So, yesterday was pretty much one of my best birthdays ever. It started after the show saturday night when a bunch of us went to a restaurant called Cheeseburger in Paradise (yes, it's Jimmy Buffet). At midnight our server (we have the same guy pretty much every time we go) bought me a shot called a pineapple upside down cake and an embarrassing display of singing ensued (which I thoroughly enjoyed, naturally).
Sunday morning I got to the theater early because I was a host for the dinner portion of the show and when I went back into the dressing room there was a huge vase with a bouquet of daffodils sitting on my station. The card gave me no indication of who gave them to me (it said "to michelle") but I knew they must be from Curren (which they were). Wendy gave me a birthday girl pin to wear on the floor while I hosted, which was fun :o)
During the opening number of the show, one of my fellow actors, Brent, handed me a little leather pouch and instructed me to open it. Inside I found a lipgloss that I'd mentioned to Curren only in passing a couple weeks ago. I didn't buy it because I don't "need" anymore lipgloss, but it was clearly made for me. The name of the color is "tiara" and it has glitter in it :o)
When I got back to my station after the number was over, I found it covered in disney princess decorations, balloons and ribbon. Wendy and Rachel were the culprits this time, though. They gave me 5 little pots of glitter and a travel jewelry bag with a funky ring inside.
After the show, there was a cast party at a bowling alley until a bunch of us left for dinner at a Japanese steak house. Too bad I forgot it was Sunday and restaurants close way earlier than usual, so we headed to another Japanese steak house that was still seating huge parties and serving sushi. We had such a blast! There was 10 of us for dinner and the chef made a huge display of cooking everything, which is always my favorite part. He made a flaming onion volcano, a flaming heart in the rice and cut up shrimp and threw them in the air so we could catch them with our mouths. It was wicked fun. During dinner, Curren handed me another birthday present, which turned out to be a computer game I love called Zoo Tycoon. I have the original, so he bought me the expansion pack wth 3 new zoos and endangered animals and dinosaurs. He's going to let me load it on his laptop so I can cart it around the theater and play it when I'm not doing any of Millie's costume changes backstage. That and I'll have something to do while he plays his World of Warcraft computer game :o)
After dinner, we headed to my house for some games and snacks (even though we'd just eaten a huge dinner and complained of certain impending death from everything we ate). Before he left, Curren went out to his truck and came pack with yet another gift. This time it was a DVD set of Season 5 of Will and Grace (my favorite TV show that went off the air 2 years ago). As if dinner, lipgloss, daffodils (which are ridiculously out of season right now) and a computer game weren't enough, he paid enough attention to know that I love W&G and that I only owned Seasons 1-4... I distinctly remember saying he's unnervingly observant, and I was right as usual! :o) My friend Emily got me some great gifts, too. Since I'll be teching backstage, she got me a pair of black satin pj's to wear, since the only rule is that we must wear black, pj's are allowed. I laughed my head off at that one. She also got me tights, a little tub of Vaseline (she knows I'm addicted and have one by my bed, so now I have one for my purse too), a cute little maroon shirt and a bottle of hairspray, since she always steals mine. My friend Julie gave me a magnet with a guy farting and a red circle with the bar across it (I'm a little gassy sometimes :o) )
All in all, it was a fantabulous birthday. I got great cards from my family and friends, Grandad and Grandma Barb were overly generous as usual, Danusia sent me a hilarious card about putting lemons in your bra (when life hands you lemons, put them in your bra... it couldn't hurt!) and Marynia and I had a wonderful chat on my way to work.
It's so wonderful to have such wonder family and friends who are so willing to spoil me beyond words on my birthday, which I really had nothing to do with! All of the praise and my gratitude goes to my mom. Dad helped, but when push came to shove (pun intended), mom deserves most of the credit. So, thanks mom. And thanks dad. Thanks for having me, loving me, encouraging me, yelling at me, supporting me, fighting with me and helping me become the woman I am today. I am so proud of who I am because you both worked so hard to get me this far, and I know you'll always be ready with a hug or a kick in the ass... or both.
Update (3:27 am): I never meant to make it sound like dad didn't do his fair share of the work, he did and always does :o)
28 January 2008
16 January 2008
I want to be a part of it!
So... it's been a while, but only a few things have changed. Babes in Toyland closed last Saturday, the 12th and we're now working on opening Jack and The Giant this Sat. I'm running lights for Jack, which is kind of a nice change. I didn't design the entire show, but I did help with some cues if I didn't like the lighting that was set. So far, it's a pretty easy gig, but I know I don't even know the half of lighting, and I'm ok with that :o) Do I miss Babes in Toyland, you may ask? Heck no! I had fun doing the show only because of the actors I had the privilege of working with. The script was horrible, the cuts made in the script (to make to running time of the show shorter) were horrible... The music was decent, but the direction was horrible and I never really felt solid in the show mostly because, I think, we only did it once a week. Nevertheless, it was a fun show, but I'm not going to miss it. What I will miss, however, is all the kids lining up for pictures or hugs after the show. That is, and always will be, my favorite part of any show.
Beauty and the Beast is also rapidly coming to a close, which I never thought possible. It seems like only last week or so we were doing a ridiculously hard tap dance callback for ensemble and I was trying to look my tallest to play Babette... Then the scary rehearsals when we didn't have a choreographer and everyone thought the show would close before it even opened... The miracle of getting an amazing choreographer from the Broadway cast of B&B... Then having a set, not having a set, having a set, not having a set. Finally getting a set, only to have it be not really what we anticipated... But, everything fell into place the way it always does and by opening night we were more ready than anyone thought we could have been, considering the setbacks... I love live theater!
Thoroughly Modern Millie is opening the first weekend of February and I've agreed to be a personal dresser to the girl playing Millie. I was asked several times to be an ensemble swing for the show and I said no way. If you're unfamiliar with the term "swing" in the theater world, it means you learn everyones part and be ready to go on at a moments notice for any given part you know (or don't know, in some instances). Not only do I have no tap experience, I don't have the energy in life right now to cover 9 different tapping roles and understudy one of the secondary leading roles. No thanks. I'm taking a break and doing costumes and I'm loving it. I don't think it'll last long, but I'm going to ride this wave til it dumps me off :o)
So, that's my story... and I'll stick to it until I decide to change it :o)
Beauty and the Beast is also rapidly coming to a close, which I never thought possible. It seems like only last week or so we were doing a ridiculously hard tap dance callback for ensemble and I was trying to look my tallest to play Babette... Then the scary rehearsals when we didn't have a choreographer and everyone thought the show would close before it even opened... The miracle of getting an amazing choreographer from the Broadway cast of B&B... Then having a set, not having a set, having a set, not having a set. Finally getting a set, only to have it be not really what we anticipated... But, everything fell into place the way it always does and by opening night we were more ready than anyone thought we could have been, considering the setbacks... I love live theater!
Thoroughly Modern Millie is opening the first weekend of February and I've agreed to be a personal dresser to the girl playing Millie. I was asked several times to be an ensemble swing for the show and I said no way. If you're unfamiliar with the term "swing" in the theater world, it means you learn everyones part and be ready to go on at a moments notice for any given part you know (or don't know, in some instances). Not only do I have no tap experience, I don't have the energy in life right now to cover 9 different tapping roles and understudy one of the secondary leading roles. No thanks. I'm taking a break and doing costumes and I'm loving it. I don't think it'll last long, but I'm going to ride this wave til it dumps me off :o)
So, that's my story... and I'll stick to it until I decide to change it :o)
03 January 2008
New Year's Resloution
Before I get into that, let's back up to just before Christmas and the last time I blogged...
I spent Christmas in Ohio with my mom's brother, Zdis, his wife Maryann, their three boys and subsequent wife and children. It was such a blast. It was freezing cold, yes, but did it snow!? NO! Geez! What good is it to go to a state and freeze your tookis off if there's no snow? I see it as a test. I think Santa had a last minute deal with Mother Nature to see how I'd react with no snow in OHIO on Christmas. I probably failed miserably because I complained (imagine that) and shook my fist while cursing in Mother Nature's general direction. I expect I'll have regular visits from an Eeyore like rain cloud above my head in the coming year for that one.
Aside from the no snow, Christmas was amazing. We were surrounded by little girls opening gifts and squealing when "Santa" showed up that morning to personally deliver a gift to each little girl. I got more than I deserve, as usual. Mom always sets these parameters like," this year, the limit is $100." Or, "this year, there won't be any little gifts, just one or 2 big ones." Or, "this year, we aren't doing stockings, just a few gifts." Never works, bless her. She always goes above and beyond and spoils us rotten. I love that woman. I made out like a bandit, naturally. (It's that whole being shallow and easy to buy for thing that I mentioned last month) Alex and Chris each bought me a shirt and went in on a cd together for me. I got new flip flops, clothes, books, a warrior fairy figurine, jewelry and a new evening bag. Grandma got me an adorable little NYC SnowBabies figurine with a little top hat and cane. My gift to myself was a new professional hair straightener, which I bought with Christmas money from my aunts and uncles and grandparents. It sounds crazy, but honestly the thing is amazing.
The most surprising gift I got was from the guy I'm dating, Curren. (Who is now my boyfriend. More on that later). He dropped my gift off at Wendy's house so she could give it to my mom to give to me on Christmas morning. So, that morning, I finish opening all my gifts, so I thnk and mom hands me one more and says its not from her and dad and it's not from Zdis and Maryann... it's from someone. Random. So, I open the little box and there's a note on top of the tissue paper which says "Found this on the seat of my sleigh. You should really fix that hole in your pocket. Mr. C" So, I start to get excited and a little puzzled because, if you don't know, Polar Express is my favorite Christmas movie ever. So, I root thru the tissue paper and uncover a little brown wooden box, much like a tiny treasure chest. Inside the box, wrapped in a soft black leather was a bell. A sleight bell much like the one that was given as the first gift of Christmas in the movie! Underneath that was another note, this time from Curren. I know. Amazing. I loved it :o)
New Year's eve was a new experience for me this year, as we had Beauty and the Beast that night. They cleared part of the floor to make room for dancing and we pretty much partied away once the show was over. We still had to take care of the patrons, of course, but they were too busy drinking free champagne and dancing to care about anything else. It was a good time, and everyone made a boatload of money. After we were done at the theater, we all went to a party that our friend Heather was throwing (she's one of the Silly Girls in the show) and stayed there til a little after 4 in the morning just chatting and eating yummy food. It was that night (or, morning if you will) that Curren and I had a chat in which he asked if I would be opposed to being called his girlfriend. I said nope. I mean, we've been dating for a month anyway, so it was just a matter of time :o) My only stipulation was not saying our relationship began New Year's Eve, so we'll play roulette for a date I suppose.
So, that's pretty much the update...
All that to say... I don't do New Year's resolutions. I think it just sets you up for disappointment.
Example: Resolution: To lose weight. When you don't lose weight, you feel bad about it, right? Dumb resolution.
Example: Resolution: Do volunteer work. Then, when you don't magically hae the extra time you somehow thought you would, you feel like a crap person for not giving back, right? Dumb resolution.
See what I mean? I figure, if one really want to lose weight or volunteer, etc, you'd already be doing it. It shouldn't take buying a new calendar to make you want to make a change in your life because by the time March rolls around, everyone is back to the same old same old. It's like after September 11 when everyone was SO American; every store in the nation was sold out of every American flag for weeks, people from New Jersey were actually polite on the road and the world (even France) was sympathetic to our plight. Now? Nothing. We're back to putting crappy anti Bush bumper stickers on cars and France is again thumbing their nose at us.
All that to say, if you are so inclined, choose your New Year's resolution wisely.
Here are some Christmas pictures! http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=40731199391272551/l=342237247/g=118219072/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
I spent Christmas in Ohio with my mom's brother, Zdis, his wife Maryann, their three boys and subsequent wife and children. It was such a blast. It was freezing cold, yes, but did it snow!? NO! Geez! What good is it to go to a state and freeze your tookis off if there's no snow? I see it as a test. I think Santa had a last minute deal with Mother Nature to see how I'd react with no snow in OHIO on Christmas. I probably failed miserably because I complained (imagine that) and shook my fist while cursing in Mother Nature's general direction. I expect I'll have regular visits from an Eeyore like rain cloud above my head in the coming year for that one.
Aside from the no snow, Christmas was amazing. We were surrounded by little girls opening gifts and squealing when "Santa" showed up that morning to personally deliver a gift to each little girl. I got more than I deserve, as usual. Mom always sets these parameters like," this year, the limit is $100." Or, "this year, there won't be any little gifts, just one or 2 big ones." Or, "this year, we aren't doing stockings, just a few gifts." Never works, bless her. She always goes above and beyond and spoils us rotten. I love that woman. I made out like a bandit, naturally. (It's that whole being shallow and easy to buy for thing that I mentioned last month) Alex and Chris each bought me a shirt and went in on a cd together for me. I got new flip flops, clothes, books, a warrior fairy figurine, jewelry and a new evening bag. Grandma got me an adorable little NYC SnowBabies figurine with a little top hat and cane. My gift to myself was a new professional hair straightener, which I bought with Christmas money from my aunts and uncles and grandparents. It sounds crazy, but honestly the thing is amazing.
The most surprising gift I got was from the guy I'm dating, Curren. (Who is now my boyfriend. More on that later). He dropped my gift off at Wendy's house so she could give it to my mom to give to me on Christmas morning. So, that morning, I finish opening all my gifts, so I thnk and mom hands me one more and says its not from her and dad and it's not from Zdis and Maryann... it's from someone. Random. So, I open the little box and there's a note on top of the tissue paper which says "Found this on the seat of my sleigh. You should really fix that hole in your pocket. Mr. C" So, I start to get excited and a little puzzled because, if you don't know, Polar Express is my favorite Christmas movie ever. So, I root thru the tissue paper and uncover a little brown wooden box, much like a tiny treasure chest. Inside the box, wrapped in a soft black leather was a bell. A sleight bell much like the one that was given as the first gift of Christmas in the movie! Underneath that was another note, this time from Curren. I know. Amazing. I loved it :o)
New Year's eve was a new experience for me this year, as we had Beauty and the Beast that night. They cleared part of the floor to make room for dancing and we pretty much partied away once the show was over. We still had to take care of the patrons, of course, but they were too busy drinking free champagne and dancing to care about anything else. It was a good time, and everyone made a boatload of money. After we were done at the theater, we all went to a party that our friend Heather was throwing (she's one of the Silly Girls in the show) and stayed there til a little after 4 in the morning just chatting and eating yummy food. It was that night (or, morning if you will) that Curren and I had a chat in which he asked if I would be opposed to being called his girlfriend. I said nope. I mean, we've been dating for a month anyway, so it was just a matter of time :o) My only stipulation was not saying our relationship began New Year's Eve, so we'll play roulette for a date I suppose.
So, that's pretty much the update...
All that to say... I don't do New Year's resolutions. I think it just sets you up for disappointment.
Example: Resolution: To lose weight. When you don't lose weight, you feel bad about it, right? Dumb resolution.
Example: Resolution: Do volunteer work. Then, when you don't magically hae the extra time you somehow thought you would, you feel like a crap person for not giving back, right? Dumb resolution.
See what I mean? I figure, if one really want to lose weight or volunteer, etc, you'd already be doing it. It shouldn't take buying a new calendar to make you want to make a change in your life because by the time March rolls around, everyone is back to the same old same old. It's like after September 11 when everyone was SO American; every store in the nation was sold out of every American flag for weeks, people from New Jersey were actually polite on the road and the world (even France) was sympathetic to our plight. Now? Nothing. We're back to putting crappy anti Bush bumper stickers on cars and France is again thumbing their nose at us.
All that to say, if you are so inclined, choose your New Year's resolution wisely.
Here are some Christmas pictures! http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=40731199391272551/l=342237247/g=118219072/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
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