I'm back, yes. I'm wearing black, technically...

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEENNN!!!

I'm off to the Dale/University Salvation Army, in search of Halloween duds. Last year, the Dale/University Salvation Army was hoppin', in a really happy buzzy way. I hope it's the same..

- Got back in time, after one of the more stressful traveling bits. And I'm not the guy who had the heart attack. ... :(

- Missed a meeting, rescheduled. Took the light rail, took a bus, and then jogged my butt around a lake (in an attempt to start working off the parts of NYC that I drank)

- CREATURE FEATURE! G'dang, this was fun. So please. I was pleased with myself until the end, and then I was not as pleased with myself. But.. Damn, it was lovely. My cohorts were lovely. So funny! (Joe was a killer architect.. how good is a killer architect? So good! And Josh was Blocky. And Hannah was Ranch. And Lauren was a hologram.. it continues!!!)

- It's a pretty happy day at the Museum. There was something seemingly important I was going to blather about. Dammit.

- I'm gonna commit to NaNoWriMo. If I can blather in a blog almost daily, I should try and use that force for good.

- It turns out I write backwards pretty easily. Not well, but easily.

Hellendrung, Scott & Associates will be at Improv A Go Go this Sunday! You want to see it! (and so do we..)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!! :)

Onward.

Wednesdaisy...

Hump Day! Hump day is started by "sleeping in" -- NYC is an hour ahead.. It's like I'm sleeping until 9:30 a.m..

- I walk. Screw the subway. Google says its a 40 min walk to my friend Brian's office. Begin!

- It almost snows. Yet I am warm. Except for my nose. And cheeks. And fingers.

- Brian is the puveyor of all things good - music and food. We eat roasted chicken and desserts in the tiniest of cafes, surrounded by NY Fashion Institute students (who are babies.)

- Walk through the flower district (2 blocks), mistakenly enter a wholesale shop (dumb), and walk my way south and west.

- Thank god for the tiny Madison Square park and benches.

- Forbidden Planet! And the Strand bookstore. The Strand takes my ass and hands it back to me...

- I purchase sock puppet portraits from an artist in Union Square. This seems appropriate.

- Wander around the Lower East Side.. wander...

- Collaspe in Kelly's apartment, await her call.

- Schiller's!!! Go to Schiller's!!! I fall in love with Schiller's. I order a glass of red, and they hand me a soft and warm sugar-cinnamon donut. Free. I heart Schiller's.

- Kelly walks me 10 blocks to a sexygritty basement sake bar. It was sexy and gritty.. And delicious.

- Kelly is sick, and wisely retires early. I take one last walk around her neighborhood. I don't want another drink, I'm not hungry, I just want to walk.

- sleep.

I'm at the airport, after a series of public transports. A gentleman just had a heart attack literally 15 feet away from me. Everyone jumped up, ran and called for help, or just stared... It took maybe 7 minutes for the cops and EMTs to arrive. A passenger rushed to grab a difibulator, offduty nurses and medics came out of the woodwork, the rest just stared.

I couldn't see the gentleman, just tried to watch reactions. They finally took him away, all the while hitting his chest. :( No one's happy, except for the creepy grandpa that just kept smiling, and walked his toddler grandson around the scene.

Flight delayed. Woman with monstrous stroller being a jerk to the ticket lady. Blaaaaahhh! Blah. But I'm boarding a plane, and am safe...

I hear its warm in Mpls.

Onward.

now, BLLOOOOOOD!

Yes, NYC would eat me up and spit out my bones. That's okay.

- Grab at slice at Ray's. Ehhhh..

- Kelly and I head to the American Museum of Natural History. YEAAAA!!!!! Geeking out begins.. It's huuuuge and lovely. Beautifully presented. All up to date. So much to see.. Dinosaurs, and an special exhibit on horses, and "Cosmic Collisions" planetarium show... yeaaa!!

- Head towards Chelsea. Spend a long time in a lovely place called "The Half King". Edamame, pigs in a blanket and bread pudding..? Meet some more of Kelly's crew, which is absolutely lovely..

- Onto Blood Manor. They did a really good job! The nice girl in front of me lets me hang onto her bag. I picture our group, lost in an actual horror movie, and wonder which one of us might survive.

- At one part, they hand you these 3Desque glasses to wear. Combined with the blacklights and the dayglow splatters, they're damned effective. One of the kids in front of me wonders to his girlfriend, "I wonder if this what it's like to be on LCD." (adorable, I tell you).

- Onto Mustang Salley's for a last one with Kelly's friend, and then onto a "dive bar in soho" (how was it a dive bar? No clue..) Meet more people, which is nice... (yes, if you're from Brooklyn, you dress like you're in the Hold Steady. Plastic frame glasses and pearl button shirts, please.)

- Then a chipolte chicken taco next to Kelly's place (OH MY GOD!! The most brilliant chipolte chicken taco ever..) and sleep.

Is that what happened yesterday?

It'd be amazing to move here, ...but I'd want to do it with someone. I can play around the edges of this place, but if it was done for reals, I'd want someone to share it with/keep each other sane/not get lonely. You can talk to everyone in the world here, but it's still a lonely place, I think. I love it though.

And who I am to say - - I've only been here for two days, riding the coattails of a dear friend. Very lucky.

Now to meet dear friend Brian.. again, time to attempt subways. Yearrrrgh..

Onward.

Le Coq! ... coq!

Typing this out as quickly as I can, as I should get my butt in gear.. However, this is not a get your butt in gear sort of morning. It's a recover in your friend's modern kitchen morning..

- Navigated the NYC subway system annnnd Manhattan!!! Four little blocks of Manhattan, navigated. I am super proud.

- People watching has begun. Damn, them New Yorkers are well dressed.

- Kelly and I zip our way to Union Square, sample and purchase delicious farmers' market veggies, zip our way to her place (across the street from the goddamn Katz Deli.. the when Harry Met Sally Katz deli). En route, there is a knish purchased.

- Rooftop eats! Bottle of wine! Amazing views! Tiny dogs in unexpected places!

- We wander through Chinatown and Little Italy, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass? something like that...) Drinks and snacks... Bartender was a transplanted too cool for school Roseville-ian. Weird.

- Onto the Galapagos Art Space - - astonishingly beautiful and sexy performance space. The acoustics were a little rough for the material we were seeing (British accents and whatnot.. but the performers figured that out pretty quickly, and the audience listened even better..) hey look, drinks...

- Saw "The Floating Brothel", an amazingly lovely piece. Yes, the title is cringe inducing, but the story was good and honest, and told physically and succinctly (and using only a 3'x6' platform - - as a honest and beautiful storytelling device). And the acting was damned lovely too! Went onto the website, and have found that most of the actors are Yale-trained, and a good chunk of them have studied at Le Coq.

- Le Coq!!!! I wanna do that... Damn you Yale and Le Coq (le coq!!!!!!!!! You pop up in many many things I like.. heh. ew.) Can a 33 year old improviser/interactive comedian/museum theater performer pick herself out of the Midwest and shove her way into a high-falutin' art scene (le coqqqqqq!)... Yes. But, it can also probably be done in the Midwest with the incredibly talented people we get to play with... who didn't go to Yale. (coq) It's fun to ponder though.. Just how artsy do ya wanna be? Are you doing it to tell a story, or just to be artsy? These coq people seem to use it for the forces of good. I still like being a killer hedgehog though...

- ....(coq)

- Onto an Irish pub to meet a lovely friend of Kelly's (lawyer/gallery owner... of course). I find NYCers relatively chatty, and did some lovely chatting... Got invited to a Halloween party at a place called Boucarou.. 12 midnight. The password is Anta. (there's a password!) Hey look, the bartender just gave me another drink.. I didn't even have to ask. New York is magic!

- The cash I took out to pay for snacks and bevvies for the next couple of days is also gone i.e. spent. New York IS magic! That was quick...

- I wake up a painful mess. Somehow, Kelly is dressed and professional. I shower (or, rather, stick head under faucet for 20 minutes). I medicate. I take a nap. Sunny warm NYC has turned to wet, grey, rainy NYC. It hasn't stopped raining for the last.. six hours? Something like that. It's actually intimidating. The dog next door is so sad and howls...

Tonight, we go to a Haunted House. I will pee my pants. *sigh* But it'll be excellent! Time to go get wet... Take that, Manhattan!!

(coq)

Onward.

One misfire away from doom.. DOOOOOM!!!

Just saw Chuck C. at the airport! Yeaa for travel hugs.. He looked remarkably awake and sparkly.. I probably looked ragged and stoned.

Took FMJ's photos with Butch's point and click (which did a damn fine job..) Holy crap, that was fun. Little tiny bit of short fast fun photography...

Stitch, Bitch n' Die had our last performance (hopefully it will come back..) It was madness! Madness, I tell you... The audience was here, and then there, and then when a gun wouldn't go off, we about lost it as a cast, slipping in the word 'impotent'. Both horrifying and delightful..! Aghhh! Yeaa!! We are professionals..!..?..!

PG joined us at BLB, which was lovely...Woke up at 4:40 a.m., which was one of the more difficult waking-uppings, as there was a cuddly bed inside and outside looked cold and grey.

Surrounded by tired and tense Minnesotans.

Onward.

I got over yesterday...

Sometimes you just need a day stuck in your head to realize that you don't exactly want to be there constantly...

- HELL-lo, museum. I got to host a Halloween Contest Competion, which was both awesome, dramatic, and adorable.. Highlights:

- Snake Warrior! Almost skin tight, snake pattern body suit with mask, worn with aqua shoes and a plastic killy thing. "Because I like mythology.." Yes!

- The buck-toothed Paleontologist "Because paleontologists are real people.."

- All of the bad witches... Who wants to be a good witch on Halloween, honestly?

- A shouted Darth Vader impression through a plastic mask... "LUKE!..."

- A dramatic how-i-made-this-costume story...

- The Renaissance Princess with glasses and a lisp.

- Adorable pirates and princesses and honeybees and an American Cheerleader (to which I unwisely said, "I didn't think they existed..." I was unwise..)

- Lesson #358 learned: Stop with the attempts at wit, shut yer gob, and get to the next kid. Astronaut ice cream for the winners (delish!)

The best Stitch n' Bitch audience ever... A delight! Very lucky. :)

Afterwards, instead of attempting the BLB or Herkimer, we found ourselves at "I-Moto" ("Moto-I"?).. Anywhoo, the new Japanese place on Lyndale. What?, you're saying, there's a Japanese place on Lyndale? Yes!! Next to the Theater Garage, in the old Machu Picchu site. And although the decor is rather beautiful and sexy, the beers are only $4-5 and the food is all street food, basically.. No sushi, but more noodles and half chickens and steamed buns ($3 each!) and holy crab cakes, what deliciousness is this? What incredibly perky waittress is this? I WILL have another Surly, young dear, and when you say the word "snnnacks", it might just be over the top. With every serving of snnacks, a different runner would bring out our plate and proclaim quietly, "This is my favorite.." We must have incredible taste (but, honestly, they were all delicious. Waitrons! I believe you!)

Then to watch "Finding Nemo" with healing Partner in Crime, who now has holes in his head where teeth used to be.

It's a stupidly jam-packed day today, but, honestly... It shouldn't be that bad.. It might even be fun, if we let it be...

Onward.

Saturdayyyyy? of note... Poi Jen Pondering...

It's Saturday. Truly? Friday didn't seem like Friday until I realized the Education floor was almost empty at 4 p.m.. Indeed, it was Friday.

Wasn't there something blog-gable?

- Went for a run at insane-o hour this morning. In the moment, it didn't feel like insane-o hour, until I realized that 7:30 a.m. was not meant for jogging, but rather for walk-of-shaming. However, jogging was done!

- Wearing a thrift-store cardigan, t-shirt, and clogs... do you ever realize that you've been dressing within the same theme for the past 15 years? (AGHHH!) The t-shirt have gotten smaller (the 90s were rife with baggy t's), but that's about it...

October shows are winding down!

- Final Creature Feature *sob*, this Thursday, 8 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop. I was the monster last Thursday... a hedgehog. However, I was not as scary as I wanted to be. :( This made me sad. Indeed, perhaps a hedgehog (even with tons of killer quills) is not that scary. (Josh's goddamn giant hamster was suuuuuper scary! And he pooped the entire time! Perhaps I shouldn't have snorfled so much. Dangit. Next time...) Come catch the last one this Thusrday!! :)

- Final two "Stitch, Bitch n' Die!"s tonight, 7 p.m. and tomorrow at 7 p.m., at the Bryant Lake Bowl!! oooohhh! What a maroon! I truly enjoy this show... Please come check it out.. (now with awesome crafting competition at the end!!)

Talked to my sister briefly, who claimed she had "no time to breath". Talked with my uncle just briefly about official things. I'm mostly just sort of stuck in my head, pondering and thinking a lot. That's a silly place to be, but an almost necessary one. This pondering is interrupted at random intervals for "dressing up like a mosquito" time at the museum. Truly.. It's a really silly show. (and if you want to see the CSI exhibit, lemme know!) :)

Onward.

It's so dumb..!

It's so dumb that because of the way my innards are set up, they might randomly seize up every 28 days or so, and cause what are innocently referred to as "cramps". owowow. Thankfully, the chemical compound called "ibuprofen" comes in tasty little pill form. Nom nom nom... (owwwww)

At Java Jacks, which is on Washington Ave N. I am sitting at a bar. They are playing White Stripes. There are outlets everywhere and free wifi. I am hyper-pleased.

Visited the Minneapolis Public School Warehouse sale! Good gracious! I guess they have one every few months or so.

Location:
THERE IS ONLY ONE ROAD TO THE MPLS PUBLIC SCHOOL WAREHOUSE. 1550 Jackson St NE door N should have multiple points of entry, but alas, it does not! You must turn west onto 13th off of Central Ave, and then desperately search for signs. I took me 15 minutes of circling to figure this out. Surprisingly, this didn't bug me as much as I thought it would. I tried to remind myself to be pissy, but couldn't work up the momentum. I love the old warehouses around 13th & Quincy Ave in Nordeast. It's where I used to practice with a band (underneath a mattress warehouse) back when I was cool. And it's so cool to see artists find these warehouses and fill them full of goodness. Neat.

Stuff:
Oh my god! A warehouse, all brick and old, filled with old public school stuff. Pianos (with the letters of the notes written on the keys!) for $5. An old scoreboard. Tables and wash stations and strange cabinets and old shop signs and ahhhh.. awesome. Followed the signs back to the musical instruments.

More Stuff:
It turns out that Minneapolis is closing down it's Musical Repair Department. This is a pity, according to a retired orchestra teacher, and I agree. Who knew that Minneapolis Public Schools had its own inhouse musical instrument repair shop - - isn't that cool. Now, as the teacher told me, it's being outsourced. What does an inhouse musical repair shop have? Beautiful amazing used and new old musical instrument bits (plus full ancient saxophones, dozens of clarinets, darkened flutes, drum heads, brass sousaphone bells.. beautiful!). I hung over the stringed instrument bits (public school orchestra, 8 years...).. Wood! and String! and more wood... aghhhhh!!!!

If anyone's played in band/orchestra, and played off of public school instruments - - there's an underdoggeness to it. Each instrument was precious (even if in horrible shape), and was to be protected and practiced on - - here was your key to this activity you liked to do, and you just had to pay a rental fee for something that might potentially cost $1,000s of dollars. And here were the memories and beloved beaten up instruments from over 50 years of Mpls Public School music programs. Bittersweet and practical all at the same time...

I asked the ladies working the til what might happen to the rest of the stuff if it doesn't get sold, and they said (sadly) that they didn't know. So much wonderful potential (violin bridges, bow hair, piano wire, brass valves, more more more), possibly to go to waste. Argh!

I put down a bid on a cello body (adding to the mystique of the Public School sale.. not only was it impossible to get to.. you didn't know if you could purchase something you wanted or not. Tricky..)

HEY!!! You know what's tonight? CREATURE FEATURE!!! 8 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop. Hells to the yeah, my friends. Please come watch! Possibly scary, should be funny...

Onward.

My life just ain't that excitin'...

..which is okay. It's just been a three week run of funeral/travel/birthday.

Fine day at the museum, which was bright & bustly compared to the greycold sweep of outside. I like that the weather today was sort of a caricature of what a cold, wet autumn day should be -- well played, whoever plans these things.

Throngs of K-2nd graders in uniforms made the museum pretty adorable. Compared to the kindergarteners, the 2nd graders are 7 going on 30.

I prep for a little more travel next week. In an attempt to actively increase my debt, I visit my old college roomie and amazing friend Kelly in NYC on Monday (limited time off + life's too short = go see Kelly now!). Kelly is the loveliest of successful smartypants, beautiful, lives in Manhattan, and can probably drink me under the table. Awesome. I have requested to eat a slice and maybe walk a lot (although the Essex Sea plays in Brooklyn on Wednesday!! Aghhh!!!) If you have any recommendations of who/what/eat, lemme know... :)

For some reason, 2012 has been knocking against my subconsious of late, enough to freak it out a little. Either I've read too much or not enough, but if the end of the world (or global human elightenment) happens, I mostly hope that my pets will be okay.

Onward.

P.S. Creature Feature!! Tomorrow, 8 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop!!! Improvised horror, made just for you (you sick bastard..) Yea!!!

Inflection

Really lovely night, after cleaning the house and exploring the backyard with the dog & cat. (I attempted blue eyeshadow in a non-ironic fashion. Almost succeeded! ... Almost.)

Purchased some cigarettes after lovely dinner of spicy squid (nom nom nom) and a pork omelet (oh, Thai..! We asked nearly everyone at the King & I if they knew Ellie... Ellie's name automatically made everyone smile. Yea!). Slid my ID under the plastic cashier box (the box they keep SuperAmerica cashiers in). The pierced/neck-tattoo'd guy peered at my ID and said, "There's no way you could be _that_ old."

Thank you.. ...?

Ha. Hrm.

But I am and that's alright with me. Very very thankful for you (yes, you!) and feeling loved.. Thank you!!!

(*grin* Now I get to give my mom and sister a hard time for not calling.. My family -- including me.. I am the worst of offenders -- sucks at birthdays...)

Onward.

Hewwww....

The animals just totally bonked head when trying to jump at the same time.

That was pretty adorable.

Onward.

I'm the luckiest girl in the world, you are the bestest of all peeps...

This is a big ol hug. To you and everyone else.

The weekend has sped by -- got back Saturday morning, lost my car in the Humphrey Terminal ramp (I'm an idiot), taught on Saturday afternoon, then Stitch n' Bitch, followed by cast party.. Just lovely. At about 11 p.m., I counted and realized I had been awake for about 20 hours, after 4 hours of sleep. Good night.

Sunday - Got a full 8 hours of sleep, and zoomed into work (being film noir bugs with Bob is super fun), ran around a lake (yea!), had gametime happy hour with dear friend Greg, Stitch n' Bitch, onto a reading (Isaac & I got to play a super fun game.. He is totally a monkey), and then getting to see the boy... Yea!

Woke up at 4:45 am a confused and dazed mess. (I had woke up around 2 am, and couldn't get back to sleep), drove to Adam's house by 5:35 am, carpooled to Rochester and performed for about 300 Ohlmstead County workers. I've never started a day, much less a birthday, by singing "I'm a butt doctor of love!!!!" to the blues. It was really lovely.

Now I'm at D'amico & Sons, spoiling myself to a three salad sample and a glass of wine, pretending that I once studied abroad in Italy, and that this meal reminds me Milan.

I'm overwhelmed and it fills my heart. Very generous, very lovely birthday wishes from very lovely and very generous people.. I am so blessed. Thank you!!!Thank you!!!Thank you!!!Thank you!!! I love you. :)

One tries to be selective about one takes personally... Traffic, try not to take personally. Cold weather, try not to take personally. Lovely wishes from amazing people - - I might take greedily personally, just to experience the love and send it back.

I am a butt doctor of love.

Onward.

(All 33 years of me says thank you!!!) :)

Teeeee

Too-early-to-be-this-happy, red faced, big voiced man to small Japanese adorable boy: WHERE YOU GOIN'?

Amazingly adorable Japanese 2 year old wearing a sweater vest: DISSSSSSSSNEYLAND!!!!

Man, loud enough so the whole plane turns: REALLY? IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE GOIN'?

Adorable 2 yr old: MICKEEEEY MOUSE!!!!!

They should probably have their own tv show -- perhaps as detective partners.

Man: WHAT DID THE LAB REPORT FIND IN THE CHRYSLER?!

Child: BLLLLLLLOOOOD!!

Man: REALLY? IS THAT WHAT YOU FOUND?!

Child: MICKEEEEEEY MOUSE!!!!

The little one would take his coffee in a sippy cup.

Man, Northwest has us packed in here. Why make a plane that anyone over 5'2", your knees will touch the chair in front of you? Why compress the American space bubble even more when you tilt the chairs back? The lady across the aisle from me is about my height, and is compressed between a lady with chair tilted impossibly back, and a guy with a mouthful of snuf. No offense to all my chewin', seat-reclinin' friends, but I worry for the lady's soul.

I'm tired. Taxi driver named Phillip took me from the hotel to the airport at 4:30 a.m. today. He's originally from NYC, moved after 9/11 (couldn't make a living after the attacks) and ended up loving Philly. Still gets back to NYC to visit family and close taxi-drivin' friends (they take him out for "steak and beer", which sounds pretty awesome), but says New Yorkers are two-faced: they act nice, but will stab you in the back. Says Philadelphians are much nicer. Asked him if he has met people, made friends, etc., and he said he meets a lot of people driving cab, and likes the discussions he has everyday. Being social. He made the trip to the airport lovely (even if I was a blurry, sleepy mess).

Detroit has the airport of the future. Who knew? (and cheap egg breakfasts.. I went for the overpriced Lucky Charms).

Onward.

Why so weird, weirdo..?

I'm tuckered. And truth be told, I didn't do that much...

- Woke up and went to the hotel gym thingie. Recycled air makes sweating super icky.

- I heart the Reading Terminal Market. Coffee and a ham & cheese crepe, watching old women in hats & construction workers eating salad & old acquaintences chatting, while I typed on free intenet and browsed a Philly daily. Really lovely.

- Four hours of Forum workshop. Walked back over to the Market during break and got some clam chowder/soup.

- Done!!! Almost. Free 1.5 hours spent wandering through DT Philly to Old Town.

- Saw the Liberty Bell. It's presented in a lovely way, with a whole bunch of signage, made to impress you with HOW IMPORTANT the Liberty Bell.

- Old Town is filled with people who work for the National Park Service. They all wear knatty, green, Dudley DoRight hats.

- To dinner in Chinatown, at Rangoon Burmese. It was delicious!!! People of Burma: I salute your culinary prowess!! Awesome!! My dessert was both red & green, gelatin & dairy.

- Spot a couple of collegues in the now hopping hotel lobby. Catch up with awesome ones at the Continental again.

I like Philadephia. I like the history. I kinda even like the dirt. I like the casual conversation that hides on the Coasts, that the Upper Midwest is so bad at -- strangers can talk to each other and it's not weird or creepy. It's lovely. People say please and thank you and notice each other. Granted, you can also get mugged n' shit, but I felt pretty darn safe the entire time I've been here. I even feel... welcome.

Like most big east coast cities, it's made up of all flavors of people -- abject poverty to men in business suits. But mostly, I think Phillie feels like a place people come to work. I like that.

Being Downtown may be starting to play with me... It feels like a while since I've seen a horizon, or been not-surrounded by tall (albeit rather old and lovely) buildings. Most trips aren't spent entirely in a downtown area, and as much as I dig it, it makes me jumpy and tired too. And I didn't know that. I think I'd grow out of it with prolonged exposure. Just didn't know I'd get the jumpies.

Flight at 6:30 am tomorrow. Argh.

Wish us luck.

Onward.

Ben Franklin invented the internet...

Forum done. It went alright (pretty darn well), with one big reservation that makes me sad and mad - - but really, it went alright. It comes down to - - know yer space. But, with this traveling presentation sort of thing, you rarely if ever know your space. So accessibility issues were crap. But, after the anticipation and stress of presenting the forum to your (very nice, but super smarty pants) peers, and then to have it go well EXCEPT for that accessibility part... I truly can't complain. But did I? yesh.

We had the forum at the Franklin Institute, in a big ole room with a big ole Ben Franklin stuck in it. They recently installed a light show (purty darn cool light show) which visually implies how Ben Franklin not only invented the fire department and bifocals, but also DNA, the airplane, and possibly ladders. Ben Franklin was super smart.

Ended up at the Cherry Street Tavern, and then to one of Philly's "Starr" Restaurants, the Continental , all complete with a rooftop patio and swankiness. I pronounced Yuengling wrong about a million times. (which waiter quizzed me on... "it feels like I'm ordering a panda").

Philadelphia - - cool, underdog town. So far, I dig. Yea!! Super good food, good people, old history, pretty buildings, quietly working against all sorts of crap (or others' opinions of crap) that used to be... This probably isn't the next Portland, but it could be the Brooklyn (shhhhhhhhhh). But without the hipster cool that might come with a Brooklyn... Go Phillies!

(They're giving away Obama/Phillies pins in Chinatown, I guess...)

Wish us all luck.

Onward.

Ain't no pretension...

..at the Reading Terminal Market.

It's blue collar! The food's the real deal! And it's actually used by locals (at least on a Thurs.). The Mpls World Market on Chicago Ave feels like it belong in Mpls (neo-lib, all Heart of the Beast-kinda) and Vancouver's Market feels like it belongs there (Fancy! Polished! Pricey!), and the Terminal belongs here (not fucking around, so many choices, sales people, police, and Pensylvania Dutch wearing Sketchers -- everyone here just to mind their own business and eat. And everyone's, in general, nice.) I'm sitting on lawn furniture in a common eating area: ain't no pretension here. Except for me. Yea!

Go Phillies! Got generously taken to South Philly to watch the game at "The Devil's Den", a beer-snobbery neighborhood pub. (Delicious! They put bacon and cheese on my fries! I win!) I learned the back stories of lots of Phillie's players (good god! No wonder they make trading cards! How do you keep this s#it straight? It was like hearing someone describe a soap opera or an improv set -- but with made-up baseball terms). The bar got louder as the game went longer and everyone got drunker, and then suddenly -- BAM!!!! Phillies to the World Series! The bar explodes! So happy!! Outside, cars start honking. I hear a helicopter.

The helicopter sound continues for the next two hours.

We walk two blocks to my co-worker's friend's row house of spoooky neatness, and then walk to try and catch a bus. Philly is still communicating via happy masculine shouts out of car windows and carhorn-honking. We catch a taxi to the hotel.

I'm still not focusing. Food and coffee. But there's Pennsylvania dutch to feed me. Bring on the scrapple! (..perhaps.)

Wish me luck for tonight. (aghhhh...)

Onward.

Baseball...

..is heart-attack-inducing.

And then they played one of the victory songs from one of the Rocky's.

Seriously.

Tiny little living space...

In the tiniest, little plane! I'm in a single person row! (It's kind of exciting) They 'checked' my carry-on bag at the end of the fly-way... Almost by hand. It's like flying the way our ancestors used to.. ;)

Lindbergh Terminal parking lot was full -- full! The treck to and from the Humphrey was made. If I was 65 and had to walk a half mile through parking ramps, plus then a lightrail trick and a tram, I'd be peeved. However, I'm 32 and have no good excuse.

Onward.

No time for self-reflection! Too busy dancing!

Today was go! Go, chickadee!

Tomorrow I leave for Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love and the Fresh Prince. I can hope that it's secretly akin to Provincetown (ggggGay!), but alas, I think might be filled with just history and cheesesteak. But that's okay! I've heard good things about Philly.

The travel is for ASTC, conference of scientific debauchery. I can only stay two days, but...

- I have to run a forum.

- I have to find a place for possibly 40 people to eat dinner together.

Jesus.

Jesus!! But these things will be done, and I will board a Continental flight and sleep in a DT Marriott.

And that's about all I know.

I leave from the direct from the Museum tomorrow. Travel blathering soon to follow.

Onward.

Shot out of a gentle cannon...

There picture is of the cemetary where grandpa was buried. Note the loveliness, note the corn. Also note the dark mass behind the tree -- that was the ... What do you call those?... dirt scooper. It felt like it was trying to hide from us...

- We sat on cookie-monster-fur covered chairs, underneath a small blue tent (that was actually marked "Bacon".. I guess the name of the funeral company was Bacon, but it was still odd. My grandpa is/was not bacon). Scripture was read, my aunt and uncle said a few things that still make me want to cry. It was beautiful and sad. But, it's good...

- Hal, somehow related, standing on my right during the service, said the Lord's Prayer with the most beautiful lilt I've ever heard. No one says the Lord Prayer like that...

- You notice strange things. The complimentary kleenex come in plastic wrapper that makes a lot of noise if you try to open it. The wind kept playing with the tent and brushing gold leaves off of the trees. The funeral director, "Rob", was kind of a blowhard.

- Funeral directors! Granted, I've only dealt with two, but they're a bit weird. Rob spent what little conversation we had impressing me with where he was from ("small town in Northeastern Illinois.. Maybe you've heard of it? Chicago?"), impressing me with his madskillz ("my brother said 'Rob, you could play your cello for any large metropolitan orchestra... Why do you choose to do what you do, and why in the middle of nowhere?' "), and both loving and belittling my Grandpa's hometown ("And I told him, I love it here. It's Mayberry, y'know. Out there, it's 2008. Here, it's 1957!"). He also managed to slam where I live ("you live in Mpls? Why? *chuckle*") and fein offense when I called him sir. Gack, Rob...

- Went to my grandpa's cousin's house for cookies, photos and coffee. The men all look vaguely the same, all the women give good hugs. Carol's place is basically on a kind-of farm: this equals cats!! and sileage.

- I had to run away wayyy too soon to make it to Mpls for Stitch n' Bitch -- it went really well! Sad to leave family, both extended and close, so soon...

- Met up with the boy at a lovely party for a lovely man (who shares my bday!) :) Good awesome funny people, killerdiller martini too...!

- Relaxed & enjoyed Sunday morning/afternoon...

- Youth Improv has begun!

- Sunday Stitch n' Bitch went well...

- Onto Stereolab with Kevin...?! Really? But it was wonderful. They were great, my dear friend Greg was there, saw James (guy I took my first improv class with!), and danceddanced to the French...

- I have a crush on the band Beatrix*Jar..

Have I actually been to a Beatrix*Jar concert, own any of their songs? No. But pls google them and admire the cuteness. They're beautiful. I introduced myself based strictly on their marketing. Yes, I love that picture that much. (They play with DanceBand on the 29th or so!!)

- Pizza Luce slice and home...

Normally, weekends don't quite stretch across the experience spectrum that much. But.. I was very lucky, and I feel very loved. And.. sad. And okay. Good. I think.

Onward.

Iiiiiiiooooooooowa o whoa whoa oh whoa iiiioooowa

The drive down was lovely.. it's beautiful down here.. and warmer. Even the grass is changing colors, not just the trees. And.. wind farms. I'm nutty for wind farms. Pretty pretty. I like that a very-familiar landscape is being changed in the most science-fiction seeming, yet hopefully very positive, way. The windmills look more like art or aliens, rather than power plants.

Stopped by my alma mater, Iowa State, on my way to Des Moines...

- They've classed the place up! New branding, new bookstore, new changes to the student union. Iowa State now looks all Big 10 n' shit. Stopped by the M-Shop, and was thrilled to find that it still smelled the same.

- Walked around the horoscope on the floor, saw the campanile (sp?); Ralph Nader decided to come visit Ames at the same time. Weird.

- Ames specializes in a warm, glowing variety of fall.. yum.

- Stopped in the music building, which was like homecoming. Saw three teachers I dug and one I didn't. Saw two music secretaries that I adore. Looked at baby pictures from old classmates - - just lovely.

- Walked back to the student union and purchased my first bit of ISU paraphernalia. Tug at my heart, I will buy your stuff.

Drove the rest of the way to Johnston, Iowa, where the hotel is, about 20 minutes from Maxwell. My grandpa was born in Maxwell, he'll be buried there, when it's warm and the leaves are slipping from green to gold. That's kind of lovely.

- Caught up with my mom, sister, brother in law. Us girls, we all look the same.

- Caught up with my aunt, uncle and two cousins from Cali. My two cousins still share their almost telepathic link: a casual intimacy that sibling-ness and button-pushing usually gets in the way of. I want to wonder at it, but that would be rude (so I'll just do it here).

- 'Ate dinner at a supper club, one that specializes in the three hour meal. We shared stories, caught up (it's been a long time); Uncle Dave brought pictures of Grandpa from about 1913 on... Wow. :)

- Put the Scott side of the family together, and, again, we all look the same. However, the Californian Scotts as a whole are beautiful and just southern-Cali polished. They're also smart, sweet, funny and I'm so damned lucky to know them. As far as relatives go, they should be out of my related-to league. :)

- I ate too much.

- I just learned what HBO plays at 11:30 p.m. on a Friday.. aghhhh!! Really??! Oh, of course really... But I also found "Family Matters". Oh. And "Project Runway". Good lord.

Onward to tomorrow.
Good night.

Friday

There's a really needy maltipoo on my lap -- like really needy. If I don't give him tummy rubs, he might explode.

- Yeaaa, Creature Feature! Did Josh Eakright make me a teary mess? Well, yes of course, but then he spent the rest of the time scaring the bejeezus out of me. Josh was the kid you either really really wanted to play Ghost in the Graveyard with or completely the opposite. Scariest goddamn giant hamster...

- Can I tell you how much I love this damn show? And how I'm am continually amazed/surprised/delighted by the cast? It's all ambrosia n' shit... If only I could stop breaking on stage... (p.s. Survivors were a manic delight... Again!! See above comment and apply it to the Survivors boys...)

- Three people I know/love/respect admitted to reading my blog -- thank u! It's so nice to hear, and makes me very grateful that you put up with, well, me..

- Thank you for all the kind words, hugs and well-wishes regarding my granddad... My heart fills up and I am so grateful and so damned lucky.

Leave for Iowa today. That mix of sad happy thoughts.. When every funeral becomes part celebration of that person and part reunion: all loving and still sad. Which leads me to think:

- We all need to have more goddamn parties. Or host your own funeral every five years or so.. (a fun-eral, if you will..) Let the lost loved ones come out of the woodwork... Guilt your friends on the coasts into invading flyover country. Have your mom meet your dealer. Just saying, my dad would have loved his funeral.

- Must pack! Must slide into car and reacquaint one's self with I-35. I see a bunch of people who look like me in a couple of hours...

(I almost just typed Inward... Well.. Yes that too...)

Onward.

Recovering...

Indeed recovering. And putting off emails I need to write, and things I should be shoulding.

- Six Ring Circus was super fun last night. I approve! It's also just fun to play.. I also discovered the reason as to why I've been tear'd-up-runny-nose-giggly on stage, and that reason's name is Josh Eakright. Josh makes me laugh like I'm having an allergic reaction, and I mean that as an utter compliment. I laugh, my eyes water, my nose runs - - it's like a really really funny kodak commercial. Well played, Mr. Eakright!

- Missed Joshtoberfest... :(

- Got sucked into a quasi-politico debate with really good, smart people. This smarty-pantsing was accompanied and fueled by a questionable amount of beverages.

- Got home around 2 a.m.. Foolish, Jen. But it was a lovely evening though, truly...

- Still figuring out Grandpa's funeral arrangements. Everyone's just waiting, still in hover mode.

- It's not cool having to wear your favorite black dress twice in two years for funerals. It's now my favorite-black-funeral dress. I'd rather not go to a funeral for a while after this. And need to wear the dress to a wedding or a brisque (sp?) or something...

- My sister flies in tomorrow (yea!)

Speaking of tomorrow...

CREATURE FEATURE, Tomorrow (Thursday)! 10 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop!!! Life is too short, and this will be damned funny. Come see me be reduced to a giggly teary snotty mess yet again! Who will be the monster? What will be the monster? Survivors of the Undead Plague open!! Zombie funny too? Damn!!

Onward.

What do you do?

When a funeral is four days away, and you have no family in town? You hover... I was lucky enough to have the day off from work (so lucky! I win!) so I... hovered. A lot.

- got props for the museum*

- ran errands (Target! Trader Joe's!)

- ran unsuccessfully around Lake Calhoun

- dropped my delicious Mini Tin fish sandwich on the cement

- was encouraged by strangers to still eat the sandwich (agreed!)

- wasted hours on the internet

- planted the bulbs that Ellie gave me

- created refrigerator pickled carrots

- lit the recipe on fire by nearby candle

- made black bean stew (no recipe, no fire)

- made spicy cornbread

- halloween'd the porch. My porch is now maybe 10% spooky. The black.. thing behind the pumpkin is a bundle of branches I've had for over a year, now tied together with hemp (thanks, the 90s!!!), and then, today, spray painted black. I tried to make something that, in my mind, suckers would pay $25 for at Pier One. I may have however just made spray-painted branches. No matter.

- distracted myself into a unsatisfied but accomplished frenzy.

Talked to both my sister and my uncle. Looking forward to seeing them both...

Onward.
* there was an honest to god pulpit at the thrift store. $99 for your own take home pulpit! It might light up too....

What you can and can't...

Yesterday's Stitch n' Bitch went great, after a yesterday of little-house-things.

The cast was happily mowing away on nachoes (dear lord, I heart nachoes) and drink tickets and chatter, and my cell phone rang. It was my Uncle Dave. dammit.

My Grandpa Scott passed away last night. He was 95 years old. He had been sleeping a lot (like 18 hours a day?) and had been moved into hospice. I knew he hadn't been doing well, but I didn't know that.

I didn't know what to say to my Uncle except I love you and I'm so sorry. All I could think was how my Uncle lost his only brother (my dad) last year and now his father, and how that was so sad. But I couldn't feel anything myself, and so I walked back into the Bryant Lake Bowl and told the cast.

"...but I don't feel anything right now.." I didn't. This really confused me.

"Well, honey, that's because you're in shock," said my director.

"Oh."

I told them a little about my grandpa's situation and how sad I felt for my uncle. And then my director raised his glass and said, "Well, here's to Grandpa Scott." And I laughed and said, "Dammit, you've made it real." and stepped out to go cry.

So very lucky to be with such good people, and 'have them at the right time, in this situation. Called my mom, who told me about her medical and work stuff, and told me that we could use some good news as she's tired of the bad variety. Then talked to my sister, who just felt incredibly guilty, and cried. My brother-in-law called me, which was an affirmation that I have a brother by marriage now, and it was the nicest thing. After paying up at the BLB, 'drove to Drew's house for some incredibly generous hugs and time. (thank you!!)

Death and getting older and I feel sad and go to Iowa on Friday, probably. I get to see people I love and cry some more. There is no script for this stuff, and there's a strange feeling that we don't know if we're doing it right. So I'll blog about it, my sister will cry, and my mom will worry over the practical.

I love Grandpa Scott and now he's in heaven, hangin' with my dad and my grandma. He saw a lot, and was smart, kind, funny, incredibly generous, softspoken, and short. He wore cardigans and was an excellent golfer. He married a beautiful woman way back in the 30s or so, and had two awesome boys who grew up in the 50s. His hair turned a perfect white sometime in the 70s or 80s, and he always looked dapper as hell. So very lucky to know him.

What a day... I might go run around a lake, or I might just stay in my pjs for a bit. Maybe I'll buy some dogfood for the incredibly needy maltipoo on my left.

Onward.

Sunny Friday Sunny day...

Creature Feature last night... oohhhh... I don't know if there's much that makes me happier. I was a teary snotty mess cuz of funny people (albeit, while onstage). If you missed last night, you've missed "Goblin Shark, Party Beach" (alternatively subtitled "Goblin Shark, Dune Buggy") - - Delight! Don't miss another! Next Thursday at 10 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop, and then at 8 p.m. all following Thursdays through October.

My birthday's coming up soon. Yea, go me. I will be a derivative of 11. That's more than I've ever been. Trying to decide what to do (quiet something? loud something? pizza something?). One of the few things that resonates is to have a cereal party (buy a bunch of cereals, milk, soymilk and invite everyone over. I love cereal! Everyone loves cereal! We all win! However, the looming shadow of the boozecereal hangover gives me the creepies.)

Dang. Travel's expensive. Just sayin'.

Boy goes to France today. I'm super excited for him - - France in the fall has a lovely sound. He will eat croissants and drink coffee!! He will see friends and eat yummy food!! He will be missed...

umumum... The place where I was hiding away has been filled with eating chatty people... Curse their adorableness! I'm sure I had something "important" to say... indeed... foiled again!

Come see Stitch n' Bitch, this Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Bryant Lake Bowl! W00t!

Onward. :)