I'm somewhere different...

This kind of came up all unexpectedly, enough so that I didn't tell the people that I share everything with where exactly I am... I am in Canada, but the northwestern side... um... Welcome to Vancouver!

- Experienced an airport bathroom again. Seattle's airport was calm and laid back and sea/sand colored, and so was it's bathroom. My first airport bathroom experience was in O'Hare when I was 12. I had never been in an airport like that before, not by myself, not one made of aluminum and depression, with huge tall doors, and, since it was 1988, my main concern was catching AIDS. From the toilet seat. (Seriously, it was 1988. People were sure you could catch AIDS from your neighbor's casserole. ... I don't know what that means.)

- Seattle threatens to fall off the slopey hills its built on and slide into the Sound. Seattle is punctuated by large feats of artsy-hugeness (WHAT IS THAT? a convention center? Something that crawled out of the sea and died? There's a needle! It goes to space!). All I can think of, driving through Seattle (no matter how beautiful), is that it was really really hyper cool... in the 90's.

- Canada looks just like America! But with a wider font.

- Vancouver seems to be a beautiful mix of Portland, Chicago, San Francisco, NYC.. but with 100% more Asian people. (100% more beautiful Asian people means 100% more adorable children dressed in hats with ears.. adorable!) It's incredibly diverse - - phillipino, chinese, Indian, hispanic.. (very few African-Canadian people... I think I saw two).

- It's stupidly and astoningly beautiful. The people say please and thank you. The Pacific rubs up against it, all dark and cold. Everything's green.

- We're staying at a B & B filled with people from Holland, Germany, India... The owners are this adorable Chinese couple. It's like staying at your grandma and grandpa's (complete with worn out, flowered sheets), if you're grandma and grandpa were adorable and chinese. Robert Vong made us scrambled eggs and tons of toast for breakfast. Europeans have a very specific love of toast that I adore. Toast goes with everything.

We take a ferry to Vancouver Island today. I have no idea what to expect, except for more green, blue and walking (hopefully).

Onward.

Will this go through?

My very important blog about call backs and boner jokes didn't, so we'll try again...

On the Park n' Ride to the Fair... Agh! This is the 'learning to love Minnesotans' humanity' portion of the Fair experience. All this learning will soon be soothed by the company of two damn fine gentlemen. Huzzah!

I am truly getting old and grumpy. I am one poorly-blacked-out Six Ring set away snapping. People are yelling on the bus-I wish to glower at them. I am horrible!

However, last night was NOT horrible. I have no reason to complain--damn lucky. (oooh.. Horses!) I enjoyed Vaudeville's set so much... I enjoyed everyone else's set -- so much fun! Damn!

Onto the Mill, where I became familiar with more gin than I was expecting (but doing Ohhkay this morning -- very lucky.) Got to hang with PIC.. :) Happy.

Tomorrow I leave for somewhere I've never been--CANADA. I will let you know how Canada's doing. I'm assuming okay.

Oh man, I'm a girl...

Woke up to read my friend Professor Joe's blog this morning (link to follow), which was mostly about giving birth and pending fatherhood, and here I am, all giggles and smiles. Joe writes very funny blogs on a daily basis. Why am I mentioning his blog, finally, now? Becuz I'm a girl.

- My dog needs a serious haircut. He's reverted back to the catepillar/pupa stage of Pickles--if allowed to continue, he will not grow into a butterfly, but rather Bob Marley. Although rastafarian puppies and adorable (and sometimes, oddly chill), this will not be Pickles' fate--he needs to see (and rastapuppy can't).

-I went to the eye doctor yesterday, who told me that I have a slight stigmatism and that I don't need glasses. Success! (I used to wear them for night driving, etc.) If anyone wants a coupon to VisionWorld, lemme know.

- Peanut butter cookies of yesterday were... meh. Try again.

- The museum closes down on Thurs. I know I shouldn't look forward to the RNC, but... Yea time off! Thanks, Republica! (what if the RNC was only made up of the band Republica? Would people still avoid St. Paul?)

- Bible show is done. I think we were successful! The last audience was truly adorable (lovely peeps I haven't seen since ushertaining at the Saints asked me if HaikuThunder had been retired... Ohhhhh... And I want to be adopted by Darius and Annette.)

-There was stuff that seemed mentionable yesterday, but now doesn't. Got to see Davey, Taj and a new crop of teen improvisers yesterday, which was damned good.

- I love cool sunny mornings. Can we please keep these?

- Six Ring and a callback tonight. Wish us all luck.

Onward.

Ups and downs and okays.. :)

Things.

a) Always get the Mussels. yum. For some reason, restaurants in Mpls can do mussels. mmmmm..

b) I don't think the serving size for trail mix is the entire bin 30 oz. bin. Bu† I attempted to make it so.

c) Wells Fargo took my ass-saving deposit, and put a hold on it. Which is about as annoying as being on hold, except it's costing me um... my a$$. The hold is placed there until the 27th. WHO GETS TO DECIDE THAT A DEPOSIT IS TO BE ON HOLD FOR OVER A WEEK???? Tomorrow, I'm going to try and have kind words with a branch manager, who will hopefully like me. (The lady on the phone kept repeating "It's up to the discretion of the bank manager" which is so mafia-istic. Threatening. There is no guarantee that this branch manager's impression of me will be a good one. Should I bring cookies?!?)

d) Some nice nights and good talks. Very lucky. :)

e) I kinda wanna go to the State Fair. I wish go there early (like 8:30 a.m. or 9 a.m.) I wish to look at baby animals and eat things. I wish to wander. That is all. (the last two - three years, I've had "professional" reasons to be at the State Fair. Now, I am without that excuse. But... that wandering around always marked late August for me. There are places in the state fair that are soul crushing. But, most of it is okay. At least, the baby animals are top notch. And so is the milk.)

f) Thinking about going to Pazzaluna for happy hour before the big Bible show... Speaking of:

"The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged)" has just three more performance, including tonight, on it. It's lovely, silly, and funny. And if you ever went to bible school, you'll feel really really smart! (I didn't... but still enjoy the show.) Check out here for details.)

g) What else? Ran around the lake today, pausing more times than I like (it made my elbows sweat. ew.). Talked to my sister, which makes me happy. At the museum today, I felt like I knew someone in the audience - - we actually both "kinda" recognized each other as in "Hey.. you look familiar".. It turns out that the couple lives 30 miles from my home town. Chances are, we're of similar genetic (GermanEnglishIrishNorweiganNativeAmerican) stock. It's weird to find someone's biology familiar and comforting.

Luck.

Onward.

Quick, child, quick!!!

It's Tuesday. This Tuesday has some Six Ring Circus in it, which is madddddness!!!!

a) I heart the DT St. Paul USPS with a love that, at this moment, knows no bounds. It is a place of sanity in an otherwise insane postal service. (mmm.. band.) I generally am cool with Post Offices, but have been ran through a gambit of ... incompetence. That's a horrible thing to say. But none of the others could offer what I needed. So, hat is off to you, DT SP USPS, for handling me with smile, panache, and the word porn. I am happy.

a.5) I'm not getting porn. But its the first time I've ever heard someone, much less a post person, say porn in a Post office.

b) Got to hang out with Ellie. A hoot and a half was had! Random lunch date fun!.. We also went to the Malt Shop, where I got totally busted on complaining on not being able to special order a banana split. It was a crumbly old woman complaining moment. The girl totally made me a special banana split. Thank you, patient 20 year old. Grandma wanted a banana.

b.5) I then got busted by an old lady for saying the f-word in a very quiet South Minneapolis post office. That was dumb. I, the 32 year old grandma, hid behind a folder, while the 80 year old actual-grandma glared. I'm sorry, 80 year old grandma. The f-bomb was not meant for 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon in Tangletown.

c) Band practice was fun. I hope my bass stays in tune. Yea for beer and band practice!

d) Partner In Crime and I attempt Loring Park's "Movies in the Park", but leave it for Eli's and booze. Yeaaa!!!! Good stuff, good conversation.

e) ...We contemplate turning 40 alone.

f) It was really an absolutely lovely evening!

g) ...Not depressing, honestly. Liberating! Right? (At least, my atoms think so..)

It's auditionrific tonight. Wish us all luck.

Onward.

Silly puppy! Silly foppish puppy!!

It was a lovely weekend.. Yeaaaa!!!

1) The Bible show is going swimmingly, except for my ability to play wrong notes. Wrong notes and I have had a close relationship for about 25 years - - this is why I'm more comfortable with improv bass/piano, cuz u can make wrong notes part of a pattern so that they sound right, and why I'm more comfortable as an actress, as I am an attention whore and acting's kind of a living, moving, being able to cover sort of thing. Things that require perfection (barring Microsoft Excel tables--I like those) i.e. like playing piano accompaniment, I will make mistakes. But, for the most part, (except for Sunday) the audience doesn't notice and the actors don't care... one hopes. Argh. But pls come see! One weekend left! Strange but positive review ("the audience was laughing".. But not you, strange but positive reviewer?) in the Sunday Pioneer Press.

2) Hidden Beach! After 9.5 years of Mpls-tude, finally made it to Hidden Beach. (What's left? Ummm... Twins Game... Eating Booyah... Getting excited about a show at the Guthrie...*tiny hioooooh*) Hidden Beach was laid back, lovely, and hippidicious. Dude playing guitar, beautiful skinny hippy girl twirling devil sticks, sandy couples hanging on each other, some sand eating children, and, every once in a while, the smell of really skunky pot. I don't know if Hidden Beach is always that chill and lovely, but given this one time, I approve. Even the creepy bald dude in the snorkle, appearing behind swimmers unexpectantly, I approve.

3) I haven't swum in a lake for possibly decades. Why? Because if u fall in, you disappear. And the fact that PG's foot started itching right afterwards. I know microbes are EVERYWHERE (I work for SCIENCE!), but most lakes feel like amoeba-soup. An amoeba-boullebaise. (sp?) But, snottiness aside, it was really fun to go swimming in this poop green lake.

4) I, like 4,000 other actor-type people, am auditoning for Tony & Tina's this week. I finally have a monologue book that I like--yea! This book offers a number of classic monologues, both comic & "seriocomic" (which doesn't mean funny, but mostly means that there's a drug reference somewhere in it, and you'll probably cry in the end. There's also a lot of body issues or men cheating on you in seriocomic monologues. How droll! ...erm.) The classic monologues are kind of awesome, as they feature names like "Windemere" and "Margery Pinchwife" and declare things like "O matrimony!" Deeelightful! I approve again!

5) It's Monday... I'm gonna work on stuff, but enjoy, I hope. Also, I have there's band practice!!! Eeeee! I haven't had band practice in.. like, 5 years? Something dumb like that. I'm jazzed. I hope not to suck.

Happy Monday all!

Onward.

I'm just tuckered...

Yes, I am. But - - This week has been survived! I don't know if I achieved all goals, but the bigs ones (as far as I can tell) got did...

a) Opened "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged)". It's funny!!! Please come check it out!!! (I play piano for it.. and that is fun.. although, not necessarily funny. The rest of the boys - - funny.)

b) Finished up a week of teaching. So very lucky. It went really fast, which amazes me.

c) Had my passport picture taken

d) Ran around the lake at least once

The rest is kind of middly stuff (plumber seemed to have done a good job, the car needs brakes on Monday, I'm still doing game shows about jedis, the gals at the 5th Street Starbucks in St. Paul and me are now buds...) Now, some heavy make up sleep would be sweet.

Six Ring auditions on Tuesday. I'm seeing squirrels start to hide their love (nuts) away. Leaves are starting to fall (they're still green, but still..) from the trees. Kids can count the number of weeks until school starts. Damn. Whatta summer. We actually had one. I know we have more of it, but... you can feel the change... ...I'm gonna be 33 in about two months... gesus. agh!

Onward.

Land of 12 Hour Days

It's not so uncommon of a thing, the 12 hour day. When four of it is spent teaching (i.e. hopping up & down), it wears me out a bit more. I'm also very glad that shows at the Museum are generally 10 minutes long. (some awesome audiences the last couple of days!! So happy! :) )

Roommate is back from a crazily dramatic trip to FL. She asked her boyfriend to snake my slow draining tub, and 'has made it worse i.e. there's standing muddy sledge in the tub, and the 2nd floor smells like Draino. I'm gonna try and get a plumber for Monday. I'm not mad (the action was not malicious), just... unsurprised. Lesson 235a) trust your gut, no matter how convenient a free 'snaking' sounds. B) Do It Yourself means exactly that -- YOURSELF. Not Do It Fred or Do It Marcy.. I desire no one else to touch anything in my house (home improvement wise) unless they're a professional or a trusted friend or both. (I can touch stuff, but its mine to screw up..)

Hey! You know what opens tonight?! The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged). My goodness, what a funny show! What talented funny actors! I hope the piano player knows what she's doing (I'm feelin' pretty good). Come see, come see--It's two weekends only, Thurs. - Sun. (Actors Theater of Minnesota at the Lowry Theatre in St. Paul.)

Onward.

And in a different furniture lifetime...

This is what I would fill my home with... Drooling in a scandinavian fashion..

Onward.

It's Tuesday... Things are rolling quietly...

Self-imposed drama of last 1.5 days has been calmed by talking. Thanks, talking. You make my life calmer and more balanced -- right? Right. Or at least better-feeling and clearer. So--yea. :)

This is the week of fullness, with schedules interlocking like sexy little jigsaw puzzle bits (until I miss something, and then it all falls to hell).

Teaching at that big-theater-for-kids (yea--hoping for cool! So lucky so far!) which has a no-nut dietary rule, as the children of 2008 have nut allergies so severe they could possibly blow up and destroy most of South Minneapolis -- just like Akira. (I can't do hypertext when blogging from my tiny phone. I'm even sure if my fanboy-wannabe reference works.. But I'm sure Kanye West does. Thanks, Kanye.) This means no folded-over peanut butter sammiches for Jen. But it's cool enough to run the oven, so I made some cheesy biscuits (which both the dog and the oatmeal-loving cat have made it clear they enjoy... Weird.)

(There is absolutely no flow to this blog. Sorry, choosy blog connesieurs... You get chopping writing and run-on sentences today. Boo!)

My televsion gets crap reception, but I hear the Olympics are pretty cool. (I really do like watching them -- that always kind of surprises me -- I have no pre-Olympic spirit or excitement, EXCEPT when I talk with Nels, and then there's no escaping the good stuff :) ) I hope the attention it draws to China actually makes a difference, but I don't really know if it will. But one can hope.

This week, I'm spending my evenings in a darkened theater, hunched over that same Casio keyboard (it's the same model as the one in the Minnesota Show). Who knew this keyboard was to be a repeating motif in my St. Paul experience.

There's not much time for anything besides teach, museum work, and then late night rehearsal until Thursday or Friday, and that grumps me out a bit. My long standing vengence on the paths around Lake of the Isles will have to wait. Mrphh. Victory will be mine!!

Time to get clean, take my cheesy biscuits to South Mpls and then to St. Paul, and don't stop moving until 11:30 tonight. But it's only until Friday.

Onward.

P.S. Stupid Russia. Putin (Poutin?) is a bear and a horribly smart calculating thug. Gross.

A little sad, a little here...

Super short post!

Yea! Thank you all who came to Mike's Fringe Encore last night! It was great - - and such a lovely way to finish up the run. W00t! Many thanks to Mike for being awesome, and letting me be a part of the show.. :)

Delightfully relaxing Sunday for the most part. I'm a little sad, and a little here, and a little not, and could just give in to making a choice of "feel this way!" or "feel that way!" and I'm not even sure if that choice is even necessary. Ah well..

Damned busy week ahead. Full of hopefully good stuff.

Fringe Party at First Ave was minglelicious. I have found I am no longer good at mingling (as if I was before). Still, nice to see some good people and meet some good people. Awesome. :)

On to teaching and night rehearsal and some more of the same with some Museum throw in tomorrow.

Onward.

My German side told my Irish side to eat it...

.. but then both got along over potatoes.

Potato salad, an apple, and braunschweiger on sesame flat cracker-things. A very summer-in-Munich sort of dinner. Um.. topped off with a Smirnoff Ice, so maybe it's more of a East-Germany-vacations-in-1984 sort of affair.

I've taken meat ALMOST out of my diet. Somehow, braunschweiger is something different, being scrunched up and flavored internal organs vs. leans hanks of muscle tissue. It's in a spreadable form, though technically still meat. It is gross, curious, and delicious all at the same time.

PG's back! Whoop! He's currently sleeping, as jet lag sucks.

Please keep your eyes open! Mike may have the Encore performance slot at the Theater Garage tomorrow night - - we don't know yet. If so, it'd be 8:30 p.m. and full of awesome. :)

Saw both Ellie and Joe at Kowalski's tonight. yea!

Onward.

Remember all that...?

Last night was lovely awesome.

PIC and I went to Kowalski's.

- I devoured a mound of pasta as big as my head. Maybe it wasn't. But it was more pasta than one person needs to devour. ...And asparagus! And wine! And pre-season football! It was a little as if the boys from Queer Eye (circa 2001) had come to help us watch the Vikings, but still feel a little classy about it.

PIC and I then went to the Brave New Workshop!

- AWESOME Awesome awesome show!!! Please go see the Workshop's latest Election show. It's delightful. We giggled and snorted and drank Finnegan's and thank you for making us laugh, funny people. Happy.

- BNW's After Party is delightful! Videos and short form and more Finnegan's and funny.

PIC and I and a bunch of lovely people go to the Mill.

- YEAAA!! And whaaaauuuuu... That sort of sped by. Again, super duper happy.. The night ended with the group trying to out "ugly" each other on Davey's camera. Delightful!! Horrible pictures to follow...

I go home, and wake up the next morning...

- um. gack. It feels like I went out last night. But it was so much fun! This morning was a series of false starts and questionable actions. I almost forgot to rinse the conditioner out of my hair. I tried to exercise before work, wondered if I was going to throw up, and then took a nap. I started to do dishes, and ended up putting one of those said dishes in the garbage. Gack.

I go to the Museum...

- A headache almost helps one do children's theater, as it forces one to slow down.. right? (arrgh) All of the monkeys in my puppet show were grumpy or hungover...

Last Fotis show today at 2:30 p.m.!!! Please come! Theatre Garage!!

PG comes back today!! I'm freaking out, just a little...

Looking at pictures of friends/acquaintances from High School. They're starting to look.. old. I'm starting to look.. old. Damn us for looking our age. And making babies. And desiring things like 401Ks.

Have a good rest of your weekend!

Onward.

Ain't this stuff pretty? Wouldn't any of our lives be a tad more sassified with any of products offered? (Especially the kidney purse?) So pretty!

It's a day at the museum, filled with little kids and their weekend-desiring parents.

It's just sort of a blur of work and work until Saturday. (I really want Saturday to get here) Bingo show, after working at the Museum, last night went lovely and fine (except for nearly chipping Mark Sweeney's tooth - - that was dumb)

Things to do:

- Find a comedic monologue and practice 8 bars of an up beat song. (errrrgh)

- Update actorly things in general (I'm on it!)

- Feel good about practicing piano (w00t!)

- Feel good about eating oatmeal and/or making fried rice for lunch (delicious...)

- Water my plants (I just feel kinda crappy about that.. sorry lovely plants.. arrghh)

- Feel good about running around Lake of the Isles this morning (thank you, morning.. yea!)

- Not forget my bass tomorrow. Speaking of..

The last Fringe-centered performance of "An Intimate Evening with Mike Fotis: Part 2" is tomorrow! 2:30 p.m.! Theater Garage! Come early! Mike is awesome and the show is hilarious! Support the funny! (You will be pleased you did..)

Jen, why are you practicing piano?

Opening NEXT WEEK! "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)" at the Lowry Theater in St. Paul! I'm playing piano for it (but I guess they gave me some lines..) I promise it will be milk-snortingly funny. Why? Because Eric Webster is funny.. and Paul Reyburn is funny.. and I would follow E.J. Subkoviak off of a funny cliff. He's lovely. Please come see... (there's a bar...)

Please see here for more details.

This was more pluggish than I intended. I swear I had snappy witticisms to attempt. They've gone away. Perhaps later. A blog of actual entertainment.. ... yes.

Onward.

Really?

Found out that one of the next shows we'll be doing at the Museum involves strapping an audience member to a chair and waving a live snake around them.

Really?

I hope I smell nice for a carnie.

Kitty drama

My roommate's cat is tenatively dabbling in "downstairs". The sound of an uncomfortable cat is just disturbing.

I think my lifecoach broke up with me. It's not exactly true (it was mutual...), but.. she basically said "You're doing good" and I said, "Can we check back in in an month?" and then I made dinner. We'd been together for almost a year, and like any committed relationship, I'm a different person because of my time with her.. ;) It really did feel like a break up, ... A quasi-professional, contented break-up. (I started with Tina a couple months after my dad passed away.. I would totally recommend the experience. Does saying the word "lifecoach" instantly suck away any street cred you might have had? Maybe. Was it incredibly helpful? Yesyesyes.)

Lake of the Isles and I are getting along really really well. It was so lovely and cool last night, and I totally got to do a jogging drive by on Sarah G. -- whoop! I was also attempting to jog away a sinus infection-- I hope it worked...

And then to Hetzel's for a going away shindig... Holy crap, that was nice. *grin* There were a couple of very clear moments when the boys were talking about boy things and the girls were talking about girl things, and we were just happy and comfortable and don't we play nice together? ('Realizing...I think I've known Dan for about 8? 9? years.. What a strange thought..) Have an amazing & safe trip-- see u soon!

Dan goes to CA and Nick comes back to Mpls!! Crazy? Crazy. But good. :)

Onward? Onward. (Saturday!)

I prob'bly need to get back to you...

Successful 9 hour sleep of two nights ago balanced out by 5.5 hour sleep of last night. Whine. But it was a lovely night...

* Monday work was fine. (some pretty cute monkey-loving kids) Grabbed happy hour with T.R. afterwards, which was all sorts of good--she is funny. :) 'Collasped at 10p.m. as my sinus headache told me to.

* Look - Tues! Last Six Ring of the semester, marking almost two years of IFSGWIS. We've had the core five members for all of this time--they are friends, they are funny, and they taught me, plain and simple (cliche and true). This was damned bittersweet. I love u guys!!!

* Onto Mike Fotis' Fringe show! So many many thanks to all of you that came out--especially 10 p.m. on a Tuesday! Thank you!!!!!! It was a great show, Mike did awwesome and I think we sounded pretty sweet together... Yea!!!!! Thank you!

* Last performance of Fotis' show is scheduled for 2:30 this Saturday, Theatre Garage. Pls come--you'll be pleased. :)

* Onto Joe's Garage. Commence staying up too late. Lovely time. Argh.

Went to my block's National Night Out for about 15 minutes, as I had to zoom away. I think I fully underwhelmed some of the neighbors, had to talk about Tim & I's breakup with others (neighbors miss seeing Tim around, plain and simple. Also -- neighbors watch.), but got along in a happy socially successful way with others. Whew. Everything was going somewhat swimmingly until nice boyfriend of nice neighbor made a truly passive aggressive comment about Pickles as I'm on my way out. Really??? My brain was not ready to deal with this little bit of B.S. in the moment (but, boy, do I have comebacks NOW) -- stupid snark. If you have a problem with my barky little dog, pls be up front about it. Also, do I mow my lawn? (yes). Do I keep Pickles outside and barking all day? (no.) Is there the chance of Pickles eating your cats? (no.) Do I sell meth and/or shout swears at your Honda? (no.) Are you awoken by my carpool, honking at my house every morning around 8 a.m.? (no.) Did National Night Out have almost the opposite intended effect for me? ... Only with one dude, so, of course, I must focus all of my tiny typing power on that. Feel my passive agressive wrath back at you, Minnesotan!!! Grr.

Hey! It's Wednesday! Sweet. Looking forward to Saturday, for a variety of reasons. Wish us luck!

Onward.

A good, hard rain...

And it is!

It's a really lovely thing to come out of a theater venue, fat and stuffed on hugs and theatricalness, to find the world all transformed by sheets and sheets of water. It's a wonderful thing to give up and walk through quick moving puddles. And a pretty heartwarming thing to have your cat run to you and the open door when called, when a brand new rain catches him outside and unawares.

Lovely night...

* Bing'd! I danced inappropriately and attacked Mark Sweeney for money. Yea for good folks! Whew! Happy birthday E.J.!!! :)

* Fotis had an awesome show. And many many thanks to all you awesome people who came out! Yea!

* To Rarig, to go watch some Four Humor's "Mortem Capideum" (errr.. sp? I should know, I just saw it.) How cool, how cool, how cool. Happy. A perfect Four Humors show. (super secret props for using Sioux City as a local. Way cooler than my hometown deserves. Awesome.) Sweet and smart and scary too.

* Comedians make the bestest and most honest villians. More scary please.

* And now tea and toast and sleepy.

It's been a while since I've been puddlejumpin' -- and suddenly 'remembered being 21 and playing with friends on a similarily drenched and warm night in the Ames Arboretum. And then realized I wasn't quite ready to wax that nostalgic. But also realized that was about 11 years ago. Agh!! How nostalgic does one need to wax?? 11 years was about 8 lifetimes ago -- but... man. (nice memory though)

..how old am I???

Onward.

I'm a bad Fringer...

Today I cleaned and mowed and laundried.. And would have had time to see a Fringe show. But I have chosen not to. These, my friends, may be responsible life choices, but these choices also lead to irresponsible Fringing.

* Work. Hi Work. Dear work, I don't want to come to you tomorrow. I grow tired of these 6 day work weeks, even if they're short hours. Ah well...

* Best MN Summer Evening Ever! Boss Dave opened up his wonderful House On a Lake. Partner In Crime and I wondered & wandered our way to way-east-north suburbs, where we were spoiled with burgers, beers, boats, conversation and children. And s'mores. And children making s'mores. All topped off by a sunset, loons, and said lake. PIC threw at least one child into said lake. I spit at some bluegills (I'm still not sure why). We saw jupiter in the sky, Drew saw a shooting star. It -- was wonderful.

* PIC and I drove to Sonics afterwards, which was surreal - as Sonics has a 'holding area' for the drive thru overflow - and heartbreaking - as they did not have the fried Mac-n-Cheese bites we desired. However, their chili-cheese-tater-tots are as horrible and wonderful as they sound.

* Back to PICs for gin with citrus.

It was a true summer night! We appreciated MN the way it wants to be appreciated (which is very very rare for me) and I am appreciating PIC muchly, because he's also the best of BFFs.

* I'm off to do a Bingo show. Didn't that close three months ago? Um. Yes. But...

* 8:30! Tonight! Theatre Garage! Fotis funny!! Pls come see (and don't let me forget to pack my bass pls..)

Onward.

9 hours of sleep is my friend...

It's a Cinderella sort of morning: birds are singing, coffee's soaking, I got 9 hours of sleep last night and could do about 7 more. Whew. The animals were super cooperative in this endeavor. Awesome city.

Yesterday, I went home & crashed after work, and then onto Fringe!

* Saw an "Inconvenient Squirrel" last night: I think this may be my favorite of Scrimshaw inventions... Oh. I liked it so much. *grin* And awesome sqirrel based casting. Watching Dan & Tim & Joe play together, Craig is a beautiful tree (I mean that super positively), and something would have been super wrong if Reid wasn't cast is this production. I love the msg, I don't feel like the msg was knocked over our heads, I'm still giggling thinking of it, AANNDD they got a standing ovation from two 10 year olds in the audience. Awesome.

* Saw Rampleseed after that!! This is one of my favorite 'types' of theater--smart, physical people talking about smart things in surreal ways in silly hats. Low on production value, high on weird and smart and funny. It spoke the same stage language as a Rampleseed set -- and that was So Cool to see. And to see members of the audience get that feel. Yeaaa!! (and Tom & Tyler are just so damn fun to watch play.)

*Watch me go home and eat peanut noodles. Watch me self-medicate. Watch me sleep.

Hey! Come see Fotis today at 2:30 p.m. @ the Theater Garage!!! You'll feel sad if you don't. (He's awesomecityfunny-- and the show is highly praised, peeps) I'll be there, the "woman plucking on a bass behind him" (see why it's more fun to be an actor sometimes? People actually want to know your name.. ;) )

(...Actually, if you're going to see theater, you're honestly there to see people talking and dancing and acting, and not the backing band. But Dennis Curley & I have a whole diatribe of indulgence on this subject..) :)

Onward.

A buzz, a'tired...

Things are all weird. Or, at least.. nothing's settled.. that's fine. It's just a little exhausting.

Blurry Thursday! Little sleep, followed by lunch, prep and off to another lovely museum to help run a Nanoscale Forum. We were told to expect about 30 kids; we ended up with 23 adults. That being said, it was wonderful! Great people, nice feel, I learned how to better run one of these things. Yeaa!!! Very lucky.

To Fotis' Fringe show!! YEAHH!!! It's funny. You should come. Mike did an awesome job, I heart the stories and the audience was happy.

I watched a little cricket come out from backstage at the Theater Garage while Mike was performing, crawl across the stage towards him, stopping to listen. Mike is just that good. :)

To the Loring Pasta Bar for Nanodrinks and nano appetizers. We did a reading of a script I had written for Nanopurposes. It was well received. I am happy.

It's August, that weird time when, truly, nothing's settled. From newly forming improv groups (IAGG lottery today!); to Six Ring ending, being tossed like a game of Boggle (for excellent reasons) and starting again; to Theater auditions for new seasons; to the Science Museum closing for the RNC; to money and job questions; to PG being out of town; to new roommates; to wondering what to do with your garden as winter is truly just around the corner (even if it's stinky hot today). Unsettled.

But that's alright.

Onward.