2009= 2008 + more...

Wow.
after 360-some odd days, it's hard to believe there are less than 6 hours left in the year 2008.
It's also interesting to think that I am not the only person thinking about it right now...
Here in the final hours of 2008, I find comfort in the fact that I am not alone in this universe...
That millions of others are also speculating what 2009 will bring, and what 2008 presented....
for me, I can sum up my 2008 in a few words...
FREEDOM.
-I stopped working for Wal-mart at the beginning of the year.
-I turned 21. HA!
FAMILY
-Junia started her senior year....
AGH!!!!
-Mike, Tammy, and the girls moved down to our neck of the woods.
-Madison started Kindergarten.
AGH!
-Nevaeh turned a year old.
AGH!
-My goofy cousin Eric got married!
So sad I was sick and couldn't go...
But it still happened...
FRIENDSHIP.
-I started working at the Tuscan Table and found soooo many new folks with whom I could cavort.
-I also found several new amigos with the cast of Lear.... Fabulous, fabulous!
-I feel I have renewed my friendship with Tyler....
It's almost a co-dependent relationship now...
lol
LOVE.
(I hate that word sometimes...)
-Though Stephen and I are still friends, our relationship ended in May.
TOTALLY for the best.
-Ray remarried...
4th times a charm. ;-)
-I watched Junia agonize through three relationships over the course of the year, all of which ended with her tears....
-All of our friends rejoiced when Sam finally dropped Cole.
SO happy that is over....
Except for the whole baby part of it.
That will be exciting.
-Sam is having a baby girl!!!!
That is one more special person for us to love.
-I fell more in love with Shakespeare.
Big surprise...
-I was finally successful in kicking an agonizing crush to the curb, so to speak.
I finally had a moment of "This is never going to go anywhere..."
A moment of clarity, if you will.
And that is all it took.
Hizzah!
(That could actually go under the freedom category as well....)
-I realized a love interest or two that I didn't recognize before...
Potential, anyone???
THEATRE.
(Surprise, surprise...)
-I got to work with some super cool people at Wagnalls family Theatre with their children's production of Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe.
-I was the assistant director for Pinocchio at RTP, which was A-mazing.
-I became the musical theatre instructor for the Charmion Performing Arts Center in Circleville...
Totally WOOOT!
-I got an audience appreciation award for Mad Woman of Challiot with RTP.
-The board at RTP voted Treasure Island for the children's production for the 2008-2009 season, meaning I get to direct!!!
-I fell in love with another amazing production by that crazy Bard, Willie S., and I got to really stretch my wing in the deliciously malicious role of Regan.
-I fell in love with another deliciously amazing cast with King Lear.
-I finally got to see a live production of RHPS...
Hated it, but I got to see it...
-I helped with TVHS' production of MacBeth...
Totally B.A.

2008 was an active and productive year for lil Miss Tahrea, I must say.
And what of 2009?
I wonder what it holds...
I can expect several blunders of various sorts.
Theatrical happenings.
Many more friends and acquaintances...
More anger.
More laughter.
Maybe more love, which will more than likely result in more despite if I choose the wrong person.
Again.

I guess...
2009 will be more of the same...
and more.

Illness and Death... and a moment of beautiful and poetic clarity...

There is something about vomiting that reminds me of death.
Sometimes it hurts.
Sometimes it makes you wish for better times.
Sometimes it makes one wish you had done things differently in the past.
But, as always, if you are sick, like death, it is something that is quite inevitable, and sometimes you find yourself sitting there just waiting for it to come...
Such was my day Saturday.
Actually, I found myself musing the above as I hovered in the bathroom, waiting for the inevitable.
Luckily, I awoke yesterday feeling well enough to eat my mother's chili for dinner.
THEN, today, I was well enough to go to work.
Hizzah!
Illness works in such strange ways...

While at work today, I saw a strange sight...
I noticed several sheriff cars go by the restaurant.
One..
Another one..
and another...
Walking outside the front doors, I saw that there were police, Highway patrol, Sheriff, Fire Dept., and various other types law enforcement vehicles parading down the road.
After a minute of gazing, I realized they were on their way to or from the funeral of a sheriff deputy who died this past week.
For some strange reason, I found this sight to be peculiarly and poetically beautiful...
So many people honoring one man...
I dunno...
Call me strange.
It was a moment where the world seemed to stand still...
Where nothing else matter.
Unfortunately, I had to pull myself away from the outside and return back to the restaurant and obligations.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!!

Today is my favorite day of the year.
Christmas Eve Eve!
December 23rd.
Today I get to go around repeatedly saying something semi-eccentric and absurd, but it will no doubt be accepted as it will erupt from my mouth with such joy and merriment that all who hear it will not be able to contain a smile.
HA!
I love the Christmas season!!
Today, I honestly think that the majority of people could be broken down into two groups...
Those that are prepared, raring to go, ready for their Christmas...
And those that are scrambling around like chickens with no heads and slowly losing their sanity.
I am definitely in the former category.
The rest of my household...
Not so much.
I know for a fact that my parents still have yet to finish up their gifts for each other.
My sister's break up has left her with several gifts with which she doesn't know what to do.
Mom had ordered some gifts from a catalog and has yet to receive them, some of which have actually been canceled off her order and left her in a frazzled panic.
Naturally, her panic will no doubt reach my relaxed soul a some point today, causing me to also run around like a headless chicken....

Oh, and let's just stop for a moment and recognize how totally UN-PC I've been this season.
About a week or two ago, I started changing how I said goodbye to people.
I mean strangers.
The cashier at the store.
The couple I just waited on.
My waiter.
EVERYONE has gotten a jolly "Merry Christmas!"
It has been such a delight to watch the faces.
For the most part, it has been me, up at the front of the restaurant, back behind the deli counter wiping something off or cutting lemons, looking up as folks walk out the door, and giving them a "Thanks for coming! Merry Christmas!"
Or I'll drop their change off at the table and say, "Here you go. Merry Christmas!"
And people have responded quite well to it, saying "Thank you" or returning with a "Merry Christmas to you too!"
Last week, this guy was leaving and kept saying "Happy Holidays," so I purposely said "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
LOL
Yesterday another guy whirled around and gave me a strange look as I gave the salutation.
LOL
I work at a privately owned restaurant.
My managers LOVE that I say Merry Christmas.
In fact, the UN-PC disease has spread to several co-workers and members of the management team.
HA!

Last week, I went shopping with Kim.
We went to the mall, the Mecca for Christmas shopping.
We went into one store in particular and went to purchase some items.
The gal at the counter was very nice, and had helped us with some of our questions and whatnot.
As we left, we both turned and gave a cheerful "MERRY CHRISTMAS."
The girl kinda sputtered with her programmed "Happy Holidays" and a genuine response of "merry christmas."

AH, I love it so.

Junia: a prime example of how guys totally suck

My little sister Junia is a fabulous young woman.
At 17 years old, she is amazingly mature and talented beyond her years.
She is an amazing singer, aspiring to become an opera star....
She is also a very pretty girl.
And she's a really great person, sweet, funny, and compassionate.
As far as being a younger sister, she's pretty cool.
We have our moments, of course, but overall Junia is a great person.
SO, for the life of me, I cannot understand two things when it comes to her...
1.) Why she dates these guys one can only label as F*&%tards
2.) Why do they always break up with her and break her heart
Last week her boyfriend Chris was supposed to come over a couple of times to practice with her and prepare for a little singing gig we were doing at the Table.
He canceled and, at the last minute, bailed on us, saying he had a sore throat.
WAIT.
He didn't bail.
His mom called and told us he wasn't coming.
THAT'S it.
Then, this evening, she was out with her friend Cortney, Christmas shopping, when she received a phone call from Chris.
As I wasn't there, I don't know the full details of the conversation they had.
All I know is that it resulted in a phone call to our mother, who came into the living room, phone on her ear, and told me that Chris dumped Junia.
On the phone.
THREE days before Christmas.
Oh, but he told her he still loved her, she later told me as she sobbed and shook...
....
....
....
Now, I'm that kind of sister where I'M allowed to be a punk to Junia.
I've earned that right as older sister.
BUT, when she comes home in tears for whatever reason, my phazers are set to KILL.
I already have anger issues.
I already get angry at the drop of a hat for the most absurd reasons.
This kind of stuff sets my anger into overdrive.
I offered several times over the weekend to call Chris and tell him what I really thought about him...
Junia turned me down everytime, of course....
Because she loves him.
ARGH.
I guess it's a good thing he did it before Christmas...
She and dad are in the process of MAKING an electric guitar for the gormless prat.
When I say making, I mean making.
Dad has already crafted two guitars that he wields onstage from time to time, so this wasn't a problem.
And it would've been a fantastic gift for Chris, being a musician and all.
He's NEVER gonna see that guitar now.
The whole situation really sucks bollocks.
I just don't get it.
Junia is a fantastic person.
A great girlfriend, NOT that I know from experience...
Just observation.
One flaw is that she chooses guys who are emotionally unstable and/or just retards.
She's made of stronger stuff, though...
I know she'll get through it...
Eventually.

AGH... CHRISTMAS EVE

As today is the 22nd of December, I feel it is only neccessary to point out that Christmas is 3 days away...
2 if you count Christmas Eve.
Which I do.
See, every Christmas Eve, my dad's side of the family gets together at my grandparent's house.
This means my parents, sister, my grandparents, my uncle Laris and Aunt Linda, my cousin Tiara and her Husband Joe, My cousin Tiffany and her Husband Taren, their kids Kaylin and baby Wyatt, and my cousin Eric, and my great-uncle Bud and his wife Lorraine.
As of the past couple of years, my mother's parents have also joined in with the Christmas Eve Festivities, which is always fabulous.
Another new addition to the Eve fest has been the White Elephant gift game, for which I purchased a strange looking Elf-Fairy dude.
He resembles that of a yard gnome in that he's plump and looks as if he has rosacea, but he has these stubby little wings that made me lose it in the middle of TJ Maxx when I first saw him amongst the random Christmas Decorations.
A while back, we decided to change the regular "get EVERYONE a gift" idea, and do a Secret Santa Gift exchange instead, which has gone fairly well.
We still get the little ones gifts, and Grandma and Grandpa NEVER abide by the rules and always get everyone a gift, but it's still fun.
LOL.
For the past two years, I drew Taren's name from the bowl.
The first year I was totally clueless as to what to get this guy.
Then I remembered the constant back-and-forth ribbing we give each other, and the evil smile crept upon my face.
When he opened his gift that Christmas Eve, the family was in an uproar of laughter as he pulled out a T-shirt with the words "I'M WITH STUPID" sprawled acrossed it chest.
The amusing part was that the words were crowned with an arrow pointing up to the collar of the shirt, calling the wearer stupid, instead of the usual arrow pointing to side, which would put into question the intelligence of one who would stand next to the wearer of the shirt.
LUCKY me, I drew his name again for last Christmas Eve.
OH BOY.
How to top the shirt, was the question.
For now, it was no longer a gift of neccessity or want, but a gift of what could get the biggest laughs.
Christmas Eve had now melded with April Fools Day.
The deliciously Evil idea crept into my mind one day last fall....
One that was to the highest degree of evil that my mother nearly wet herself from laughter at the thought.
LAST CHRISTMAS EVE, I made sure Taren was the last member to open his gift.
I made a big show of it, if you can imagine.
Not that it wasn't a show already.
The box itself was as tall as I am, but only 9 inches wide all around.
Obnoxious enough, I also took the liberty of fashioning a tag out of a scrapbook page.
In big bold letters I put the TO: TAREN, FROM:TAHREA.
As he opened the box of obnoxiousness, there were several chuckles and titters.
He pulled out the packing paper I stuffed into the box.
Then the Tinstle.
More Tinstle....
AND MORE.
Then Tissue Paper.
THEN some more packing paper.
Tinstle.
THEN, a small bag of rocks.
The other bag of rocks.
FINALLY, a small gift bag taped up.
After a few minutes of dealing with the bag, he opened it and pulled out an altoids box.
Opening the box, he pulled out seven different gift cards, and turned to me.
The chuckles and tittering had morphed into uproars...
With my deliciously evil grin, I said, "Taren, you have before you seven gift cards, ranging in denominations of a penny to $20, and it's... your job to figure out which is which!"
More uproars.
This gift really went over a lot better than I had imagined.
After cleaning up the mess, Taren made a show of wanting MY name for this year's Christmas....
lol...
I wonder what deliciously evil gift he has for me...
I've been told he is VERY excited about it....
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

I didn't ask for this punishment... OR Have I mentioned how much I REALLY hate Hannah Montana?

Another christmas present victory!!!

Mom has been in... awe, I guess is the best word, over this *SHUDDER* Hannah Montana guitar thing she found recently in a Target catalog.

NOT for her self, dear God, but for Madison and Grace.

When she asked the two what they wanted for Christmas, mom was greeted with these responses...

Madi: What was your lipgloss we just used?
Mom: It is Dr. Pepper Flavored chapstick.
Madi: I want some of that.
Grace: ME TOO!

Mom: What else do you want for Christmas? Do you want clothes, or games??

Madi: Uhm...

Grace: YEAH!

Mom: Do you want any Hannah Montana stuff?
Madi/Grace:YEAH!!!!

Mom: Okay, what kind of Hannah Montana stuff?

Madi: A Hannah Montana Guitar!

Grace: YEAH! Me too!
Mom: Okay...
And so the adventure began.

The poor woman originally had her eyes on these acoustic guitars for the girls, til she saw they are $80 a pop.

YEAH, that's what we want to buy for them, just so they can turn around and NOT play with it a month later...

HA!

THEN, Lo and behold, Target held the answer...
A Hannah Montana Guitar in which it had three of her songs already programmed.

HA!
For $25!!!
HAHA!!!
But we don't normally make it up to Target.

Argh.

So, shopping in Wal-mart, I attempted to look about the Toy Dept. to find such an item...

to NO avail.

Double Argh.

All seemed lost.
And on top of that, money is kinda tight right now, so it looked grim...
Mom was disappointed that she couldn't get the girls the guitars.

She was sad because she didn't think we'd be able to get them much at all.

THEN, today at work, my dear and wonderful manager Jen and I were discussing her two girls, and what she was getting them.

After I poured out our sob story, she informed me that ODD LOTS had the guitar for which mom was looking.

*GAY GASPS ALL AROUND*

I flipped out.

After work, I scrambled over to the store and rushed to the toy section.
I scoured the aisles looking for the freaking guitars, but couldn't find hide nor hair of 'em.

ARGH!
I went up to the counter and asked a nice older manager about the guitars.

He rounded the counter and led me to a skid which I had sailed by and, LO AND BEHOLD, THERE was a stack of the guitars!!
AIGH!!
I could've kissed the man!

AND they were only $20!
HAH!

I scooped up two and quickly made my way up to the register and out the door.

When mom woke up and saw what awaited her on the kitchen table, she was quite joyous.

I made her the happiest woman in the world.

NOW, the two large toys are sweetly nestled in their wrapping paper.
Several other small Hannah Montana gifts are also individually wrapped on top of the guitars as well....

All now await Christmas day....

Which is only seven freaking days away.

Good God...

Now we just have to get some stuff for the baby and we are set.....

ugh.

Christmas is a week away. Just thought I'd share that...

Guess who got her Christmas shopping done!!!
WOOT!
Well, I have a couple of minor things still to get, BUT, for the most part, I'm done!!!!
AUGH!
Thank God!
Okay, overload of exclamation marks.
I'm so glad I got my gifts...
This year, I just got stuff for mom, dad, Junia, Madison, Grace, Nevaeh, and my cousin Tiara, since I drew her name in the family secret santa thing this year.
Kim and I went to Easton today.
That was fun.
We ate at Brio and Starbucks, and walked around, looking at the lights.
And I got the second part of my gift for Tiara and mom's gifts.
AH....
Success.
Then, I came home and did one of my favorite things...
I WRAPPED them.
I LOVE wrapping gifts.
Now I have to get a gift for our family's White Elephant gift game and some stuff for the girls, and I am set, and with 8 days to spare.
Well, 7 since I'll be giving Tiara's gift to her on Christmas Eve.
In any case, I'll be getting the final gifts on Saturday, since that's my next free day.
Technically, I won't be FREE since I'll be babysitting Nevaeh....
BUT, I'll take her shopping with me....
Not like she has a choice, being a baby and all...

I can't believe Christmas is a week away.
Seriously.
a WEEK away.
That's 7 days!
AGH.
Crazy.
I'm off Christmas Eve and Day, which means I'll be baking and cooking my pattootie off with mommy dearest while simultaneously keeping her from taking that final step over the brink of insanity.
AGAIN.
At least she doesn't drink.
YET.

another breath

The stillness comes
as teardrops fall
another breath...
He reaches for her hand
squeezes it with love
and tries to understand
this blessing from above
So suddenly
Life has changed
So suddenly
so strange.

From one last sigh
and one last cry
another breath...
He brushes away her hair
she smiles through the pain
But all he does is stare
as he cleans up the stains
So suddenly
Life has changed
so suddenly
so strange.

How quietly
The world now seems
another breath...
He hands her the child
who opens up his eyes
and only stares for while...
They marvel as he cries
So suddenly
Their lives have changed
So suddenly
So strange.

She whispers her joy
to her new baby boy
another breath...
another breath...
All is calm
all is at peace
as the teenage mom
cradles the new born king.
So suddenly
their lives he'll change
so wonderful
so strange...

Some rum recipes....

Just found this website...

http://cocktails.about.com/od/rumrecipes/Rum_Recipes.htm

And from it, I acquired this new recipe...
Black Stripe
Ingredients:
2 oz dark rum
1 tsp molasses or honey
hot water
lemon twist
cinnamon stick for garnish
Preparation:
Pour the dark rum and molasses or honey into an Irish coffee glass.
Twist a lemon twist over the glass and drop it into the glass.
Fill the glass with hot water.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

I'm totally drinking it.
Fabulous...

Think I'll try this one later....
Cafe Barbados
Cafè Barbados is very similar to a Cafè Caribbean, the main difference is that this one uses a coffee liqueur instead of amaretto. Using dark rum in a coffee cocktail as opposed to a lighter rum matches the robust flavors of a good strong coffee nicely. Personally I prefer using shaved chocolate as a garnish, it tastes better than powdered chocolate.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz dark rum
1/2 oz coffee liqueur
black coffee
whipped cream powdered chocolate or shaved chocolate for garnish
Preparation:
Pour the dark rum and coffee liqueur into an Irish coffee glass or coffee mug.
Fill with hot coffee.
Top with whipped cream Garnish with chocolate.

What my dreams become.....

I try once again
to voice this dream of pain
I push past the hurt
and stomp off the dirt
I brush away a tear
forgetting how to fear

Why can't I awake
from this dark dream
Visions so pale
I can't look away

The child takes my hand
We now own the land
The killing takes a toll
It eats my soul
We now see what's real
forgetting how to feel

:- /

I realized it has been years since I picked up the fantastical tale of Treasure Island.
SO, when had this question posed to me,"Is your production of Treasure Island true to the story??????" I totally drew a blank.
Being the ever quick thinker that I am (ha), I went to this link and read a synopsis about the story...

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Treasure-Island-About-the-Novel-A-Brief-Synopsis.id-175,pageNum-4.html

Luckily, from what I read, Brian Way did a fantastic job in translating the story to play form.
So, I can truthfully tell people, "YES, this play is pretty true to the story."
Hizzah!

In other news, one of the actors in Playing Away had to fly to New York yesterday, to see his dying mother.
I know.
It is all around terrible.
Needless to say, he won't be in the production this weekend.
BUT, Barry, the director, is gonna take the role over and be a hero.
Tonight's brush-up should be.... interesting.
We definitely can't screw around like we normally do on brush-up, since he'll be attempting to memorize lines and whatnot.
Dang it.

The year without sanity.....

Ah....
First weekend down.
It went well.
Friday's audience was well received, and, likewise, received the play with much laughter and applause.
We were definitely pumped and full of energy.
Saturday's audience.
UGH.
They laughed and clapped....
sorta...
They failed as an audience.
'nough said.
Yesterday's audience surprised me.
Actually they surprised us all.
It was a good sized audience for a Sunday Matinee, and it wasn't all little old people as usual...
And we were overwhelmed with such an uproar of laughter, we were on top of the world.
It was a really great weekend overall.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Mr. Williams about what they have decided as far as this whole musical director thing goes....
As any of my family members can tell you, I have nooooooooooo patience.
I do not score well on the wait-and-sit-on-my-duff 'O meter....
Oh no...
Mix 7 oz. of my lack of patience with 5 cups of I-hate-surprises and 4 teaspoons of anxiety, and let it stew for a about a week.
Voila!
You have me.
Stewing away....
Tonight I'm heading back up to Groveport to add myself to yet ANOTHER cast of characters.
I have NO idea who is in this one...
Nor do I know the director.
But I will after tonight I guess.
I'm kinda worried about who might be there....
Could be veeeeeeeeeeery interesting.
Hopefully there is at least one or two people who aren't short of a bob or two...
I read a synopsis on the Tempest so I have a general idea as of what is going on story-wise...
Other than that, I have no idea what this guy wants me to do....
Guess I should get my sparkling personality out.
I'll dust it off and shove it in my pocket before I leave in case I need it...
I guess getting as much experience as possible is good...
I just can't believe I've just jumped from Lear to Playing Away and now to the Tempest.
THEN, I won't have anytime to breath when it comes time for Treasure Island.
Good Grief!
I'm not gonna get any rest from theatre til.........
Um....
MAY!!!!
Holy Crap!
Even though Treasure Island ends in the beginning of April, I'll have the studio's show/recital to work on, and that goes up on the...
16th of May....
And if I get this musical director position, the musical will go up in the end of April...
Good Golly Miss Molly.....
No rest for the Wicked...
WOW.
I have totally booked myself solid with Theatre stuff.
Wowwy-wow-wow.
AND!!
AND, there has been some talk of doing a children's production of sorts during the summer at RTP....
AND I know the studio will have some sort of camp thing going on.
HOLY CRAP.
I really need to stop looking ahead for a second...
NO social life for the wicked, either I guess...
It will be a straight year of theatre...
lol.

Victory! or My search for a musical....

Have you ever had a moment where you know you've just won a small victory, or the word "BOOYAH!" goes through your head as you walk away from a situation, feeling highly triumphant???
I've had a couple this week, and I gotta tell ya, it feels gooooooooooood.
If you're like, lacking in patience, these small spurts of VICTORY can help tide you over til the real triumph occurs.
AH....
I love it.

In other news, I've been looking at musicals.
For the High school gig.
Not that I've gotten it yet....
Just preparing...
You know...
Jane mentioned "Godspell" tonight, which I know little to nothing about.
I just came acrossed "Bye Bye Birdie."
lol
I love Ann-Margaret.
But I hate High School Musical.
I swear.
Everytime I google any combination of the words High, school, and musical, THAT is what pops up.
ARGH!
I've done "musicals for high school students" and "musicals for high school performances."
ARGH.
Danielle suggested Grease.
HA!
That's gonna be a bitter tasting word for way too many of these kids....
And it'll probably be that way for a year or two...
But I digress.
I wonder how hard the Music Man would be.....
Meh...
I should just suggest Rocky Horror Picture Show and be done with it.
lol.
Yeah.
That'll get me the job....

Tonight was the last of my classes for 2008.
Ah....
A month without musical Theatre...
What will I do with myself????
HA!
Plenty, I'm sure...

Our play opens tomorrow.
Should be interesting.
Rehearsal was special tonight.
But, I guess a crappy Dress Rehearsal makes for a great performance, right?
At least, that's the hope.........

My poetry=you

I walk the lonely street
to my car
wandering home
from the crowded bar
I wish I knew how to love you
without leaving the scars
I'll find out when my time is up
But I'm still trying to fight
and trying to find my path
in the dark night
Struggling with your reality
and all that you mean to me
wondering if you still see
or if your power has become you
If vanity transformed your truth...
This pain holds me captive
and it hurts to breath
It keeps me in its nightmares...
I cry out in the smile of strangers
I sing along with their silent melody
working towards the light that I can't see
I hold it close to my broken heart
That has begun to fall apart
I keep it in the empty hole
left behind by my lonely soul....
Now I wonder if you're worth the pain
or if love exists to gain
I realize my poetry
will now become you and who you are to me....

A night of minor setbacks.....

So.
The director, Susan, offered me the role of Florabell so and so....
NOT Goldie...
Goldie's best friend.
John said he thought I was being a bit of a diva because I said I wasn't going to do LJJ because I didn't get the part for which l auditioned.
AND I've decided to audition for The Tempest with Rosebriar.
They still need actors for the play, and I'm just free enough to do it.
lol
I'm cool like that.

I posted my last blog, like many others, on my myspace blog.
My mother commented on it....
I adore this woman.

"Regan truly was a pivotal point for your career as an actor; one that will open new emotions and perspectives for you. Your performance of Regan was beyond the mundane and it doesn't suffice with a descriptive "you were wonderful"...coming down from that high only to be met with a small supportive role or extra in an obscure, unknown musical is an adjustment, to say the least. You would do greatly in whatever role you play...but, what do I know; I'm just your greatest fan."

Another day in the life...

Ugh.
It's kinda blah outside today.
Meh....
I am really just in a blah mood.
And I have to deal with my musical theatre kids at 5.
UGH.
There's nothing wrong with the kids.
I'm just not in the right mindset today.
I'm sure it'll change once I get there.
Maybe.
Both classes wanted to do a number of songs, but I don't think I'm gonna have them do all of them.
So far the first class has "Rudolph," "Silent Night" (Words learned but no movement), and "Jingle Bell Rock."
The second has "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer," "All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" (Words learned but no movement), and "Santa Claus is coming to town" (Words learned but no movement).
Hah.
The first class also wants to do "Winter Wonderland."
The second wants "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus."
lol.
I think I'm gonna annex those two.
'Cause I'm like that.
Reason being, each class has an hour today, 5-6 and 6-7, then they are coming Thursday for their regular scheduled classes, 6-7, 7:15-8:15, and that's when they are supposed to perform for their parents.
SO, having some songs learned but not completed, I'm making the executive decision.
It'll probably tick a couple of the kids off, but whatever.
I'm Miss Tahrea.
They are the students.
That's life.
And I'll totally say something like, "Well, you shouldn't have goofed off in class last week, huh?"
Guilt.
My favorite modivator.

What's really gonna be bugging me is the fact that I can't go to the auditions today to spy out who else will be auditioning...
That always bugs me.
When I can't see who else is in the pot...
I only get like this when auditioning for a musical.
Or for a part I really want.
It consumes me.
lol.
If only I were joking.
But you had better believe I'll totally be there tomorrow.
OOOOh, yes.
momma's gonna be on the lookout.
I might actually buzz over there after classes today and pray they are still auditioning.
That would be sweet.
I mean, they start at 5:30, so it wouldn't totally impossible for auditions to still be going on at 7-ish...
Maybe...

Last night went well btw...
This group is a new one, starting in August.
This was their third investigation, and they did really well.
Nice people, as usual.
Though I guess, like theatre, you've got to be a special kind of person to get into the paranormal field.
I mean, I haven't met an investigator I didn't like, you know?
I mean, there have been some weird people, like the people who see something or feel something EVERYWHERE.
But the majority of the people I have met have been really cool.

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Auditions went well.
I did great.
The acting bit was okay.
The dancing bit was slightly painful but I survived.
Slightly.
I can't go to tomorrow's auditions because of my musical theatre classes are 5-7 and the auditions start at 5:30.
I'll be there Monday though, at 5:30.
Then I'll just stay for the board meeting at 7.
The practice after that.

I'm leaving in a few to go to, surprise surprise, the theatre.
Another group is coming tonight for an investigation.
RIP from Roseville, Ohio.
I guess it's north of Zanesville.
Should be fun.

Life's a Funny Proposition

I am about to do the unthinkable.
Well, not unthinkable...
Well...
Okay, I'm auditioning for another play.
And mom isn't totally pleased.
As usual.
BUT, I'm only auditioning for one role.
HA!
Oh, it's Little Johnny Jones.
A musical.
At RTP.
Chances are, I'll get a part.
I wonder how good my chances are that I'll get the part for which I'm auditioning....



Here's a synopsis of the play, in case you are wondering....



A brash, patriotic American jockey, Johnny Jones, goes to England to ride his horse, Yankee Doodle, in the English Derby. Jones falls in love with Goldie Gates, a San Francisco copper heiress, who follows him to Britain, disguising herself as a man to discover if Jones really loves her. Anthony Anstey, an American who runs a Chinese gambling establishment in San Francisco, offers Jones a bribe to lose the race deliberately, but he refuses. After Jones loses, Anstey spreads rumors that he threw the race intentionally. Jones' detective, pretending to be a drunkard, searches for evidence to clear Johnny's name and finds out that it was Anstey that framed Jones. Jones tells his friends who are returning to America, "Give My Regards to Broadway," but he stays in London to try to regain his reputation. Jones returns to America with his name cleared, eager to propose marriage to Goldie, but he finds that Anstey has kidnapped her. He and his detective search for her in San Francisco's Chinatown, eventually finding her.



It sounds cute.
And the character I want, Goldie (Surprise surprise) is a Alto-Mezzo Soprano AKA MY RANGE!!!
AHA!

Here's a song list:

The Cecil in London - Jenkins
They're All My Friends - Timothy D. McGee
Mam'selle Fauchette - Goldie Gates
'Op in the 'Ansom - Cabbies and Reformers
Nesting in a New York Tree - Florabelle Fly
Yankee Doodle Boy - Johnny Jones
Off to the Derby - Company
Girls from the U.S.A. - Florabelle Fly
(Sailors of St. Hurrah - Sailors
Captain of a Ten Day Boat - Captain Squirvy
Goodbye Flo - Goldie Gates
Good Old California - Henry Hapgood
A Girl I Know - Johnny Jones and Goldie Gates
Give My Regards to Broadway - Johnny Jones
March of the Frisco Chinks - Company
Life's a Funny Proposition - Johnny Jones

Should be fun.
I think I'm gonna sing "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man."
Same solo I used for my LTOB audition.
I just know if I don't get Goldie, the director will probably want me to be an extra or whatever to help with singing.
NOT.
It would be cool to be a leading lady for once...
Seriously.
Lord knows I've got the Diva mentality down.
I've used it enough times.
Just not in the musical sense.
Regan was just chalk full of it at times.
(AW, I miss Regan....)
This leading lady is probably a goody-goody one though.
THAT will require some acting on my part.
Not that it will be a problem or anything.
LOL...

OMG!!!!! What may be the greatest opportunity I've gotten yet.....

Just listened to a song called "Twelve Pains of Christmas" by Bob Rivers...
Hilarious.

Anywhoo...
You know the saying "Opportunity Knock?"
In the past year, everytime an opportunity has come along for me, it has this way of just tearing the door down and announce its presence, rather than a simple knocking.
yeh.
Yesterday morning my manager, Jen, almost pounced on me during one of our usual conversations.
"Oh my gosh! I have something important to tell you!!!!"
lol.
It turns out she saw a notice in the Circleville Herald that Logan Elm High School is looking for someone to fill the High School Musical Director position for their spring musical.
*MAJOR GAY GASP!!!!*
After she told me she didn't bring the paper with her, we looked to the internet to find out what the details were.
Luckily, after 10 hasty minutes of searching, we found that one had to contact a Tim Williams.
After another minute of perusal, we found that Tim Williams is the Principal.
Ah.
The BOSSMAN.
I was already a nervous mess just thinking about it.
SO, Jen shoved the phone in my hand and told me to call.
I did.
I had to leave a message on his machine.
Meh.
THEN, he called me back 15 minutes later.
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG was my only thought.
Still, I thought I was quite calm and collected as we spoke.
He was a nice guy.
He explained that the position is for someone who will direct the spring musical for the high school.
Apparently there had been some confusion as to what the position, and folks actually thought it was the choir director position.
*SLAP THE FOREHEAD!*
Seriously???
He explained that they would start doing interviews next week and, gave me the address for the school and told me to send both my work resume and theatre resume.
AGH!
I spazzed out once I hung up with him.
I spazzed out all day, actually.
It's a really exciting thing for me, and this could be a HUGE break for me as well...
We'll just have to hope it works out...

So, my face now looks as if someone started to brand the osu logo on my right cheek but didn't finished the job.

Yeah.

I've scrubbed the outline of the freaking tattoo onto my face.

I'm a scabby fanatic....

YAY.

I laid out all of my Treasure Island stuff and started working on it some more and realized something.

Okay, I personally don't write my blocking in the script.

I can remember it.

Not that hard.

With Lear, I did write my exits and entrances because it was slightly confusing at time, not dealing with an actual stage and all.

That and the fact that Shakespeare really didn't write out stage blockin in his scripts.

Otherwise, I just highlight my lines and I'm good.

I just don't like doing it and I don't need to do it.

SO, you can imagine my perturbation when I realized I had to actually write the blocking for ALL the characters in my script.
ARGH.

I was highly irritated.

When I told mom about it, she said, "Well, you need to. You aren't going to be able to remember what you want the kids to do in when you start next year."
"Yes I will." said I.

"The blocking... for all of them?"
"Yeah."
"I don't think so."
ARGH.

I started doing it last night despite my... despite for it.

And I realized I need to start working on the schedule as well.

ARGH.
SOOOOO many things still left to do.

ARGH.

Now, I have to get ready for practice....

ARGH.

Not so much grey as it is scarlet...

Yesterday, as you may know, was the infamous Ohio State vs. Michigian game.
Every year, dad's family gathers around the television, all donned in scarlet and grey, to watch the game.
Oh, and there's always a smorgasborg of food.
That goes without saying.
So, yesterday morning, us Maynards got up and prepared for the day.
We cooked and dressed like mad fiends.
I myself decided to apply a temporary tattoo of the OSU symbol along with my buckeyes shirt.
After arriving at my cousin's, there was much hooplah and harried chaos as the game began.
Of course, the buckeyes won, 42-7.
GLORIOUS.
In a celebratory fashion, mom and I wore our Buckeye garb to the local pizza joint to see a family band play.
Then I went out to visit with some friends at the restaurant.
When I got home, and decided to prepare for bed, I began my nightly ritual of brushing teeth and washing face.
Ah, that darn tattoo.
I had almost forgotten about until I saw it on my reflection in the mirror.
Some soap.
A washcloth.
No problem.
Some scrubbing......
UHM...
Some scrubbing....
Huh...
It's still there.
Only tiny bits had come off.
SO, some more scrubbing, a bit more vigorous this time.
After a few minutes of scrubbing, my cheek now lacked the tattoo, but donned a new bright red mark as if I had been slapped.
Hhhmmm...
Oh well, thought I, it'll go away.
Ha.
This morning, I woke up to find my cheek slightly stinging.
I went down the bathroom and gasped at my reflection.
My cheek now looked as if I had been in a fight with either a really cruel carpet or a small fire.
Great.
Not that I'm doing anything of importance today, such as play practice and a meeting at work, meaning I have to see people who are going to question what that huge red mark is on the side of my freaking face.
Not at all...
ARGH.
After being questioned by my horrified mother, I put neosporin on it and trudged to this computer to look up remedies.
Not sure how to search for what this was, I simply put rug burn treatments.
ARGH.
Then, out of spite, I looked up how to remove a temporary tattoo....
This I found to be hilarious.
Among other means of removal which would've been much more sensible and less painful, I found these two...

Grab a paper towel or a cloth and rub the tattoo vigorously until it is removed. Continue to add oil as needed
Take hand soap, dish soap, body wash, etc. and scrub, not too hard, but vigorously, until gone.

HAH!
These were the others...
-Take some cooking oil, preferably olive oil, and apply it to your tattoo.
-Apply a reasonable amount of rubbing alcohol to a cloth or cotton ball. Rub until gone, also can use water with it.
-Take some clear Scotch tape, apply over the tattoo, and rip off. Don't worry, Scotch tape isn't sticky enough to hurt- only sticky enough to remove temporary tattoos!
-You can also put a little baby oil on it before you go to bed, and when you wake up, it will be gone.

Much more sensible than waking up looking like Tommy Lee Jones when he played Two Face in Batman and Robin.....
ARGH.
Now I have to memorize the rest of my lines and figure out the perfect sob story for all the insightful questions I know I shall receive once I step foot out of this house........



Three Rug Burn Home Remedies

Do you have more than one child running around the house? Do your children's friends come over to play? Do you have rugs or carpets? If so, you've probably had to deal with rug burns or another. A child getting dragged across the floor by a friend or sibling seems like an inevitable part of playing and roughhousing. And, if they are dragged across a rug, it can leave a minor, but painful, rug burn behind. People often don't think of treating rug burns, figuring the only thing you can do is leave them be and let them heal on their own. But there are home remedies you can use to treat these minor injuries, and keep them from turning into something worse.

Apply Cold Water to the Rug Burn
You can treat a rug burn the same way you'd treat other first degree burns. The first step to treating a rug burn is to hold the injured area under cool, running water for about ten or even twenty minutes.Do not place ice directly on a rug burn. This could actually cause more damage to the injured area.

Keep the Rug Burn Dry
After removing the injured area from the water, gently but thoroughly dry the area with something soft and gentle, like a cotton ball.You want to keep a rug burn dry at all times. So, after baths and showers, give make sure the rug burn is thoroughly dry.

Clothes Can Irritate a Rug Burn
When fabric rubs against a rug burn, it can cause pain an irritation. It can also slow down the healing process, something you definitely don't want.So, if possible, try to wear clothes that won't rub against a rug burn. For example, if the rug burn is on your leg, wear skirts or shorts whenever possible. If the rug burn is on your arm, wear short sleeved shirts instead of long sleeved shirts. Making minor changes in the way you dress while your rug burn heals can make a world of difference.
What Not to Put on a Rug Burn
There are some things you definitely don't want to put on a rug burn, because they'd cause more harm than good. Some things you should avoid putting on the area are butter, lotions, powders (like baby powder), perfumes, sunscreen, alcohol, and baby oil. All of these things could cause irritation, and make the rug burn worse, and make it take longer to heal.

Balance toys....

http://www.tarheelart.com/balancetoys/balancetoys.htm

Very interesting art.....

Yes, Virginia, it is the holiday season. Now leave me alone...

Reading Danielle's last blog, I realized Thanksgiving is six days away.
UGH.
Now, to be fair, I do enjoy this time of the year for what it is.
I love cooking and baking and eating.
I love singing and dancing to Christmas carols.
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE decorating the trees.
Every year, I put a theme to the living room tree.
Usually it's a color scheme.
Last year it was Santas and Nutcrackers.
THIS year it is going to be birds.
I've purchased a ton of bird ornaments for it.
AGH!
It's my favorite.
I host a christmas party for my friends every year and that has me stoked as well.
I really used to hate this time of year.
Why?
Well, to help me sum it all up is this poem I wrote years ago that really embodies how I felt back then.....

Candy canes, Mistletoe.
White, soft, gentle snow.
Carols, A Christmas tree.
A red and green stocking for me.
All these and more are what people will say
when asked what reminds them of Christmas Day.
Not me though.
Oh, nonononononono....
Not stockings or mistletoe.
All these things may be great
But they aren't what reminds me of Christmas Day.
I envision spoiled children
and their poor tired parents,
The bitter cold
and the constant straining errands.
Loved ones trying to top last year's gift..
these things and more really get me miffed.
Give me the presents
but keep family away!
Or up in my bedroom is where I'll stay.
I can't stand the rush
of the idiot shoppers
who always make such a scene,
it's a really show stopper.
Or the department store santas
with their fake white beards.
Instead of looking Jolly,
they look really weird.
That's my version of Christmas...
It's sad, but it's true.
And with that
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and Happy New Year too.

ARGH! I be excited.... Part two

AH!
Another snag in the mix...

Some of the cast members will be using the cutlass, which, according to wikipedia, is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard.

They'll also be using guns and knives as well, being that they're pirates and all...

AND there's a fight in the beginning of the play with Bill and Black Dog where *GASP!* they each use their cutlass...

Hhhhhmmmm....

Now where, O where, shall I find someone who will teach us all the art of swordplay for kids???
Hhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmm....

Oh, where could I find such a man????

Hhhhmmmmmmmmm.......

I've decided to start emailing kids and parents alike and start getting together a following now.

That way I'm sure to have a crowd at auditions.

AGH!
So excited!

BTW, one of my families that are always involved in the children's production is currently going through the adoption process.

Here's a link to their blog all about it.

They are a real blessing to the theatre and to me and I know this baby will be raised with nothing but love.

And the fabulousness of these people, of course.

http://warneradoption.blogspot.com/

http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/onlinetexts/treasure/pictures.shtml

http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/onlinetexts/treasure/island.shtml

AH!
A depiction of Dr. Livesey, Jim, and Squire Trelawney.

ARGH! I be excited....

I must say how impatiently I am waiting for the new year to come.
Well, I guess part of me really hates seeing time fly by so fast.
The other part of me can't wait for January, and for the adventure of Treasure Island to commence.
I'm am all a twitter preparing for my first stab at directing, and I am uber excited to work with another children's production.
As of right now, I am reading up on the back story of the story of Treasure Island, so I can be ready with tons of fun little facts about Robert Louis Stevenson and whatnot.
I'm also looking at different costume designs and trying to figure out what an 18th century doctor would wear.
http://anniescostumes.com/eighteen.htm
http://www.beavton.k12.or.us/jacob_wismer/fourth/colonies/clothing.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/histmed/people/academics/wear
For a moment I actually considered setting the play in modern time.
HA!
Silly me.
Where is the fun in that?

I've already got my set design, prop list and character list.
I've broken down the scenes and sound cues.
Now all I need to do is get my sounds.
And cast.
And props.
And everything else that goes with a children's production.
Man, just talking about it gets me all crazy excited....
But I have to wait through this production, Playing Away.
And the next production, Little Johnny Jones.
THEN!!!
THEN my dream will come true!!!!!!!
AGH!
So excited!!!!

Give me a clue and take a hint!

I'm gonna be the angsty young female for a minute here...
Bear with me.
Why-
what is it about guys?
I mean, what?
I try so hard to get into their heads, and when I think I've finally figured them out, SURPRISE! another curve ball.
It's like a freaking rubix cube.
One will be friends with you and you think that's it.
Just friends.
Then, all of the sudden, you find out that he finds you attractive.
You give him a couple of beers, and he's inviting you back to his place.
Another tells you he wants to talk, so you offer to come over.
NOOOOOOOO, he's busy with a project.
Then he's doing whatever else he wants to do.
SO you go home.
Those are just two examples...
Seriously, what is up?
*SIGH*
I just don't get it.

I'm so flustered I can't even write a poem about how flustered I am, or utilize it in a creative way.
ARGH!

Play practice is going really well.
Still don't have my lines memorized, but it will get there.
I have faith.
I have to, since we have about 6 rehearsals left.
Yeah.

No rest for the wicked...

So, I'm on the computer right now.
Obviously.
I'm here because I was in the living room, attempting to enjoy myself despite the fact I've been ill all day, but I had to vacate the living room.
I had to leave because Junia came home and brought her boyfriend with her.
And because I was on the couch and I knew she would bitch about me being on the couch, the one piece of furniture that would comfortably accomodate her and Chris.
And because I know they want to watch "Polar Express."
Well, mom wants to watch it, but was waiting til they came home.
And, as it is not Christmas time, I have no desire to sit through Polar Express.
And I have no desire to do anything involving Junia and Chris.

It's always awkward when someone you're close to and usually like dates someone you can't stand.
I have found myself leaving the room a lot faster.
Actually, I've been more likely to find refuge over at Tyler's pad, where I know they can't get me.
*SIGH*
It really grinds my gears anymore...
I can't stand that guy...

Santa Baby, give everyone else a calendar, please...

SO.
The holidays are only weeks away.
Yeah.
2008 apparently had no desire to stick around, because this year just flew by.
So, unfortunately, Christmas will come bounding upon ere long...
Bleh.
I noticed something last night that caught my eye and struck me as absurd.
People have actually just taken down halloween decorations and immediately replaced them with Christmas decorations.
Why?
And they aren't simple christmas lights and maybe a reindeer or two.
NO.
These are the people who buy every inflatable santa claus-in-a-snoglobe-that-is-bigger-than-the-house (or trailer), and frosty the snowman-that-looks-like-he-might-be-mentally-challenged-and-might-eat-your-children-because-he-can....
Subtle is not in the vocabulary.
I had the pleasure of taking my 5-year-old cousin Madison to see.... *SHUDDER*... "High School Musical 3" yesterday.
Yeas, my soul died a little...
As we were driving home, we happened upon a couple of different houses with this situation.
Being the ever bright and wonderful creature she is, Madison looked out the window as I pointed these houses out, and yelled, "WHAT?! It's not even Christmas time yet, PEOPLE!"
AH, the wisdom of a child.

EXTRA EXTRA! British comedy makes dramaqueen go against her word... read all about it!!!

Yesterday I received a very interesting text message from one of my RTP friends, Kim.
The text message basically asked me to do her sister's part in the latest RTP production, "Playing Away," since, apparently, her sister had dropped out and they needed someone to do the part.
There was a twinge of desperation in the message, so I called her.
MAN, was she ever pissed.
Apparently, her sister "flaked out" on the role and Kim told Barry, the director, that she would call me and ask me to do the role.
I, being the silly girl I am, obliged and said I would be at the theatre last night at 7.
She said it was a small part and that the lines weren't that much.
It opens the first weekend of December, so I have plenty of time to memorize lines.
No sweat.
Well, I went.
And I loved it.
It's a great play.
Plus, we're doing british accents!
AUGH!
I spend 80% of my life walking around doing a british accent so I was pumped.
Talk about fun.

Mom was less than thrilled at the idea of me doing yet another production for which I wouldn't get paid....
Blah.
She'll come around...
Eventually.
And if not, she'll just have to hate me for the next couple of weeks.
*SHRUG*
Sacrifices, sacrifices...

I have no part to call my own...

Being the overly dramatic person I am, I just wrote this.
It's a poem, but I imagine a VERY dramatic character in some dramedy singing this song in lament...
It would be along the same lines of "Diva's Lament/What Ever Happened to My part" from Spamalot, now that I think of it....

I have no part to call my own...
The play is over...
I have no home...
The crowd's applauded...
the curtain is drawn...
I have no part to call my own...

For many months,
I had a name...
I was someone else...
For many months,
I had a second family.
Now, of course, I find I am lost
What's a diva to do?
without a play...
without a part...
without direction...
Without a clue...

I have no part to call my own...
The costume's hung...
Somehow I have to move on...
We took our bow...
Everyone has gone home...
I have no part to call my own.

Be careful of what you do before the lie becomes the truth....

Tears for Fears' song "Mad world" is randomly going through my head right now...
Just thought I'd share that.

As I sit here drinking the remains of my fourth glasses of Arbor Mist, I realized something....
I didn't get but five minutes from the rest of the cast before the depressive mood set in.
You know, that sad longing and realization that it is all over...
Our last production was tonight.
We tore down the set.
We gathered up the props and costumes.
We rode back to Groveport.
We kissed and hugged.
We all went our separate ways...
I felt alone.
Abandoned.
Without a home to call my own.
Well...
Part of me does.
The other part of me is happy to get back to my version of a normal life.
I'm glad to get back to have free evenings and whatnot, but, honestly, I'll still go through withdrawal.
I'm left with a void.
Ugh.
I hate this feeling.
Luckily, I have my sights set on auditions for "Little Johnny Jones" within the next month, and I'll be able to go see a couple of shows before then, so I'll be able to satify part of my need for theatre.
PART of it....
Sweet Rick Moore is in LTOB's production of "Blithe Spirit" and Danielle, who played Goneril, will be in Raconteur's "Mom and Pop."
YAY!
Plus, I'm preparing for my "Treasure Island" adventure which starts in January.
I can't believe it is only a few months away.
Time flies so fast when one isn't paying attention....

Still, I shall miss my friends and cast members of "Lear."
I think we all learned a lot about each other and ourselves with this production.
I know I learned a great deal about this production, especially since I knew little to nothing about it when I first auditioned for it....
Now I feel like somewhat of an expert, having gone over and through it so many times.
Man.
What a great show.
We received such great feedback from audience members.
We had a great show.
A great cast.
A great director.
And we all shared a great understanding for the show itself.
Looking back, we really were great together...
Onstage, stage that is....
Not everyone got along during rehearsals and backstage, but I think that THAT actually just added to the show.
*SIGH*
I personally think it was the best production in which I had ever performed.
I shall miss it dearly...
Luckily, I made friends and connections in this productions that shall not be forgotten or severed for a long time...
Whether those involved like it or not.


And now...
I leave you with the words of one of my favorite songs...

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. let it be. Let it be, let it be, ..... And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, .....

Did you see me breathing?

I have a rant, but I'll hold off just long enough to tell you of an interesting story....
After the play tonight we the cast went over to Little Italy, as usual.
We had a marvelous time laughing, eating, and drinking.
After a while, we all went our separate ways.
As we were walking to our separate vehicles, Garison hissed at Lynn, Manny, and I to quickly move to where he was standing, which was behind the van next to Manny's car.
As we did so, he pointed out a young woman several yards ahead of us in the parking lot.
To our shock, this young woman was... urinating in the parking lot up against a truck.
I lie not.
She was in a squatting position, and was quite... bare.....
It was special.
A few minutes later, Danielle calls me to tell me of her fun tale.
As SHE was making her way to her vehicle, an apparently drunken old man presented her with the proposition of sexual intercourse...
Of course, he used much more colorful language and slurred a lot.
I believe his opening statement to her was, "I could just totally F#@% you right now...."
CLASSY.
Groveport's finest certainly does love to flaunt its charms afterhours...

Now for my rant.
*AHEM*
In this production, Danielle and I are dragged out on blankets in the last scene.
And we're "dead."
This is the first time I've ever had to... for lack of better terms "play dead," so I've been kinda playing with it, trying to control my breathing, and, for the most part, I thought I had done a pretty good job.
Then I asked mom last Saturday, after the performance, "Did you see me breathing?"
She said, "I could tell you were trying to control it."
AKA yes, yes I did.
Thanks to this conversation, plus one of my many BFs with Danielle (BF is Bitch fit, for those of you who haven't seen White Girls), I realized something.
We're in a play.
We are actors.
We are pretending to be these people.
I'm not really Regan.
Danielle and Aaron don't really go off stage and do the bad thing.
Doug isn't really going crazy.
Harlow doesn't really gouge out Keith's eyes with his bare hands.
I don't really KILL anyone.
Therefore, I don't really die.
AKA who the heck cares if I'm laying there breathing????
Seriously.
I mean, as long as I'm laying there, not moving, not scratching my nose or laughing at the other actor's lines, or laughing at Danielle, I'm obviously portraying the fact that Regan is dead.
There you go.
That's all that needs to be done.
It's acting.
Ha.
Laurence Olivier once looked at Dustin Hoffman and said, "Dear boy, why don't you try acting? It's so much easier."
Of course, the reason why Sir Laurence said that was because Dustin H. was torturing himself as a.... *SHUDDER* method actor.
Method actors....
UGH.
That's another rant in and of itself.
My point in bringing that up is that it's acting.
IF you are an actor, act.
It's not that hard.

I don't really know how to end this so I'm just going to say good night now.
I am tired and do not wish to type any longer.
Night.

It was payneful...

Mom and I recently went to see a movie together.
Being the ever typical women we are, we were split between "Max Payne" and " the Haunting of Molly Bartley."
Max Payne won.
In a manner of speaking.
First of all, mom and I, for some reason or another, were under the impression that this Max Payne was a comic book character.
Secondly, knowing nothing about the story and having to rely only on the previews on the TV, we were under the impression the story had to do with spiritual warfare, i.e. angels, demons, heaven, hell.
Kind of a spin off on Constantine.
That is clearly the vibe you get from the previews, where you see huge black, winged creatures flying around, and you hear a man's voice saying, "The Devil is building his army.... Max Payne is looking for something Heaven doesn't want to be found..."
Then the movie opens up with Mark Walberg's voice saying, "I don't believe in heaven...."
SO.
Imagine our surprise when we find out the movie is about drugs and government cover ups.
Oh, keep in mind how much we dislike Mark Walberg because of his inability to act.
Or entertain.
I was actually writing this blog in my head as I was watching the movie, if that tells you anything....
Ooh, Max Payne is all hard and wears a black leather coat.
OOh, he's a vigilante of sorts.
OOh, he takes the law in his own hands.
Ooh, his wife and child were killed and the bad guy got away? No way!
OOh, his ex-partner was played by a funny man from a sitcom.
Ooh, he has personal conflict with his old partner and that's why they are together anymore.
Ooh, he buries himself in his work....
Ooh, He never smiles the entire movie, except to a flashback where he smiles like he's mentally disabled.... That is until he realizes some broke in and killed his wife and child... Then he's hard like the streets.
Ooh, his wife was killed because of a government cover up.
Ooh, the person he trusted the most was the one who killed his wife and child...
Oh, and Beau Bridges.
LOL.
Beau Bridges' lines were hilarious.
When he wasn't asking Max "Where are you going?" he was saying cheesy lines like "He's my old partner's kid. He's family. Take care of him..."
BLEH.
The only thing about this movie that surprised me was the fact that Max Payne was trying to drown himself in either alcohol or sex.
Good Freaking Grief.
When the movie finally ended (Let me just say the last scene just epitomized the entire movie in its hilarity) I laughed.
I annoyed the tar out of mom because I laughed out of the theatre, into the restroom and out into the car.
I laughed.
It was ridiculous.
I will say that I was surprised to see Mila Kuniz doing a serious role.
Not bad, Mila.
Not bad at all.
Oh, and some rapper.... Ludacriz or something like that played this detective.
When I read that, I turned to mom and said, "Oh, that explains it."
Bad acting....
Ugh.
Bad Hollywood.
Deceiving us like that.
Bad.
Bad.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Now go stand in the corner, you naughty, naughty form of entertainment...

Give me a sedative

Give me a sedative
send me to bed and never
wake me up to tell me how you
love me
Kiss me on my forehead don't
kill me before you have to go
break me into pieces
crush me into ashes
Spread me over and over the water
sing me a song between the laughter
Give me a sedative
Never leave me
and deceive me
keep me thinking I'm the one that
never should have come back
Give me a sedative
Keep me from pounding my head against the wall
keep me sober
turn me over
make sure I'm breathing as you are leaving
Lie to me
just read my poetry
open me up to understand the complex intricacies
that are me...

Just. Go. Vote.

I voted.
Mom and I woke upt at 9-something, and went to Walnut Elementary to vote.
We stood in line for all of 5 minutes, and then voted.
We spent about 11 minutes there in the building.
I voted!
On some of the issues I wasn't as aware as I should have been, but that's why they give you a short summary on the issues to read there, right???
I'm so glad it's election day.
I am so sick of the political advertisements on TV.
They really get out of hand with these freaking ads.
Now, thank goodness, they will go away.
Now, we have the stories and stories and stories of the myriad of mistakes, misvotes, and misprints to which we have to look forward...
Yay...
I can't wait.

I have to say last night I found myself torn...
I was torn about for whom I was going to vote...
I mean, I've been raised in a household that has mostly leaned towards the republican point of view.....
I've been raised by moral values voters.
So it basically came down to killing babies or economic struggle......
Tough choice.....
My best friend told this morning that she had a huge sheet of paper upon which she had scrolled her likes and dislikes about the two main candidates.
Then she said, "I might have to go Ralph Nader. That guy just doesn't quit."
lol.
Sweet Samantha....
She also said something to the effect of, "...because my one vote is going to decide the whole election."
At this point, though, to each individual american with a political opinion, it probably does matter for whom you vote (Myself included), I'm just going to say that if you are registered to vote, then go VOTE.
PERIOD.

Now, I'm going to get off my mini soapbox and curl up into a sickly ball on the couch.

The afterthought.....

Weekend one of King Lear is done.
It went well.
There were some goof-ups, but that comes with the territory.
Overall, it was good.
Yeah....
Something I was grateful for yet still made me laugh was that someone decided to put a synopsis of the show in the program.
Genius idea, says I.
I know a few audience members made reference to this more than once during their watching the show.
I know I've been to a few shows that WEREN'T Shakespeare for which I needed a guide to tell me what the heck was going on.
So yeah...
The first part is over...
Now all I have to do is wait for Wednesday, for brush-up....
*SIGH*

Opening niiiiiiiiight... It's opening niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight....

Opening night.
Wow.
Well..
We've made it.
We being the cast/crew of King Lear.
Well...
Sorta.
We still have to do the show.... 9 more times.
Some of us may not last.
I can totally see some killing others...
You know...
Cast members...
disappearing...
Or suddenly going the way of poor Regan...
The funny thing is how that kinda is a reality...
lol.
I think it is funny how you get to know folks in a cast.
I mean, I've met some interesting... I mean INTERESTING people in this cast.
This play has allowed me to continue my relationship with Rosebriar and Manny, who I just think is the bee's knees...
I have met another long lost sister in Danielle who shall never be rid of me now...
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
LOL.
This play has also taken me further into the sick and twisted world of thespianism...
Within this cast of interesting characters, I have seen the gambit of acting ability/experience on display.
I have seen different takes on scenes and characters, different attitudes....
It's been a while since I've been involved with an all adult cast, and I had forgotten how adult actors can be at times.
Another interesting aspect has been observing how these folks have developed their roles and developed into their roles...
If at all...
I myself am still kicking around a few ideas about my character.
The interaction between the actors, not the characters but the actors themselves, is ALWAYS a delight.
Theatre is the best place to see how different folks handle different situations, much like church.
This overall has been a roller coaster ride of craziness that I have... for the most part, enjoyed.

Oh.
BTW.
My scarecrow was awarded second place.
To the Tin Man-wannabe made by some locally owned heating and cooling company.
Such a crock....
I worked my bum off on that thing and rushed it to town hall just so it would be there by the "deadline" of 8 o'clock pm...
Ohmg, only to find out that there were others that were still coming in.
I mean, I saw scarecrows waiting to posted in the alley way as of last Sunday.
WHAT?
Small town.... whatever-ism....
bleh.
Oh, and what was my... "prize?"
(I choke on the word...)
A sandwich bag...
Full of reese's cups and despair...
And a crappy red ribbon on my scarecrow....
I swear the skull was crying tears of shame......
Those people are lucky I like reese's cups otherwise I would've stomped on the freaking bag.
Harlow kept telling me I should be happy I got 2nd place because there were a lot of different scarecrows and I'm not from Groveport....blablabla...
The scarecrow didn't represent me...
It represented Rosebriar....
It was Rosebriar's scarecrow....
Yeah, just popped that bubble...

Rocky HorrIBLE show...

As an avid theatre go-er and ongoing thespian, I feel a certain obligation to support my fellow thespians and theatre lovers when they themselves are involved with a production.
Such was the case last night when I trekked up 23 to 775 N. High Street, commonly known as the Axis Nightclub.
Accompanying me was my loving mother, my sister, and her friend Chris.
To what show, you may ask, were we going to attend?
Center Stage Players annual production of the Rocky Horror Show.
Ju, Chris, and I have been RHPS lovers for quite some time and were dying to see it.
MOM...
Not so much.
She was going to hang out with us, which is cool.
The night started rough when we drove around for 25 minutes looking for the freaking building.
Turns out Axis isn't actually directing on High street.
You have to turn Left on Hubbard, THEN turn left into the first alley way, as I learned from my friend Ben.
Ben, by the way, was/is playing Riff Raff in this production, and was the main reason for my desire to go.
That and the fact that it's the Rocky Horror Show.
Anyways...
We walk in with 15-ish minutes to spare to find that they have standing room only available.
Ugh.
BUT, this only costs $10 and, as we were all anticipating paying $15 dollars, I pulled out a $20 and paid for mom and I.
We found ourselves a nice spot to stand in front of the bar, and settled in for the show.
I took advantage of our spot and got my first Washington Apple for the night and diets for mom and Junia.
Then the show began....
hah...
The beginning song definitely set the mood for the show.
The gal came out to sing "Science Fiction picture show" and her mic cut out most of the song.
OMG.
Terrible.
OH, and let's not forget to mention the million young gay males that felt soooooooo compelled to yell out drunken and obscene call outs throughout the show...
That was the least of the issues, though, for I expected it.
(It was rather amusing.)
Then, Brad and Janet came out.
T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E.
He was clearly gay.
(DISCLAIMER: NOT BASHING GAYS. JUST STATING FACTS)
When they kissed at the end of "Dammit Janet" I think he gagged a bit.
The transylvanians were interesting enough.
All in black outfits of various sizes and shapes... and one male.
HA.
It became painfully clear that someone, probably the director, decided put the show to a carnival like theme, as Ben popped out of this strange black box-like set piece during "Over at the Frankenstein Place" with a green clown wig, white face paint, and a strange black smile.
He sang it well, but I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too distracted by his get-up.
Magenta came out wearing an outfit that looked like that of a gothic ragdoll of sorts.
She was walking with a cane, which means they decided to go with the gal they casted instead of their back up.
OKAY...
Columbia was wearing a strange black tu-tu, white skin tight polo shirt, and strange.. clown-ish (?) make up.
UGH.
Both the women couldn't really sing to speak of.......
Go figure.
During the Time Warp sequence, Columbia did a strange "Ballet (?)" dance/jig thing...
You know, instead of the original tapping.
OKAY....
THEN, Frank-n- Furter came out.....
OMG.
First of all, he did NOT have Frank's swagger, the essence.
NO.
He was also obviously gay....
There was none of that transexual/bisexual ego I know and expect from Frank.
His costume was that of a sparkly... gay Ringleader.
Top hat.
Small red, sparkly overcoat.
White undershirt and what I presume was supposed to a corset type deal.
OH, and black boots.
As my conservative mother (Who, back in the day, did frequent RHPS shows, but has grown out of it and became the mom I love and adore) said, "He's not even wearing the high heels!!!"
The rest of the show was just as disappointing.
NO....
it got worse actually.
Rocky was an adorable young black guy who, for whatever reason, was directed to hump EVERYTHING.
Okay....
The came the separate bedroom scenes.
I was on my second Washington Apple and feeling loopy...
Just thought I'd plug that in there...
Now, mom said that she came to the show expecting to feel uncomfortable because all of the talk about... you know, sex.
We all expected it.
It's apart of the show.
HAH.
Well, the curtain opens up and there's a small bed.
And there's "Janet."
Gyrating and moaning and in an interesting position.
OMG.
The scene with Brad was just as bad.
Mom went out to the car.
THEN, the "Creature Of the Night" scene.
Let's just say Janet ended up back in the bed with Rocky and.....
The last position was him standing with his back to the audience, and her, in front of him....
AHEM.
The last lines of the song, "Creature of the night.... Creature of the night..."
She purposely muffled them.
Yeah.
Now, I'm definitely not the most conservative person in the world, but I was very turned off and... yeah, I'll admit it, offended.
I mean, in the original show, at least it was suggested...
It wasn't so tastelessly and blatantly displayed.
I felt sick, but I stayed to watch the performance and support Ben.
I tell you what, though, we high-tailed it out of there the moment the last line of "Superheroes" was hit.
I was done.
And disappointed.
I spent the beginning of the show stating over and over that I was going to try out for the show next year and that I could've done a much better job at acting and singing than the majority of the cast.
However, if this is how they stage the show every year, I guess I'll have to let the auditions sail by once more and hope someone else will do it in a way the rings truer to the original plot...
UGH.

Yeah.
Talk about disappointment.
The highlight of the night was actually getting back to Circleville and going over to Tyler's to watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Jersey Girl....
Yeah.

Paper or plastic????

I've always like this planet.
I can't imagine living anywhere else.
It's perfect.
Not to far or close to the sun.
Ample living space.
Great place to raise a family.
Well... it used to be anyways.
It still has potential to be as it once was.
Really.
And with all this hullabaloooooo about being earth-friendly and yadayadayada I felt now was a great time to start "doing my part."
As I wasn't quite sure what "my part" really consisted of, I decided to grab an old Steve and Barry's bag in which I started putting all our used water bottles and pop cans.
YAY!
I'm helping!
Then, mom and I went to Half Price bookstore and purchased one of their oversized shopping bags in which you could fit a small country.
THEN, mom came home a couple weeks ago with a couple of those black Wal-mart shopping bags.
YAY!
More helping!!!
Tonight, while killing time after the musical theatre classes, I trekked over to the dollar tree to purchase a couple of trivial items.
As I was paying for said items, I noticed that this store also had its own form of the earth-friendly shopping bag.
I handed my money to the cashier (friendly thing she was...), and asked, "Oh, are those a dollar???"
"YUP" was the gruff reply I received.
"May I have one of those as well please?"
Plus tax, this bag was $1.14.
Life goes on.
As I paid for the bag, I held in several delicious comments as I watched this woman take the earth friendly bag and place it in the PLASTIC BAG THAT HELD THE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ITEMS.
Are you KIDDING ME??!?!?!?!!
FOR WHAT FLIPPING PURPOSE DID I BUY THE FREAKING EARTH FRIENDLY BAG IF NOT TO CARRY OTHER ITEMS IN WAY THAT WAS EFFICIENT AND EARTH FRIENDLY????
WTF?
On the outside, however, I calmly said, "You can go ahead and put the other items in the green bag and I'll just take them like that."
She just said, "Works for me."
OMFG.
I know I was in the Circleville Dollar Tree where common sense and smarts don't really account for much, but COME ON.
I just felt my mind begin to swell and explode as I walked out the door.
I truly had a "THAT JUST HAPPENED" moment.

Today just wasn't a good one overall, so that moment just topped it all for me.
I lost my cell phone to the bottom of the bar sink at work today.
I was hugging a friend and the phone slipped from my back pocket and gently splashed into the sink full of soapy water only to softly thud at the bottom of the metal sink.
I was hysterical.
Utterly hysterical.
John, the gentleman I was hugging, has generously offered to purchase a new phone for me, being the fabulous human being he is...
Luckily we had an extra phone here at the house that dad purchased several months ago, and it was in good enough shape to put to use.
Ugh.
Now I have to go phone shopping tomorrow.

We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office- Aesop

So, I was driving home tonight and I actually had acouple of rants going through my head.
Politics.
Theatre.
They aren't MAJOR rants, but I believe they are relevant to publicize.
Okay.
Politics.
Now, since I turned 18 in 2005, this will be the first presidential vote where my opinion will matter.Of course, I'm one of those young americans that has always wanted to vote and make my opinion matter.
I know.
Anyways, I personally think this election has been and will be one for the history books.
I mean, no matter the outcome, no matter who is elected, the next presidency will change history.We'll either have an African American President with a regular white guy VP, or a regular white guy President with a female VP.
CRAZY!
Anywhoo...
It's important that whomever we as individuals decide to vote for, we need to make sure we are doing so because it's the right decision.
Don't vote for McCain because you've always voted forthe Republican candidate.Really explore what both candidates have to offer.
Don't vote for McCain because you think Obama is aterrorist.
DON'T vote for McCain because Obama is a black man.
DON'T vote for Obama because Obama is a black man.
Don't vote for Obama because you've always voted forthe Democratic candidate.
Don't vote for Obama because McCain has a female VP.
Now I say all this knowing full well that the majority of Americans WILL vote on at least one or more of these midsets....
Which is sad.
Personally.
I'm voting McCain.
I was going to vote for Obama.
I really was.
I like Obama.
I get a good vibe from him.
I think he is truly concerned for the country.
Unfortunately, the small part of my mind controlled by the "moral Values" voter in me took over withinthe past two months.
SO I'm voting McCain.
Don't hold it against me.
At least I've chosen a standpoint.
Oh, another thing I love about politics is how peoplewill turn on you for your views.Hello.I'm in a play right now with a somewhat diverse cast.
Different strokes, different folks...
And the majority of the cast is for Obama.
However, none of us go at each other's throats when politics come up.
It just shouldn't be that intense.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm just one of those people who can see both sides of the story.
Whatever.
............................................
So that's basically my rant on politics.
A little worn out by that.........................
Give me a minute....................
Okay.
Theatre.
IF you cast someone and you know, casting them, that this person has an illness or has any conditions that may hinder their performance in any way, you should find an understudy.
JUST TO BE SAFE.
HELLO.
IF one of your cast members is injured and, physically, can't or shouldn't do their part, and you have someone else who CAN do it, you should let the second party step in and fulfill the character untilthe original is able to do so.
HELLO.
DO NOT throw people on the stage, ON BOOK, opening night.
DO NOT throw your original actor onstage with crutcheswhen you know you are doing a musical show that requires a bit of movement from that actor.
HELLO.
I've only been doing this theatre stuff for...a little under 10 years, and I get it.
I don't know why people 15, 20 years my senior do notseem to grasp these simple concepts and solutions...
I don't get it.
Common sense I guess.

Bllllllllllllllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

I'm too tired to rant, so lemme just say this...
We open in a week.
C'mon.
At this point we should know lines and stage directions, ja?
Just checking.
The sad thing is I'm not talking about one production.
I'm involved with a couple of productions and they share the same epidemic...
God help us now...

That's it.
That's all I've got.
For now...

you have caused the pain
when I have the need
you increased the stain
when I start to bleed

I find my self sinking
into this dismal dream
I know it's why I'm drinking
But it's not as bad as it seems

Sinking into the darkness
Trying to hide the past
I know this high is hopeless
but I wish that it would last

I can't see the light
I can't think about today
I know what is right
but where it is, I can't say

The Berry Picker's Triumph

Brush and briar
criss cross,
as if sentinels
guarding a secret treasure.
As I charge past their station,
they cling to me,
almost begging me
as a last ditch effort
to leave their precious wares
be…
Victorious, I ignore
the sting of the tiny barbs
and smile.
Slowly I search,
turning over leaves;
desperate for a glipse of a jewel.
Green….
.......Green…....
................Green…....
AH!
There sits my reward.
Purple, lush, gleaming
in the afternoon sunlight.
Despite the snag and snare
of the small thicket
I stretch and, AH, grasp
the small berry
with my fingers.
I draw back within
my newfound glory.
The sound of the purloined purple
bouncing
on the bottom of my pail
widens my smile.
Greedily,
and with more bravado,
I grab and claw for more
of the royal colored beauties
hidden under the foliage.
Several vicious fights later,
I emerge from the small forest
my bucket full;
my hand and arms scarred from the hunt and battle;
my fingers stained by the blood of my victims…
I am triumphant.
I am the Berry Picker.