Death by Hard Candy

Every time the Marketing Director chews a piece of candy, a little piece of me dies.

There are only so many times that I can run to the bathroom to avoid the sound.

Seriously, I would chew off my own limbs if it would make the torture stop.

BBB and OHT

1. I'm tooling around on the interweb today, looking up venue information for US theatres. I opened the page for St. Ann's, and the picture at the beginning of the flash animation is a big group of people all standing out on the street outside of the warehouse, and right smack in the middle of the picture are Jason and Jessica from Banana Bag and Bodice. They've definitely gotten drunk in my living room.

2. That made me wonder what BBB is up to, and their website tells me that The Rising Fallen have a return engagement at PS 122 in January. If I can catch The Rising Fallen and Deep Trance Behavior in Potatoland in the same trip, I will be one happy lady.

3. I watched some live video feed of Deep Trance Behavior today. It's looking pretty sweet, with two video screens on the same wall, for a double vision effect. Lots of ladies in dresses. Fulya in elbow length gloves. After awhile there was a weird error where the video footage played with a free jazz show as the sound, instead of the sounds of rehearsal. Creepy.

Uh-oh. Missing New York. Better visit soon or I might to run away to Brooklyn before it's time.

White Christmas

It snowed eight inches on Saturday.

It snowed another four on Tuesday.

It's snowing right now, and it doesn't show signs of stopping.

I knew this was the Minnesota way, but I've never actually seen it happen. This is more snow that I've seen at once since I was 8.

Who's buying me snow boots for Christmas?

Glutony

Cheese and crackers
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Vegan Sourdough Dressing
Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
Cranberry Relish
Green Bean, Fennel, and Onion Relish
Applesauce
Peas and Pearl Onions
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes with Cheese and Sour Cream
Homemade Rolls
Lentil Loaf
Turkey
White and Red Wine
Red Tea
Coffee
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie with Sherry/Contreau Whipped Cream
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

I took a walk in between dinner and dessert and got a side cramp, and I feel a little like my eyes are going to pop out.

I am thankful for my roommates, and I am thankful that my roommates know how to cook.

A Christmas. . .

I'm in a musical.

What?



This is my first foray into musical theatre since. . .when?

Oh, yeah. Guys and Dolls, 2000. Does anyone actually remember me singing in that show? Yeah, that's because I didn't.

Needless to say, not usually my cup of tea, but you know, I'm hitting those notes better than I ever would have guessed. And rehearsals have been making me laugh a lot, which is certainly something I've been in dire need of.

The music is adorable, the show is charming, and we're a cute, weird, ragtag band of actors. If you live in the Twin Cities, I think that you're pretty much morally obligated to come and see it.

If not, I'll be taking requests when I hit the road for my holiday travels.

People I Like

As the week comes to a close, I've discovered myself on the blogroll here AND here!

!!!

Shame

I just posted a comment on one of my new favorite blogs, and as I was pressing the 'submit' button, realized that not only did I split an infinitive in an atrocious manner, I also changed tense mid-sentence. There's nothing I can do to take it back, my cheeks are burning, and I know, I just know, that the smart kids at Iceland Spar will never love me now.

We are a special breed, we who suffer guilt and shame and general physical discomfort for grammatical mistakes we make on the Internet.

It's been a weird day.

Ace of Cakes

They just made Scrabble edible.

Board, letters, score cards, timer (a regulation Scrabble game is 25 minutes - whoa), and Scrabble dictionary. All edible.

Those guys are my heroes.

Barrage

Okay, I've gotta make up for some lost time. Okay, 'some' may be an
understatement.

I've come back into the blog-fold for a few reasons: 1. I finally
read Kevin's travelblog, and it nearly had me in tears. Inspiring.
2. MegaClar asked me if I'd given up my blog, and she said she kind
of missed it. I like to make her happy, and since I can't manage to
pick up the phone and call her with any regularity, I thought I would
do this for her. 3. Joseph commented on my blog out of the blue,
without me having posted anything, and I thought, 'okay, now I have a
number 3 in my list of top 3 reasons to start blogging again.'

Plus: I really need a hobby.

Things I Think You Should Know About, If You Do Not Already

The healing power of The New Pornographers.

I've been really grumpy for about a month. All the time. I feel
sorry for everyone who's around me. For the most part, I think I keep
it to myself, but I know that at least my roommates know, because I
can't keep myself from banging around really loudly in the morning to
vent my frustration at life. Well, I'm kind of clumsy anyway,
especially in the morning, so maybe it doesn't seem any different than
regular morning-me. However, I know that I'm clomping on purpose.

Yesterday, when I was walking home, feeling a little like I was doing
the Charlie Brown walk, I put on The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic,
which I had forgotten has some sort of magical quality – I used to
listen to it over and over when I was in New York, I couldn't stop
myself, it just made the world seem to make so much more sense. My
mom was talking to me a few nights ago about learning to live in the
moment – a great idea in theory, but so hard to do – she said
something like "Am I okay right now? Yes, I am." A fruity
affirmation in writing, but if you know my mother, you can imagine her
voice, and it sounds pretty reasonable when you hear it from her. But
I digress. I put on Mass Romantic, decided that Halloween is fine day
to look like a crazy person walking down the street, and started
walk-dancing my way down Central Avenue. When I got home, I bought
their 2003 album Electric Version on iTunes (because I didn't want to
wait another day for my life to be so much better – sorry, Local Music
Store), put on my headphones, and cleaned my room (gasp). While I was
listening, I realized I must have heard the album before, though I
don't know where, because I knew some of the refrains before they
happened. It felt like fate.

I cannot tell you how much better I feel today. Thank you, New Pornographers.

Minnesota Public Radio Membership Drive

If you agree to let them thank you on the air, and fill in that bit in
the online form on why you've contributed (or, I assume, tell your
operator when you call), they will, in fact, read it on the air. I
got this message on callboard from someone I only vaguely know: 'you
didn't happen to just donate to NPR during their membership/fund drive
did you?

If you did, I TOTALLY heard them mention your name AND tell us why you donated.'

Be careful what you write on the internet. It may end up broadcast on
regional radio. (I'm totally putting that on my This American Life
application. Watch me.)

***Update: Nathan Keepers and Dominique Serrand also heard me mentioned on NPR. I'M FAMOUS.

Deep Trance Behavior In Potatoland

Richard Foreman's newest work at the Ontological. I'm pretty stoked
(did I just type that word? Who am I today?); I just have to decide
when I can feasibly arrange a trip to the Big Apple, what with my
vacation time not technically kicking in until March. I kind of want
to go to opening weekend. . .we'll see.

The big news (news to me, anyway): two of my fellow interns are in the
show this year! I'm totally delighted, and a little bit jealous
(apparently my stand-in work for the Aviator last year didn't capture
Richard's soul to quite the extent I might have hoped.) Caitlin and
Fulya both seem to have an appropriate presence for Richard's stage,
not to mention they know exactly what to expect in rehearsals. GO
INTERNS! Way to get paid a little to be there. That's what I'm
talkin' about.


The Deception



Holy crap, is this show beautiful. I wish that everyone could see it.
I wish that everyone in Minneapolis WOULD see it. Come on, people,
you don't have much time left.

Strange Love

I would pay money to watch Charles Campbell point and scratch his
head. In fact, I think that I have (Elliott's piece in Capture!Rama),
and I would gladly do it again. Strange Love, though, was so much
more than that. The first part – The Device – was a stark labyrinth
of surveillance and old, broken things that seemed to have secret
lives as instruments of torture – I wished that I hadn't been warned
not to take too long in the labyrinth, because then I took note of
everything quickly, and once I was through, I felt like I couldn't go
back. I also had a strong reaction to going through it with other
people. For some reason I felt like I wouldn't get the desired effect
if I experienced with other people, so I spent too much time worrying
if I was alone. Which was, in itself, part of my experience, so I
can't knock it.

The eventual (solo) performance was like nothing I've ever seen,
really. I've never seen someone playing a variety of characters, not
specifically for comic effect, or within a narrative (see: Spalding Gray) or to some undesired comic effect (see:
High School Dramatic Interpretation). His changes between characters
were subtle yet clear, always surprising but never inappropriately
jarring, and always in some kind of communication with what was
happening on the video screen behind him. One of the best uses of
video in theatre I've seen. And the few times that he entered into
the theatrical conversation as himself, specifically after the planned but unrehearsed interruption of a different guest artist each night (in my case a hula dancer playing a ukulele), were especially surprising and delightful.

Skewed Visions is trying to put together a grant for a residency, and if they work that out, I'm going to be the first in line.

The Dark Side of the Brothers Grimm

Don't let the name fool you - it was awesome.

Puppies In the Workplace

As long as they aren't a certain small dog that likes to bite girls that aren't their own, unprovoked, cute puppies in the workplace is a day maker. I'm waiting for Rico and Zach to have a playdate in the office. I plan to do no work that day, but play with puppies.

I can't believe I like dogs now. I blame Chuck from Dooce.com.



Whew. I think I'm done. Next time: A Gift from Planet BX63, and Why I'll Never Look At Ladybugs the Same Way.

More Nostalgia

Reverend Billy is reading from his book "What Would Jesus Buy?" on CSPAN-2.

He's looking healthier than the last time I spied him, on the steps of St. Mark's. Not being in jail looks good on him. Speaking of sermons and choirs and histrionics in Disneyland on Christmas day.

He knows how to work a reading.

Time Warp

Friday Afternoon, 2:00 PM. Used my lunch break to walk across the river to deposit the artistic director's check in the bank (he's in Cambridge. . .I still haven't even met him). Lunch from Surdyk's (not just for booze, who knew): smoked beet salad with sesame seeds and ginger, tuna melt on focaccia. The perks of payday.

Friday Afternoon, 2:45 PM. Walking back across the Hennepin Bridge, goodies in hand, thinking about where Eric and I will have drinks after I get off work. Also concerned with the way my skirt keeps slipping clockwise around my body.

I look up just in time to see Vince Vaughn as I'm about to walk right past him. He's on his cellphone, surrounded by a couple of cronies, looking unusually tall. I smile and nod my head.

Wait.

What the CRAP is Vince Vaughn doing walking across the World's Shortest Suspension Bridge at 2:45 on a Friday afternoon? I moved out of New York, right? Sheesh.

Employed

I've been officially paid, and I just had a pen explode all over me.

It's like I really work here.

Summer Vacation

The summers after 4th, 5th and 6th grade, I spent living with my aunt, uncle and cousin in Lawrence, KS. Both my aunt and uncle worked from home, so living with them meant that my mom and dad didn't have to worry about who was going to look after me, what activities I would be involved in, etc.

I went to Library camp and Sports camp, I was on the summer swim team, I spent a lot of time with my cousin and the neighbors spitting watermelon seeds on the sidewalk. I read books and learned to use a computer and watched the Olympics and Mystery on PBS. I had crushes on boys. I tried to learn to knit.

What I'm trying to say is: that was the last time I didn't really have every minute of my day dedicated to something, and even then I had some specific activities that I went to daily or weekly. That was the last time I was truly, as they call it, "carefree." I had a handle on "downtime."

THAT WAS 11 YEARS AGO.

I have so much time on my hands that I've actually gone out jogging twice this week. And I watched a Lifetime movie, start to finish. And I've stopped counting how much sleep I've gotten/how much time I've spent on the internet. I'm so far fallen into this pit of inaction that I can't even get myself to use the internet to find out what's going on in the world. Iran? Who knows. I do know, however, a lot about a few people's lives in Utah and New York, the ins and outs of OK GO's music videos, and the lives of a couple of robots here and there.

The moral? Vacations make me feel like a big ol' creep. HELP ME. I NEED TOO MUCH TO DO.

America! Huzzah!

Last night we had our first official showing of America:aciremA at the Bryant-Lake Bowl. It started out as an unintentional final dress rehearsal, as the performance was exclusively for Ben's parents and occasionally the waitress who was in and out of the space.

However.

A group of four gay Canadians on vacation came in to see the show about 10 minutes after it started, and they gave us their approval. (Eric and Laura seperately cornered them while they were bowling later. They took the cornering well.)

A friend of the cast came in later, also, because she had the wrong time.

So. Our audience grew from 2.25 to 7 within the hour. Who could ask for anything more? AND we're expecting almost infinitely more people tonight.

Now, if only I could teleport to see various Robots and Journeys in the Big Apple, and stars and monsters in the Little one. That would make my theatrical life closer to complete.

Uncomfortable Nod

The Rising Fallen have stolen my little heart. Maybe if you give them yours, they'll be willing to give mine back.

Find them: http://www.myspace.com/therisingfallenmusic

Buh-buh-buh-bye. Bye.

Dear Sarah and Brendan (and Brooklyn, NY),

Pizza, beer, and whiskey at the Alligator Lounge (reminiscent of the first time I met you, Brendan), and now I'm actually panicking about leaving the dirty, pretty city. A month ago, and I was gung ho. Now that I am packed and have a flight out tomorrow, I am melancholic, to put it mildly.

Don't get me wrong, I am secure in my decision to go and work on theatre with incredible friends in an incredible town. However, I don't know what I'll do without you and others like you.

Thank you for the flowers. Please don't forget me while I'm away.

Love always,
-b

Rockabye Baby (Automatically Real)

In less than half an hour, they will start striking the set that we began building last September.

By morning, it will be as though it had never been.

And in 10 days, it could be as though I never lived here.

And when I say, "Oh, yeah, I've lived in New York," I might feel as though I'm lying.

I'm sorry it has to be this way, New York. Maybe I'm just too young for this intense of a relationship.

Pop Culture News

Will John Norris report on the happenings of the Ontological Theatre for MTV?

We get the best avant-pop celebs in this place.

Tu me fais chier

After the latest hiatus, full of parents and friends and less lonely times, I'd love to offer you brilliant pearls of relevent wisdom.

However, all I really have to impart this evening is this: two very angry French (does this sound familiar?) parents, yelling in English about the opera, yelling in French about how disgusting, disturbing, and rude we all are, while their teenage son stands around, looking at the floor, quietly trying to calm them down. Their daughter picked up the tickets (on time) and is sitting inside, enjoying the show, and they are 5 minutes (too) late and completely livid.

No, we will not ask your daughter to come out here. Why? For the same reason that we won't let you inside to see the show. Hard to understand? Really?

Je vous deteste, aussi.

Suddenly Everything Has Changed

Yesterday, 10:30 A.M. A balmy 62 degrees in NYC. People are out without coats on.

Yesterday, 3:30 P.M. Rainy, 40 degrees. I check mattmat.com for the first time in ages, read the new posts, make plans to start listening to Mr. F's eternal mix as soon as possible.

Today, 4 P.M. It hasn't stopped snowing in 9 hours, and mattmat.com is now a website for flooring.

The world is crumbling all around me. I think I need a hug.

Tonight's Special Guest

Michael Stipe. Yes. Seriously.

In other Mr. Sleepy news, surf on over to http://christianscientistsonline.blogspot.com/, scroll to February 5th, and read what the Christian Scientists have to say about the show. Yes. Seriously.

189 Fiber Pills Later. . .

Thinner. More regular. Happily full of banana pancakes, eggs, and coffee.

It's a good day to be alive and no longer dietarily restricted.

Stars In My Eyes

Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed picked up tickets for the show tonight. Seeing Laurie Anderson in the flesh took my breath away, in the silliest, most wonderful schoolgirl way, while Eduardo kicked my chair like a little boy. Whee!

I did manage to pull it together enough to tell them that they had seats in Row 3.

Awkward Moon

Full Moon Treats Tonight, Kiddies:

Two cranky Parisians sat in seats at the theatre that were reserved for someone else, and when they were asked to kindly move their butts, they refused, and were promptly asked to leave. A small altercation between the Parisians and our Maestro ensued, in which he called them "very unpleasant people," they referred to him as the "very unpleasant manager," and claimed rights to any seat they liked as per the general seating advisory online. He's the Maestro, he tells you to jump and you jump, goddamit. They didnt' seem to understand this idea, or perhaps have any idea who they were dealing with.

Too bad they paid with a credit card so they had to stand around while I refunded their tickets via the internet and have Shannon print out the receipt, all the while the Maestro telling them just to take cash and telling me we'd eat the difference, just to get them out of the box office faster. (They ended up taking Shannon's name and number instead, and for that our cash box thanks them.)

The Cranky Parisian gentleman's last words? "Yes, well, take a good look at my face." Really? Now what is it, exactly, that this face is planning to do?

Uncomfortable.

Because God Likes It That Way

Why, oh, why does St. Mark's always have to be SO FUCKING COLD inside? I have to keep on my coat and my gloves just to be reasonably defrosted. Snow I can handle, but this I can't take much more of. Box office girl needs a space heater.

Luckily (knock on wood) tonight is quiet out in the lobby. It is my job to sell tickets and merchandise, of course, but really I have been hired as the front line of defense against over-enthusiastic talkers and loud dance shows and 9/11 conspiracy meetings. The biggest event so far that I've been involved in dealing with was when the security alarms got triggered by one of the church staff and he couldn't get them to shut off. They were going off in two parts of the building. . .I couldn't help, because I didn't have the code, Shannon ran out of her office to help, Richard left the theatre in the middle of the show to tell us this was a disaster (yes, we know), thankfully the show kept going (thank God), and eventually things got settled down. I had to talk to the police ("no, officer, everything is fine. could you please keep your voice down, we have a performance going on."), but now I have the code, should it happen again. Yikes.

Well, those crashes sound like the end of the show. Better get ready to open the doors.

B-b-b-bye.

Blind Travels

I walked to return a video/ rent some bad TV at Reel Life, about a 20 minute walk from my house, since I don't have to be anywhere tomorrow until 6 (I have a few of these kind of days coming up, and plan to balance useful and useless activities. So far, useful: laundry, useless: Nip/Tuck. If you have any papers you'd like me to edit or liturature you think I ought to drink in, please help me add them to the "useful" category.), and I had to walk most of the way there by memory because my glasses were coated in snow. That's right, we're finally having some winter weather here in NYC, a fact by which I was initially perturbed, as my coat was breaking and I couldn't keep track of my gloves, but with this incredibly beautiful snowfall, all I could think as I was walking was, "I. Fucking. Love. Snow." Bring it on, Winter. I'm going to buy a hat, and then I'll be fucking READY.

I'm waiting for my asparagus to finish cooking, which I am having with baby carrots for a late dinner, proud to be at the end of day 7 of my liver reconfiguration.

(Yet I am dreaming, once again, of banana pancakes.)

Buildings and Bridges

We closed wicked fast tonight, and I was out the door by 1:15. I took this, and the extremely mild weather of the wee hours, as a sign that I should walk home. Perhaps not the safest idea, but what the hey, you only live once, etc.

Half way across the Williamsburg bridge, right when I was over the river, I realized that literally no one else was on the whole foot bridge, going either direction. I only saw three cyclists the whole half hour I spent walking the bridge. I took this as another sign: that I should start singing very loudly along with my music. I didn't stop until I was a block away from my house.

I hope to remember this evening most of all.

Always Yes? Always (No)?

Numero Uno: I've spent too many hours a week (say, 45 minimum) around baked goods and chocolate. I've been eating too many waffles/ not enough vegetables. My body is revolting against this routine, and I am paying attention, so a week from tomorrow I am going to start re-cleansing my liver. I'm waiting until after the big dinner that Richard is having for everyone working on the show, and I should be done just in time for my mother's visit to the city. Wish me and my digestive system luck.

Numero Dos: Exciting things are happening in May. I'll give more public info as the Spring draws nearer, or if you'd like to know more now, just ask.

Much love from a much less grumpy girl.

Post Script

Okay, I can't lie.

I miss my Kansas friends like mad. All of you. Those of you still there and those of you galavanting. I'm glad that I'm here but I sure wish that I was seeing you all sooner.

Love love love,
-b

The Stone That Rolls Up the Hill Backwards Is Called. . .

There are so many things that I've been meaning to tell you, darling. More than I could ever go into without a seriously long vacation on a beach somewhere and your solemn promise not interrupt me, or to be irritated about not interrupting me. So we'll just start fresh in the new year, and we'll keep the lines of communication open. Cheers to a healthier, more active relationship, Blog! To 2007!

I would like you to know this, however, because I feel it is important:

Richard Foreman's two favorite horror movies are:

1. The Shining

and

2. "The first one of the those Sam Raimi things," also known as Evil Dead.

While sometimes a little too discerning, I do respect the man's taste.

(Note: I am, sadly, giving up my position at the bakery de la country music as of next Saturday, but for a good reason that I will go into at a later date. This means, however, that in two weeks I'm going to have the first entire day off from working somewhere (if not multiple locations) that I've had in three months. I'm going to get to have a day off EVERY WEEK. Big plans for actually seeing some of this city I live in, and entertaining visitors.)