Thank You, Greedy Wall Street Bastards.
Thank you so much for all the red arrows ticking by at the bottom of CNN's screen. Thank you for a credit system that will probably not let me borrow enough to pay off grad school, assuming I get in. Thank you for a housing crisis that will likely have me living in crappy rentals for the next ten years. And thank you so so much for an economy that will make it difficult for me to support a family on an artist's salary. And I guess it won't be prudent for me to have babies in the next ten years anyway, so I GUESS that last one won't matter, will it?
Thanks. A bunch.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
First ticket ever.
Yesterday I got a ticket while driving home from work.
I pulled out into an intersection where traffic was moving, then somebody pulled out of a driveway up ahead and traffic suddenly stopped, trapping me in the intersection. There was someone else angled in front of me so I couldn't go straight instead of turning, so I had to just try and pull forward as much as I could and get out of the way of the left turn lane behind me. Then the light turned red. I sat there, mostly out of the way, until the green light. And then I got pulled over and given a ticket. I might add as well that it's an intersection where people always crowd in and I never do if I can see that the traffic isn't moving. Also, there were three other people in the intersection, but I had the oldest car. So I got pulled over.
I am so pissed off. Couldn't I get a ticket for something I was doing on purpose, like speeding? It didn't even have a price on it. I just have to appear in court.... God damnit.
Yesterday I got a ticket while driving home from work.
I pulled out into an intersection where traffic was moving, then somebody pulled out of a driveway up ahead and traffic suddenly stopped, trapping me in the intersection. There was someone else angled in front of me so I couldn't go straight instead of turning, so I had to just try and pull forward as much as I could and get out of the way of the left turn lane behind me. Then the light turned red. I sat there, mostly out of the way, until the green light. And then I got pulled over and given a ticket. I might add as well that it's an intersection where people always crowd in and I never do if I can see that the traffic isn't moving. Also, there were three other people in the intersection, but I had the oldest car. So I got pulled over.
I am so pissed off. Couldn't I get a ticket for something I was doing on purpose, like speeding? It didn't even have a price on it. I just have to appear in court.... God damnit.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Trip to NY
The day I drove to San Francisco and hung out with my good friends Courtney and Allison made me realize how much I miss them all the time and how much I wish we lived even closer to each other. The wedding was such a blur that I didn't have time to feel it then. But thrift shopping on the Haight, eating Thai food, hanging out at Courtney's cute apartment and discussing our sense of self and style made it all come flooding back to me. Guys! I miss you again already!
So I moped a bit and worked some in the few days following, and then it was time to jet-set it to New York to see yet another dear high school friend, Olivia, and meet the mysterious boy she has been spending time with.
I worked until 5 pm on Sunday and then came home and packed for an hour, ate dinner, and was picked up and driven to the airport. I was going through security and who should I see ahead of me in line but Silar, from Heroes. I didn't freak out or anything, just kind of went "Huh" and continued on my way. Sent my sister Emily a text message about it as I was boarding, to which she replied, "Is he on your PLANE?!" I was about to text back that no, he wasn't on my plane, when I accidentally ran over the toes of a man in first class with shiny shiny shoes. I looked up to apologize and OH my god it's Silar from Heroes and he is going to kill me and steal my brain. But no, he was very nice about it and I went on my merry way once again.
I have since found out that it was NOT Silar from Heroes (which explains the non-brain eating), but someone else. But I KNOW I have seen him before in something on television or in movies, and it is eating away at me.
Anyway, we took off at 10 pm but I was plagued with smelly hippie girl in the seat next to me, who put her feet all over my leg and at one point was half leaning over onto my shoulder, asleep. So I watched the movie, which happened to be Son of Rambow (very cute), and didn't sleep at all. We landed at JFK at 6:00 am New York time.
I got picked up by Super Shuttle an hour (HOUR!) later, and then only because I chased the guy out of the building when he said my name too quietly for me to hear, but I noticed a large group of people leaving the transportation area and figured I should check it out. We then took TWO AND A HALF HOURS to get into Manhattan, so I missed Olivia on her way to work but finally made it to their apartment in the Theater District.
I got let in by a dude with a french bulldog and met Tristan, Olivia's main squeeze, on the stairs. He offered me a leftover omelette on bagel (which was DELICIOUS) and the bed, and I conked out for a few hours.
When I woke up, Tristan and I walked to meet Olivia for lunch in Central Park and we all caught up on things for a while. Then she had to go back to work. So, Tristan and I went to MOMA and saw all the special exhibits (except the Salvador Dali one, which I just missed, natch) for a few hours until I had to head back and get ready for the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Observership Party.
Which was good. I met 3 people that I really connected with after schmoozing a room of about 30, learned more about the program (it's basically like a job bank for people that want to observe theater run by the Director and Choreographer's union), and felt very much at home. Afterwards I met Tristan and Olivia who had been sitting in this big area in Times Square that had been set up to watch the Metropolitan Opera's Opening Gala on the big screen. I was sad that I missed it, but the party had been at the same time and that was more important. We three got pizza and headed back to the apartment to wait for Travis, a friend's brother, to come hang out. But by the time he checked in by phone it was late and we were all pretty fried, so we watched Bill Clinton on Letterman and then went to sleep.
Woke up to say goodbye to Olivia, then hung out in the apartment with Tristan for a bit and packed until we decided to go get breakfast at a nearby coffee shop. Came back to the apartment afterwards to wait for the SuperShuttle Driver to call. A while passed. I called dispatch to ask about the van, and she said they were a half mile from my destination. So Tristan came down with me to the curb to wait. I watched the van that was supposed to pick me up turn down another street and disappear. I called the dispatch, who said, "Oh, no, he was there a half hour ago and your phone number was disconnected." Which is BS because they called me the night before to confirm. And since Bush was speaking at the UN at the time they couldn't get another van out to pick me up. Even though I watched three shuttles pass during the time I was speaking to dispatch. Bastards.
So Tristan walked me down a few streets and I hopped in a cab to JFK. Pain. Luckily there wasn't too much traffic going out of the city, just going in, so I made it to the airport just before my plane was boarding, enough time to go to the bathroom and get a ten minute manicure. I know, it was the coolest thing. Then I boarded the plane, watched Be Kind Rewind, worked on concepts for my show, and touched down at SFO. I hitched a ride home with my dad, who had been up in the city for work that day. Whew!
So, what's happening now?
Besides trying to reorganize my life and finish writing wedding thank you cards, I'm rushing to fill pretty much all the positions for my show, as well as to find rehearsal space which is the real challenge. Until I find decent rehearsal space, I can't hold auditions. And the later I push auditions, the less time we have to rehearse the actual show. Yikes.
But I came back from New York with a renewed sense of purpose and the feeling that I can do it. In fact, I remembered that I used to do this kind of thing all the time - every 8 weeks, in fact - and even though it was really hard it did happen. So I'm just going to press on and try not to let myself panic.
The day I drove to San Francisco and hung out with my good friends Courtney and Allison made me realize how much I miss them all the time and how much I wish we lived even closer to each other. The wedding was such a blur that I didn't have time to feel it then. But thrift shopping on the Haight, eating Thai food, hanging out at Courtney's cute apartment and discussing our sense of self and style made it all come flooding back to me. Guys! I miss you again already!
So I moped a bit and worked some in the few days following, and then it was time to jet-set it to New York to see yet another dear high school friend, Olivia, and meet the mysterious boy she has been spending time with.
I worked until 5 pm on Sunday and then came home and packed for an hour, ate dinner, and was picked up and driven to the airport. I was going through security and who should I see ahead of me in line but Silar, from Heroes. I didn't freak out or anything, just kind of went "Huh" and continued on my way. Sent my sister Emily a text message about it as I was boarding, to which she replied, "Is he on your PLANE?!" I was about to text back that no, he wasn't on my plane, when I accidentally ran over the toes of a man in first class with shiny shiny shoes. I looked up to apologize and OH my god it's Silar from Heroes and he is going to kill me and steal my brain. But no, he was very nice about it and I went on my merry way once again.
I have since found out that it was NOT Silar from Heroes (which explains the non-brain eating), but someone else. But I KNOW I have seen him before in something on television or in movies, and it is eating away at me.
Anyway, we took off at 10 pm but I was plagued with smelly hippie girl in the seat next to me, who put her feet all over my leg and at one point was half leaning over onto my shoulder, asleep. So I watched the movie, which happened to be Son of Rambow (very cute), and didn't sleep at all. We landed at JFK at 6:00 am New York time.
I got picked up by Super Shuttle an hour (HOUR!) later, and then only because I chased the guy out of the building when he said my name too quietly for me to hear, but I noticed a large group of people leaving the transportation area and figured I should check it out. We then took TWO AND A HALF HOURS to get into Manhattan, so I missed Olivia on her way to work but finally made it to their apartment in the Theater District.
I got let in by a dude with a french bulldog and met Tristan, Olivia's main squeeze, on the stairs. He offered me a leftover omelette on bagel (which was DELICIOUS) and the bed, and I conked out for a few hours.
When I woke up, Tristan and I walked to meet Olivia for lunch in Central Park and we all caught up on things for a while. Then she had to go back to work. So, Tristan and I went to MOMA and saw all the special exhibits (except the Salvador Dali one, which I just missed, natch) for a few hours until I had to head back and get ready for the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Observership Party.
Which was good. I met 3 people that I really connected with after schmoozing a room of about 30, learned more about the program (it's basically like a job bank for people that want to observe theater run by the Director and Choreographer's union), and felt very much at home. Afterwards I met Tristan and Olivia who had been sitting in this big area in Times Square that had been set up to watch the Metropolitan Opera's Opening Gala on the big screen. I was sad that I missed it, but the party had been at the same time and that was more important. We three got pizza and headed back to the apartment to wait for Travis, a friend's brother, to come hang out. But by the time he checked in by phone it was late and we were all pretty fried, so we watched Bill Clinton on Letterman and then went to sleep.
Woke up to say goodbye to Olivia, then hung out in the apartment with Tristan for a bit and packed until we decided to go get breakfast at a nearby coffee shop. Came back to the apartment afterwards to wait for the SuperShuttle Driver to call. A while passed. I called dispatch to ask about the van, and she said they were a half mile from my destination. So Tristan came down with me to the curb to wait. I watched the van that was supposed to pick me up turn down another street and disappear. I called the dispatch, who said, "Oh, no, he was there a half hour ago and your phone number was disconnected." Which is BS because they called me the night before to confirm. And since Bush was speaking at the UN at the time they couldn't get another van out to pick me up. Even though I watched three shuttles pass during the time I was speaking to dispatch. Bastards.
So Tristan walked me down a few streets and I hopped in a cab to JFK. Pain. Luckily there wasn't too much traffic going out of the city, just going in, so I made it to the airport just before my plane was boarding, enough time to go to the bathroom and get a ten minute manicure. I know, it was the coolest thing. Then I boarded the plane, watched Be Kind Rewind, worked on concepts for my show, and touched down at SFO. I hitched a ride home with my dad, who had been up in the city for work that day. Whew!
So, what's happening now?
Besides trying to reorganize my life and finish writing wedding thank you cards, I'm rushing to fill pretty much all the positions for my show, as well as to find rehearsal space which is the real challenge. Until I find decent rehearsal space, I can't hold auditions. And the later I push auditions, the less time we have to rehearse the actual show. Yikes.
But I came back from New York with a renewed sense of purpose and the feeling that I can do it. In fact, I remembered that I used to do this kind of thing all the time - every 8 weeks, in fact - and even though it was really hard it did happen. So I'm just going to press on and try not to let myself panic.
Monday, September 15, 2008
I'm Gonna Wake Up, In the City that Doesn't Sleep...
So thanks to my darling friend Olivia's offer of a couch and some borrowing of airline miles from my lovely father, I'm goin to New York! Unfortunately since I have a pretty tight work schedule that week it's going to have to be a really quick trip. I take the red-eye on Sunday night, get in at 6 AM the next morning, eat breakfast with O and her number one squeeze, sleep, maybe meet O at work for lunch, maybe go to the Met, maybe stop by the Society's office, get ready for the party, go to the party at 6pm, probably be there for 2 or 3 hours, come back to's place and hang out/chat, go to bed probably too late. Then the next day I fly out at 3 in the afternoon. Shbam. I'm a little sad that I won't be able to see any shows, but it helps me save money, so that's a good thing I guess.
This week I host two events at the book cafe, go to my friend Christina's birthday party, work Saturday and Sunday proctoring tests and babysit for a ton of kids Saturday evening, and then I'm off!
So thanks to my darling friend Olivia's offer of a couch and some borrowing of airline miles from my lovely father, I'm goin to New York! Unfortunately since I have a pretty tight work schedule that week it's going to have to be a really quick trip. I take the red-eye on Sunday night, get in at 6 AM the next morning, eat breakfast with O and her number one squeeze, sleep, maybe meet O at work for lunch, maybe go to the Met, maybe stop by the Society's office, get ready for the party, go to the party at 6pm, probably be there for 2 or 3 hours, come back to
This week I host two events at the book cafe, go to my friend Christina's birthday party, work Saturday and Sunday proctoring tests and babysit for a ton of kids Saturday evening, and then I'm off!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Proust Questionnaire
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being covered in puppies, on the grass, on a sunny day.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Being redundant. Or boring.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Selfishness.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Narrow-mindedness.
5. Which living person do you most admire?
I would say someone like Nelson Mandela, but we all know the answer is David Bowie.
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
Magazines. Masses of them. Because designer shoes are too expensive.
7. What is your current state of mind?
Hopeful.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Obedience.
9. On what occasion do you lie?
Very rarely and only to brief acquaintances, and then only to avoid causing pain.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My broken nose.
11. Which living person do you most despise?
Right now, Sarah Palin. The rest of the time, Ann Coulter.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Humor.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Humor.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I know, right?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Tie between my husband and theater.
16. When and where were you happiest?
Always when I am directing.
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
To be proficient in ballet.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To be able to always think before I speak.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don't think I've made it yet.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Ooh, I would love to be a housecat.
21. Where would you most like to live?
If not here, then Scotland.
22. What is your most treasured possession?
It's so shallow, but my secondhand Chanel purse. I will probably carry it until it is completely decrepit and misshapen, because I will never be able to afford another one.
I would say my wedding ring, but that feels like a part of me, not a possession.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
To lose the ability to sing.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
Directing.
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Apparently, my gaping maw.
26. What do you most value in your friends?
Silliness.
27. Who are your favorite writers?
Chuck Palahniuk, Edgar Allen Poe, David Sedaris.
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Rant Casey.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Buster Keaton.
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
Firemen. Seriously.
31. What are your favorite names?
Delilah, Odin, Iris, Thorn, Domino.
32. What is it that you most dislike?
Fixed outcome.
33. What is your greatest regret?
That I quit dance class.
34. How would you like to die?
As the curtain falls on opening night of the best show I have ever created.
35. What is your motto?
Don't Suck.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being covered in puppies, on the grass, on a sunny day.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Being redundant. Or boring.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Selfishness.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Narrow-mindedness.
5. Which living person do you most admire?
I would say someone like Nelson Mandela, but we all know the answer is David Bowie.
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
Magazines. Masses of them. Because designer shoes are too expensive.
7. What is your current state of mind?
Hopeful.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Obedience.
9. On what occasion do you lie?
Very rarely and only to brief acquaintances, and then only to avoid causing pain.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My broken nose.
11. Which living person do you most despise?
Right now, Sarah Palin. The rest of the time, Ann Coulter.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Humor.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Humor.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I know, right?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Tie between my husband and theater.
16. When and where were you happiest?
Always when I am directing.
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
To be proficient in ballet.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To be able to always think before I speak.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don't think I've made it yet.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Ooh, I would love to be a housecat.
21. Where would you most like to live?
If not here, then Scotland.
22. What is your most treasured possession?
It's so shallow, but my secondhand Chanel purse. I will probably carry it until it is completely decrepit and misshapen, because I will never be able to afford another one.
I would say my wedding ring, but that feels like a part of me, not a possession.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
To lose the ability to sing.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
Directing.
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Apparently, my gaping maw.
26. What do you most value in your friends?
Silliness.
27. Who are your favorite writers?
Chuck Palahniuk, Edgar Allen Poe, David Sedaris.
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Rant Casey.
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Buster Keaton.
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
Firemen. Seriously.
31. What are your favorite names?
Delilah, Odin, Iris, Thorn, Domino.
32. What is it that you most dislike?
Fixed outcome.
33. What is your greatest regret?
That I quit dance class.
34. How would you like to die?
As the curtain falls on opening night of the best show I have ever created.
35. What is your motto?
Don't Suck.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
MAMBO!
I've had this song stuck in my head all day, ever since I read that a friend witnessed a knife fight today on a San Francisco bus.
I've had this song stuck in my head all day, ever since I read that a friend witnessed a knife fight today on a San Francisco bus.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Aw, Puppy.
I took Stacy to the vet today for some routine maintenance, and when the vet tech tried to pick her up she peed all over me. And the floor. It was a lot of pee. I definitely have to take a shower before I go help at the bookstore tonight.
I know. I lead an exciting life.
I took Stacy to the vet today for some routine maintenance, and when the vet tech tried to pick her up she peed all over me. And the floor. It was a lot of pee. I definitely have to take a shower before I go help at the bookstore tonight.
I know. I lead an exciting life.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
Pudgy McPudgerson
So, I've become aware that during the honeymoon I gained a bunch of weight. It was bound to happen - tons of buttery french bread, crepes for breakfast every day, lots of delicious cheese... not to mention the fact that all I wore the entire time I was there was caftans and bikinis. No wonder I didn't notice.
But then I came home and had to put on real clothes. And I swear to you, the only pair of jeans I own that wasn't unbearably tight (though still fitting), is the pair that was two sizes too big to begin with. Luckily I still need a belt for that one or I'd be really worried.
I only gained about 5 1/2 pounds of actual weight in the last three weeks, but it seems to have all gone directly to my stomach. It's genetic as well, I think - my grandmother was skinny her whole life but always had a potbelly. I need to stop doing dessert and do some sit ups, I really do. We'll see if I'm motivated enough.
I sent in yet another application for a theater job today, but I'm going to do my best not to think about it so that I will be pleasantly surprised if it happens. Because thinking about all the progress I am not making (coupled with the weight gain and the hair cut) is causing me to be very depressed.
So, I've become aware that during the honeymoon I gained a bunch of weight. It was bound to happen - tons of buttery french bread, crepes for breakfast every day, lots of delicious cheese... not to mention the fact that all I wore the entire time I was there was caftans and bikinis. No wonder I didn't notice.
But then I came home and had to put on real clothes. And I swear to you, the only pair of jeans I own that wasn't unbearably tight (though still fitting), is the pair that was two sizes too big to begin with. Luckily I still need a belt for that one or I'd be really worried.
I only gained about 5 1/2 pounds of actual weight in the last three weeks, but it seems to have all gone directly to my stomach. It's genetic as well, I think - my grandmother was skinny her whole life but always had a potbelly. I need to stop doing dessert and do some sit ups, I really do. We'll see if I'm motivated enough.
I sent in yet another application for a theater job today, but I'm going to do my best not to think about it so that I will be pleasantly surprised if it happens. Because thinking about all the progress I am not making (coupled with the weight gain and the hair cut) is causing me to be very depressed.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
More Post-Honeymoon Antics
So besides taking care of Cj during his horrific fever escapade, I dropped by our friend Joe's bakery (he did our wedding cake) on Sunday to help them move into their new space. Woo man it was a haul, from about 9 in the morning until 11:30 at night, but I have to say it was fun as hell. Even if I am still sore and bruised all to hell three days later.
Other than that, I've spent most of my post-honeymoon time going through wedding presents, writing thank you notes, and attempting to find space in closets and the shed to put it all. We really need to move out. But you all know all the problems with that one. I've put out a ton of resumes and made a bunch of calls, but nobody's biting. I'll just have to keep doing what I'm doing and get a few side projects in before the December due date for CalArts.
I went to the social security administration office yesterday to put in for a new card with my new name. I thought it was going to take FOREVER, like you would expect with a government office, so I put an hour on the meter and went inside. There were about 12 people sitting in chairs waiting to be helped, so I went "Great," then noticed there was a self-check in computer over in the corner. I punched a couple buttons and got my number, which was IMMEDIATELY called. I felt really bad walking by all those people sitting there waiting to get up to the front, specially since some of them looked disgruntled about it. But I was done in ten minutes, and I get a new card in ten days. Step one in the process done. I'm sure step 2 (DMV) is going to take a hell of a lot longer.
And finally, I cut my hair. Chopped it all off, like I said I was going to for months. Annnd.... it was a mistake. First time in my whole life I've regretted a hair cut, despite the fact that other people have told me it looks cute. I'll post pictures of it, but first I have to decide if I'm going to try and do anything with it to make myself feel better about it. It just makes me feel like a 12 year old, and not like a girl at all. Oh well.
So besides taking care of Cj during his horrific fever escapade, I dropped by our friend Joe's bakery (he did our wedding cake) on Sunday to help them move into their new space. Woo man it was a haul, from about 9 in the morning until 11:30 at night, but I have to say it was fun as hell. Even if I am still sore and bruised all to hell three days later.
Other than that, I've spent most of my post-honeymoon time going through wedding presents, writing thank you notes, and attempting to find space in closets and the shed to put it all. We really need to move out. But you all know all the problems with that one. I've put out a ton of resumes and made a bunch of calls, but nobody's biting. I'll just have to keep doing what I'm doing and get a few side projects in before the December due date for CalArts.
I went to the social security administration office yesterday to put in for a new card with my new name. I thought it was going to take FOREVER, like you would expect with a government office, so I put an hour on the meter and went inside. There were about 12 people sitting in chairs waiting to be helped, so I went "Great," then noticed there was a self-check in computer over in the corner. I punched a couple buttons and got my number, which was IMMEDIATELY called. I felt really bad walking by all those people sitting there waiting to get up to the front, specially since some of them looked disgruntled about it. But I was done in ten minutes, and I get a new card in ten days. Step one in the process done. I'm sure step 2 (DMV) is going to take a hell of a lot longer.
And finally, I cut my hair. Chopped it all off, like I said I was going to for months. Annnd.... it was a mistake. First time in my whole life I've regretted a hair cut, despite the fact that other people have told me it looks cute. I'll post pictures of it, but first I have to decide if I'm going to try and do anything with it to make myself feel better about it. It just makes me feel like a 12 year old, and not like a girl at all. Oh well.