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. :)

Tuesday Bluesday - - it's fall

Holy hannah, is it fall. Yeaa, fall. The season of my birth. The season of sweaters and jackets. The season before the weather gets asinine. It's almost warm pajama time. Begin!

- Stitch n' Bitch is coming together. W00t w00t! It is fun. :) I am remembering how to drink wine from a box i.e. don't support with your neck, support with your hands. This all sounds incredibly dirty.

- Creature Feature this Thurs at 10 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop!!! Does it get any better?? No, sir, it does not..

Weren't there other things to blog about?

- Ellie invited me over for pudding cake & cake. This was one of the best things ever. Then she also gave me lilly bulbs! Good god! I owe this woman some lasagna.. :)

- Made fried zucchini and spicy tomato sauce yesterday. It was delish. I am super duper proud of my tomato sauce, of all things to be proud of. Zucchini muffins were also made Sunday. I am working against my zucchini phobia.

- Today is speeding by. The lake was ran around, and I stared at some geese. The upside of Canadian Geese upclose: they look like super huggable dinosaurs. The downside: when they look at you, they poop.

- I have the "I want to move to Portland" push again. The economy sucks. My house would probably not sell. I want to move to Portland, for no particular reason except for crush of the place. Greedy greedy Jen.

- Started writing. Yea me. Hoping to write like I jog - - it feels good, and it's an easy distraction (i.e. "I should be painting my ceiling, but... I'll be so healthy if I go jogging." See??) Unlike jogging, writing comes with the secret dream-hidden-bonus of the possibility of people paying you money for the words that come dribbling out of one's head. I like that possibility. (and not painting my ceiling)

- No one's going to pay me for jogging. The only useful thing that other's seem to get out of my jogging is geese poop. And geese poop may not be that useful, honestly.

Stitch n' Bitch opens this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Bryant Lake Bowl. Come! Come!

Onward.

Sunday bloody Sunday....

Indeed!

All my bemoaning about being computerlessness is at an end (hopefully.) Much Saturday morning research was followed by a successful trip to Microcenter (a successful trip to Microcenter is like a successful trip to Kinko's... rare, precious, and not to be unappreciated). I now have a refurbished Compaq Presario somethingsomethingsomething. The height of my geekiness - - which is truly not that high - - I purchased ram. Damn!

I have spent this morning downloading Firefox and Chrome and saving passwords with abandon.. My ability to waste time has now increased 10 fold.

(And all you people I owe pictures to - - I should be able to edit them now! W00t!)

Yesterday was all computery, and then Stitch n' Bitch tech, and then to one of the nicest dinners I've ever been a part of. This lovely couple lives in the sweetest, hidden St. Paul neighborhood. She's from Belgium, he teaches animation at a local art school (and sez HI BUTCH!!). See - - they're amazing already. They live in this perfect midcentury bungalow which they've filled with goddamn beautiful MIDCENTURY FURNITURE. AHHHHHH!!! (Even the wallpaper in their bathroom is original. Their bathroom sink looked like it was styled after the front of a jetliner. Gahhhh...) I have serious boners for exactly that stuff, and here was a house, impeccably styled and filled with it. I think I drooled on anything. And then told them that I was drooling on everything. (They seemed unsurprised by it... I think they may get the reaction a fair amount). And what's more - - they were amazing, gracious, generous - - very welcoming to a freaking out 32 year old furniture ho. Follow that with conversation and wine and the other guests were equally amazing and cool, and... Very lucky. Lovely evening.

Of everyone one at the table, I was the least educated. Now, I've equated higher education with having midcentury furniture and dinner parties with people who make Werner Herzog jokes. I now want my masters. In what, I have no clue. I would love to receive one collecting furniture via Craigslist and attending festivals in the French Alps... Doesn't that sound nice? *sigh* Awesome.

Granted, I know they worked their tucuses off to get where they are. But, it's nice to peek in and wonder.

Today equals work. I don't wanna go to work. But I messed up, and now have to. I would rather be at Creature Feature. (I generally don't mind the Museum. It's just been a LOT of museum in the last three weeks. And I'm missing Creature Feature. :( )

Speaking of:

CREATURE FEATURE! This coming Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Brave New Workshop! (and all Thursdays through October) annnd...

STITCH, BITCH n' DIE! This coming Saturday & Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Bryant Lake Bowl (and all Saturdays and Sundays through October)

Onward.

Doing more before 9:00 a.m....

.. than most people do everyday! ... well.. sometimes.

Yesterday just felt so damned.. disjoint. Nothing fit together, even though one thing happily slid into the next. Maybe it was sitting for three hours at an internal "Job Fair" (which felt like a honest to goodness job fair, people trying to sell each other to each other.. help!). And maybe, it was traffic on the drive home. My rhythm of "wake up, hit one work, hit next work, do shows, go to rehearsal" felt all false n' shit. Dingdongdangit. Gross.

However, this morning I was a paragon of getting stuff done. I went to Kinko's in Uptown (I have yet to spot the Kinko's of northern Mpls), ran around a lake, got puppydogtails and coffee from Isle's Coffee & Bunn (which, after running, was like smoking a pack of Winstons i.e. AWWWWWESOME), went to a random audition (I guess I'm a "Kathy Bates" type), and sped my way to work.

In this industriousness, I managed to smear gum on my driver's side window.. while driving. Made worse when I instinctually tried to open the window to get it off. Hah! I am a living metaphor.

This audition was for a fishing net company, and we were told to come dressed as Northern MN-nice. It was neat to see all of the familiars dressed up in their grungies. It was like "Pajama Day" at school, except instead of pajamas, it was mom jeans and flannel.

There was even free lunch today! My god! I owe someone some free lunch! (With fruit and coffee even!)

Fifteen minutes later, the free lunch has formed a freelunch lump in my stomach. I shall burp freelunch for the next five hours. This is the price one pays for freelunch.

All that stuff I need to do still needs to get done. Worried that the worries and disjointedness of yesterday will follow me into today. No matter!

Onward.

Just the way you are...

I had my tarot read a couple of weeks ago... (I know someone for reals and really good -- and cheap! -- if you're interested) The excellent advice from the reading was this:

- do things that will give you pleasure -- not the short term, debaucherous hang-over-forming sort of pleasure, but rather a pleasure comprised of satisfaction. Doesn't that sound nice?

- figure out what causes you this pleasure.

How to find out (this gets all new agey goony -- forgive me): go lookin' for the Chariot (movement while being still) by concentrating on the Priestess (intuition) and the Hermit (go get by yourself).

Huh, I said. These are not bad goals. I will take advantage of time by myself by pondering and relaxing. (there's another change coming, like a page flipping in a book). I will trust my vibe. I will relax. However, ISN'T THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW????

My 'meditation' time was spent cleaning the oven. I also watched some Venture Bros. while sanding a $3 Salv Army score. Goddammit. My inner child is working out its OCD. My painbody is all type A. I really think there's probably some things I should probably be doing. I posed a couple of these things to myself (Go get woodchips. Measure ceiling. Figure out how to winterproof windows & doors... Hrm. I may work on those. Memorize. I might do that too.), but I think I might compromise by exercising (I ran around Lake Calhoun yesterday and didn't die! W00t!), making dinner (hellooo, grits..) and doing some calling. Being by myself -- kinda. But it's so much.. easier to be distracted.

Need to purchase a new laptop. I've changed the harddrive in my old one 3 times. I've had my current one for about 5 years. It's time. Ahhh, money. However, now the world makes 10 inch laptops! They're adorable! Like little midget laptops! Pondering one of these. Will have to purchase separate CD drive, but.. still! ...maybe I just want a laptop that's proportionate to my tiny dog, car, and income.

'Used a laminating machine today. Laminating machine are like crack. Can I laminate something for you??

Tomorrow features some long term time at the museum again.. (all for nice stuff, but still.. It's a long day). Wednesday features some dropping off of said laminates (so pretty! So easily addictive!) and some Stich n' Bitch (Sat & Sundays in Oct @ the BLB!!).

But my favorite comes soon: Creature Feature!!!! Thursdays in October at the Brave New Workshop!!! Aghhhh!!! Creature Feature is even better than laminating machines by.. like.. a million. Promise.

Onward.

Buy my stuff!

Super short post...

- Buy my stuff! I'm on garage sale day number two! And, indeed, people have bought some of my stuff. I am pleased. I never thought sitting in a garage and staring at our extras with two other ladies could be so dang pleasant and relaxing - - but it is.

- Garage sale is also forcing me to stay in one place for hours on end. Bwaha! Delightful!

- Privacy NanoForum a'go! So happy. So pleased.. whew.. Collapse begins!

- Went to an art show last night (after feasting on the roast shoulder of something adorable.. it was very tasty though) with PIC last night, and had the loveliest of nights. Artists were cool, friendly, engaging, and fun! Art was just plain ol' cool. I purchased art!!! (a small necklace for myself, for my birthday) I got to hang out with the very cool artist herself, a bunch of other artists, and PIC in the artist's rockin' studio/pad/office. NEAT!

- There's a sweet spot on the Mississippi River behind this gallery that now Drew and I have been to twice (first for a solstice party - - when we froze our asses off, an possibly climbed over a fence and trecked through ice and snow to get to - - and now for a gallery open). It's sandy beach that looks over industrial to your front, river to your right, and downtown to your left. There's a bonfire. Good people come to appreciate this place, and they bring other good people. It's officially one of my favorite places in Minneapolis, and one you can get to so so rarely, if at all. Very lucky when we can.

Looking forward to this evening.

I got my running stuff back!! YEAA!! Thank you! Tomorrow's run is gonna kick my butt.

Onward.

Blah blah blah, going crosseyed a tad..

- I got cast! Yeaaa, happy & proud. However. I can't take it as I'm cast in something I committed to (this thing pays well & should be fun... Hopefully.. It shld be). Sad to turn good stuff with good people down though...dangit. :(

- If u can, try not to start your day getting reprimanded. I am resenting it as I let it hurt and steal my energy. Boo.

- I have a forum to run on Thursday. The organizing of this particular forum has been one of the most disjointed messes ever. Nice work, Jen? Non! However, did I also have to write the scenarios & did those come good? Oui! It was a see-what-Jen's-strengths-&-weaknesses-are party, as gross and/or as that sort of party can be...

- Did a commercial thingie. Yea! That was fun, I think.

- Cutest Monkey audience yesterday. So lucky.

- Had potluck dinner with friends -- success!! I made paprikas, which is basically stew with a LOT of paprika and floaty-dumpling things. The cat gives paprikas two paws up.

- I got some bizzness to take care of, lest the world explodes. Do/survive forum, make posters, memorize lines, write sketch, run garage sale -- this is all important on Thursday, Friday and Monday. Blurgh!

- I left my running shoes at a friend's house... Arghhh! A run would probably help.

Onward.

Okay...

I read Mike Fotis' latest post and I wanted to cry. Or at least destroy all crappy clerks. Mike - - I'm so sorry. They will burn in customer service hell.

- Thursday sped by. Coffee with Mr. Venske was lovely and I owe him some info. Yea! I also enjoyed a delicious bagel. Huzzah for delicious bagels!

- Youth coaches met. It was good. I was also told to start being not such a softie. Very well. I will let my edges show through.. Seriously kids - - do you really want seven years of improv teaching and/or embitterment to come shining through? You all are brilliant - - however, my lack of ability and/or time and/or ... you get the point. Gack!

- Had my tarot read! That was wonderful! Me and some certain major arcana are going to chill. I received some good plans and perspective - - very nice. :)

- Talked to Mr. Jennings, which was awesome. I'm so damned proud of him.

- Booze & Cruise! Drew lent me one of his roommate's bikes, and we tooled through DT Minneapolis (race the bus!), biked over the Stone Arch Bridge, ended up at a Polka Festival, grabbed dinner at Tuggs, biked to Red Stag, met Ole-the-bartender (who rules), had bacon dessert, walked to the Vegas Lounge, killed on "Midnight Train to Georgia", and biked our butts back. Such good times! Such loveliness!

- Minneapolis by bike is the prettiest Minneapolis.

- Woke up moderately okay (though sore) and took a 10 a.m. voiceover workshop which made me about jump out of my skin. Not in that excited way, but in that "aghhhhhhh... this gives me nothing!".. The workshop was mostly made up of talking about the business (yeah.), who's really good in the businesss (yeah.), why they're good (yeah.) and just sitting there, doin' nuttin'. However, five minutes before the workshop was over, he finally had us read some copy - - and that was actually fun. And he showed himself to be a wonderful coach. Argh. Will I try to go into voicework? Chances are - - no. It costs money up front and the market is flooded. However, does it pay well for not alot of work? Oui. Who knows. It was a lot for slightly hungover and very tired me to take.

- Saw some of my favorite people in the world (i.e. Steve A. and Sharon S. of TRP).

- Loveliest of weekends! Pizza with nice people and their new house, cleaning PG's place (which I adore - - it feels so good all clean and stuff.. whoosh!), buying a shower curtain, getting dinner at Eli's.. yum yum yum.

- Creature Feature starts soon!!!!!!!!!!!! Thursdays in October. We had rehearsal on Sunday. My eyes were watering with funny. How can this be so much fun? It's just that much fun. W00t!!!!!

I'm a bit all over the place. Apologies. More stuff to come.. mebbe.

Onward.

Luckier than we deserve...

Okay... Scratch above post. I need to make it to 1 p.m. tomorrow.. Then we'll deal with the week after.

- I worked. Worked worked, or some version of worked..

- Saw an awesome kid from the Steppingstone Improv thingie.. His name is Kyle.. Not Mark or Sherman or Mikey or whatever under god's green earth I called him. He is lovely and awesome.

- Restuffed lines back into my head. Lines felt like marshmallow fluff--possibly ready to tumble out at any moment. Or expand in a microwave.

- Fun person I got to play with at callbacks yesterday is actually the boyfriend of my old roommate. Said boyfriend now lives with dear friend Pogi, who almost took old roomate's room before she moved in. This world is strange & small.

- Did show. Given that these show are generally company buy-outs, you never know what sort of feel the audience is going to have, and 'tend to expect the worst. Alas, this was one of the best audiences ever, and the food service fed us afterwards (which never happens -- I ate like a conference go'er i.e. more than I should. Like a king.), and the show itself was just damn fun. So lucky.

- Lee said that the walleye they fed us was not actually walleye, but some Russian walleye substitute called "Xander". (Please insert "In Russia, _something_ _somethings_ you" joke here.)

- Hung out with two ladies from CT at the hotel bar afterwards, totally enjoying their out of town conference experience. Might hang out with them tomorrow, as they are a hoot, damned generous and funny. :) Yea for new friends! (and sweet lite-New England accents) We laughed alot.. Good people. :)

- Getting to bed to read and be super on top of things tomorrow. We hope.

Onward.

Don't let up 'til you get through today...

I can't stop, even though it's suuuuper tempting. If I can be prepared for tonight, then the rest of the week should slide, right? Hopefully right.

My neighbor Dan decided to talk to me... A conversation with Dan lasts a full 15 minutes, and he'd happy have it last more. Dan does not say hello. Dan has stuff to say. It's not necessarily a conversation to begin with, but rather a happy-toned Dan monologue of gloom. Dan informs me, in a happy tone, but yet disgusted, of who's been broken into and how little the house next to him is selling for, and how many crack dealers he's seen.. Mostly doom and gloom. Today's missive (which unfortunately came when I was damn'd late for work) ended with his tale of stupid heroic awesomeness.

Some kids were kicking in doors and going through houses a block up (I swear this is not a regular occurence, although we heard about this happening more this summer). Dan spotted them in his minivan, turned his damn van around, drove the wrong way up a one way street, drove onto the lawn, and "captured" them. Or at least chased them back to their house, where the cops were waiting. Holy crap!!

We both agreed that this was stupid of Dan, but pretty awesome.

And now the rented house that these thugs (teens though they were - - but still acting like thugs) lived in - - empty.

Happy call back last night - - lesson learned #5 - - if you 'act' drunk, you'll have to sober up. Shirley temples were my liquor placebo, and they worked! Damn!

Dinner with PG over a kitchen counter was lovely, got to run around a lake, and then fell asleep, reading. Pleased. MUST NOW RE-STUFF LINES INTO BRAIN AND PREP FOR WEIRD STUFF TOMORROW. GO GO GO.

Not letting up, gonna do it.

Hoping your day is good.

Onward.

Run rabbit - - really?

Writing a blog feels a tad... indulgent.. as there's stuff I need to do (but I'm a tad worried that I'll just run around in a circle if I don't focus)

- Monday, I worked. Makin' money, hopefully...

- THERE'S STUFF TO DO!

- Heyyy, I'm called back for that 'big interactive show' - - I didn't know that I was called back until yesterday (it could have been a late call i.e. someone dropped out.. ah well..) This still does not affirm my ability to tell a boner joke.

- Creature Feature rehearsal was all shades of fun. Damn. It's funny how just a couple new peeps (and shaking the whole format up) can change the entire flavor of a piece. (it may seems incredibly obvious, but.. it was nice opening up a box of crayons - - smells the same, but the colors are all different - -exciting!) W00t! I'm giddy.

- HUZZAH FOR THE BOZICS!!! Nice work all.. :)

- Strangest dream last night... I feel like I need to apologize to Shanan W.. I totally trashed her house, with some help. Sorry!!

Onward.

"and now, I 'spose its time for four cones..."

It's Iowa! Welcome back, Cotter... The land of eye contact and steak and potatoes...

- Mom goes to work, I clean the kitchen. We run to mom's car mechanic (at what used to be "Homer's" and is now called "Not-Homer's") about four times.

- Mom makes steak and potatoes for dinner. Literally. Delish.

- Drive about 30 miles to Vermillion S.D. to visit my old high school buddy Brett. Brett now lives in a huge trailer, smokes Marbarol Reds, works as a killerdiller baker in a grocery store, and can't stop telling stories or giggling. We go get drinks at the PrairieInn, a combination bar/hotel/bowling alley. It felt like coming home -- seeing Brett was... awesome.

- Wake up at 11?! Drive back up to South Dakota to meet my grandpa and his girlfriend at a joint called "Tobie's". Grandpa seems to be doing awesome, seems sharp as a tack, and despite some physical problems which are in-general sad, is currently doing a lot of stock day trading on the internet. This gives my mom tiny heart attacks.

Tobie's is rumored to have the best fried chicken in the area... Ohmigod.

* I demolish what was once the breast of a living thing. The skin is incredible. It was foodpornirific.

* Everything on my plate was a varying shade of beige. To drink, coffee. We danced the light brown fantastic.

* Pam, my grandpa's girlfriend, was being harassed by a fly. She asked the incredibly nice waittress for a flyswatter, smashed the bug into another table and said "Got 'em"

* After Pam had killed another fly, and we had devoured whatever was on our plastic plates, Grandpa says to the waittress, "Well, I 'spose its time for four cones." At Tobie's, I think as part of the meal, they give you ice milk cones. Almost as a reward. Brilliant!

- Pam & Grandpa have permission to go get some free apples. We drive to Tobie's widow's place (Tobie was a pretty wonderful guy) where we're supposed to pick windfall apples (apples that are already on the ground). Pam starts picking apples off of the trees. Mom and Grandpa begin to get nervous. Pam comes up to me, with an excited mischevious look on her face and says "Look wat I found. Pears." Indeed, Pam found this widow's pear tree and was picking un-permissioned pears. Scandal! This is when I realize that my grandpa's 91 year old girlfriend is trouble. However, she likes to make you a partner-in-crimes, and suddenly here I was, already to sneak pears with Pam. Super trouble!

- Mom makes a mention to grandad about Pam's unlicensed "tree" apple stealing, and Grandpa sighs, and says, basically, that he would move out of Pam's place "if only I could tie by own shoes..."

- As mom puts it, the generation who grew up during the depression are this mix of incredibly generous and incredibly cheap. It's true.

More stuff later. Thinking of the Bozics -- love to all!! :)

Onward.

Back in Sux...

Greetings from the south & west...

- Last couple of hours before boarding the plane were lovely... Tromped and sweated around Olympia Forest, west and north of Seattle. Lesson #554 - I have no idea what "steep" means... More slugs, a squirrel and two deer!

- I got booze on the plane! Exciting! Silly!

- Crash asleep after watching crazy Sarah Pelin. She is my Cruella de Ville and Tammy (Faye?) Baker, all rolled up in a crazy Chrisitan pita.

- A couple of errands around Thurs. Ended up in DT St. Paul, and took back any blogging bravda re: the RNC. Troops of police in riot gear. Not cool. Utterly surreal. They're just cops, but now they're cops nervous about beating someone up. Aghhh...

- Turns out many members of the RNC weren't eating in DT St. Paul... Nor on the strip in Mpls. Talked to a restaurant mgr who had been talking to other restaurant mgrs... Where the hell did these people eat? Are they all staying in Bloomington? (which, granted, I can't blame them for leaving warzone-ish St. Paul).

- Left for Sioux City around 7:30 p.m., after a meeting, and then unexpectedly meeting new friends. Yea for Ohio! :) Arrive about 1 a.m.

- Back in Sux City.. It's nice to be here on a non-holiday, and for no other reason than just to be here. I get to look around with non-colored eyes, before all the changes that happen to a city blend with all the other familiar.

- It's still crazy industrial. The industrial you don't notice as a kid, but acknowledge as an adult that that gravel pit has always been there.

- People can 4-way stop around here. Delicious! I'm going to 4-way stop my way all over this b*#&h. :)

- I told mom that Mrs. Pelin was crazy, and she nodded and said "She's from Alaska.. They're all crazy."* **

- Mom declares conventions as BS, and that all politics are bought and sold anyway. My mom is the nicest, funniest, smartest, sweetest woman ever--underlined with a thick black line of realism... Pessimism... Realisim

- We discussed supreme court decisions after the election. Here's the thing: I have no idea who she's voting for. But we both agreed that the supreme court possibilities are frightening.

- Meeting an old high school friend tonight, someone I haven't seen for maybe 12-13 years. We're getting beers in Vermillion, SD. ... Weird! Surrealific!

Wish us luck & luck to u... See u Sunday!

Onward.

* My mom trusts Alaska about as much as she trusts.. um.. the government. Corporations. Pharmaceutical companies. Nationally mandated smoking laws. (and she's a non-smoker). Taxes. Long story. Alaska = crazy and not to be trusted!

** I think Sarah Pelin may feast on beluga butter and flosses her teeth with seal whiskers. I'm hoping the wolves stage some sort of sit in.

I will come back and deal with reality...

Thus begins the route home. Agh. So much of what I read from MSP are (probably definitely) justifiably pissy missives regarding the RNC. I know things like debt and republicans (and a police state? Jesus. Give me a break. And on top of that, why are you surprised?... Yes, you've got 5 a.m. embittered Jen -- good morning) wait on the end of this trip.. I don't mind work... But... Urgh. The transition from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. has been an important one today. Counting the blessings that MSP holds to stay sane (fun... PIC...), but right now, picturing how to give it all up and how to make a living in Victoria.

- Drove back across the island. Lovely day, lovely weather... Stopped at Cathedral Grove (purty!), stopped at a couple of gas stations... Took our time.

- Welcome to Victoria! Where Vancouver felt like San Francisco Disney World, Victoria feels like Mpls. I officially like this town -- it feels livable. The downtown area is filled with old buildings, all bustling and full of commerce. The city's clean. Relatively safe. (like St. Paul, but if people lived in and internationals had a reason to visit St. Paul) People are nice (my Canadian mantra). There's homelessness, per any large city, and Canada's got its share of shameful spots. But I like it. Period. I could live at the hostel for a couple weeks.. Get on my feet...

- Stayed at the Oceanview Backpacker's Hostel, which I adored. Super clean, super tiny roon with high ceilings and a sun roof (yea for fourth floor). All painted by artists who had stayed there. All run by people who live there. Very cool, very clear on how to live there, all filled with people of all different accents. Happy.

- Ate sushi at Koto Japanese. Adorable waittresses. Banana tempura!

- Woke up at 4 a.m.. Back in line in our car for the ferry. More sitting.

Can't complain. Super duper trooper lucky. Looking forward to seeing those I love. And there's coffee on the ferry, which will help sanity some too...

Onward.

Experiencing white man's map envy..

Welcome to Vancouver Island, Land of the beautiful wet... It's Endor-ific! This whole island should be teemimg with sasquatch.

- Vancouver Island takes about 3 hours to cross. Couple that with a 1.5 hour ferry and a 2.5 hour ferry wait and suddenly we've been sitting/traveling the entire day.

- Tofino, tiny town on the Pacific Rim, was filled. It turns out Canadians also celebrate Labor Day -- however, they simply call it for what it is: "The Long Weekend". People are unintimidatingly laid-back.

- We found a place in Uclucet -- "The Little Beach Resort". We can see the sea, and have a kitchenette in a tiny half cabin-thingie. The guy at the front desk was a surfer and kayak-guy and said that eveyone knows everyone.

- This is not the "eh" brand of Canadians, this is the "hey" brand of Canadians. Take English, lilt it like Irish, sprinkle some Northern North America "oah"s and you've got the B.C. accent. "Beautiful boaht, hey?"

- There is one road to Tofino/Uclulet. It is highway 4. It twists and turns and ups and downs though massive forests, punctuated by greyblackblue rock and moss.

- Beach! Trees! Water! Wind! Surfers! (Tofino is the surfing capital of Canada -- who knew.) Big rocks! Europeans! Twisity roads! Pretty! Repeat!

- Saw two slugs, 4 inches across and 1 inch thick. Held a spiny star fish.

- People come here to surf. Anyone our age has that beautiful basted by salt, baked by sun look. I want to learn to surf and become a surf instructor in Tofino. It's what our sea kayak guide does, and she was hyper cool.

- Met Dan the sea plane pilot... Maybe early 30s, blonde fu-man chu, short hair, wearing aviator glasses. Had hairy blonde ear lobes. Spends his summers playing sea plane taxi and surfing and camping and hiking, and his winters traveling around the world, surfing. Yes, people live like this! Amazing to me!

- Grilled last night, after a beautiful day (lovely lunch at a place called Sobo. I could eat raw oysters and drink cold beer for hours, if you let me)

- Saw Sydney Inlet, one of the 5 remaining old growth inlets on Vancouver Island (out of an original125). Loggers would eat the world, if they could.

- Finally, its so quiet. So beautifully quiet.

- According to Canada, pizza comes from Boston and chowder comes from Manhattan.

Hoping to be in Victoria tonight. Taking the ferry and flying back tomorrow.

Onward.

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.