Alice's Wonderland

Guess who just got cast as Alice in Alice's Wonderland at the Children's Museum?

Just one of her genetic gifts

It's just one of her genetic gifts

Juno is amazing. I bought the soundtrack today I like it so much. Of course I've always been a sucker for odd quality folk music. It's similar to the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, but more contemporary. The majority of the songs are by various members of the Mouldy Peaches.

I had an audition Monday and an audition this morning. The one this morning felt good, but they've still got to see a few people. I hear they'll let me know this weekend sometime. The other one, well, it's hard to say. I never know how to judge film auditions since I'm not sure what to do in one. I think I'm slowly figuring out the balance of showing emotion without getting theatrical, but I'm not there yet. My new book, Acting for the Camera, should help.

I spent today after my audition shlepping around downtown Seattle, refilling everyone's TPS Guide coffers. I had half a box left from the first round, so I went around to all the hotels and handed them out to Concierge. They were all pleased. It makes their lives easier. Then I went to Sephora and bought some Babecake, walked to Pike's Place and dropped off the last of them in the free stuff kiosks, and went to Ivars on the waterfront for fish, which I ate, and chips which I fed to the million seagulls that clustered around my head.

I was tired, by then, of walking round in 3" heels, so caught the free bus to the monorail and rode it back to the Space Needle. Then I went home in the driving rain. (Sidenote: Everyone I talk to in California starts every conversation with 'how's the weather?' I live in Seattle. It's February. Doesn't it go without saying?)

I spent the afternoon working on answering emails, ordering headshots, and working on more of my script I'm doing for practice -- or really -- to see if I can do one. It's not original. I'm just adapting, but it's fun so far.

I headed over to Miles and Becky's to steal their guitar and learn to play two songs from the Juno Soundtrack. One of the songs has two chords and one has three, so not too hard, but the strumming pattern is too difficult for me to sing along, and I don't know all of the words yet anyway.

Much to do for my last day off of the week tomorrow. But I got laundry done, so I won't have to spend the day in my bathrobe. Probably will anyway. It's comfy.

Little Ghost Girl

A little ghost girl is in my head today.

Running ahead of me, she turns back to look at me.

Impish.

With dark sleek hair pulled back in a clip.

Tiny white teeth bared in a grin that is almost a grimace.

Her nose wrinkles.

My little ghost girl wears a dress perfect for twirling.

She runs across the grass on a sunny day.

The world isn't too big for all the adventures she's going to have.

She reminds me a little of a face I see every day.

My little ghost girl, bright and witty.

My little ghost girl, laughing and unafraid.

My little ghost girl, I can see her,

silhuetted between earth and sky.

Another Day Off

Another day off, finally. I've been juggling three jobs all week, and am very tired. I woke up late (8:30 - who'd have ever thought that would be sleeping in someday?) and have lain in bed reading and updating my reading/film journal.

It's a lovely journal. It's bound in red, pink and maroon ribbons, with endless clean sheets of white paper to fill. It ties with ribbons. I've long had my little quote book with a geisha on the cover, but someone recommended once, I've forgotten who, to write down every book I read. Necessary since sometimes I've forgotten if I've read something, and bought or checked it out again. A year or so ago I realized that I was doing the same think at Blockbuster, so I turned my journal upside down and began my film list upside down in the back.

This play is almost over, and I don't have another one to do. I've had no word from My Fair Lady, so I'm assuming at this point I didn't get it. Keeping up hope seems the workings of madness. There have been a few other auditions, but not many I'd be right for, and most now cut through the week I'm taking the kids I nanny to florida. So that's out.

I do have two costuming jobs coming up shortly. That will fill my time. The TPS general auditions are in three weeks. I have my song picked out, but need to decide whether to go modern or classical on my monologue. I need to practice like mad to make sure my shops are in shape again. I've also applied for a costuming job with a local theater company for their next two shows. I haven't heard back, but I've only just submitted myself.

I'm in my new apartment, and yesterday I went exploring 'round the area. There's a lot nearby, and the restore just down the road. Also a Goodwill and Value Village, for all my clothing needs. Minus underwear. I refuse to wear second hand underwear.

Note to self: in future productions aim not to be the one having to say the "N" word at an integrated school with "racial problems." At three consecutive shows.

Today

Today am very tired. Worked 5:30am to 7pm with 2 hours off in middle.

Check hasn't come in yet from acting job. Want to be able to eat. Being paid for partial accumulated hours at bookstore paid for gas for trip to Tacoma for three shows tomorrow. Possibly last shows. Might have one more on February 1st.

Day after tomorrow I work another double, then four days off to go back to Yakima and finish moving. Maybe haul more things back. Must go once more to Portland for filming.

TPS general audition posted. Have time. Must print out 50 heashot/resume combos.

Going home

I got to sleep in today. Until 5:15. It feels, well, strange that 5am is sleeping in for me, when I'm normally a go-to-bed-at-midnight-wake-up-at-nine sort of girl.

After work I'll unload the props and my sewing machines from the car, and head back to Yakima. Dad's birthday was a few days ago. And I've got to go spend quality time with my cat. I'm bringing him back with me this time (as per the original plan) come hell or high water.

The Blessed Company is the thing that holds my patchwork life together. Aside from family, that has no choice in their association, the Blessed Company is my safety net and umbilical cord all in one.

There are few criteria for being a member, but they are never waived. Similarity of interests, honesty, and reciprocity top the list. My Blessed company members are of various ages and locations, and even prefer different ways of communication. Some like hand written letters on beautiful paper, others blog, and some are strictly by phone. Without them, my life would be devoid of intimacy with kindred. They've never met, but they all are part of each other's lives in a small way, because they are such a great part of mine.

I find as I continue on in this journey, taking life's chances, and leaving myself open to change, movement, and upheaval - none of which are naturally appealing to my stick-in-the-mud character - I increasingly feel almost unreal sometimes. The very things that I like so much in my life, both because of their intrinsic adventure and in preparation for death, also create a feeling of being unreal. As I walk down the streets of my new city, with work to be done and new things to enjoy, I have not found my place here. I am uprooted again, but my soul hasn't re-rooted. Surrounded by millions I am alone and unremarkable.

Of course there are roots growing slowly. Last night one of my bosses at the bookstore offered to buy me a glass of wine after we closed up shop because I'd asked him to muse over the ending of My Fair Lady and we didn't get back to it. Today on Ferry crossing the Puget sound, my cast began to talk beyond pleasantries for the first time, and found many comonalities. And I always come home to people who have known me since before I was me.

Today I am enjoying sun that burst through after last night's unexpected snow and hail storm. Unwilling to work while the sun is shining, I am curled up with books in the plural in front of the fire, basking, finishing one and resuming another. The only thing missing is my cat curled up purring on my stomach. Life is too short to miss a sunny nap with a good book left to the side where you fell asleep reading. Though my mind says I should go in today, I will go once the sun leaves.

Seattle causes a shift in my basic parameters of life. Living in mainly sunny parts of the world, my creed has always been to use foul weather as guilt free reading days. In Seattle this would lead to great sloth, and starvation as work would never happen. So today I insitute a change, and take the good days as my own.

Some Reformatting

Some Reformatting

I've done some work on reformatting my sidebar, and will continue. I'm also adding, as per Clever Title Here a list of books I've read so far this year. This is based on a post of hers, and though I've got my own book journal, here's the talley so far. It's over in the sidebar under "Studies in Words."