A Blythe Epiphany

Dornie, Eilean Donan, and Flodigarry - May 3, 2010

2010-05-03T22:00:00.006-04:00

Had a delicious breakfast overlooking the castle we're about to visit, Eilean Donan. That's my Dad, Aunt Becky, and Mom in the photo, with the castle visible through the window. Watching the new, gorgeous day dawn on the castle right before our eyes only served to enhance our anticipation.
(Click the pics for Hi-Res.)

Had a lovely chat with a couple who were also staying at our B&B, and then headed out for a tour of the castle. We got there before they opened for the day, so I found a quiet spot near the loch and sat alone in the pleasantly chilly air, happy to be exactly where I was.

The Castle has had an exciting history, given its strategic location at the meeting of three lochs. To quote their website:

Although first inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries.

Partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, Eilean Donan lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911 and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. After 20 years of toil and labour the castle was re-opened in 1932.

We weren't able to take pictures inside, so you'll just have to go see it for yourself. It's very well cared for by a friendly staff that clearly loves the place even more than the guests do. There are spyholes in the banqueting hall, fascinating recreations of food and cooking practices from the 1930's in the kitchen, and bedrooms fitted out as they would have been in earlier days, complete with little nooks and crannies and stairways to other places in the castle. It was a great day with beautiful weather (a brief spell of grey mist only embellished the scene).

I can never pass up a gift shop, but this time Mom and Dad got more goodies than I did. Dad got a vest, mom got table linens, and I looked for warmer weather clothes that I can wear at home, but only ended up getting some postcards and a cling sticker for my car.

From there, we traveled on to Skye, stopping at the T.I. for some info. The mountains are getting even higher, but there are still sporadic sheep dotting the hillsides. Mom, Aunt Becky, and I resist no opportunity to point every one of them out.

Lunched at a cafe, enjoying the cool and clear weather. We've been so lucky on this trip, that any wet weather has been light and/or brief.
<---SHEEP!
Right in the center of this photo is a tall, slim rock formation called the Old Man of Storr, to the left of it, the larger formation, is called The Storr.

We decided to take the bridge to the Isle of Skye, and on the way back, we'll take the ferry. Heading through the beautiful, stark landscape we finally arrived at Flodigarry Country House. I realized as we got there, that the houses might not be so sparsely spread out as I first thought, because Flodigarry is somewhat hidden from the road, down the hill a bit, and separated from the road by a wooded drive (and more sheep).

The main house is simply gorgeous - lots of wood, plaid, and stuffed game, with a welcoming tray of whisky just inside the entrance. I could see would really like it here!
The house overlooks the bay, from high on a hill. Their website states that it is a popular spot for outdoor activities - hiking, climbing, fishing, swimming (brr!), biking, etc. - and I believe it! Some day I want to come back here and stay a lot longer.

Mom & Dad's room is in the main house, and Aunt B and & I are in the Flora McDonald cottage - named for the Highland heroine who played a part in Scottish history by helping "Bonnie" Prince Charlie escape following his defeat at Culloden moor. She lived in the cottage for several years, and the larger adjacent house was built about a hundred years later by an ancestor of hers.

After settling in to our cosy cottage room, I enjoyed a nice warm bath in the Victorian-style cast-iron tub, then Aunt B and I joined Mom and Dad for a wee dram of whisky and a chat in the sunroom before dinner. It was impossible to hide how simply happy we all were to be here and in each others' company.
For dinner, I had the langoustines, a native variety of what look exactly like crawfish to me, but were less salty, perhaps due to the method of preparation. After dinner, we all retreated to our respective rooms, and I took my laptop over to the big house to partake of the wi-fi signal, which apparently can only be had in the lobby. I stayed there until well after dark, and quietly made my way back to the cottage. The house was so pretty at night, the ground damp and the air cool, that I dared to stray from the path a bit to enjoy the liberating feeling of solitary exploration of the grounds after dark before snuggling into my warm bed right by the dormer window in the attic room.

Culloden Moor, Loch Ness, Dornie 05-02-10

2010-05-02T22:34:00.008-04:00

Breakfasted at Westbourne House, including some lovely homemade shortbread made by our hostess, Nan. Following Mom's devil-may-care, let-serendipity-reign attitude, she asked me to find some possible B&Bs online last night to stay in tonight. Fortunately, her amazing luck was with us, and the first one we called had room for us!
(the memorial stone of Clan Fraser on Culloden Moor)
Left for Culloden Moor, and arrived for a 10am guided tour of the historic site of the final battle of the 1746 Jacobite Uprising. On the way in, I happened to notice Gerard Butler's donor stone. (squee!)
Our guide at the site was passionate about his subject, without being overly dramatic, and the weather was appropriately misty and cold. He very evocatively described the scenes of the battle - the events leading up to it, who stood where, Hoe many there were, how long it lasted, and the desolation of the battlefield at the end of the fight. One wall of the visitor centre was built in such a way as to illustrate the considerable loss of life on the Jacobite side, vs. that of the English, or government side. (click on the photo to see the details.)
The visitor centre was clear and thorough, and when we finished our tour, there were some ladies demonstrating how to turn freshly shorn sheep's wool into warm winter socks and sweaters. I was in heaven. But we couldn't stay - we were heading to Clava Cairns - a medieval burial site (said to have inspired events in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series of novels).

By the time we got there, the weather had cleared up, and since Mom, Dad, and I had all read the series, we really enjoyed wandering around the area where it all began. I kept going back and forth through the cleft in the stone to see if anything happened - if I went back in time 200 years to find my true love: a handsome, strong, educated, fierce and loving Scottish warrior with red hair, but alas. T'was not to be. Maybe if I go back near an equinox or something...

It was a lovely area for a picnic, but since we'd eaten already, we moved on toward Loch Ness.
The loch (lake) was vast and calm, and I could tell that Dad was aching to get on a boat and go out on it to fish. I wanted to get in a small sub and look for Nessie. We stopped at the Official Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition (not to be confused with the Original Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Center, which is completely different - update: they've now changed their names to Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition & Nessieland Castle Monster Centre, respectively.) and watched the film and walked through the center. It was interesting enough, and well put-together, but basically we spent $10 each to find out that it's unlikely that Nessie ever existed. Maybe if we'd gone to the other center, we could have gotten the other viewpoint, or at least a photo by the Nessie sculpture.

Continuing on, we came upon the ruin of Urquhart Castle, but since we'd spent (wasted?) so much time at the exhibition center, we had no more time to tour the castle. We stopped briefly for pics, but if given the choice again, I'd pick the tour of Urquhart over Nessie.

Continuing westward, the hills became starker and steeper. The heather is a rusty brown this time of year, and fewer sheep can be seen. (I'm sure Dad's relieved not to keep hearing "SHEEP!" every 3 seconds.) We stopped at Dornie for the night, at the perfectly situated Donan House, directly across from Eilean Donan castle. Mom and Dad's room has a stunning view of the castle, which is beautifully lit at night. Our host was patient with us Americans, and very kind. Considering we'd only booked the room this morning, I'd say we couldn't have been more lucky!
(view of Donan House from Eilean Donan Castle)
Dornie is the pretty village that faces the point where three lochs meet, and we had dinner there at the Dornie Hotel. I had some more haggis, with 'neeps and tatties, and Mom said that her dinner was the best she's had in Scotland so far - and that's saying something! After dinner, we strolled around the grounds of the castle, casting long shadows against the walls from the lights surrounding it. We can't wait to tour it tomorrow, and when I got back to the B&B, I "friended" the castle on Facebook. They have lots of photos, one of which "cheekily" proves that their kilted guides dress in the traditional manner. Suddenly, I'm looking forward to that tour even more!

Inverness 5-01-10

2010-05-01T22:12:00.004-04:00

We spent a leisurely morning in Pitlochry, a lovely town that's known for its hiking trails and big with outdoorsy types. I'd love to have more time to explore the area, but we're headed out this afternoon for Inverness.
Dad and I walked around the town, and I bought a couple of soft, warm wool sweaters and a hat to keep the rain off my head. It was nice to just stroll for a bit, with no hurry to get anywhere or do anything by a particular time. When we got back to the B&B, Mom wanted to go to the post office, so I gladly headed back out for a short walk with her. We stopped in at Heathergems, where they make "stones" out of the stems of the heather plant, and fashion them into jewelry and gifts.
We left Pitlochry around noon and got to Inverness around 2. Stopped at a roadside info center, got some maps, souvenir bath powder (smells of highland heather), and a recommendation of a pub to get a late lunch. Checked into our B&B, where the rooms are named for famous Scots -"Bruce," "Hamilton," McGillivray," etc.
We crossed the scenic pedestrian bridge over the River Ness to the town center and strolled around a bit, stopping to shop in a cute Victorian-style market area. But for the most part, we were unimpressed. To us, it seemed like a place that was probably pretty hip and jumping about a decade ago, but hadn't had a good clean and spiff-up since. I think we would've been happier to stay a bit longer in Pitlochry.

On the plus side, I found out that Inverness is where Karen Gillan (aka. Doctor Who's companion Amy Pond) is from. Also, it was apparently a big football (soccer) night, so maybe the majority of the population was at the match.
Dad and I decided that we simply couldn't wait for breakfast to eat again, so set out on foot in search of food. It was not easy to find. The restaurants we came to were either full, or had stopped serving, but we finally found a pub that was kind enough to find us a small table. I think we probably looked pretty pitiful by then. There weren't many menu choices still available by then, and since the place was so crowded, it took a while for the food to be ready, but we finally did get something warm and satisfying.

Pitlochry 4-30-10

2010-04-30T18:54:00.010-04:00

I got a cat fix this morning when Tessa, one of the owners of our B&B, brought down her kitty for me to snuggle for a few minutes. It was an unexpected bonus of an already enjoyable stay.
Breakfast at Rick's again - fruit and yogurt today, in contrast to yesterday's haggis. Probably a good idea.

Mom and Dad left to pick up the rental car, and when they came back, Dad was shaking, and Mom's hair was standing on end. Apparently, it's a small challenge to drive on the other side of the road, but an even greater one to shift with the other hand, look in other places to find the mirrors, and get used to a new type of car, all at the same time, while driving in a large, unfamiliar city. There was a light rain as we set out, so I was glad I brought a nice waterproof jacket. We headed for the fishing village of Anstruther, and watched as the soft, rolling hills gave way to coastline and scores of fishing boats. Had lunch at the Anstruther Fish Bar, a local favorite for fish and chips. We had the fish and chips. We were underwhelmed. Afterward, Dad and I went through the Scottish Fisheries Museum while Mom and Aunt Becky...did something else. The Fisheries museum got us thinking about the centuries of life on the water, the life of a fisherman (or woman) and his (or her) family, the ways it had changed through the centuries, and the ways it hadn't.

The weather was clear and lovely as we left the museum, so we wandered around on the waterfront for a few minutes looking at the boats, then jumped back in the car for the short drive to St. Andrews, a.k.a. the Birthplace of Golf.

Aunt Becky is the golfer in our group, so I know we didn't stay at St. Andrews long enough for her, but we did get a good look at the "Old Course," and watched some people tee off. They were setting up for the Open Championship, which will be held there in July. Even without knowing much at all about Golf, or St. Andrews, I could still feel a strong sense of history and reverence surrounding the place. I wished for a moment that I could teleport my golf-loving friends here for the afternoon so they could really appreciate it as my ignorant self cannot.
On the way out of St. Andrews, I managed to convince the group to let me jump out and get some photos of the beautiful ruin of the St. Andrews Cathedra l. Mom got out with me and we raced through the place as quickly-yet-respectfully as we could, trying to soak up as much as possible in a short amount of time. I believe that some day I must try to either camp in such a place, or take part in some type of reenactment at an abbey or cathedral ruin. Add that to my Bucket List.
We got back into the car and watched as the scenery rolled by, changing once again, this time to the beginnings of craggy highlands.
We made one last evening stop at what was to be possibly my favorite place on the whole trip: Glamis Castle. Steeped in history (and I really mean that), Glamis (pron. Glahmz)originated as a medieval hunting lodge, and has been in the same family since the 1300's. England's Queen Mother is of this family, and spent a lot of time here as a child. Said to be the most haunted castle in Scotland, it is the reported home of a servant boy, the Grey Lady, Earl Beardie, and others, who are said to haunt the castle and grounds. Also, Shakespeare wrote it into MacBeth, so it's got that going for it. All this being said, I think I could be quite comfortable there. There are over 100 rooms in the castle, but only about 11 were open to tour. Even so, the tour took about an hour and a half. I'm sad I didn't get the guide's name, because he was a great one - he clearly loves the castle, knows his history, and created a perfect blend of humor and respect.

About an hour's drive through pretty, sheep-filled farmland in many shades of green (Becky, the painter, could identify every one!) took us to Pitlochry, known for its hiking trails and outdoor activities. We noticed that the hills are starting to get a little steeper now. There was a short period of light rain during the drive, and then we were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow. We stopped for the night at Craigroyston House, run by the very sweet and exceedingly accommodating Gretta. Mom and Dad's room seemed plenty comfortable, but mine and Aunt Becky's was luxurious - large, with two beds, and a seating area in a bay window overlooking the little valley with the main shopping road and the hillside beyond.
We took a pleasant walk to dine at a nearby restaurant (yummy and light salmon, salad, asparagus and tea for me), then back to the room for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we'll sleep in a bit, and then head to Inverness.

Edinburgh, 4-29-10

2010-04-29T18:06:00.010-04:00

Stayed the night at 53 Frederick St, a very comfortable and friendly guest house located in the middle of the New Town section of Edinburgh. Awoke at 7:30 local time and went downstairs to Ricks for a light breakfast of sausages, bacon, haggis, mushrooms, potato scone, eggs, and tomatoes, with orange juice, toast & coffee. It was my first time trying haggis, and I must say I found it delicious. Similar to livermush, for those who are familiar with that southern delicacy.

After breakfast we headed to Edinburgh Castle, (try the 3-D tour!) built on a well-situated hill created by volcanic activity sometime around 340 billion years ago, give or take. The castle was impressive, and there was lots of information, from the wall signs, tour brochure, and audio guide. There were human guides around as well, and they all seemed very well informed, and keen to answer questions thoroughly, rather than give simple responses. This made me happy, as I was keen to hear their lovely brogues, and tended to make up questions just to get them to talk to me.
Highlights of the castle include:
-The Honors of Scotland (crown jewels) -including the crown, sceptre, and sword that were once hidden away from Cromwell's forces for safe keeping in a wooden box, to be recovered later by Walter Scott. The Stone of Scone is there, as well, having been taken from Scotland to England in 1296 and returned finally in 1996.
At one point, I wandered into the gift shop, as I do. I love a shop. There was another guide there, dispensing small sips of whisky to those of age who were interested in tasting what they had on offer. So of course I stepped to receive a wee dram. I don't drink much, and can't remember the last time I tasted whisky, so I proceeded with caution. "Do I just ... shoot it?" I asked. "You can,...if you like," the pourmeister replied, a little dubiously. At this point, another interested patron, who apparently couldn't bear the thought of such a waste of good alcohol stepped in and said, "if you just put a wee bit under your tongue, just up near the back o' your teeth, and inhale and let the air move over it, you'll taste the aroma first. And then you can swallow it." Well, that sounded pretty sensible to me, so I tried it that way. I definitely tasted the aroma. Not unpleasant, but not something I could picture enjoying on a regular basis, either. At that point, I noticed a small bottle of 16-year-old Lagavulin on the shelf. A dear friend had given me strict instructions to bring a bottle of it home, so I seized the opportunity to seize a bottle. I asked for and received a taste of the Lagavulin, and the difference in taste was like night and day. I love the smokier and more smooth taste, and was quite pleased with my choice. I'm looking forward to enjoying it on a nice fall evening back home. I think it will be a very pleasant consolation.
After the gift shop, we realized it was very nearly time for the one o'clock gun, a tradition at Edinburgh Castle. We stuck around to watch that, then headed to lunch at a converted cathedral, where I introduced my parents to the spicy joys of Ginger Beer. We then took a walk along the Royal Mile, doing a little window shopping. It was mostly kilt shops and Celtic jewelry, but definitely fun, and an enjoyable walk. We got some information about a ghost walk later in the evening, and then Mom, Aunt Becky and I split off from Dad (who was feeling a bit under the weather) and continued on down to Holyrood Palace & Abbey for a tour. We had just enough time to make it through before they closed, and we got to see the setup for a banquet to be held later that night, when Princess Ann was due to make an appearance. We saw the room where Mary Queen of Scots witnessed the brutal murder of her Secretary by her jealous husband. Strange to think that such a dramatic and bloody event took place there in that clean, tranquil room. The ruin of the Abbey was beautiful, but then I am always drawn to those things.
Dinner was a quick fish and chips, and then Mom and I rushed back to the Royal Mile for our ghost walk. We were led by two young men whose names I've unfortunately forgotten, but I think one of them was Alex. They were funny and spooky, and told us stories about the gruesome history of Edinburgh, and led us down into the underground areas beneath the city that are said to be haunted. Of course, I enjoyed the heck out of it, but such walks have never been Mom's cup of tea. I think she just goes along to be supportive, and because 90 minutes of ghost stories are still preferable to her than 90 minutes of worrying about her "baby" daughter out there all alone in a big foreign city. It's sweet.
We walked around a bit after the tour, enjoying the sights of Edinburgh after dark, and got back in at about 10:30pm.

On the bill for tomorrow: Rent a car and drive through the East Neuk fishing villages to Anstruther, and on to St. Andrews (aka. The Birthplace of Golf).

Edinburgh, 4-28-10

2010-04-28T15:08:00.005-04:00

Well, we made it.

We had smooth flights, and on the long leg from Washington DC to London, the four of us were originally to be separated, but at the last minute I was fortunate enough to get in an empty seat next to my mother instead of being stuck in the back of the middle section for 8 hours next to an elderly New Zealander with a strong personal scent and a penchant for talking. It would have been a long flight indeed if not for that empty seat.
I want to keep this post reasonably short, so I won't go into the difficulties of sleeping on a plane. But they are numerous, in case you weren't aware.
I realized at one point while sitting in the airport, that I don't have much of a dialect in my native country, so I'm used to people being unsure where I'm from. Here in Scotland, I am immediately recognizable as an American as soon as I open my mouth (if not sooner).
The final leg I had to take on my own, with Mom, Dad, and Aunt Becky following on the next flight, four hours later. While I love them all dearly, I relished having a little time on my own to navigate and find my way to the hotel. I planned to drop off my things and head back out for some sightseeing and general reconnaissance, but ended up sleeping for about 3 hours until the rest of the group joined me. So much for some alone time.
All in all, the journey took about 19 hours. I'm sitting in the common room of the B&B where we're staying, and the light of the day is slowly dimming over Edinburgh. We're in the relatively new part of town, as it's only about 200 years old, appropriately called New Town. Tomorrow I hope to see a little of Old Town so that I can compare the two. Also, more photographs, I promise. Today, I only got the one posted above before my batteries died. Boo.
Well, I'm exhausted, and after a delicious dinner of Arbroath Smokie fish cakes, a salad, and some "real ale"- Caledonian 80 (for Lamoureaux) - plus a short walk around the town, I believe I'll head to bed.

Pre-flight Checklist

2010-04-23T23:33:00.003-04:00

It seems that most of the trouble with the previously-mentioned volcano has settled down, and we might actually go on this trip. Preparations are proceeding apace. I'm mostly packed, but will need to go through everything again once more to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Which of course means that I will forget something. Probably my passport.
I ordered a globally enabled "loaner" phone from Verizon to take with me. What that means is that I should be able to take photos with the phone while I'm there and picture-text them to a twitpic account that will automatically update twitter, which will forward to a facebook status update. Yes, it's disgusting. But I can't help myself. My name is Epiphany, and I have a problem. Ten years from now, I'll read back over this and laugh at myself, in much the same way I laugh at photos of that perm I had in the seventh grade. You're welcome to join me, but be aware that I'll be laughing at you too, for reading a blog.
I was planning to do some cleaning this weekend, but an angel of a friend came over earlier this week and cleaned and rearranged and basically made my cute little house into a showplace. It's amazing. She's a wizard. No amount of cleaning on my part would have ever made it look this good. So I'm ahead of schedule, with not much else to do but work and anticipate the trip. That, and maybe plan a party or two for when I get back, just to show off the place.
I have the cat-sitting and lawn & garden care network in place, and look forward to the chance to pay these friends back for these huge favors they're doing me. They'll be the first ones invited to the party. Don't worry. You'll be second.
I've checked the weather reports online for Scotland, and it appears we'll have rain every day except one, and on that day, we'll have drizzle. Good thing I got a raincoat. (Actually, I've bought three in the last month, trying to find the perfect one - warm enough but not too warm, equipped with a hood, waterproof (obviously), nice color for the inevitable vacation photos - but at this point, who's surprised I'm going a little overboard?)

Drama! Nail biting!

2010-04-18T14:57:00.003-04:00

Well, we're set to depart for Scotland in nine days, but four days ago an Icelandic volcano with an unpronounceable name (unless you can pronounce Eyjafjallajokull - I clicked the wikipedia prouncer-thingy and I'm still at a loss to do it. ) erupted, sending a plume of ash right into the fly zones for global travel. The ash cloud has suspended travel indefinitely to the U.K., France, and Skandanavia. And Scotland. Yes, I know I said the U.K., but I wanted to be sure you got the full implications of my statement: I may not get to go to Scotland.

It's hard to be too vocal about my disappointment, because there are thousands of travelers stranded in places they weren't even traveling to or from. There are people who have spent all their money on holiday, and now can't even get home or afford to stay another night in a hotel. People can't get back to work, they can't start their honeymoons, can't attend weddings or funerals, ...the list goes on. I can't imagine the anger, disappointment and frustration they must be feeling right now.

That being said, I am rather nervous that I won't be able to go at all. I've wanted to see Scotland for decades, and we've been planning this particular trip for about 5 months now.

But really the only thing to do it wait and watch and hope and pray that the volcano stops erupting and the weather patterns take the cloud where it can't do as much damage. Any thoughts/prayers/wishes/good vibes you could send would be appreciated.

Nothing to report

2010-02-26T18:28:00.002-05:00

Yes, that's right. I really have nothing to say. Actually, I have tons, but none that I feel would be appropriate in this little obscure corner of the oh-so-public world.
That being said, I'm all aflutter. Yes, you heard me. Aflutter. yougottaproblemwiththat?
I think I'm feeling the arrival of spring.

Work has eased off just a little bit - enough for a little breathing room. We lost a full-timer at the end of last summer, and it's been up to me to take up the slack, as well as do my own regular job and take charge of a new software roll-out. Good times. I'm just glad I've survived this long.

I know that I will travel soon, with hopefully a minor trip along the east coast even before I take the major trip with my family in April. Impending travel is a lovely thing. The anticipation is delicious.

My garden is slowly beginning to thaw out. This is a good thing, as I desperately need to move some plants to form a fence - "herbaceous border" I think they call it - along one side of my yard. I think it shall be my project for tomorrow.

As I said, there's nothing really new or exciting to report, but somehow life does feel just a little bit new and exciting to me nonetheless.

I hope this feeling lasts.

History is crazy, man!

2010-02-18T20:49:00.005-05:00

One of the places we're excited to visit while in Scotland is the Culloden Battlefield. In addition to the historical reasons to visit such a place, Culloden figures prominently in a series of books that my mother and I (and now possibly my father) have been reading. I wanted to brush up on the history a bit before we get there, so I know what I'm looking at, so I've been doing a little reading. Tonight, that reading blew my mind. Read on, and you'll find out why.

From Undiscovered Scotland's Culloden feature page:

The Jacobites reached Derby on 4 December 1745. It was becoming clear that support from English Jacobites was not emerging as Charles as hoped. And it was becoming equally clear that the French were not going to invade in a timescale that would be of any help to Charles' Jacobite army. Meanwhile Government armies were gathering and the military situation looked increasingly bleak.

Charles Edward Stuart met with his key advisers in what is today the upstairs room of a Derby pub through most of 4 December. Charles was all for pressing on to London: the majority wanted to retreat to Scotland. Charles finally angrily accepted the need to retreat as night fell. The Jacobites began their retreat from Derby on 6 December 1745. What none of them knew was that the Welsh Jacobites has risen in support of them, and others in Oxfordshire were on the point of doing so. Neither did they know that London was in panic and that George II's court was packing his belongings onto ships on the Thames ready to flee to the Continent.

It has been said that had the Jacobites pressed on, George II would have fled; that the English and French would have avoided a further 70 years of conflict; that the English would not have had to raise taxes in the colonies to pay for the French wars; and that the Americans would have had no cause to fight a war for their independence. And, arguably, the French revolution would not have happened. The world might have been a very different place but for a closely argued decision taken in the upstairs room of a pub in Derby one dark winter's evening in December 1745.

Wow.

So basically, if they'd had phones back then, the world would have been a very different place.

Highlands on my mind

2010-02-17T13:49:00.002-05:00

This upcoming trip is occupying a lot of my mind, whether I'm conscious of it or not.

-If there's a purchase I need to make, I consider whether it will be useful in Scotland: New walking shoes? Absolutely. New curtains? Definitely not.

-I've been making the packing list in my mind since Christmas, determined to pack half as much as I did the last time, and trying to figure out how to make the most of the smaller suitcase space.

-I've tried to convince myself not to take my laptop, but I just can't seem to get that far.

-Travel books have become my new evening reading, and gleaning the choicest bits of information for inclusion in my small travel notebook is now my obsession.

-The movies I watch must be somehow related to at least Great Britain, with special precedence given to histories, or romantic comedies set in Scotland. (oh darn, Gerard Butler again??)

-When I take a mental break from work, I do tourism searches on the different towns and cities we'll be visiting, and write down anything of particular interest in my little book.

-As I'm trying to get to sleep at night, I wonder what's the best way to ensure a little nap on the plane before we arrive in Edinburgh.

I get more and more excited with each passing day, and I want to just go ahead and get there already! But then I realize just how much more I need to do before I leave, and that brings me back to the moment. Like right now, I must get back to work, and shore things up so that I can be gone for 2 weeks without the place burning down.

But if anyone has any tips for sleeping on the plane, I'd be glad to hear 'em!

Scotland Itinerary

2010-02-16T16:23:00.005-05:00

For those of you following along at home, I have the basic itinerary for our trip to Scotland:
Tuesday, April 27 Travel day
Wednesday Arrive in Edinburgh, stay the night
Thursday Play in Edinburgh, stay the night
Friday Travel north toward St. Andrews; through fishing villages of East Neuk; lunch at Anstruther, spend the night in Pitlochry
Saturday Drive toward Inverness; possibly visit Loch Ness, stay overnight in Inverness
Sunday Visit Culloden Battlefield and Cawdor Castle, stay overnight in Inverness
Monday Head toward Isle of Skye, spend night on Skye
Tuesday Head south toward Oban, overnight there or on Iona
Wednesday Iona and perhaps begin driving toward Edinburgh
Thursday Arrive back in Edinburgh (via Stirling)
Friday Fly home

New News!

2010-02-01T20:12:00.004-05:00

I'm going on a trip!

Scotland, this time. With my Mom, Dad, and Aunt Becky.

I will try to get this little blog back up and running, so I can post photos and journals of what we do while we're there. In the meantime, to get back into practice, I'll talk a little bit about the planning process.

First, how the trip came about:

Mom and I wanted to take another trip together, and ever since our France/England/Wales trip, we've wanted to see Ireland. Or Scotland. Or maybe both? Yes, both.

Two weeks was what we had decided on, and were taking it one week, and one country at a time. For some reason, the Ireland leg was proving rather difficult to plan, but when we switched to Scotland, everything just fell into place. I suggested to Mom that we just make it a week-long trip, and cover Scotland a bit better, and she agreed.

With the trip being shorter now, it seemed that we might be able to add a passenger. Since we knew that Dad would love the scenery, and we probably wouldn't be doing nearly as much hardcore walking on this trip, we asked Dad if he'd come along. It took a couple of tries, to get him to say yes (I think the trip's during hunting season or somesuch), but he finally did.

After Christmas, Mom and Dad managed to pick up another passenger, my Aunt Becky, as a roommate for me. I'm not sure how that conversation went down, but I know she's done a fair bit of traveling, and I think she'll be a good addition to the group.

So that's the "how it all started" bit. I think I should pace myself, and cover the itinerary and locations a little bit later.

'Til next time, I leave you with a bit of inspiring scenery:

I'll let you know if the picture does it justice or not.

random

2009-04-29T17:23:00.003-04:00

A couple of minutes ago, something prompted me to think of a happy memory involving a plane, and childhood. In an instant, I remembered my first plane flight. I was in 5th grade, and we went to Jamaica. As the plane reached cruising altitude, my ears really started hurting. I started to complain to my mom, and the lady sitting next to me turned to me and said, "go like this:" and she opened her mouth wide, like she was about to yawn. Without questioning, I did it and immediately my ears popped, sending relief through my head. I looked up at her and smiled.

About 25 years later, I was on a plane to France, and a little girl was sitting next to me. As we climbed to cruising altitude, she told her mother that her ears were hurting. Without thinking, I turned to her and said "go like this." We both opened our mouths wide, and then smiled at each other.

The seasons change

2009-04-16T15:28:00.003-04:00

It is my brother's birthday today. I can only reach him by email these days, and since we rarely make contact with each other, I never really know where to begin when writing to him. So I started with the old standby: The weather. I told him I hoped that it was as nice where he is as it is here, and that we've lately had weather periods that vaguely resemble seasons rather than simply "Kinda cold" and "Boiling hot."
Then I mentioned that I'd been gardening lately, and realized that I really didn't have a whole lot else to report. Certainly, there are plenty of things going on in my life, mostly happy things, but for the first time in a while, I didn't have a laundry list of stuff I'm doing - plays, projects, work,...etc - to rattle off. It's not that I'm not doing these things, but it occurred to me that they're no longer occupying the lion's share of my brain. I've managed to create some silence in there somewhere. I've made room to hear the seasons.

And that made me happy.

Thanks, Gary.
Happy Birthday, Brother.

Testing a Theory

2009-01-05T16:07:00.004-05:00

I know, I know. It's been so long you hardly recognized me. Well, I know how you feel. It's getting so I hardly recognize myself anymore.
Maybe it's just the season for reflection, resolutions, whatever you wanna call it, and maybe by luck or happenstance, the world slowed down just long enough for me to get my bearings. But I did, and I have a little nugget to show for it. And aren't you lucky I'm gonna share my nugget with you.

You ready?

Here it is: I think that the best times for creativity are when there's little else going on.
(I did say it was a little nugget.) Think about it: when we were all younger, without the deadlines and meetings and things to fill the time, we thought up stuff to do. Games to play with each other, or with ourselves. I believe that's why papier-mache was invented. Certainly rubber bands and paper clips and poster board and thumbtacks helped to both pass the time and foster creativity. And I noticed recently that I haven't had those bursting-with-creativity moments for a while now. You know the ones - where your brain is spinning and your fingers are twitching and your feet are jiggling to hurry up and get some place where you can put your ideas on paper, or make that cool thing you just thought of, or sew something, or write a song, or build a treehouse, or ...Something.
Well anyway, it's been a while. And I think the whole time that I've been ... I can't say the word. I just hate it. But it starts with a "bizz" and ends with a "zee." Anyway, the whole time I've been...that word, I've been squeezing the little creativity bug out of my brain.

And it's not that I want to drop out of life to make things with glue and bits of paper, necessarily. But I think the creativity bug and the curiosity bug are closely related. And it's one or both of them that makes me say at work, "I wonder if there's a better way to do this?" or "What new technology can help me do my job better, reach more people, be more?" It's that same creativity bug that looks around a room and realizes that rearranging the furniture a little makes it so that you can see the TV from everywhere in the room, so you can watch it and do something else, if you're of a mind to. Or that with a little bit of materials, you can start planting seeds early, and be the first person on your block with snapdragons in bloom. Or ... enough. You get the point.

So I must calm the beast that has become my life and let the ideas come. I need to become reaquainted with (is it too much to say 'the artist within-'?) myself. Or perhaps newly acquainted with who I'm becoming.

I know this sounds like more variations on a theme, and in a way it is. But I guess now the difference is that I'm not just missing 'me' time. I'm missing what I did with the 'me' time. The things I created, the excitement I felt at a new project begun. I'm seeing the what all this is costing me. And it's not worth it.

I've come to some big decisions, the biggest of which I can't mention here just yet. But they all go back to peeling away the layers of unnecessary things.

When you find/
what's worth keeping/
with a breath of kindness/
blow the rest away...

I miss you all.
all three of you who read this! :-)

That word again

2008-11-07T13:55:00.002-05:00

Yup. Things have gotten Busy again. Work has stepped up into overtime, holiday crunch time has started early, I'm hoping to be in another show, I'm designing lights for a separate show, etc.
I'm still trying to get settled in my house, but I don't get to spend nearly enough time there. The time change has gotten me all out of whack - Again - and I'm generally feeling grumpy.

On a lighter note, my lawn looks fabulous. Lush and green, as lawns should be.

Lovin' the weekend...and friends!

2008-09-14T09:10:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I tried to get a couple of friends to go with me to the local farmer's market downtown, but when they couldn't go, I decided to go on my own. Not only was the farmer's market happening, but one street up was host to a street fair for the arts. They closed off the main street for about 5 blocks, and artists set up tents to sell their jewelry, pottery, paintings, photography, etc. I started there first. I saw several people I know, so I spend a leisurely time chatting and browsing.

I found a cute print to go in the guest room, and a great pen-and-ink drawing from a 10-yr old kid (for a quarter!). I also found a new (to me) photographer whose work I really love. I wanted to buy some things then and there, but there was so much to choose from, I couldn't decide. So I got his card for later.

Then I got some more cash and headed to the farmer's market, where I got some fresh green tomatoes, locally made goat cheese (chevre just sounds better, doesn't it?), hand lotion, and some plants: sunflower, mint, and lavender. I'm looking forward to getting those in the ground after I finish typing this.

After I got in and put my things away, another friend called and we went out to a local garden shop to browse through their offerings and continue the planning for my garden. While there, I saw another friend I haven't seen in a while, and I was able to introduce the two of them to each other. They work in related fields and can help each other out a bit.

After getting back in, the sun had sapped a lot of my energy, so I just got some dinner, watched a movie, and headed to bed early.

Now it's Sunday, I slept in 'til about 9, and today I plan to do some shopping with a friend, then break the camera out to take some headshots for another friend.

All this to say, remember when I was so busy I couldn't catch a breath? I had so overextended myself that I had no time to just relax and be me, and hang out with my friends? Well, I think I've finally gotten over that. I think it could be a continuing struggle for balance, but at least I've broken the habit of over-committing myself. *whew!*

Now, off I go to play in the dirt. Happy Sunday, all!

For next time

2008-09-03T22:45:00.001-04:00

Things to remember when mowing one's lawn:
1 - wear gloves
2 - wear goggles (sunglasses aren't good enough)
3 - start earlier, before it gets hot.
4 - wear gloves

Still plugging away

2008-09-01T08:45:00.004-04:00

I managed to get everything out of the inside of the apartment by 11:58 pm last night. Feeling rather relieved about that. The problem? The stuff I got out has no room to fit inside the new house, so it stayed on the porch and in the vehicle. So that means I have stuff from the strike of the show in my car, and boxes full of junk in the vehicle. I have to unpack more boxes (in the neighborhood of about 20) and get rid of most of the contents, sending them to various locations. I have to do lots of sorting and laundry on the costumes and props from the show. And I have to clear out the jeep so that I can go back to the apartment for one more load, this time the clay flowerpots from the exterior of the apartment.
Oh. And I have to mow my (MY!) yard today too. And do a ghostwalk.
Time to have my coffee and get to it.

Edit: Skipped the coffee and went straight to work loading up the flowerpots from the apartment. Got them in one load and headed on back to My Home. What a relief to have that done, and be completely moved out.

Figured out how to work the lawn mower without amputating anything. Feeling pretty proud about that. Friend Amy has pointed me in the direction of some nice grass that I can plant that will do well in this climate, grows slowly yet still chokes out weeds, and feels thick and soft on bare feet. Next step is to kill off the existing lawn, wait a couple of weeks, and plant new grass. Assuming that it's not too late in the season to plant it. I'm feeling a bit of a pang at the thought of chemicals killing what little grass is there, but hopefully the end result will be a gorgeous lawn that doesn't take much water to thrive, and can be cut with the reel mower that Grant brought me (thanks, Grant!), cutting down on gas usage, noise pollution, and chance of personal dismemberment.

Now I'm off to shower, eat some lunch, and maybe pay some bills.

One Track Mind

2008-08-29T12:56:00.002-04:00

All I can think about lately is getting my house ready for company. But it's a good thing that I haven't set a specific date for said company, because it seems the more boxes I unpack, the more there are to unpack. Where on earth did I get all these books? Where did I put them before? Why did I think it was a good idea to have five THOUSAND notebooks??

As for everything else that was stressing me out with multiple deadlines at the same time, most of them have been dealt with, for better or worse, so that now I can concentrate on the move. Thank you, God.

I'll write more when I have something interesting to say. Maybe I'll tell you about that dream I had with Viggo Mortensen in it.

...but probably not.

Put the world on pause

2008-08-11T12:54:00.002-04:00

Working on a show that opens Aug 14th
Trying to meet a work deadline of Aug 15th
One friend in town from now 'til Aug 16th
Need to be fully out of apartment by Aug 17th
Another friend in town from tomorrow 'til Aug 18th

...must. keep. moving.

Flapper

2008-08-08T12:59:00.003-04:00

I put a new flapper in my toilet. Did it all by myself.
Bought it. Installed it. Got it right the first time.
Toilet doesn't leak anymore.

Hear Me Roar.

It takes a village to raise a barn

2008-08-04T12:32:00.006-04:00

I have the most amazing friends ever. I already knew I had great friends who are lovely and fantastic and who love me and who I love back just as much, but ...wow. I have been so pleasantly surprised and humbled at how giving they are of their time and gifts.

Yesterday I had a painting party with several friends. People showed up with painting supplies, drinks, food, chocolate, etc., and proceeded to get my house painted. Some friends dropped by just for a few minutes to check the place out and bring love and good wishes, several stayed for 3-4 hours and really cranked out the bulk of the painting, and one dear friend from high school stayed until the bitter end, sometime around midnight-thirty. People have loaned me their stepladders, extra chairs, vacuums and steam cleaners, color expertise, brute strength, lawn mowers, vehicles, ... it's just amazing. I owe these people BIG. I am so blessed!

So we got both bedrooms, the hallway, and the main room painted, and the carpets steam cleaned, sticky kitchen floor mopped - boy, was that disgusting. But now, the place is clean (and I took pictures to prove it!). No more smell of smoke and pet and stale house! Mom and Dad are bringing some furniture from the ancestral homestead to help pretty the place up. I hope to be fully installed by the end of the week.

Won't my kitty be surprised!

Progress Report

2008-07-23T11:13:00.003-04:00

House: Things are progressing normally, with the target closing date of July 31/August 1. Another move-in scheduled for August. I'm so sorry, Dad. I swear I didn't plan it this way.

Artistic Life: taking a short break from performing, working with my usual company on some very big changes, mostly starting ... you guessed it...August 1st.

Work: a relatively slow summer is winding to a close. Things should start getting busy again, oh, around the beginning of August.

Social Life: I have very dear friends from out of town coming to visit at different times...in the first couple of weeks of August.

Is anyone else sensing a theme?

How My Mind Works

2008-07-21T12:16:00.003-04:00

A glimpse into my mind this morning:

Those are great jars. They're just sitting there. I should put something in those jars. What can I put in those jars? Ooh - half a bag of pasta. Better than leaving the pasta sitting in an already opened bag. Put that pasta in a jar. (*does so*) Oops. That's too much pasta. I chould cook the remainder - Ooh - and take it to work - cheap lunch! Yay! (*cooks pasta*)

Naked pasta. What to put on it. Vinaigrette! (*makes vinaigrette, recipe courtesy of Marc - Thanks, Marc!*) Now I've got pasta vinaigrette with nothing else. Still looks naked. Veggies? yeah, veggies. What veggies? Corn? Peas? Maybe some capers or something? (*looks around kitchen*) Only corn. Good enough. (*Opens corn, adds some to pasta*) Now all this leftover corn needs a container. Too small for those jars. (*gets container for corn, puts it away in fridge*)

Needs color, this vinaigretted pasta with corn. Ooh - shelled edamame in the freezer. But no time to cook it. (*adds frozen edamame to pasta*) Brilliant - now it doesn't need to be kept cold. Now I need another container. Too big for the jars.

Now that I'm here at work, eating the pasta with vinaigrette and corn and edamame and a little added lemon pepper tuna from a packet at my desk, it needs a little bit of (red?) onion, more vinegar and/or mustard, ... but it's not bad.

All from looking at an empty jar, and wanting to fill it.

Black and Bleu

2008-07-02T11:42:00.005-04:00

Once in a while, actually more like once a month or so, I get a massive craving for BEEF. I want BURGER, char-grilled, on a bun, with lettuce and tomato and not much else. There can be no substitutes. Veggie-, turkey-, or tofu-burgers Will Not Cut It.

This past Monday night, as I was leading a groups of people around the downtown area for about three hours, I kept walking through the exhaust scents coming from the various restaurants. And it seemed that without exception, they were cooking Hamburgers.

So after my tours, I went out in search of Meat. By that time it was late and all of the burgers and burger chefs had gone home, but would I be interested in a lovely chicken BBQ something? Perhaps some buffalo shrimp? Lovely options, and on any other day I would have jumped at them. And since Hamburger was not an option, I did jump at them, thinking maybe that would do. Bad idea. They did nothing to satisfy the craving - only made it worse.

Then lunchtime came, and a good friend offered me some steak tips. Good Choice, I thought, and looking forward to that nice now-you've-made-me-happy feeling that my stomach gives me when I've finally managed to do something right, I dug right in.

"Close, but no burger," came the reply from my stomach, but it would have to suffice. I had things to do. Then last night, I got everything done and finished by around 7pm and decided to reward myself with a piece of pizza from the local by-the-slice, NY-Style place downtown. As I was headed for the nice greasy slices with pepperoni, bacon, and love baked right in, I was stopped cold by the scent of red meat. Hmmm, decisions. Do I stick with the original plan, or do some improvising? One look at the "cash-only, please" sign in the window of the pizza joint told me that mama would get to satisfy her heart's desire.

I headed across the street and down the block a bit to a local restaurant with high ceilings and brew vats inside, and pulled out the menu. When what do my wand'ring eyes should appear, but a big fat burger with bacon and bleu cheese, my dear. I quickly ordered, and tried to be patient while waiting for it to be cooked just so, headed back with my styro-wrapped bit of heaven and sat down in air-conditioned comfort to enjoy.

And enjoy I did. I don't know who thought up the idea of bleu cheese and bacon on top of a nice, 3/4 inch thick lightly blackened patty of ground beef, but they should be given a supermodel or a castle in the south of France, or whatever their beautiful heart desires. I took one bite into that burger and every cell in my body cried out in unison, "ohhhhellyesssss!" I tried cutting it in half, so I could enjoy the rest of it later. But I couldn't wait. I had to have to whole thing.

I know, meat is murder. But it's tasty, tasty murder.

Mine.

2008-06-27T13:53:00.004-04:00

Here she is. I have so many thought/plans for flowers, decor, lighting, & landscaping, it's just silly. So we'll call this the 'before' picture.

House news

2008-06-26T11:04:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I signed a contract on a house.

It's tiny, and will require me to subsist on Ramen noodles once again for several years, but it shall be mine. It's clean, new(-ish), cute, **bigger than where I live now**, and ...oh yes -- Mine.

I must stress that I've only signed the contract on it. There's still an army of professionals who have to weigh in on it, BUT, nobody else can have it but me. ...unless I decide I don't want it.

But I WONT, because did I mention it's bigger than where I live now?? Plus I'm gonna own it.

MineMineMineMineMineMine. Mine. Miiiiine.

yay. :)

Begun

2008-05-18T13:16:00.003-04:00

I did it. I ran today.

Got the shoes and gear on, and just went. Actually, I paused momentarily to futz with mp3 player, determined it to be defective, determined myself not to be, and left. I went about a mile, running for the goal of at least 60 strides, and then more until breathing became difficult. Then I walked until breathing became normal again. And repeated the process about 5 times. I was only out for about 20 minutes (including a stop at the convenience store for some water), but at least I started.

Writing this, it seems so small, insignificant,...so weak of a start. But it's a start. I felt the sun and the wind, and said hello to neighbors. I've just finished ordering a new mp3 player so that maybe soon I can focus on the music and not my own breathing. My shoes may need an adjustment for running, but they're quite comfortable while walking. Maybe Adam was right (what are the odds? rather great, in fact.) that I need to bite the bullet and get some proper running shoes from a running shoe company, recommended for me specifically by trained running shoe salespeople. In the meantime, these will do.

yay!

babysteps

2008-05-17T11:26:00.003-04:00

No, I haven't started running yet. I have no good reason why not. It's so strange - it's something I want to do, but I haven't just gotten out of the house and started it. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I have made a few baby steps, though. At the very least, I can say I've not given up the attempt yet. I got some supplies (shoes, shorts, foundation garment), and just a few minutes ago I blew away my record on the stair stepper. I have to share this. Typically, I only do 2-3 minutes on the wee stepping machine. I want to get my heartbeat up a bit, but not break out into a sweat that requires me to take another shower. But for some reason, today I did Ten Minutes. solid. continuous. I did that whole "getting past the wall" thing. It was pretty cool. Somewhere around 2 1/2 minutes, my heart started getting faster, and I felt like I'd want to stop any second, but I kept pushing for the next minute to click over. But I wasn't watching the clock. So after 2:30, the next time I saw was 3:15. then it got up near 4 minutes, and suddenly I wasn't feeling as tired anymore. Then it felt like my body settled into a groove and it was nice and comfortable, so I just kept going. Once I got up near 10 minutes, I realized I wouldn't reach a nice round number of steps by 10:00, so I really poured it on as much as I could. I hit 10:00 and kept going at speed until I reached the 700 steps mark.

I don't know if that's any good or not. It probably isn't - a measly ten minutes on a wee stair stepper? nuthin'. But to me it's a tiny milestone. I want to keep going. I still want to change the lifestyle. And I want to remember that there comes a point, after the initial drudgery, where it starts to feel good. Quite good, in fact.

In other news, I've been eating much better, ordering more fish and steamed veggies and less cheesesteak and mashed potatoes with gravy. I've cut out french fries, and cut wayyy back on the bread and cheese. If I eat out for lunch, I cut the entree in half when it arrives, and only try to finish the first half. The second half I take home for dinner. I don't have a scale, so I can't report pounds lost, but I feel different. My arms don't rub against my sides when I walk. My clothes aren't as tight and uncomfortable. I'm less shy about wearing shorts.

It's small progress, in a small battle. But it's progress nonetheless, and I need to recognize that moving forward is a good thing, no matter how slowly it happens.

Update

2008-05-11T16:36:00.002-04:00

Just some general things today...

First, Happy Mother's Day to Mothers, Grandmothers, Great-Grandmothers, Birth Mothers, Mothers-To-Be, Adoptive Mothers, Foster Mothers, ...etc. I hope you all have a Mother of a Great day!

Second, I'd just like to state again, for the record, that I Love Rain. It started raining here sometime while I was still sleeping, and continued through 'til just about an hour or two ago. Beautiful, steady, soaking rain with distant rumblings of thunder. It's the time of year that's just prior to Stinkin' Hot time of year, so I still have the windows open. Also, the leaves are fuller on the trees lately. I could hear the rain hitting the leaves outside my window for hours. It was absolutely fantastic.

Third, It's Not My Fault. I had about decided to just gather what pseudo running clothes/gear I have around, you know, the stuff that's not exactly for the avid runner, but it's close enough to make a start. I was going to make my first outing today. I've been doing the research, asking friends who run, and it seems that the best thing to do is to just start by walking. Get to know the route, get your body used to being out, etc. Then you step it up to something like Walk Four Minutes, then Run For One. Repeat 10x. You gradually increase the running while decreasing the walking, etc. etc. So last night I felt like I've been thinking about it for long enough and it was time to get off my tuchas and get to it already. Just shut up and run, ya know? Well, that didn't work out. (see above paragraph.) There are still hours left in the day, but also errands that must be accomplished in those hours. We'll see what happens.

I'm sure there's more, but talking/writing about my inactivity makes me fidgety. Must go do something.

Have a lovely!!

Lifestyle change

2008-05-09T11:40:00.003-04:00

Wow, guys.
There's something I've been thinking about for a while, and I'm still thinking about it, so I thought I'd mention it here. I was reluctant to say anything until I did it, for fear that the urge would dissipate upon talking about it. But here it is:

I want to start running.

Me. Running. ...ok, maybe jogging. Whatever. I am not a runner, and never have I been. I was on the track team in high school, but I was a jumper - high jump, long jump, etc. Occasionally, I'd do a sprint or some hurdles, but never, EVER did I do any distance. I was always rubbish at the distances. (explains a lot, dunnit?)

So, not knowing where to begin, I've been poking around for information for truly beginner runners. I'm not looking to train for marathons or anything, I just want to set aside parts of the day to go out and enjoy the weather, the day, the outdoors. I need this.

But there's a lot to do to get started, apparently. Shoes, clothing that "wicks" (?), special socks, doctor's permission, foundation garments, high protein bars and lots of fluids (never my strong point), training plans, etc.

Anyway, that's that. Wish me willpower.

In Flowers Lie Secret Codes

2008-05-07T16:27:00.003-04:00

There have been a lot of flowers advertised lately, and it got me thinking about the time I spent as "the cute girl behind the counter" (official title. no, really) at a florist. I learned a lot, and not just about the names of flowers and the best way to keep them fresh. So here it is, no particular order:

Don't order the most popular flowers on a big holiday. I know, you're supposed to give red roses on Valentine's, but trust me on this one. In some cases, red roses are stockpiled for MONTHS to save up for Valentine's Day. Think about that. Flowers. Sitting wrapped up very very tightly for months until they're used in that special arrangement for your beloved. Sometimes we'd unwrap a package that happened to be a little damp when it got wrapped, and those flowers would be moldy. The solution: get other kinds of flowers. Ask the florist to do a mixed arrangement, or choose something like tulips. Tulips are great in spring, and people don't often request them for Valentine's Day. Get the red roses on a different day.

There are MANY colors and types of roses. Check 'em out. Some have one main color with a different color just barely painted around the petal tips. Some look paint splattered. Some are coral colored, light silvery purple, or even green. Yes, green. Some are really thick, as though they have twice as many petals as the usual ones. These make really fat, gorgeous blossoms. Ask if they have anything cool or unusual that they've been dying to use in an arrangement.

You've probably heard of the "language of flowers" - you know, red roses mean passionate love, while yellow roses mean the decrease of love. Jasmine means sensuality, while lavender means mistrust. And who can forget Ophelia's "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts...."? Well, that's how the Victorian's did it, anyway. But you can make up your own language. We had a couple that would order flowers from time to time, and according to them, a bouquet of Anthurium and Pussywillow meant to prepare for a long night of loving ahead. Every time we got an order from one of them, it charged up the whole flower shop, and got us all thinking about snuggling someone. You may be sending flowers to your sweetheart, but the gift radiates out, and keeps on giving.

Think about it.

Water kept in a vase of flowers for a week or more smells FOUL. Even worse than Baby's A$$. To keep this from stinking up your house, dump out the water in the vase and refill it from the tap every few days. Use a bit of the flower food each time if you want, but it's not necessary.

Baby's Breath is nicknamed Baby's A$$ by those in the floral industry. It does not small pretty. Think about what every woman does when she's handed a flower: she sniffs it. Say no to Baby's Breath. (On the other hand, it's really cool when you first put it in the vase - all the little buds pop open like wee popcorn.) There are lovely alternatives: genistra, heather, waxflower (prettier than it sounds), and caspia to name a few.

And the last tip for today: Ladies, you can give flowers as well. Yes, to men. Some of them even really like it. A lot. There are even arrangements designed especially for men, if you think your guy may not go for the frilly pink stuff.

That's all I have for now. Feel free to share if you have any flower tips, stories, or interesting facts.

And to the Mothers (and Mothers-to-be, Viv!):

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hoping for broken leg

2008-03-19T14:26:00.002-04:00

Tonight's my big Opening Night as a guide. I'll be leading a group of 30-something 8th graders through various streets and alleyways, telling them all about the ghostly goings on years (and weeks) ago Right In This Very Spot!
It's about an hour's worth of talking in 10 minute-ish segments, interspersed with about 5 minutes of walking in-between each stop. I haven't rehearsed with anyone but my cat, no one's approved (or even seen) my costume but me, and the winds are forecasted to reach 30mph.

Fasten your seatbelts, y'all!

What the doctor ordered

2008-03-17T10:50:00.002-04:00

Well folks, I have finally recharged. I spent the weekend catching up on things that had reached a critical point and desperately needed attention. I was able to get some good study and practice in for the ghost walk, update my calendars including work/ghost walk/rehearsals, do my taxes (money back! yeah!), gather the rebate paperwork from my modem, watch the rest of the season of Friday Night Lights, and the usual laundry/dishes/sweeping stuff. I even prepared food, cooked it, ate it, and then cleaned up after myself. Pretty amazing stuff, really. I probably should have gotten out and enjoyed the fantastic weather, spent some quality time with the Wonderful Man, seen some friends I need to catch up with, done some mega-cleaning of the apartment, etc., but all-in-all, I think it was just what I needed.

It's Monday, and I'm actually feeling quite chipper.

...and maybe it'll even last past lunch!

Trying, pt 2.

2008-03-12T10:40:00.002-04:00

So this lifestyle-change thing, she not going so good.
I find myself more over-committed than I've been in a while. And it's not all stuff that I want to be doing - it's stuff that I felt obligated to agree to. I really hate that feeling. If I had lots of free time, or nothing else to do, it would be different. But now I'm having to turn down things that truly feel like missed opportunities, in favor of something that I feel I'm being dragged into. This gives the added bonus of guilt - not only can I not do things I want, I'm not enjoying what I am doing, so I'm doing a bad job of it (causing me to like it even less, and feel guilty and ashamed that I'm not doing it better).

Joy.

Trying....

2008-02-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

It seems like a lot of people I know are trying. Trying to have a baby, trying to find a better job, trying to find the perfect mate, etc. Me, I'm trying to change my lifestyle a bit. I hate the word "busy," and I hate the feeling of "busy" even more. I guess it's because to me, busy doesn't mean "occupied," as much as it means "overwhelmed." I love having things to do. But let's face it: I ALWAYS have things to do, and if I don't, I can come up with something. I am rarely bored. And it seems that for the last few years, I've been doing less of the things that I want to do for me, for fun, and more things that people ask me to do.
This is not a terrible thing. After all, I could always just say no. It's not as if I'm being asked to do unspeakably difficult things. In fact, they're usually fun/interesting things. And I know that lots of people are far busier than I am. But I've had a sampling of an easier, more relaxed life, and I want more. I want to be able to go home in the evening and read a book, or watch tv, or *gasp* cook my own proper dinner. Or, better yet, cook dinner, watch a bit of tv, then read a book, all in the same evening. ...heaven. I think it might even help me to have more energy for work, and for the little side projects that I want to do for myself.
So I've been trying to slowly extract myself from obligations that could easily be handled by someone else. It hasn't been easy. Not because I feel that I'm the only one able to do it, but because so often it just seems easier to just shut up and do it already than to find someone else and convince them that they should do it.
Another happy side effect of having less that I feel obligated to do is that I could stop having that panicky feeling of having forgotten something important that I was supposed to be doing. I can't tell you how many times that's happened in the last few months. I'm not even sure I could count that high.
So wish me luck, to be able to find a bit more sanity, and to make the time to do the things that I want to do.

In other news, I've just accepted a part-time job as a storyteller/guide on a ghost tour.
What's that definition of insanity, again?

Project for 2008:

2008-01-07T19:11:00.000-05:00

Buy a house.

Project Update

2007-11-19T12:32:00.000-05:00

-The Cider: Well, I don't know if this is the recipe, but it's pretty doggone good. Put some caramel syrup (or a caramel cube or two) into a cup of apple juice or apple cider and heat 'til piping hot. Top with whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon and/or nutmeg and/or allspice. Yummy.

-Chestnut Roasting: This was way easier than I thought it would be. I just made little x's on the flat parts of the nuts, and cooked 'em at 350 or so for around 30 minutes, tossing them every 10-ish minutes. Let cool 5 min., peel & eat. They were good, but I wanted the outsides to be a little more charred, for the smoky flavor. I think I'll try it again over fire or coals. And they'll be grrrreat with The Cider!

-The bench/countertop: Must wait 'til kitchen has been cleaned out of excess junk. could be years.

-Cooking: Made some stuffed tomatoes the other night. Delicious, and they reheat well. And I sorta improvised the recipe, completely impressing myself. Wanna know how I did it?

See recipe below.

-Costumes: no progress there. Maybe Wednesday.

-Apartment cleanup: made very tiny dent, hardly worth mentioning, except that this is a progress report, and it shouldn't seem as if I haven't done anything, when I have. Just not much. Again, maybe more progress on Wednesday.

-Christmas Shopping: minor progress, and am developing the shopping list so I can do more targeted shopping after Thanksgiving.

Yay free time!

And now for that recipe:

Epiphany's Stuffed Tomatoes

4 Lg. ripe Tomatoes

1lb Sausage (herb-y, country-style)

1/2 Onion, chopped (or 1 small)

2 cloves Garlic, pressed

1 C Bread Crumbs

1 Egg, beaten w/2 T Milk

1T each: Oregano, Basil, Herbes de Provence

1C shredded Cheese (Mozz, Mex. blend, whatevah.)

1/4 grated Parmesan (save some cheese for garnish)

Preheat onion to 350, spray square baking pan with cooking spray.

Core tomatoes, leaving only the shells. Discard tops & guts. Place tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain.

In med. bowl, mix sausage onion, garlic, bread crumbs, egg & milk mixture, herbs, & cheeses. Use hands to mix and get it all squishy.

Divide sausage mixture x 4, and stuff into tomato shells. Place in baking pan and bake at 350 for 30 min. Sprinkle tops with cheese and broil 'til golden brown.

Put any uneaten tomatoes in Tupperware and refrigerate. Leftovers make great lunch!

Projects

2007-11-13T17:30:00.000-05:00

In the last 6-or-so months, stopping the momentum of life to write a blog post has not only seemed unlikely, it has seemed impossible. In that time, I went to NYC/hung out with a fantastic friend/saw some shows, performed in As You Like It, directed my first full-length play, and more - in addition to the usual work and extra-curricular activities. But everybody's busy these days, aren't they?

But lately, things have slowed down quite a bit, to a pace I'm much more comfortable with. I make a to-do list and actually accomplish some of the things on it. I have met and begun dating a Wonderful Man about whom too many lovely things cannot be said. And I have Projects. Projects!

Among them:

-Learn how to make that best-I've-ever-had hot apple cider that you can get at the Biltmore House cafe.

-Roast Chestnuts (this includes finding them and the supplies to do it, and working out how)

-Change the bench in the kitchen into a countertop in the kitchen (avec assistance from the aforementioned Wonderful [-ly handy] Man)

-Cook. Really cook--select a menu, buy fresh stuff, prep it, and cook it properly (not peel-back-plastic-and-nuke or dump some things together and call it dinner.)

-build some Elizabethan-esque costumes for local theatre company (ongoing project)

-clean apartment, throwing out as much as I can stand (seriously ongoing project)

-obviously, Christmas shopping for loved ones, etc. (already underway- hurrah!)

There are more, but this is a start. And I've already made progress: The Fresh Market has fresh chestnuts for $7.99/lb. I bought some today to experiment with the roasting of them. Any tips/suggestions/warnings are appreciated.

Love to you all,

Epiph.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T12:58:00.000-04:00

Halloween is quite possibly my favorite holiday.

This year hasn't been quite as good as previous years, because I've had to work a lot, and the day just sorta snuck up on me. I didn't get to carve a pumpkin, and though I've been thinking about a costume for a while now, I ended up throwing something together this morning for work. But even so, Halloween is fun so far this year.

My costume? I'm wearing all black, with black cat ears, "diamond" necklace/earrings/bracelet, and a bandit mask. A "cat burglar." (I shoulda carried a suffed cat with the bling on it, but that's neither here nor there.) Corny, you say? Durn right it is. But just wait - there's more.

I forgot something at my house this morning when I left for work. So when my buddy Robb picked me up for lunch, I asked if we could go by my house to get it. But when we got there, I'd forgotten my key. I checked around for a spare key I might've kidden and forgotten about, but no luck. I pulled hard on the door to see if I could get it to open. Still nothing.

So I was forced to CAT BURGLE MY OWN HOUSE.

Halloween is complete.

How cool is this?

2007-10-12T16:11:00.001-04:00

We interrupt our (not-so-) regularly scheduled travelog post to bring you this:

Raise your hand if you like Tuna. Keep 'em up if you like tuna from the packet. Now who among you with your hand up gets frustrated when those wee bits of tuna get stuck in the bottom corners of the packet, requiring you to dig them out with a pointy implement? ('cuz it's just not an option to leave them there)

Thats what I thought.

So, being the concerned citizen that I am, I decided to write to StarKist and tell them about it. Also, in an effort to be part of the solution rather than the problem, I gave them a suggestion for improving the packets. My idea? Round out the bottom of the inside of the packet so that if you're clever, the tuna comes out in one chunk without the aid of a untensil. Genius, huh? I thought so too.

And here's Starkist's response:

October 12, 2007
Dear Epiphany,
Thanks for visiting our StarKist website and for your email.
Your opinion is very important to us and we're glad you let us know you'd like to be able to buy Starkist Tuna in a Pouch in a pouch that it is easier to remove all the tuna. We will be happy to share your comments with our Management. Also, we recently made some improvments to our pouch tuna so that might help you make sure you get all the tuna our of the package!
Thanks again for your interest. I'm sending you some money saving coupons in the mail, in appreciation for your business.
Cathy, Del Monte Foods Consumer Affairs
consumeraffairs@delmonte.com
Del Monte. Nourishing families. Enriching lives. Every Day.

They're gonna take my suggestions to Management! AND there are already improvements on the way! AAAND I'm getting coupons!

I am such a rockstar.

4-3-07 Stratford-Upon Avon

2007-09-29T20:20:00.000-04:00

Woke up late-ish, and headed out to the Tourist Information for some, well, touristy-type information. Misty rain threatened all day, but never became a problem. After perusing our options on a list, we decided to go with a multi-ticket thingy that let us use a bus to get around to all of the points of interest in Stratford.

First stop: Shakespeare's birthplace - the seed of this journey began with a simple text message to my mom that we should visit Shakespeare's birthplace together - and now we've made it. It's mostly a museum of exhibits now, but still interesting. As someone with an interest in making props for plays, I was eating it all up with a spoon. From gloves similar to those William Shakespeare's father made, to the furniture and furnishings, I loved it. It was hard for me to feel any resonance to Shakespeare himself, but I did enjoy seeing the rooms set up as they would have been, and hearing about daily life in Stratford in the early 1600's.

After that, we headed to the Royal Shakespeare Company's Stratford headquarters. I was really looking forward to this, not only for the backstage view of the theatres, but also for their exhibit showing costumes from their past productions. I especially wanted to see Antony Sher's costume from Richard III, described in such detail in his book Year of the King (thanks to Kat for introducing me to it!). We did get to see the theatres - The Swan was being renovated, and Coriolanus was being struck from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre - but much to my dismay, the costume exhibit was being taken down, and we were not allowed inside to see them. I can only hope that I can find them on display sometime in the future somewhere else. Or, I can make do with this page.

From the RST, we went through the brass rubbing centre, something I might have gotten a kick out of if we were staying longer, but it did look like a fun activity for either a rainy or stiflingly hot afternoon. After that, we went to Holy Trinity Church. Mom had been to several of these places back in the 60's, and her recollection of the church was that they were able to actually take rubbings from the grave itself. Apparently, that became problematic somewhere in the meantime, because we were kept back from the gravesite by a satin rope. The church is lovely and ornate, but they are having some structural problems, and are taking donations to help repair it.

From there we went to Anne Hathaway's cottage. Again, I enjoyed the trip through the past, going from room to room looking at the old furnishings. There were lots of people, so we had to keep moving, but it wasn't unbearable, and the weather was cool and pleasant. I wonder what it's like in the peak of the heat and tourist season. We got back on the bus to continue the tour, but it was closing time for the rest of the properties, so we didn't get to visit the home of Mary Arden. But we did find out that they have begun a program of costuming the guides at the home, so I think it would have been lovely to see them. From the windows in the bus, we did see some of the guides in costume getting off their shift, but not up close, and we weren't able to talk with them. ...Next time, I guess!

We got back to town, and had enough time to visit the Falstaff's Experience -- twice! They gave us a deal for going through it once on the regular tour, and again for their after-dark Haunted tour. In one of our very few disagreements, Mom liked the day tour best, and I liked the night one.

By the time we got finished with our tours, we were feeling a bit peckish, so we went to The Garrick Inn. It's a charming looking place on the outside, and the inside did not disappoint. The walls are close, floors uneven, ceilings low, and the atmosphere was fantastic. We were a bit confused about the seating/ordering process, but we either managed to sort it out, or they took pity on us and helped us through it, I'm not sure which. The food was absolutely delicious, and the lovely wine I had to go with it left me feeling full and warm and happy for the walk back to the B&B.

4-2-07 - Cardiff to Stratford

2007-07-26T19:28:00.000-04:00

Woke up early this morning. Having missed the wine tasting last night at the vineyard where we were staying, I wanted to be sure we could get in a tour of the grounds. It was totally worth it. There's a lovely path around the grounds, and you can take the short version or the long one. I think we took the medium one, past the vines, down by a little pond, and we were able to watch the sun come up while drinking our hot chocolate (for mom) and Welsh tea (for me. when in wales,...). Afterwards, we went in for a lovely breakfast in the main dining room. I got to try some blood sausage for the first time. It wasn't bad. It wasn't very good, either.

We headed back to Bath to return the car - made a flawless re-entry, and the rental place is under the same roof as the train station - Easy!

Got our tickets and schedules sorted out and boarded the lovely train to our first stop at Reading - Easy!

Made the transfer to the train headed for Leamington Spa - Easy!

Got stuck ON the train at Leamington Spa and missed our connection to Stratford-Upon-Avon. D'OH!*

Is the day ruined for our heroines? Ha Ha Haaaaah - Nevah!

Thanks to the trusty competance and helpfulness of British rail workers (seriously!), we were able to make a shift to a different station at the next stop, waited for the next train to Stratford, and arrived there only an hour after we were scheduled to. (*Side note - 4 punk-ish looking kids were on their way to Stratford as well, and when Mom asked them a question about how long until the next train, one exclaimed, "You're AMERICAN!!" Mom smiled sheepishly and confirmed that yes, we were American. "That's So COOL!" the girl replied, before answering Mom's original question. So yeah. We're so cool. sweet!)

We got to our hotel and bumpety-bumped our luggage up the narrow steps. The room was snug, but did have its own bathroom, and we only had to go up one flight of stairs. This was fortunate.
We had just enough time to freshen up a bit and head to the theatre where we saw Ian McKellan in King Lear. Let me repeat that in case it didn't sink in the first time:

We Saw Ian McKellan in King Lear.

(official photos here)

I had been looking forward to this for a long time, and it did not disappoint. They did an unabridged version, and it ran about 3 hours and 20 minutes, and up in the top of the theatre, it got a little warm and stuffy. I can see the argument for trimming Shakespeare's works down to a more manageable 2 hours, but I'm glad we got to see the full thing. It's an event, a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see these amazing people do this piece, and I'm glad they didn't skimp. But for Joe Schmoe's Theatre Company, for god's sake, edit!

It was a fantastic production, and afterwards we hung out a little while before leaving the theatre. As we were exiting the building, I said to mom that I thought we should go to the right instead of to the left, which was the way back home. Mom is an excellent companion, and indulged me. We nearly ran into Sylvester McCoy, who had played The Fool, wearing a three-piece white suit, hat, and carrying a cane, and looking not unlike The Doctor. I told him I loved the show, and his performance in it, and he graciously signed my program. He even asked my name to include it in the inscription. Lovely man.

Continuing on toward what was apparently the stage door, I passed Romola Garai (Cordelia), and saw Sir McKellan ringed in by a group of people signing autographs. Considering he'd just given one heck of a 3 hour performance, he was looking fresh as a daisy. He managed to extricate himself, and was headed away when I got his attention. I told him he was fantastic, and thanked him for a wonderful performance. He quickly signed my program for me, and made his escape. He was nice about it, but he clearly wanted to ge tout of there. As we were heading back in the direction of home-for-the-night, we saw Mr. McCoy heading into The Black Swan (or is it The Dirty Duck?). Apparently the rumors of it being a post-show hangout for the actors were true. If I hadn't already been traveling all day, then sitting in a warm dark theatre for the past 3 hours, I totally would have gone in for a pint, but I just didn't feel up to it. I didn't even get to the point of asking Mom, but I have a feeling she would have agreed with me.

We stayed up talking a bit about the show, and the actors, and Mom remarked that she thought I had some sort of radar for where the actors were and when they'd be ready to greet people. tee-hee. that cracks me up. radar. Lovely!

As usual, more pictures are up on the flickr site, and thank you for being patient with me as I sssslllloooowwwllllyy get my memories together for this blog.

*note to rail travelers: Start to gather your baggage at the last stop before your stop, not just before the train comes to a halt.

Diversion

2007-06-29T13:10:00.000-04:00

http://procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

click somewhere in the black area. Move your mouse around.
Fun for 3 seconds, or 45 minutes - whatevah you like.

Cardiff, 4/1/07

2007-06-27T16:20:00.000-04:00

Breakfast in the lovely room of the B&B with a large window view of the garden. Finally struck up a conversation with some other guests, about where we'd been and where we were going, british tv and films, world travels in general, and friends with children. Hit the road by 10:15 on the way to Wales.

Funny thing about the tollbridge to Wales - you have to pay to get in, but getting back out of Wales is free. hmmm...

We got to town, took some time to find parking and get oriented, ate a not very good lunch in a cafeteria-type thing and went out to find the Tourist Information place. Finally found it, where they gave us a fantastic map and told us that without a doubt there was absolutely not enough time to see the Doctor Who exhibit at Red Dragon Centre and St Fagan's Museum of Welsh Life.

HA. We showed them.

Went to St. Fagan's first, and the lovely gentleman at the front desk said that we absolutely DID have enough time. We could certainly use more time if we'd had it, but we'd be able to get our money's worth. And boy was he right. (For one thing, admission was free.) If anyone is wondering whether or not to visit St. Fagan's, DO. Do Not Miss it. They get everything right there. All the guides were Welsh, and are extremely helpful without being overly intrusive. Down to the very last one, they were friendly and knowledgeable. Check out the Flickr site for some photos from the museum. As an added bonus, I found out that Doctor Who had filmed an episode there that hadn't even aired yet!

After St. Fagan's we went back to town for Doctor Who exhibit, and mom got to see me at my geekiest. No really. I seriously geeked out. I think that I was so Happy to be seeing all of the props and costumes from the shows that I actually convinced her to check out the show sometime. ...all part of my nefarious plan. Mouaahahahahaa.
Walked around Mermaid Quay - an absolutely lovely little area, much nicer than downtown cardiff. We poked around the Millenium Centre, where the Torchwood headquarters are said to be, and got lots of pictures. Again with the geeking out.

Finally, the sun went down and I had gotten all of the pictures I possibly could (plus, my camera batteries were running out, damn them), so we got some sandwiches to go at Subway (shut up), and headed on out to the Vineyeard where we'd be staying the night. We arrived too late for a wine tasting (my biggest regret - sorry, mom!), but the room was perfect - a bathtub for mom, and high-speed internet for me. -perfection! Ate dinner while surveying all of my plunder from the Doctor Who gift Shop. I'd show you photos, but I was so excited to open my presents that all of the photos turned out blurry. I'm not even kidding. Stayed up late trying out Yahoo voice chat (highly recommended - it was crystal clear!), then went to sleep feeling fat and happy.

Stonehenge &Glastonbury, 3/31/07

2007-06-07T10:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, while in the gift Shop of the Jane Austen Centre, we'd asked the docents if they thought we could cover Stonehenge and Glastonbury in one day, and they said, "No, I really don't think so. If you were Japanese, you could do it. Twice." We were disappointed, but still determined to try.

We spent the morning in Bath City Centre, looking for a phone card and a toothbrush. Also, I was having having bank issues - my debit card was frozen. Apparently, you're supposed to tell them when you expect to go out of the country. ..oops.

I tried finding a way to get in touch with my bank from Europe - way more difficult than it should have been, thank goodness Mom was there to cover me for a bit. I tried going through a British bank, tried going to the local library to get online to find an international number, tried calling home for someone stateside to call the USA number and ask the bank representative. Finally, I was bored with being frustrated and gave up for the time being. Knowing that we already had a full day ahead of us, we'd already wasted too much time on the mundane stuff.

Stonehenge was really cool. You can see it from the highway, just sitting there, minding its own business while eons of people have had their minds blown just looking at it. It was fairly crowded, but not ridiculously so, and VERY windy. We got the little audio tours - devices that look like a cross between a cel phone and a high tech bathroom key at an old gas station. It has a wee speaker in it, and as you get to a point along the walk, you come across a small marker with a number on it. You press the number on the device, and a pre-recorded message plays. It was mostly stuff I'd heard or read before, but it was good to have it inside the complex, to know that That. That stone right there. That is the one that they are talking about.

There were a lot of tourists, but judging from the amount of space available to accommodate them, I could tell they expected it to get a lot worse as the season wore on. As it was, we had a bit of a wait for tickets, food, and restrooms, and the gift shop was very crowded. But at the site itself, I just kept reminding myself that it could be a lot worse.

The area around the stones themselves is roped off to prevent access and vandalism. Originally, I was disappointed that we couldn't actually go inside the ring of stones, but when we got there I realized why - there's not enough room for people to get in and not touch the stones. They were at once bigger and smaller than I'd expected. Standing near the stones, they're huge, but not very many people could get within them without being able to easily reach out and touch them.

The sight was certainly awe-inspiring, but considerably less so with all of the people there. I wanted quiet, uninterrupted landscape-no cars, no people. I understand that they do allow before- and after-hours access with special permission, so the next time I go, I'll look into that more thoroughly. Mom and I split a lovely cheesy pie thingy in the car, out of the wind, and then headed for Glastonbury.

I could tell we were close when I caught sight of Glastonbury Tor in the distance. Sadly, it was too far to walk to in the time we had, but it was still nice to be close to it after reading so much about it. I'm quickly realizing that I simply will have to come back.

I'd seen lots of photos of Glastonbury Abbey, and had a strong feeling that Mom would like it as well, so that's where we headed first. The grounds of the abbey are kept very well - very clean and inviting. They allow you to walk all over - no ropes or designated paths. Such a lovely change from Stonehenge! What is left on the Abbey grounds are stone ruins and arches, and lots of quiet mixed with sounds of the outdoors.

Legend has it that Arthur and Guinevere were buried here, and there's a marker over the spot, with a plaque explaining that in 1191, their remains were found, and in 1278 were removed ro another place in the abbey "in the presence of King Edward I and Queen Eleanor," and there they remained (the remains, not Eddie and Ellie) until the abbey was dissolved in 1539. After that, I suppose it's anybody's guess. So if you have some musty old bones in a chest somewhere in your wine cellar or something, it could be King Arthur. Don't throw them away, 'kay?

Our B&B hostess in Bath had said that Glastonbury (the town) had "gone downhill," but having never seen it, we had nothing to compare it to. I didn't really have any expectations of what it might be, and what I found just seemed like a big Hippy town - tarot readings drum circles advertised on flyers all over the place, and crystals, faeries, insense, aromatherapy oils, and Yanni cds on sale everywhere. Whether you go in for that sort of thing or not, it's hard to dislike a place where everyone is so happy and friendly and nobody's rushing or yelling at you to hurry up or get out of the way.

One of the places I was really interested in seeing was The Chalice Well. Unfortunately, we got there too late and it was closed. Definitely something for next time. (check out the link. It's pretty cool.) And that's another thing: when Mom and I felt we hadn't had a chance to go somewhere, or get the full experience of a place, we'd say to each other, "we'll just have to see it next time!" We found that a good way to get over the disappointment was to think of it as only a first visit, with more chances in the future.

We made calls home from one of the red English phone boxes partly to check in, but mainly to say we did. Such dorky tourists we are.

Wanted to go through Salisbury and stop in to tour the Cathedral, but not enough time.
Wanted to drive through Avebury, where we could walk among the stone circle, and touch the stones, fewer tourists, etc. ...but no time. Clearly we should have had another day for this, or should have started at the crack of dawn. ...next time.

Driving back to Bath, we were nervous again about finding our B&B without too much difficulty, but we managed to go right to it with no wrong turns, proving once again that clearly Mom belonged in the driver's seat, and I did just fine with the map. Not the other way around, thank you very much.

We walked into town for dinner at a proper pub, where I had shepherd's pie, a glass of stout and chips with malt vinegar on em. The transformation is complete - I'm totally native now.

After dinner, I tried again to call home and work out the bank business. Stuggling with time differences, international calling rules, and general frustration at the situation reminded me how fortunate I was to have Mom along with me.

It was rugby night, and lots of rowdy fans were out ad about. Mom and I were squeezed into a phone booth trying to figure out how to work the calling card, and into the next booth ran a drunken rugby fan who bent over and graced me with a view of his pasty english full moon. In front of my MOM.

The bank was still a no-go, so we headed back to the B&B to repack and get ready for Cardiff in the morning.

Wha...HUH??!???

2007-05-23T11:55:00.001-04:00

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Eat-Sand-to-Stay-Fit-and-Preserve-Your-Health-37135.shtml

Bath, 3/30/07

2007-05-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

Day 3- London to Bath
Frustrating day. Up early, but not as early as we'd hoped. 7am wake-up, shower, breakfast at the B&B, and 8:30 car to train station. The private car proved a very good idea,as we rode in comfort the entire way, didn't have to bother with lugging the heavy bags all over the underground, and even with the car taking us directly there, we barely made our train.We sat in the "quiet car" on the train to Bath, and it was indeed quiet - no cell phones, no loud-talking people, just the sound of the train, and the view of the lovely scenery rolling by. Mom and I brushed up on our travel books (Rick Steve's, and Eyewitness Travel Guides, in case you're curious) along the way.

When we got to the train station at Bath, with the help of some very kind station attendants, we realized that there was a car rental place right there, but sadly not OUR car rental place. When faced with lugging all of our baggage the number of blocks to get to the place where we'd reserved our car, we quickly reconsidered, cancelled our reservation, and rented a car from the office at the station. The lovely gentleman at the rental office convinced us to 'upgrade' to an automatic, and that proved to be a wise choice. A VERY wise choice. Thus began the segment wherein I became a brilliant navigator, and Mom became a champion at driving on the 'wrong' side of the road.

We managed (just barely) to find parking in near the Bath city center, and headed out to see what we could of the town before checking in to the B&B. I'd found a pretty sweet map of Bath, but we found that as long as we were in the main part of town, we didn't need it as all of the attractions wewanted to see were well signposted. We went into the Abbey, and walked around enjoying the stained glass and sculptures. Built in the early 1500's, it's very elegant, with tall detailed pointed arches and elaborate windows that illustrate biblical stories.From the Abbey, it was a very short walk (past the world's hottest Gladiator) to the Roman Baths that the town is famous for.

Back when the Romans ruled everything, they built baths everywhere as places of worship, or just to relax and mingle with other townies. This one was in use from about the 1st century AD until about the 4th. Around that time, the pagan religions fell out of favor and the bath and temple complex fell into ruin until the Spring was rediscovered as a place of healing in the 12th century, and used more or less continuously until the mid-20th century. Bath was all the rage in the early 1800's, when Jane Austen was doing most of her writing, and two of her books were set there.

After the Roman Baths, we went to the Assembly Rooms and the Museum of Costume. For those of you who know me, it is no surprise to say that this was heaven for me. They have very lovely displays of actual garments from the 1800's forward (the pre-1800 exhibit was closed for renovation).They even had a seperate exhibit of costumes and hats from the collection of Rudolph Nureyev. Yummy! (and the costumes were lovely as well) Notable items were gloves made of leather so thin and fine that they could be rolled up to fit inside a Walnut Shell (!) and detailed descriptions of garments being specially ordered and made for fashionable ladies of the 1800's (including receipts and descriptions/advice written by those ladies to their friends).

Following that, we decided it was time to make our way to our place of lodging for the evening. It was a nice B&B with a very pretty view of the back garden. Mom and I stayed in for the night eating boxed food we'd gotten from the grocery store in town and watching the BBC. sweeet. :)

More photos up at Flickr...

Photos galore

2007-04-28T00:14:00.000-04:00

...about 40 new photos posted to the flickr site. This is just from the first two days! More lovelies to come...

London, 3/29/07

2007-04-25T14:28:00.000-04:00

Day 2 - London

We were off to a lazy start in the morning, but we did get a good breakfast at the hotel. They offered milk, juice, toast/croissant, coffee, fruit, and cereal. So we had a little of all of it. We went back up to the room to shower and get ready, and wandered out into the city around 10:30. We stopped off at Harrod's department store to have a look around and maybe do some shopping. Now, right here I'd like to say that I wasn't initially that interested in going to a big mall in London. There are so many other things to see and do. But I must admit that Harrods was well worth the time we spent in there. They've done so much to make it an 'experience' and not just shopping. The escalator to get to all of the floors is covered in Egyptian-style art and sculpture. And when I say 'covered,' I mean that everywhere you look there's something beautiful and Egyptian in style. And that's just the escalator. All of the staff were exceedingly helpful, and nice, the presentation of everything was lovely, and the pricetags were, well,...reflective of the attention paid to detail. We had originally thought to purchase some little thing in one of the shops, but ended up spending our money only in the Harrod's gift shop, where you can buy little pens and keychains and things with the Harrod's logo for only twice what you would normally pay for such an item.

After Harrods, we went in the direction of The Tower of London. It's all cool, and Hogwarts-y, and if/when I ever get to go again, I'll spend the extra time and cash to take the Yeoman Warders' tour. It's where these guys in Beefeater costumes tell you all about the history and interesting things that happened in and around the tower complex. We got to listen in to a couple of them and they sounded really cool. We went through the Jewel house, and got to see the Crown Jewels.I'd been warned that the lines can get crazy there, and that you may spend a lot of time in line, and not much time checking out the Joolz themselves, but we must have hit it on a good day. For the most part, we were able to head right on in, though when we got to the really amazing jewels, there was a conveyor-belt we had to stand on to keep us moving. So I didn't really get to do the drooling that I'm sure I would have done had I been able to spend more time in front of all of those diamonds.

After that, we went to the lower Wakefield tower to see the various instruments of torture...of which there were three. Three. I'm guessing, that if I'm the one being tortured, three would be more than enough, but as we were heading out, and I asked Mom,"is that it??" She replied, "what, not bloody enough for you?" Actually, no. Now that you mention it. Does that make me a bad person?

Interestingly enough, the Bloody Tower, where we went next, was not where they did the torturing. It was where they locked people away. People like Sir Walter Raleigh and his family, and those little Princes that were never to be seen again. Okay, I guess that's kinda bloody.
We headed to the gift shop, where I got some lovely replica jewelry that may just be useful for summer Shakespeare, checked out the ravens (legend has it that as long as there are at least 6 ravens around there, the Tower and the Monarchy will stand), and had some honest-to-goodness Fish n' Chips (but it wasn't wrapped in newspaper, so we may have gotten the touristy version. It was pretty good, though.).

It was pretty overcast, and threatened to rain all day, but we continued to just walk around the city. I had marked on a laminated map in wet-erase marker all of the spots I thought we might want to see, but in a quick bit of rain, that all was washed away. So we had to wing it.We were walking along the Thames and I looked up to see the unmistakable sight of the Globe Theatre (cue: choir or angels). MMMmmm....Glooooobe. Yummyyyyy. We got tickets to the last guided tour of the day, and walked through the exhibition for the half-hour or so before it began. I played the geek (again) by taking photos of simply Everything in it. They had gorgeous costumes from past productions, and I got to see them up close, noting the incredible amount of research and work that must have gone into each of them. There were little booths you could go in, press a button, and hear different RSC actors through the years doing the famous speeches from Shakespeare's works. Yummy yummy. They had a large display of props that had been built for specific productions, using the techniques and materials that would have been available during Shakespeare's time. Again with the yummy.For those of you who REALLY know me, you know that for me, this part was simply heaven.

We got the guided tour of the inside of the theatre (but alas, not backstage, as there was a production in rehearsal, or something like that), and I have to tell you, It Was Amazing. So absolutely gorgeous. There were no performances we could attend while we were in London,or I would have been all over that. It must be life-altering to see a production there. And to actually Perform on that stage?? Euphoric. There was another American mother and daughter duo on the tour with us, so we found we had a lot in common - the daughter is even a Doctor Who fan. I told her about my TARDIS sighting and she was very jealous. But when she found out that they'd filmed an episode right there in that very theatre,she seemed to perk up. I hope she figures out a way to see the episode before two more years, when it's likely to air here in the states.

One thing that really impressed me about the Globe was how much attention they pay to outreach and education. It really seems to be a main focus of the facility, not just simply something to attract grant money. They really put a lot of work into study and research, as well as hands-on teaching of students of all ages and nationalities. They really do seem to do everything in their power to do things the Right way. It's inspiring. In addition, they commission new works to be performed in addition to their Shakespearean productions. I guess it's a way of saying, "Shakespeare was once a new playwright,too."They had a production coming up called In Extremis, that sounded intriguing. It doesn't open until May, or something like that, so we couldn't see it, but I have ordered the script from Amazon. Who knows, maybe it'll find it's way into production somewhere around Wilmington sometime soon...

As was becoming our (my) habit, we stopped in the gift shop on the way out. I could have spent way more money than I had, but ended up only getting some replica coins, mini-editions of a few plays, a lovely poster, and Mom got me this cool watch - it's made out of the same stuff as those Livestrong bracelets, but it's black, has a digital timepiece in it, and says, "I wasted time, and now doth time waste me," from Richard II. Fitting, innit?

On the way back to the hotel, we managed to stop by Trafalgar Square and 10 Downing St. Not a whole lot to do there but take some pictures, so I did.

London, 3/28/07

2007-04-09T17:25:00.000-04:00

London, First day
Flight was uneventful, but staggeringly uncomfortable. Despite two sleeping tablets, I couldn't sleep until the last hour or so of an 8 hour flight. I tried every way of folding or stretching my legs, but it wasn't until my mother lifted up her armrest and let me put my head in her lap like I used to do when I was little that I could finally get a little sleep. Well, that worked like a champ and I slept until they turned the lights on in the cabin just before landing.

We took the Gatwick Express train from the airport to Victoria Station, and our hotel was just a few blocks walk from there. We arrived at the hotel too early for check-in, so they allowed us to leave our bags downstairs and head out for some sightseeing. We headed straight for Buckingham Palace (the queen was in, but I think her doorbell must have been broken - no one ever answered the door), Westminster Abbey (absolutely gorgeous, but photos weren't allowed, so you'll have to trust me on that or go see it yourself), Big Ben, The London Eye, and Whitehall Court.

While trying to take a photo of Big Ben as seen through the London Eye, I walked across the lawn of a park, past the necking couples and picnicking families, and what should I spy on the other side?The TARDIS. Yep, really. Ok, maybe it wasn't THE Tardis, but maybe just A Tardis. Still. The TARDIS, the London Eye, AND Big Ben all in one photo? I am a walking MasterCard ad - Priceless.

We headed back to the room around 5:30 or so, to rest for a bit and freshen up before heading back out for dinner. I discovered that the free Wi-Fi was exactly as described, and took advantage of it by sending a few messages latting friends back home know I'd arrived, and by posting some photos of our adventures so far.

We headed out to dinner, and just went wandering around looking for something yummy. Mom recognized the restaurant Grumbles from a guidebook, so we went in there. There was no one to seat us, and we found an empty table, so we just sat down. A dismayed-looking waiter approached, briefly speechless. When mom said,"we didn't see anybody, so we just sat ourselves - is that okay?" the waiter replied, "No..! We are completely booked until nine o'clock - the restaurant is full!" ...mmmmkay. So we quickly gathered our things and scampered out to find another restaurant. A few doors down, we found Sole Mio, an Italian place. They welcomed us inside, took our coats, offered us bread and olives, and there we had a fantastic meal of fresh tomatoes, avocadoes, and mozzarella, along with some cheese fried and topped with anchovies and a tomato sauce. Those were the appetizers. Then for the main course I had some pasta in a tomato-based sauce, with mushrooms, cheese and eggplant (sorry - "aubergine"), and mom had chicken with some cheese and eggplant.
Did I mention the cheese? It was all very yummy, and topped off with a cappucino. Absolutely delicious. And they were very nice and friendly, and our neighbors at the next table, very close by, were a fun couple of guys, cracking jokes and offering to let us pay for their dinner. Aren't the English nice?

We went back up to the room, watched some 'telly,' and slept like babies until morning.

We have Arrived

2007-03-28T13:01:00.001-04:00

Big Ben
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

Well, we've made it to London, where it's about 6pm local time. We got here around 8:30 this morning, and have just gotten back to the hotel to rest a bit and freshen up before going back out. And I think I need to take advantage of some nap time, so you're gonna have to wait for a proper post, but in the meantime, there are already some pics to check out at Flickr. Just click on Ben to find 'em. See how good I am to you all?

Things Are Looking Up

2007-03-25T13:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't been doing many blog posts lately, because there are only so many ways to say "I've been very busy" without getting completely boring. And to be honest, I'm sick of hearing myself say it. So yeah, Lots of busy-tude-ness lately. Lots of trying to get everything shored up, covered, packed, cleaned, etc. before I head out of the country. The bulk of work stuff was finished on Friday (finally), then I headed downtown for a benefit for our local city symphony.

Now here's where stuff gets good. The benefit was a concert of 18th century music performed by select members of the symphony, but they made an entire evening of it. Since they were celebrating 18th century music, they thought it would be fun to have costumed personages walking around to give a "period" feel to the evening. They hired me to play Marie Antoinette, the hostess of the evening, along with my mother, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, played by another local lady. I got a beautiful dress, big cotton-candy-looking wig, jewels, the whole bit. And I got to wander around freely eating and dancing and chatting up the patrons.

"Act I" was a reception in the ballroom with a few musicians, some dancers teaching the minuet to anyone who wanted to learn, and get this: a court artist. As in, a portrait painter. Live. Painting right there on the dais. And who was he painting? Moi, bien sur!! How COOL is that?? He was even in costume. So I sat still, giving my best Mysterious French Queen impression while he frenetically painted me. We had a blast, trying to be all serious yet constantly cracking each other up. Good fun.

"Act II" was the concert itself. Pieces by Bach, Haydn, and Mozart beautifully played by the Symphony, the Maestro in a powdered wig and frock coat, and the soloist playing the piano in a beautiful rose colored 18th century-style gown with floral accents. My new painter friend and I got to sit in the opera box just off the stage right apron, while my "mother" and her consort occupied the opposite box. I had the best view in the house, where I could see the soloist's fingers flying over the keys.

After the concert was over, it was time for "Act III," My Fabulous "Let Them Eat Cake" party. I got to mingle a little more, eat some delicious desserts, and head back upstairs to the ballroom to continue sitting for the portrait. I think we finally finished up around 11:00pm or so, and it was time to retire the costume, take off the wig, and rub my head and feet to get the circulation going again.

It was a lovely evening of music and art and dance and food, and I felt enormously honored to have been asked to be a part of it. I am indeed a lucky woman. As soon as I get a photo of the finished portrait, I'll be sure to ~~show it off~~ post it right here. In the meantime, here's a photo from my appearance at the Feb17th performance to promote Friday night's benefit:

More silliness to follow...

like a nasty rash,

2007-03-20T20:10:00.000-04:00

...now Mondays have spread to Tuesdays.

Man, I need a vaca...ohhhhhyeah, I'm gettin' a vacation!

SOON, baby!

ooh - speaking of....
hey - anybody know any reason my wireless card might not work in Europe? I'm just trying to get all bases covered if possible. In the off-chance I find time to compose blog entries and upload glorious, full-color photographs of my international travel, I just want to make sure they could make it to you, The Internet.

(sorry, was I rubbing it in a bit?)

Mondays.

2007-03-12T18:30:00.000-04:00

...do they have to be so Monday-like? I mean, really?

I already adored them...

2007-03-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

...but now the Netflix people have made me love them even more.

Get this:
Now, in addition to constantly getting moves that I want to see in the mail all the time, I can watch a bunch of them online whenever I want --For No Extra Charge! There's a limit (1 hour per dollar spent per month - my $17.99 subscription gets me 18 viewing hours per month), but it doesn't cost me a penny more to have them available to me online now.

I know I sound like a commercial, but I truly feel like this is a wee, yet brilliant, slice of heaven.

be glad you couldn't hear my squeal of delight when I found all this out. Your ears would still be bleeding.

It's springtime...

2007-03-05T12:44:00.000-05:00

...and I'm twitterpated.

Yep, just a little bit.

I have another date tonight. :-)

disorientation

2007-02-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had one of those mornings when your eyes just pop open an hour and 45 minutes after you were supposed to have woken up? And then you spend the next 5 minutes wondering, "can this be right?" "how did this happen? " "it is a weekday, right?" and "who can I call in to cover for me?" And you try to figure out what's the bare minimum of preparations that you can do to get to work on time (or close to it) and not look like you just rolled out of bed? But there's seriously NO TIME, so you end up throwing something on that neither fits well nor matches, but who's going to notice anyway, and head on to work, only to get there and realize that you still feel grubby, smell funky, and these clothes won't be any more comfortable at the end of the day than they are now, so you just end up going back home and taking a proper shower like you should have done in the first place?

no?
ok, maybe that's just me.

Sometimes, eating the entire box

2007-02-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

...of Girl Scout Cookies seems inevitable.

Without getting into the insane details, this has been a heck of a week. And I don't mean that in a good way. I am overcommitted on several fronts (some my fault, some not), and have been trying for the last few weeks just to keep my head from going underwater for too long at once. Please trust me when I say that I am understating the case, and we can both avoid a long, drawn out explanation of how rough things have been because really, does anyone need another "woe is me" tale?

(and yet I continue. ...hmmm.)

In the midst of all of this, I agreed to do a professional favor for someone. And I'm talking a BIG favor - one that committed me to many hours of additional work. Boy, was that a mistake. Never have I done a favor for someone so ungrateful. Instead of "gosh, that's kind of you to do that for me - how can I help?" I got, "can you also do This? and This? NO??!? Why not? I think I'll go WAY over your head and ask someone totally uninvolved to step in and take my side." In addition to seven or eight 12-hour days this month already, I was asked to come in to work 2 hours early for a meeting in which,...now take this one slow, to allow it to sink in...I was required to explain to my supervisor and two other people, WHY I had the nerve to do the favor the way I did it and not the way they wanted me to do it.

Are you kidding me?

Really?

THIS is how you repay a kindness?

wow. I'll NOT make the same mistake again with that person.
(venting is now over. positive posts will resume shortly.)

limp wet fish dishrag

2007-02-13T00:25:00.000-05:00

I remember this one time back in oh,...junior high or so, my family and I went to the beach for a week. As was often the case, I met a cute boy, and we started hanging out, making out on the sand dunes at every possible opportunity (like ya do). At some point in the week, he had occasion to meet my dad. I introduced the two of them to each other and they shook hands. We all talked for a few minutes, then it was time to go.
As we pulled away, I asked Dad what he thought of The Guy. With no hesitation, he said, "he had a terrible handshake, like a wet dishrag" and went on to talk about how awful a bad handshake is. And went on and on about it. My Dad, the level-headed, kind, giving gentleman was so passionate about a bad handshake, and what implications it had for this boy his daughter liked.
As these things do, it stuck with me.
Recently, I met another wet dishrag handshaker. It was a female this time, and she was old enough to know better. Though I tried to ignore the urge, I couldn't, and I actually did wipe my hands off after the handshake. I don't doubt her hands were clean enough, but somehow I felt I'd been infected.
So what is this about handshakes? Why is it so important to get it right? When so many people know how to do it well, what's the excuse for those who don't? Did this lady think she was being feminine and delicate by not being firm with her handshake?

OK, that's all I really had to say at the moment.

Beethoven's Better With Your Eyes Closed

2007-02-07T00:11:00.000-05:00

The other night I went to the Symphony with a friend of mine who likes classical music. And though I sell tickets to shows and concerts all day long, I rarely get to sit and enjoy them like a regular audience member. I found it to be very enlightening time, because we started the concert on the very front row, where I discovered that:
a) it's a bit close for a symphony, but probably lovely for a lecture or small combo
b) it's a tad chilly down there,
and
c) it's like sitting on the front row in church - you REALLY can't make comments and cut up and giggle, no matter what silly thoughts come to mind. And trust me - when you're sitting that close, almost in the spotlight yourself? Many Many silly thoughts come to mind.

So for Act 2, we went up to the balcony, where:
a) you can see EVERYTHING, including those poor saps on the front row - unless you're sitting directly behind The World's Tallest Man, as I was.
b) it's more than a little warm (due to the heat rising - I wonder if there are any seats where one can experience the happy medium?)
and
c) you can hear every cough, nose whistle, and rustling candy wrapper in the house. And there were a lot of 'em.

While I was sitting there in the balcony, listening to the concert and imagining shushing and smacking the hands - schoolmarm-style - of every candy rustler in the house (and telling the nose-trumpet guy to SNIFF, fercryinoutloud!), I closed my eyes.

And you know what? It actually sounded better. Pretty strange, I know. But with my eyes closed, I could imagine the orchestra was bigger and fuller. The lighting was better. The musicians were better-looking and more dignified. The music was washing toward me in waves. The World's Tallest Man had gone out for pie. It was a beautiful thing.

So do me a favor, wouldja? The next time you go to a concert, close your eyes, and tell me if you notice a difference in the sound. I'm curious to know if it's just me, or if it's just Beethoven.

It's really real now

2007-01-18T18:03:00.000-05:00

I know I said that Mom and I are going to Europe, but it wasn't until sometime this afternoon that a wave of conviction came over me. I could actually feel the trip pass from the realm of the Hypothetical to that of the
Actually-Going-To-Happen.

That's totally a word. Look it up.

On second thought, ...don't.

...in other news,

2007-01-16T17:19:00.000-05:00

Epiphany had a date!

...a lovely one!

(hey, G!) ;-)

just...wow.

2007-01-16T17:17:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the level of cluelessness in this world astounds me.

(BTW: this comment is wholly unrelated to the date comment above. -Epiph.)

Dee & Epiphany's European Vacation

2007-01-13T21:34:00.000-05:00

Ok Ya'll - How cool is this:

My mom and I are going to Europe in April.

!!!

We're going to London, Bath, Salisbury (Stonehenge), Glastonbury, Cardiff (Wales), and Stratford-Upon-Avon, then on to Paris, and over to visit with friends in the French countryside, where I'll get to meet my goddaughter for the first time.

I. Can't. Wait.

We've worked out a basic plan for where we want to go, and when and how. The next step is figuring out if the places we want to go will be open on the specific days we want to go to them. Then we'll get the tickets and have a big time!

I'm so excited. I'm trying to keep it in, because until we actually get there, anything can happen to keep us from going. But I really can't help it! I'm so excited! i said that already, didn't I?

More later, but that's the plan as we know it so far.

Karaoke junkie

2007-01-12T15:26:00.000-05:00

I've never thought of myself as a singer (still don't). But lately I've been having the best time at local karaoke nights. It's not like I've discovered I'm any type of American Idol material or anything, but I have discovered that I have a voice, and it's not as bad as I'd thought. In fact, it's kind-of okay, maybe even slightly good.

When I was in High School, I was in chorus for a while, and we did a show in which I had a solo. I sang "Blue Moon" (the standard version, not the Sha-Na-Na one from Grease). The choir director told me I had a tendency to go flat, and I've never forgotten that. He's the only one who's ever told me that, but I didn't figure that made him wrong, only honest.

So for the last, oh..., fifteen years, I've thought of myself as having a weak voice and pitch issues. And the cool thing about Karaoke? No one cares. Like life, there's always going to be someone better than me, and someone worse. It's very freeing.

I've always been around good singers - my mom, my roommate in college, my friend Kat - and they always seemed to get this expression of mild bliss while and shortly after singing. And those singers? Man, they'll sing at the drop of a hat. No false modesty or shyness, just open wide and make a joyful noise. How beautiful is that? So now, thanks to Karaoke, I get it. It just feels good. When you can make a sound that vibrates in harmony with the surrounding music or other voices, it feels good. When you take a deep, full breath and let it out over a long note or phrase, it feels good. And when people clap and the end and say you did a good job, well, that feels pretty good too.

I used to think Karaoke was cheesy, and it probably is. But as I've said before, I'm not made of stone. It got me.

A Year with The Bard

2007-01-11T19:58:00.000-05:00

Some time ago, I decided that I needed a quest. Something that could be self-driven, and keep my interest until the task was complete. So I decided on...

A Year Of Shakespeare.

Here's the plan:
1- read his Complete Works. Every play. All the way through. Not just Masterplots, like I did in college. I mean really read them. I have a head start because I've already done or seen several, but I'm going to re-read those ones as well. And I have a year in which to read 37 plays (and 154 sonnets, and 5 long poems, if I can manage it).
2-see/be in as many Shakespearean plays as I can. So far, I have planned:
-Romeo and Juliet - see it next month
-"Shakespeare's greatest hits" benefit - hopefully perform in it in March
-King Lear - See it in Stratford-Upon-Avon, directed by Trevor Nunn, starring Ian McKellan, in April (hang on, I need a moment to Happy-dance again!)
-As You Like It - hopefully be in it, in June.
3-study/build costuming for Shakespearean performances in outdoor venue - considering versatility, washability, comfort, ease of movement, aesthetic appeal, historical appropriateness, etc.etc.etc.
4-Read critical essays on the plays as I come across them. This may be guilding the lily, but why not shoot for the moon?

A Spirited Beginning

2006-12-02T22:03:00.000-05:00

Halloween snuck up on me, and Thanksgiving went by too quickly, but Christmas seems to be coming along nicely.
First, I got a part in christmas play, so I've been singing Christmas Carols for a few weeks now in rehearsals. Next, the cast from the show was part of the entertainment for the lighting of the "World's Largest Christmas Tree" last night. And tonight, I got to hear Handel's Messiah performed by the city symphony and a choral group.
I have begun to get presents for everyone on my list (3 of about 12 so far), and I have about half of my decorating done (a wreath. I'll take the tree out of the box once I clean the apartment). At this rate, I might even get to relax and enjoy the holiday.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2006-11-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, the busy time at work will be over by Thursday, so I've already begun to dream about what I can do with some free time. I know I'm counting my chickens, but the thought of being able to do whatever I want for whole hours in a day, for days in a row is just too difficult to resist thinking about.

Things I could do: Read, catch up on tv, sew, shop for Christmas presents, wrap presents, clean apartment, decorate, write Christmas cards, send Christmas cards, clean out my car, do laundry, organize shelves and drawers, ...and the list goes on.

I wonder if I'll do more than read and watch tv?

Music from Another Room

2006-11-15T17:42:00.000-05:00

I love not having to rush.

Lately, I've been pretty much caught up on all my to do lists at work, and can afford to take just a little bit of 'me' time at work. I do this from time to time, tracking things down online that I don't have the patience to search for on my dialup at home. Usually, I'm just curious about something, so I look it up, then find something about that something that I want to look up, etc, and I just follow that thread until it runs out, starts repeating itself, I get bored, or I have to get back to work. Sometimes, it truly does feel like surfing. And it's lovely.

But that's not what I wanted to talk about today.

I want to just take a moment to appreciate those moments when you hear a bit of music, and you're immediately pulled out of whatever it is you were doing, and sucked into the sound. I've been trying to put my finger on it for a while now, to describe the sensation perfectly, and I've come to realize that it's not something that words can do justice to. Words can't touch it. Colors can't touch it (but they can come closer than words, in my opinion). But when it's sound, and it hits you just right, it's the only thing that can reach that part of you.

And you can remember those times, can't you? You can remember that time, back in school, when you were driving home from the movies, and you heard your new favorite song on the radio. Or, when a friend put a cd on, and started singing along and you thought, "how can this be, that I'm just now hearing this for the first time, while not only have they heard it before me, but they've known about it long enough to learn the words?" Or, as was the case with me the other night, you're watching a movie, and a piece of music begins to play softly in the background. Suddenly one part of your brain is paying attention to the story, but another part of your brain is completely distracted (in a good way) by the music.

It's good stuff.

By the way, in case you were wondering, I was listening to Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op.23, performed by Emanuel Ax.

I blame Halloween

2006-11-09T16:20:00.000-05:00

Everybody talks about how it's so hard to stay on a diet over the holidays, with all of the homemade goodies and rich foods so readily available. But as I sit here, eating Skittles left over from Halloween, I realize:

Those little trick-or-treaters are the root of it all.

If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have all of this candy. And if it weren't for all of this candy, I wouldn't be snacking every chance I get. And if it weren't for all of the snacking, I'd stay on my regular eating schedule with no problem. But no, here I sit, finishing up the skittles, and looking around for something else lying around near my desk that I can eat.

it's gonna be a long holiday eating season.

Diary of an addict

2006-11-07T21:00:00.000-05:00

I wasn't going to even try for another part in another show 'til summer. I was going to concentrate on work, and getting the little bits and pieces of my life back in order. Things like making sure each bill actually gets paid, instead of stuffed into the bottom of my purse. Things like returning phone calls. Things like shopping for groceries, and then eating the stuff I bought before it goes bad in the fridge because I chose a frozen dinner over a fresh salad because it's easier to prepare. I was so going to do all of this.

But the thing is, I had time off. I had a few weeks of time in the evenings. Not every evening, but more than a few. I read. Books, not just articles. I grocery shopped, and cooked. And froze the excess for later. shazam! I'm not saying I lined up all of the ducks, but I think it's safe to say that they're at least swimming in the same pond now. I was making progress.

And it drove me crazy. I had such an excess of creative energy that I couldn't concentrate at work. I was sketching costume ideas. I was designing posters. I was reading books on theatrical special effects and designing on a budget. I had all these ideas for things, but no one to talk to about them.

So I auditioned and got a part (or maybe parts) in a show for Christmastime. We meet tomorrow to discuss scheduling and get the script and parts. It's an ensemble piece, with some actors playing several parts. And it's for a company I really respect, but have never worked with. And I think they perform in the bigger space (seats about 10x more people), which I have only worked in a couple of times.

I can do this. Clearly, the trick is to stay on top of things, learn the lines early, etc. You know, just to keep the beast at bay. The beast that demands that I do something creative with my time here on earth.

I can quit anytime.

Happily wasted five minutes. Now you.

2006-10-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html

Thanks to Michael for this one.

For Lauren

2006-10-25T11:50:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm finally posting about this. Ya happy now? ;)

A couple of weekends ago I went to my fifteen year High School reunion. I viewed it like one of those things that you go to, because though you're not in the mood for the hassle of going, you know once you get there you'll be glad you went. And that's pretty much how it turned out. But not for the reasons I thought it would.

My parents still live in same town, so I knew that I could stay there with no trouble, and no extra expense. Sadly though, neither of them were home that weekend, so I was there by myself. But it was nice to be home for a while and see the fall colors and relax and just get away for a bit. The drive was a bit long, so I brought along my cat for company. She always loves staying at her grandparents' house because there are TWO FLOORS of rooms! ...as opposed to my apartment, which is just... a room.

I'd decided to try to avoid the 'what to wear' angst by just throwing some things into the suitcase and just deciding when I got there, instead of making special shopping trips to find the perfect outfit. I'm sure I could have looked better, but not stressing over it kept me from feeling like I had to present myself as someone in some way better than I actually am. Sad that I had to keep reminding myself to just be myself, isn't it?

So anyway, on to the shindig. It was held at a restaurant that I'd never been to, and I gotta say, I wasn't impressed. It was just a room that looked more like a converted store than a restaurant, and any atmosphere that was created with applied decor was ruined by too many flourescent lights. And the food, while not bad, wasn't particularly good, either. (I don't think it's the fault of the organizers - there's just not a lot of choice for locations.) I guess this makes me a snob, but I'm always depressed when I go home and have to search high and low for a green salad that isn't made with iceberg lettuce, and more than two choices for dressing. But they did have a cash bar, with beer and wine available. *whew.*

It was a pretty strange experience, walking in. There was an impressive turnout, considering it was our first reunion, and the coordinators didn't know how to get in touch with a lot of people. Also, the graduating class wasn't that big to begin with.

It was weird, seeing these people I haven't seen in fifteen years. I'm not sure what I expected, but the vast majority of them were easily recognized. Some (like me) had gained a little weight, or a couple of wrinkles (that too), or had bits of grey in their hair(not yet), but still looked very much like themselves. There were one or two that I didn't recognize at all, even after finding out who they were, and there were one or two who seriously? Hadn't. changed. a bit. Those were spooky.

Some people just have that gift for finding THE right place to sit at a banquet. Whether it's because of good luck, or because the party just seems to follow them wherever they go, I don't know. Because I am not one of those people. Not that I sat by bad people or anything, but my neighbors and I just didn't have much to say to each other past the usual, "so, what have you been doing for the past 15 years?" Plus, once people start breaking out the pictures of their kids, I have considerably less I can contribute to the conversation.

After dinner, there was some time for mingling and dancing. Or, more honestly, standing around drinking and talking. This was my favorite part. This was where I got to talk to people that I hadn't talked to much (or at all) in school, and I essentially got to meet them for the first time. It's a weird experience, knowing where someone comes from, and having a basically two-dimensional impression of what they were like half their lifetime ago, and then finding out that they're really interesting people that I'd be pleased to meet anywhere. I don't mean to sound like I was shocked that my classmates turned out to be interesting people - It's more that I felt relieved: if they've grown past what they were back then, and gone on to become interesting people then I must have as well. (And Thank Goodness the world no longer has to be subjected to my 17-year-old-self.)

I didn't talk as much to those I thought I would - those from the 'clique' I hung out with most in school, but had basically lost touch with since. Instead, I got to spend time with new people, and instead of conversations full of nostalgia and the glory days, we talked about our world views, dreams of the future, life experiences, and a lot of stuff that had nothing to do with highschool or childhood.

Those of you who know me know that I love a good conversation. And I had several of those. I'm definitely glad I went, and I'm looking forward to the next one. And I think I might be able to keep in touch with some of them and spend time with them when we're all home for the holidays.

So yeah, here's to growing up, in the good way.

It's totally scientific.

2006-10-10T12:04:00.000-04:00

According to this website, these are the celebrities who look the most like me.
So, that's Elisha Cuthbert, Kimberly Williams, Martine McCutcheon, Allyson Hannigan, Helena Christiansen, Judi Dench, Emma Watson, and Naomi Watts.

...umm, yeah.

Mmm...Reclusion.

2006-10-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

At a friend's recommendation, I spent the weekend reading Year of the King by Antony Sher. It's an actor's diary (and sketchbook) of the year he spent working on Richard III with the RSC. <--Royal Shakespeare Company.
I'm always looking for good books, and this one kept me so entertained, I declined an invitation to what turned out to be a pretty great party, according to all who attended. The book is something that perhaps only actors (and those who love them) will understand, but I found it to be fantastic.
As actors, we know that there are certain things we're supposed to say about a part, or a production, or 'the life.' And there are other things that are just best kept to ourselves. For example, you're not supposed to say you're disappointed that your role didn't get nominated for an award - you're supposed to say things like awards don't matter to you. You're not supposed to talk about a costume not turning out like you wanted - you're supposed to say, "it's fantastic!" And when anyone asks you how a show is going, you always, always say, "it's going great!" no matter how difficult things may be at the moment. But this guy talks about it all - the frustration, the feats, the self-congratulation, the self-loathing, the illusions and disillusions of what we do.
It's always difficult to answer the question, "why theatre?" I'm not sure that Mr. Sher has completely answered it(if that's even possible), but through his daily diary, he helps to illustrate the daily failures and triumphs that make up an actor's expreience in a given role. It's never perfect. It never will be. It's absolutely personal, and completely collaborative.

Autumn at last?

2006-10-08T16:27:00.000-04:00

Recently, the weather has turned slightly colder. For example, it's 73 degrees at 4:00p.m. instead of 85 degrees.

Being far too ready for fall (it's OCTOBER, fercryin' outloud-why isn't it colder!), I immediately lept upon the cold-weather comfort foods. I bought Hot Chocolate mixes and ingredients for Chili and heavy pasta dishes. Which of course means that next week the weather will be back up in the nineties.

But I just can't help myself. I like colder weather. I like wearing sweaters and drinking warm beverages. I like piles of autumn leaves and the smell of wood smoke. I like getting cold and damp and then changing into warm dry clothes and curling up with a blanket and a good book. Also, my cat gets all snuggly when it's cold, and that's some really good stuff. What am I saying? I get all snuggly when it's cold.

OOOOh...as I've been typing this, a rain storm has come up and it's all grey and rainy and cold looking. I can't wait to finish work here and get out in it. I plan to get a little bit chilled, then heat up some chili and watch PBS all night. ...sweeeeet.

<---not my actual Chili.

Does this mean I'm a grownup now?

2006-09-28T20:49:00.000-04:00

I can't believe how much my mood was affected yesterday by seeing gas prices under $3/gallon. Since when did I become someone who cares about gas prices? I've just typed the phrase "gas prices" twice...no, three times in one paragraph.

sometimes I don't recognize myself.

But on the other hand, Lookeee!! Only $2.17 per gallon!!

OOH! OOH! OOH!!! I can't believe I almost forgot - this pic was taken with my brand new, spiffy, flippy cameraphone! Yep, Epiphany's communicado again. (and there was much rejoicing)

Emergence

2006-09-12T13:27:00.000-04:00

ohyeahthat'sright. i have a blog. I knew I was forgetting something.

The show has completed its run, and the set has been struck. I feel so honored and gratified to have been a part of it, and I'm really sad to see it go.
But.
I must say I am glad to have my life back again. I've been sleeping a lot, doing laundry, cooking real food (not microwave dinners), and starting to catch up on all of the things that got pushed to the side while I was doing this show (and the 3 that went before it).
I realized that with the exception of a few days, I've been in one show or another for the past six months. Six months of thinking,"I can't paint my fingernails-my character wouldn't do that." Or, "I can't go to the beach-my character's supposed to be pale." Or "I can't get my hair cut-my character probably hasn't had hers cut in months, if not years."
Now I can paint my nails, change my hair color, frolic on the beach, exercise (or not), or whatever else I want to do because there's No Show On The Horizon.
But to show you that I'm never fully recovered from this addiction: I might want to do Shakespeare again next summer, so I don't think I'll cut my hair shorter than shoulder length. The first step is admitting.

Yeah, I just blogged about my hair color and length. AND my nails. Deal with it.

Epiphany and Michelle's High School Reunion

2006-08-29T15:51:00.000-04:00

'Tis time.
My 15 Year High School reunion is coming up. Fifteen Years. And what have I done with my life, besides delay maturity? Let me get back to you on that.

All of the people who are sending me reminders have quite thoughtfully included their married name in all correspondence, lest I get confused. For some, I even have photos of their happy family, kids and all. Sweet.
I am so very torn over this. Do I go, if only to represent the Bridget Joneses of my class? Do I laugh smugly at those who've put on weight, if only to cover my jealousy at their familial bliss (most likely the cause of their extra pounds)? Do I invite a handsome male friend to accompany me and pretend to dote upon me so I can show everyone back home that I am, in fact, not covered in scales?
Or do I stay away, and let them speculate what wild and glamorous things I do with my loads of single-girl free time?

Nah. I'm a really bad liar, and really, what would be the point?
The grass is always gonna be greener, right?
The truth is, I'm happy. Sure, there are things I'd thought I would have done by now that I haven't, but there are also things I'd never even thought of that I have managed to accomplish. And I'd bet everybody there has some things that they're proud of, as well as some things they wish were different.
No, I should go, dressed as myself (on a good day), and enjoy reminiscing and reconnecting with old(e) friends.

That is, of course, unless I have better plans.

Able to Exhale

2006-08-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

There are some people who, in times of great stress, frustration or high emotion, write as a way to vent some of the excess. Clearly I am not one of those people.

This past weekend we opened the big show that has had me more than the usual amount of freaked out. This play's story is one that I've felt more personally than I've let on to those around me. So I really wanted to get it right. And it's beautifully written, so I've been especially careful to try and get every word as the playwright intended. This is not as easy as it sounds. And I'm sure I haven't yet gotten it completely right, but I've come close enough to feel pretty good about it.
So anyway, it's open. The bird is in flight. We still have two more weekends of it, and if you come to see it, I personally promise to give you the best performance that I can. I love this show, I love this cast, and I want to share it with as many people as I can. For those of you who don't know, this show is why I do theatre.

If you want to come see it, but don't know which show I'm talking about, post a comment below and I'll tell you.

Random...

2006-08-11T10:21:00.000-04:00

Don't ask me why I suddenly decided to do one of these things. Must be all drugs I didn't do in the Sixties.

Autobiography

1. Where did you take your default pic? Bryant Park, In-Why-See
2. What exactly are u wearing right now? Grey top, grey pants,...hmm.
3. What is your current problem? Not enough time
4. What makes you most happy? Travel
5. Whats the name of the song that you're listening to? The Calling (Eric Clapton & Santana)
6. Any celeb you would marry? Liev Schreiber. (see previous posts)
7. Name someone with the same birthday as you? Ira Gershwin, Joyce Kilmer, Dave Brubeck, Steven Wright, Peter Buck, Tom Hulce...lots of men, lots of musicians. huh.
8. Ever sang in front of a large audience? Jaiss.
9. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? I used to get Kirstie Alley (when I was 12), then Helen Hunt (when I was 20), then Bridget Fonda (late 20's), now I get Emily Watson.
11. Do you speak any other languages? un peu de francais. Mais juste un peu.
12. Has anyone you've been really close with passed away? Yes.
13. Do you ever watch MTV? Not since they used to play videos.
14. Whats something that really annoys you? don't get me started.

Chapter 1:
1.Middlename: Christine
2.Nickname: Muffin, Doll, Dollface
3.Current location: desk
4.Eye color: light green

Chapter 2:
1.Do you live with your parents: no
2.Do you get along with your parent(s): very much so, yes.
3. Are your parents married/separated/divorced: Married. still. Always.
4.Do you have any Siblings: one bruddah.

Chapter 3:
1. Ice Cream: Starbucks Coffee Almond fudge.
2. Season: whichever is next.
3. Shampoo/conditioner: does anybody care?

Chapter 4: Do You...
1.Dance in the shower: but that would be dangerous...
2.Write on your hand: yes-it's the original Palm Pilot
3.Call people back: sometimes
4.Believe in love: Very much so,, yes. But I must admit, my faith is being tested.
5.Sleep on a certain side of the bed: topside.
6.Have A Bad Habit: sure

Chapter 5: Have You...
1.Broken a bone: several.
2.Sprained stuff: yup.
3.Had physical therapy: yup
4.Gotten stitches: yup
5.Taken painkillers: jaiss
6.Gone SCUBA diving or snorkeling: yepper
8.Thrown up at the dentist: no
9.Sworn in front of your parents: yeah. whups.
10.Had detention: probably. can't remember. that was a lifetime ago.
11.Been sent to the principal's office: probably
12.Been called a hoe: no, but I've dated a few rakes in my time.

Chapter 6: Who/What was the last
1.Movie(s): Match Point
2.Person to text you: I'm a texting virgin. I've given, but never recieved.
3.Person to call you?: Weetman
4.Person who hugged you: Tom
5.Person who tackled you: Doug?
6.Thing you touched: coffee mug (not counting the obvious keyboard)
7.Thing you ate: Pepperoni
8.Thing you drank: Coffee
9. Friend you miss the most that moved: Heather, but we both moved, so it's not her fault.

And then it rained.

2006-08-04T23:19:00.000-04:00

You know how during a drought, just before the rains come, the earth seems tense, stretched, like it’s just begging for some relief, for Pity’s Sake?? And then it does rain, and everything relaxes. We can finally get some peace. We can stop having to try so hard just to do the things that normally come so easily.

Yes, we’ve been in a heatwave lately. And yes, there was a little rain today, with the promise of more throughout the next week. At long last, we don’t have to worry where our next breeze is coming from. Yes, that is a relief. But that’s not what this post is about.

It’s on a more personal level than that. And it’s shocking what little it took to get the clouds to break.

First, a little background: I won’t go into everything, because there’s a lot, it would take a while, and frankly, it’s personal and none o’ ya dang bidness. But I will say that I’ve felt blocked in more than one area of my life (home, work, art, romance, friends, …). I keep making mental lists of all that needs to get done, all the things I need to do to ‘fix’ my life. And there’s just so much. I mean, where do I start? Where could I possibly start? And it’s the same feeling in all of these areas. It’s felt like everything’s just bottlenecking, and if I could figure out how to get one thing started, the rest would come more easily and fall in line behind it, but I just have to figure out which one to start with and how to get it sorted out.

So the main thing, the thing that’s been most pressing, has been the show I’m working on. That sounds so shallow and “actor-y,” but there’s just something about this one. It’s difficult. And Good. There’s just something in it that connects with me, but I’ve not been able to express it. I can read it and understand it, but I haven’t been able to get it to come out right. I’ve been making excuses for myself:
…it’s too hot in the rehearsal space, …I’ll be fine once I get the lines learned solidly, …it’s a chemistry thing. And of course, all of that is complete rubbish. I just have to stop getting in my own way.

“Stop getting in my own way.” That sounds like such a cliché, so trite, and what does it really mean anyway?

Well.
Tonight we were in rehearsal, and I just wasn’t feeling it. I was tired, my back was hurting, it was probably 90 degrees in the rehearsal space, I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t get my head into the place it needed to be to do the scene adequately, nevermind well.
But the Director was being so very patient with me. She would call me on it when I wasn’t doing it right, but she wouldn’t yell or punish. She would just say matter-of-factly that it needed to be done differently.
And then we got to The Big Scene. I don’t want to give anything away to the one or two of you who read this that might get the chance to come and see the show, but it’s a big, emotional scene. Not the kind of thing you want to try when you’re having trouble focusing. We went through about half of it, and the Director stopped us. She gave us a couple of notes to try and then she said to me, “if it’s okay with you, when we run it again, I’m just going to put my hand over your stomach.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m going to put my hand on your stomach. I think it will help you.”

“But- …is it- am I not supporting my voice properly??”

“No, that’s not it at all. I just think it will help you emotionally.”

“uhm……Okay.”

And we ran through the scene again from the top. And she did what she said she was going to do. When we got to the tough bits, she stood behind me, and reached around and put her hand on my stomach. And she just left it there while I did my lines.
And I don’t know how it happened, but I haven’t wept like that in years. The tears weren’t coming out of my eyes, they were coming out of my soul. She helped me to get out of my own stupid way and just let go and follow where the text took me. And suddenly everything made so much sense. I understood way down deep why this character felt so strongly about what she was saying. I could see why she was fighting, what exactly it was she thought she was fighting for, and why it was so important that she lose that fight.
And oh, the relief, such sweet relief came flooding over me. I can't explain why this was so important to me, when others have so much more significant problems, other than to say that it goes deeper than a script, deeper than just acting. This. This is why I do "this acting thing." There's just so much more to it than simply "acting." It's the search for the meaning and the connection, the struggle, and the sweet unbelievable feeling of success when you find it at last.

I do so love the rain, don’t you?

Scratching my watch

2006-07-12T16:47:00.000-04:00

Points to those of you who get the reference in the subject line.

A quick update, is about all I can handle today:

-New York was FABULOUS. Liev was fantastic. Pics at Flickr. More later.
-House is a no-go. Maybe I'll try again to move in the late fall/early winter.
-Jake's Women has opened, with a very successful first weekend. Yayy!
A pic for your viewing pleasure:

More later, I promise.

Wow. that really was quick. Must do better in future.

Big Apple

2006-06-28T15:53:00.000-04:00

Well, we applied to rent the house, and we're just waiting to hear back. I'm getting SO impatient to hear. I want to know if instead of cleaning my apartment, I could just be throwing the junk in boxes. Because to clean and pack would just be a waste of effort, somehow.

And some other big news -- I'm going to New York City tomorrow!! I'm going to see my favorite actor ever in MacB...MacBe..Mac...The Scottish Play in Central Park. Maybe some of you have realized that I'm no longer calling Liev Schreiber my future husband.
Lemme 'splain.
It's not because I think he's any less Yummy, Handsome, Talented, Brilliant, or just generally Beyond Perfect. It's just that he's dating this girl, and they've been dating for a while, and it seems kinda serious, and let'sbehonestwhatweremychancesanyway, and I'm starting to feel a little creepy about the whole 'future husband' thing. But then, that could all change tomorrow. I could see him, running 'round the stage, with that voice and that intelligence and that tall-drink-of-waterness, and I may just throw all caution to the wind, and go back to referring to him as my Intended, Naomi be damned.

Or I could just crawl up in a hole, wailing and moaning over the fact that I'm not the beautiful blonde Australian that he's currently snuggling with.

It could really go either way.

Cross your fingers...

2006-06-22T13:12:00.000-04:00

I've found a house to rent and someone willing to share it with me. I don't want to jinx things by saying too much, but it's just insane how perfect this place is. There's so much room!! And it's a House! And it's unique!! And I could have friends over - lots of 'em - and some could even come from long ways away and stay there overnight (Doc? Viv? Ganderson? "Kids?").
I don't want to give too much away, but I just can't help myself, so here's a peek:
Isn't it great?

Now, we just have to apply and get accepted, and no one else can get to it before us. So pray, cross your fingers, press your thumbs, throw pennies in fountains, make offerings to whatever god/goddess/saint you prefer,...just help us out, woudja?

I think I prefer the root canal

2006-06-17T14:15:00.000-04:00

Well folks, it's time.
Time for that activity every woman dreads.
Time to bathe in the hot glare of harsh judgment and fluorescent lighting.
Time to face the reality that I am not what I thought I was.

Time to go swimsuit shopping.

It's not because I don't have any bathing suits already. It's just that they're ALL SO OLD that the elastic's shot in EVERY ONE OF THEM. Don't think I didn't try with the irrepressible glimmer of optimism to fit into the suit I wore in high school. Or the ones that I had back when I was a lifeguard (and getting regular exercise). Or the one that I bought on a whim a few years ago when I stopped into one of those dreadful Wings stores literally en route to the beach.

But I can't deny it any longer.

It. Is. Time.

I'm heading out today. I've chosen one store and one store alone that I will try. No sense in the self-flagellation of repeated unfruitful trips to many stores, subjecting myself to repeated viewings of my fish-belly white flesh in the dressing room mirrors. If I find nothing in the first store, then it's not meant to be. Wish me luck.

And no, there will not be any pictures.

UPDATE:

Well, that was bloody awful.

They have suits in every color of the rainbow, and some that aren't, but they're all the same stupid style and cut. The stupid style and cut that makes me look I have no butt (no easy task), and my upper body has been borrowed from a quarterback with breast implants...on his armpits.

And they were ALL like that. Why, WHY, WHYYYY?!? They've acknowledged the fact that all women are built differently by allowing you to purchase the tops and bottoms seperately - so you can buy a small top and medium bottom, for example. Or mix and match the colors and patterns to...ahem, accentuate the positive, as it were. But, BUT. They totally negate any benefit of that versatility by making all the tops and all of the bottoms the same shape and style. So to get to the point, for the moment I remain sans maillot.

may the fleas of a thousand camels,...etc. etc.

On Mojitos, Squid, and Karaoke

2006-06-16T12:17:00.000-04:00

Last night was a lovely evening at the park. Unfortunately, the crowd was small, and they sat so far back in the seats that we couldn't see them. So the show felt more like a dress rehearsal than a performance. But I had a good time anyway. By the end of the show, most of the cast seemed to be in a bit of a festive mood, so we went to a new sushi bar downtown called YoSake. I had skipped dinner, and was close to gnawing on my own hand for nourishment. Thankfully, we arrived at the restaurant before the kitchen closed and I was able to get an Ocean Salad.

I.
Love.
the Ocean Salad.
It's got slices of squid, shrimp, and some kinda something that I can't describe without sounding lewd. But it's really good. Reeeally good.

And you know what else is reeeally good?

Mojitos.

They've got mint and lime and sugar and soda and oh, mebbe a little bit o' rum. I think I have a new favorite drink.

And even when you haven't had one or two too many, it's fun to say Moe-HEE-Toe! Go on, try it.

So yes, I had a couple, or maybe a few of those. And, AND. It was Karaoke night as well. So, summing up: singing, sushi, fun, fellowship, and hooch. That was my night. How was yours?

Summer in the park with Will

2006-06-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

Maria & Longaville
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

Well, I promised pics, so here you go. More to come, as there are still 8 performances left (weather permitting). That dashing young man sitting next to me is Josh, and his birthday was yesterday, so give 'im a little love.
We had a really fun show on Saturday, with a large, responsive audience. It feels like we're finally figuring out just what this show's about. Everyone really seems to be getting more and more confident with their parts and with the Shakespearean language. Of course, it would have been nice to have figured out this stuff *before* we opened, but...I'll just chalk that up to the beauty of live theatre.
After the show on Saturday, we went to a party at the producer's house. It's a widely-held opinion that Cherri gives the best parties in town, and this was no exception. She makes a rockin' sangria, and lots of yummy food. I always partake ever-so-slightly more of both than I should. Did I mention the sangria was really quite good?

We've started rehearsals for Jake's Women. It's a very talented cast, some of whom I have worked with, some I've seen and admired the work of but never worked with, and some I'd never met. Rehearsals are going very well, I think. Everyone is in good spirits and ready to work, and the director is prepared. He's got enough blocked out that we don't feel like we're floundering, but not so much that we feel like robotic extensions of his brain.

This play will be the third in a row for me. For those of you who know me, you know that this is highly unusual for me to go directly from one show to the next without a break. I usually need time to recharge and reset. Time to sit in my house (or even clean it), read, be by myself, etc. But this summer I've felt more energized, creatively. I don't want to get too flaky here, and I definitely don't want to over-analyze it, but I really am enjoying not feeling worn down, like I'm just slogging through my life, working then sleeping then working some more.

Funny how time slips away

2006-05-31T10:56:00.000-04:00

Wow. The time, she just flies!
We're in summer hours at work now, and as the building's being remodeled, there are no events for which to sell tickets . We are just selling subscriptions for all of the seasons that start in the fall. This combined with the staggering number of overtime hours I've built up in the past year mean that my work schedule can be a bit more lax right now. So I've been taking full advantage of that by filling every newly available minute with things I love to do.

A few weeks ago, the theatre company I work for finished up its New Play festival, wherein we celebrate new works by young (ages 7-ish to 17-ish) and old(er) playwrights. I was allowed to direct one of the youth works, and I had a great time doing it. I haven't directed any theatre since college, lo these many years ago. But this piece was a short piece of about 30 minutes in length, so it was a great way to 'get my feet wet' again and see if I still enjoy directing. Unfortunately, one of my actresses dropped out, and I had to fill in, shifting my focus from directing-only to directing-and-acting. I would have preferred to do one or the other, but my cast made it easy on me, so all went well, I think.

Immediately after the NPF closed, I went into rehearsals for Love's Labor's Lost, a production of our local Shakespeare-in-the-park company. They had some difficulty in filling out the cast, so I and several others were called in to help. I think we've ended up with a really good cast - some old pros, and some newbies, as well as some who've done a lot of stage work but never any Shakespeare. There have been a number of difficulties along the way, but I think it's finally starting to gel. There's nothing like getting on the set, in costume, under the lights, to bring out a performance. And unlike last year, this year I get to play a GIRL!! With a dress and shoes and hair and lipstick and everything! (photos to come shortly).

So, Shakespeare opens on Friday, and already I'm in reahearsals for Jake's Women. I got the role of Julie, Jake's deceased first wife. No, I'm not actually playing a corpse - I'm playing Jake's memory of her, and his imagined reunion between her and their now-full-grown daughter. It's a very sweet and touching script and, as it's by Neil Simon, it's quite funny as well. We have a great cast, some of whom I've admired but never worked with directly. I'm really looking forward to getting into this one.

And now for a surprise....I know most of you had probably forgotten about this, but...*drum roll*...The Quilt Is Almost Finished!! I finally picked it back up again and began putting the final binding on it. I want to use it to sit on backstage during Love's Labors Lost, so I knew I had to git ta stitchin'. I think I may be able to finish it tonight. Woo HOO!!

Now if I could just finish the hem on that skirt, that scarf I'm working on for Michael, those tea towels for Mom,...

Eager Anticipation

2006-05-16T11:47:00.000-04:00

No, I didn't actually teleport to another planet. I'm still here, and still well. We've moved our office to a trailer outside our building while workmen transform our former offices to a place of beauty and larger restrooms. Packing and moving, working, rehearsing, loading-in, performing, loading out, visiting with my Beautiful Momma, and other activities have kept me quite busy in the last few weeks.

But I do have news. Thanks to the lovely Adam, I have my very own, brand-spanking-new trial/gift membership to Netflix. For anyone who isn't familiar with it, you tell it what movies you want, and they send them to you. You watch them in your own time, send them back whenever you want, and they send you more. *pause for frisson* I am anticipating my first delivery this evening. So this may be my last post. How can I possibly take the time to write when there are so many movies to see?

the first dose is free....

I think I need a Doctor

2006-04-24T17:28:00.000-04:00

My new obsession:

Last year, the BBC resurrected the series with a new Doctor. Thanks to lovely Michael, I've been able to watch all of the episodes with the FahnTaahStick Christopher Eccleston in the title role. And now I'm addicted - the series is great fun, updated in all the right ways, and left alone in all the others (in my humble opinion).
Only really, I only thought I was addicted. Eccleston finished out his one-year contract and they got a new Doctor - a new new Doctor, if you will. And this new guy. Well. His name is David Tennant, but I like to refer to him as Catnip. Now, NOW, I'm addicted. He's absolutely adorable, with big brown eyes and a mischievous grin, and can go from geeky to sexy to playful to badass and back again on a dime. He's totally cute, his portrayal of The Doctor is completely endearing (no wonder Rose drops everything for a spin in the tardis with him), and then. THEN. As If All This Weren't Enough....

He's SCOTTISH. *whimper*
He uses a "mockney" dialect in the show, but there are commentary tracks and interviews in which he uses his natural voice, and I just...I can't...I'm reduced to jelly. There are no words. I'm not made of stone, people! Just look at 'im! You can't truly expect me to resist this:

*sigh.....

I think Michael's secretly pleased he's Made A New One . Way to go, Michael!

Happy Birthday!

2006-04-19T12:33:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, little man!

Paris, Korea?

2006-04-18T14:48:00.000-04:00

Tickler
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

Recently, a friend and I were traveling and in need of a pit stop. I won't even go into how long it took to find a loo (and you know how 30 seconds seems like a lifetime during these times), but I will tell you that, as it is wont to do, curiosity got the best of us. We had to know just what was so "French" about the tickler.

Well, we were not able to satisfy our curiosity, as the people who stocked the machines were apparently afflicted the franco-phobia that swept the nation a few years ago, and what were once French Ticklers are now ...wait for it...Freedom Ticklers.
I swear I could not make this up.

Another Beautiful Sunset

2006-04-13T16:45:00.000-04:00

Last night I went out to dinner with a friend who will be departing soon for her new life in New York City. We ate at a little French-style cafe on the waterfront, giggled, confided, and drank wine. Then we met a couple more friends at a sofa/martini bar.
This night seemed to illustrate the feelings I have about leaving town or staying here. On the one hand, my friend is brave enough to take the leap and follow her dreams. It's a completely exciting prospect to me to just drop everything and try something completely different. On the other hand, I do like it here. It's beautiful, I have great friends, and I do like my life here. And as they say, "if it ain't broke..."

I guess I'll stay just a bit longer, and then decide.

PS - click the sunset for more photos or click here for the big version of the sunset.

More than a little giddy

2006-04-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

I just realized something:
Today is a good day.

-I'm headed to see dear friends from College in a little over 30 hours
-I'm directing a show (albeit a short one) for the first time in a decade
-and my work email inbox is down to just 4 items that need my attention!!

I still have a basketfull of little things I need to do today, but once I saw that inbox, those things instantly seemed more accomplishable. And I'm inventing new words today, too!

My New Favorite Site

2006-04-05T19:19:00.000-04:00

http://www.craftster.org/

From time to time I get a wee bit obsessive about making things. Usually these periods follow a prolonged stint of working for Da Man. So many numbers in a row, just marching around like obedient little soldiers and I just gotta get away man, gotta get away.

So along came Craftster.

It's this great site for people who like making things, but aren't the least bit interested in flop-eared muslin bunnies, those freakin' crows, or anything with the word "cozy" in its name. Not that there's anything wrong with the bunnies, crows, cozies, or the people who love them. But the craftster folks are hardcore.

Don't believe me?
Just check out the Cookie Monster alarm clock:
The Wonder Woman desk lamp (tap lights for her golden orbs)

Funky Diva Decoupage Shoes

Or my favorite, the fetus-in-a-sack that was posted here. (You'll have to click the link for that image. I'm always lookin' out for the squeamish among you)

I may not ever make one of these things (then again, I MIGHT!! mouahahahaha!!! ), but it just makes me happy and yes, Damn Proud Of My Generation that this site, and these people exist.

Rawk On, Craftster!!

Ich am in Love.

2006-03-30T11:09:00.000-05:00

Geoffrey Chaucer Hath A Blog

Just go there.

And tell him I luff heem.

No don't.
But see if you can find out if he likes me or not.

PS-Thanks to V for introducing me!