruse and contemplate purchases.

Then to Mystery Cafe, where I learned that I have a hard time communicating thing that concern me.. Good lord. Needless to say, I need to work on that. A good show, and they let me zoom ealy (yea!!).

Now, a drop off to the aiport, home to mow the lawn??!!, and kids and Improv a Go Go, to play pianer. 'Hope it goes well...

Onward.

Blogs with pictures are more fun...

More pictures of the cat as he tends to stand stiller (is that even a phrase?) than the dog.

Yoga was awesome, as was the impulse trip to Lunds, where $20 worth of impulse was purchased, which did not include what I originally came in there for, as it was forgotten. (the TSA totally took my toothpaste) .

Back to work-work today. Last weekend of the touring exhibit from the National Memorial Holocaust Museum, which means last weekend of the 'nazi' play. I actually kinda like the piece, and, 'am convinced that its a very important part of the exhibit -- a necessary one even. Go us. :) I hope I don't suck it up this weekend.

'Speaking of, if you have any urge to watch some improv in Brooklyn Park (Center?), I guess the Mystery Cafe show this weekend are public. Aha! But there's also brilliant things like Punch Out & the BNW mainstage.. Much joy to go around.

Time to check my bank account balance. Hey look -- it's MF'in May already. The year is almost half done!! I'm not being a pessimist, it's just... Wow.

Onward.

Lazy day...

Attempts to work on the yard/do laundry/memorize lines have all slipped away, ending up on the bed, surrounded by fuzzy animals and the mp3 player on shuffle. I missed these guys (everytime Sebastian breathes, he grabs onto my arm just a little)

Last day in Denver went smoothly.. 8 am tech... Afterwards, Steph took a nap, and I wandered down to the LoDo district.. 'hidden there was a sweet place called "the Market", where a russian guy & a blonde girl sold me a single blintz. It was eaten in the sun, and with raspberry preserves. Awesome.

We performed at noon & it went good. Happy. Nice compliments from other Museum Theater peeps. Some bustling, some checking out, and then to lunch on the 16th Street ped mall. My phone told me there was an earlier flight home. Reality dished us up our flight, a hour delayed. ... That's okay.. home safe... Got to relax a little before going home, and that made me very happy.

Onward to rehearsal with Josh & Ellie, and onto Yoga. It's supposedly Thursday -- my sister and her husband show up tomorrow! Yea!

Tomorrow is Friday, and I think that's ok.

Onward.