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.