I've Officially Lost It

So yeah... I'm helping out this other group.  The next three weeks I will be in some theater every day.  I'm only on day 3, and I'm already wiped out.  It doesn't help that I started off poorly - Monday night at the Designers Meeting I probably drank a pitcher of iced tea, then when I got home I took my morning meds instead of my evening meds.  Between the caffeine in the tea and the stimulants in my morning meds, I didn't sleep well.  Yesterday I ran errands at lunch, was at the theater in the evening...  Never did get my nap, and I didn't really eat.  Breakfast: Hot choco.  Lunch: Banana.  Dinner: McD's #2 w/Coke.  Before bed: a scoop of Brownie Batter ice cream.  Yeah, that's healthy... I am so wiped out right now, and it's only 815a.  I've had a headache for the last two days, so this morning we're starting off with an Excedrin breakfast.  Wahoo!

All that aside, the shows are going to be great.  I'm going to survive the next three weeks without breaking a car, losing my day job, or severely destroying my health, demmit!  I miss Mr. Blondie and the kitty babies greatly, but I'll make it up to them.

Wanna see some good community theater?  Drop me a line.  I'll hook you up.  :-)

It's Good To Feel Needed

Well, my year didn't exactly start out as planned.
January was to be quiet.
February - A few rehearsals, a few meetings, lots of planning and drawing.
March - Design & run a 4 week show.
April - Design & run a 4 week show.
May - Design & run a 2 week show.
Between the closing of one show and the opening of the next I have anywhere from 4 to 7 days.  By May 16, I'd be done and ready to enjoy the next few months of peace.

Obviously, things didn't exactly go that way.
January - filled with doctor's appointments.  Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Surgeon, Gastroenterologists, blood work, x-rays, blood work, CT scans, colonoscopy, blood work.  Every other day I was at a hospital or doctor's office.
February  - mixture of the same medical issues, with a handful of production meetings, planning, and another stint in the hospital due to the failed attempt at sleep driving on the highway in rush hour traffic.  This caused me to drop the March show.  I'm still pissed about that.
March - more doctor visits and blood work, but not as frequent.  The last two weeks in March have become filled with production meetings and rehearsals.  I'm back on my schedule and Lord willing, will complete it without further interruption.

Today I receive an email from a director who is working with the group I was supposed to be lighting right now.  His show goes up mid April.  Needs an LD.  Hmm... With the guilt I feel for having to drop the last one, I'd really like to help.  However, I have three days available next week, and three days available between when my April show opens and when he has his first audience.  That's not much time.  However...  If the lights remain in the ceiling from the show I didn't do, it'll take no time to re-aim a couple specials and write cues.  Provided of course the new show's set isn't too much different. 

In the middle of looking at my calendar to determine if it was really worth it to try and help this guy out, my brain just stopped.  WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING?  I know...  I've been very sick, I totaled my car, I barely have the energy to walk up the steps to my apartment.  I have to hang and focus the April show myself, and his show may require the same.  I haven't been awake for more than 9 hours without a 2 hour nap since November.  Did I reply back to Mr. Director with the few dates I had open?  Yup. There's no better time than now to get myself back into shape!

Right?

(chirp...  chirp...)
 

Riiiiiigghhht....  Lunatic.  But I'm a happy lunatic.

I Don't Care Who You Are...

That right there is funny!

WARNING: Please Return Census

I received my census form a couple weeks ago.  I dutifully completed as much as I felt necessary.  The next day, I dropped it back in the mail.  Done. 

I've since received TWO post cards in the mail reminding me to send in the census I sent in two weeks ago.  Thank you for wasting more money on paper and postage.

I have much better ways of wasting my tax dollars.  Ben & Jerry's ice cream is a GREAT way to waste my tax dollars.  Plus it keeps me more sane.  Sounds like a win-win to me.

WARNING: Census is Coming

How incredibly stupid is it that I received a letter telling me that I'll receive the 2010 Census next week?  Just send the damn thing.  I'm not an environmentalist wacko, but I also don't like to waste.  Thanks for keeping the Post Office open, but really? I can find a much better use for those trees you used to make the paper I recycled.  Like using it to smack the person who decided that was a good idea upside the head.  Oh wait, this is a Gov't thing, isn't it?  'Nuf said.

Out With The Old, In With The New

I am feeling better since my car accident.  Bad news - they totaled my little Focus.  Good news, I used the money to buy a new car...











This thing is so fun to drive!  I can't wait until the weather gets warm and I can put the top down.  It's the first manual transmission car I've had in years...  Bumper to bumper traffic on 270 isn't very fun on my left knee, but I'll be happy to get used to it!

For years I have dreamed of owning a Mercedes convertible.  I finally got one!  It's not the one I would have wanted, but it's a step.  This one is a 2004 with 38K miles.  She was kept in immaculate condition.  :-)

Sleep-Driving: FAIL

Kids, don't try this at home.

On Monday, 2/22, on my way to work, I'm toodling down I-270 in DC's typical stop and go traffic.  Stop... Go... Stop... Go...  Somewhere in there I missed a Stop...

Did you see my license plate?  How does that happen?  I rear-ended an Accord.  Looking at the other person's car, you'd think I just scratched the bumper.  Did you see the HOLE in my license plate??

Ugh...  I was supposed to open a show next week.  I would have been at the theater Monday afternoon.  But no.  I fall asleep on 270 and that screws up the whole thing.  I feel so bad...  I've been working on this project for a while now, and was really looking forward to being a part of it.  Thankfully, the theater community pulled together and covered my pathetic ass.  People are doing what I typically do for other groups.  Pop in with a week to go and fix/redo it all.  I feel horrible about it.  My stage manager is ready to kick my ass for being so hard on myself.  I know I didn't do it on purpose.  But still...

I'm okay.  My ankle is not really happy.  Apparently my tendons don't appreciate me slamming the brake pedal to the floor.  Not that it did much good since everything was done by the time I hit the pedal.  I'm in a collar for the rest of the week.  I'm very sore, and headaches are constant.  Upside - my rental is a Toyota Avalon.  One of the models involved in the RECALL.  I can't imagine they'd still be loaning the vehicle if it had the acceleration issue.  I hope...  Nice car, but not for me.  Too wide.  I don't like the position of the side mirrors - hard to see well.  I thought the ride would be smoother than it is, too.  Ah well.  I don't know yet if my car is repairable.  The air bag did not go, so that's a plus.  Hopefully I'll know in the next day or so.  In the meantime, drugs and rest, heat and rest, drugs and rest, stretch and rest, drugs and rest, ice and rest, drugs and rest....

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

Yup, we did it.  And here's proof.  What an awesome day.

Click here: Our Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics

Am I REALLY Doing This??

Yup.  I am participating in the 14th annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge to support the Maryland Special Olympics.  I've done it the last few years, and this year is no different.

I know, you think I'm crazy.  Well I am, but really Mr. Blondie is the crazy one.  He thinks jumping into the ocean in the freezing weather is fun.  He doesn't need a reason to do it.  But to get me to do it, he had to find a really good reason.  'It'll be fun!' just wasn't, and won't ever be, enough.  So he finds this.  Knowing that I have a soft spot in my heart for Special Olympics, he talked me into it.

We've done it a few years now, so we are getting better at being prepared for what to expect.  The first year we did it, they ended up with almost twice as many participants as they had planned for.  Each year it's gotten bigger and bigger.  This year is no exception.

However, the weather this year is a little different.  The past few years the temps have been in the upper 30's, low 40's and lots of sunshine.  Last year there was a bit of a breeze to deal with, but we all survived.  Tomorrow they're expecting the high to be 25 degrees, 10 mph winds, and a 50% chance of snow.  Yippee...

I know I don't sound very enthusiastic, but this is nothing compared to what those kids and their parents deal with every day.  When you come out of that water, and see a bunch of kids standing on the hill cheering and screaming and having a blast, you remember why you're doing this.

Ginormous thanks to all of you who donated on my behalf.  Every penny goes to support the Special Olympics, and when you see what the kids get out of it, you'll know it was worth it.  Go here to get an idea.

MIA? Yeah, maybe...

It's been way too long since I've been on here.  The show closed and I collapsed.  It's the new year now, and I want to get back to blogging a little more often.  Plus I have three shows back to back starting the middle of next month, so there will be plenty to blog about.

I've spent the last couple months mostly recovering.  The Monday before Thanksgiving was the car accident (I was/still am in PT for my headaches at the time), then in mid-December it was a Colitis/Chron's scare.  We still aren't sure what I have (I find out on Monday hopefully) but needless to say it hasn't been fun and I've had zero energy. 

Other than that, life is dull...

If all the world is a stage, then techies are the forces of nature.