I suppose

I suppose it's safe to announce now:

I'm moving to Seattle. I've got a lot up in the air, but a lot enough projects back to back it seems to merit moving rather than commuting. So I'm frantically packing, arranging things, soon to be cleaning...plus working 60 hours Christmas week, and loading things into a storage unit, all while sick with who knows what -- it couldn't have picked a better time.

I'll be excited soon. Right now I'm just killing myself to get out of town Tuesday night. My new job starts Wednesday morning.

Santa Breakfast Cast Picture

Santa Breakfast Cast Picture

Macy's Santa Breakfast

Macy's Santa Breakfast

This is the meet and greet portion, where we keep the kids entertained while they wait to meet Santa.

Money Money Money

money money money. Money Money Money. MONEY MONEY MONEY!

Everyone sing along!

Money makes the world go around, the world go around, the world go around. Money makes the world go around, it makes it go ROOOO-OUND!

Tonight I waited tables for the first time since October 15th. It has been a great break, a wonderful chance to travel, visit, audition and perform. Being broke has sucked. Eating mashed potatoes from a box for dinner because it's all you have left in the house, kind of sucks. Living off of Starbucks Gift Cards for many of your weekend meals has been very convenient as I'm wandering around downtown with things to do before I can go back to the always graciously food-providing Logsdons.

Today, though, has been lovely. Just when I was wondering how much longer I could coax my hair away from frizzy and straight up, since I'd run out of both conditioner and mousse, a Christmas card came from my Grandmother, who decided to send money instead of a gift. Hurrah! Conditioner! Shaving Cream! And one can of cat food as an early Christmas present for Cai. Then, I went to work on my last bit of gas. Upon emerging from the pre-Christmas push, and tipping out my busser, I found I had enough for a tank of gas, some quarters for the bus tomorrow, the mousse I forgot to buy earlier, and a little cash to pad my pocket until we get paid on Sunday. Isn't life grand???

Beautiful, glorious, heavenly, marvelous,
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful, wonderful day!

Reading in Paperback

Reading in Paperback

It's no wonder I don't like to take baths very often.

I should qualify that.

Baths are a traditionally girly activity. Candles. Music. Scented oils and frothy bubbles. A glass of champagne. A good book to while away the stress of the day.

Therein lies the problem. It's easy to read a book in the bath if all you like are magazines and scary chic-lit. It's a little harder to haul, say, Shakespeare in there. Or the first Volume of Lord of the Rings. Or Schindler's List (smaller, and paperbook, but not so relaxing). God forbid you be reading Gone With the Wind or something. Even in paperback that's a formidable undertaking. Try holding that puppy above the water for 15 minutes or so. Nevermind a full hour long pamper-fest.

Hence, the length of my soothing bath is determined by how long I can heft a book aloft.

In Seattle again. Another weekend, another round of shows. It's such an amazing thing to walk around the city, ride the buses, view all of the unwashed humanity at it's finest. And I do mean unwashed. Across from me on the bus on the way home was an old crazy man, who talked to himself about everyone around him in a constant monologue. I put my hand on the rail to steady myself, and the commentary switched to, "you're not married, are you, no, no, not married, no." Terrific. Even schizophrenics are noticing!

The show went well today, even after getting up at 4.

I spent a few hours this afternoon walking around downtown giving out the latest theater guides to all the local hotels and members only timeshare clubs (who knew they had such a think outside of resort towns?). Tomorrow I'll load up my Cambodian Shoulderbag to head to Pike Place and the Sanitary Market. There should be a few vendors there to unload another half a box onto...leaving me with Pioneer Square on Monday.

It's been a long weekend of reviewing necessities and priorities, and making decisions about the immediate future. More on that later, I suppose.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy 27th Birthday
To someone....I can't think who...whom....whatever.

It's mine. I'm 27 today. Yesterday I auditioned for Romeo and Juliet. Today I've got a show, then shopping with Miles, then...I don't know. Maybe go home?

Oh yeah, yesterday we went out to see "Atonement" which was very very good and very very chocolate-necessary. Then we walked around downtown Seattle for a while, picked up my TPS pamphlets to deliver.

Cream Pie

You Are Cream Pie

You're the perfect combo of simplicity and divinity. You are a secret hedonist. No one knows how indulgent you can be. You don't indulge often, but when you do, you go for the best. You have expensive taste - even if you aren't rich. Those who like you life for understated pleasures. You're not flashy or trendy, but you have a depth that most people lack. Interacting with you makes most people feel incredibly satisfied. You are gentle, super sweet, and in harmony with those around you.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

And now for something completely different

And now for something completely different,

I'm back in Yakima for the week, tiling the bathroom and trying to get my room ready to bring in a roommate. I'm hoping to get the bathroom done this week, and move my stuff into the hall room next week. Then get someone in by New Year.

In another interesting turn, I've got an audition for Romeo and Juliet on Saturday. I've not done Shakespeare before, but I'm always up for a challenge. To help prepare, I'll spend my early mornings over at Highland High reading Juliet aloud with my friend Aimee's class, who are preparing to possibly do the play in the spring.

Other than that, I'm seasonal job hunting, watching Bones tonight with Allie, going to Barrel House tomorrow night, going to a dessert party on Thursday, and probably driving to Seattle Friday night or Saturday morning.

C'est Tout!

Being Rach-elf

Becoming Rach-elf

Yesterday was just chock-full of the Christmas spirit. First thing in the morning I woke up and took the bus downtown to once again become the Toy Block in the Macy's Children's Musical. We had a great crowd full of kids who yelled out the answers to the riddle, helped us think where the clock key was, and sang along to all the Christmas songs. Even the tech problems from the previous show got fixed.

The Toy Soldier, Santa and I worked on finding new and improved 'block' puns. So far we've come up with Blockhead, New Kids On The, and Block Party.

After an hour nap, I got up and transformed into the basics of a Christmas Elf for the Mannheim Steamrollers Concert. I ran to Goodwill on my way out of town to pick up some shorts and a t-shirt, and after a long wait in line counting down the minutes until I would officially be late, the guy three in front of my came back to dispute a double charge of a $.99 item. Brother! I interrupted (ack!) the cashier as he and she counted and recounted the items in his bag and asked to please have my two items rung up before they took care of his problem as I was very late. The cashier gave me the dirtiest look imaginable, and did it for me. (It was amazing how the lines that had not existed when I walked into the place were four deep at every cashier when I needed to go now. And the couple in front of me, even though they were obviously together paid separately, and one of their cards didn't work, so then they had to pay cash....this kind of thing never happens when you have all the time in the world!)

This gig was very much like what I imagine working for Disneyland would be like. We all arrived in the dressing room and began the robing process. Everywhere there were half snowmen and headless gingerbread men having ice packs strapped to their back and chest. The toy soldiers walked around in their suspenders and had red circles painted on their cheeks. Finally the elves were allowed to robe up, and have cheeks and noses painted bright red, and glitter sprinkled liberally. Petticoated and bell-topped shoed, we went up to the lobby to hug children, wish everyone Merry Christmas, wave, and have our photos taken. Repeat at intermission. Then after that we de-elfed and got to watch the last few songs (and several encores) of the Mannheim Steamrollers Concert.

I have decided that perhaps working as a character at Disneyland would be more fun than I thought. It was pretty amazing watching the looks on little faces as they tore over to hug the gingerbread man. (And I will never look at them the same way again - knowing my dainty gingerbread woman was a trucker underneath)

Elfing it up

Elfing it UP
The Macy's show opened this morning. We had some technical problems, and adding a whole slew of under 8's to the mix makes everything different, but I think tomorrow we'll be ready to interact with the audience more. I am adapting better every day to having my head sticking out of a giant block costume, trying to dance around with 3 foot blind spots on either side.

Also, I just got back from another audition, and will be playing an elf tomorrow in a Christmas Concert of one of my favorite bands - the Mannheim Steamrollers. We have cute costumes, and meeting, greeting, and staying in character while getting pictures taken will be good practice should I ever do Disneyland...

Tis' the season to get lots of work for being 5'2"