The (hopefully) last 16 hour work day is here. I'm putting up Sweeney Todd this week, and we decided to go Steampunk with it. Which is really cool, but has SOOOO many hats and details to put in. Yesterday I built 15 hats. Today I have 11 more to do. Luckily, once I've hit on the way to do things, I can crank them out in about 20 minutes. The unique Steampunk hats I built for individual characters takes a little longer.

So I'm up early, trying to get a start on the day with a cup of tea.

Underwear

Arghhhh.. Argh!!!!

Welcome, Daylight Savings time. It's so kind of you to happen on a day when I have three shows. Today is going to take an extra-shot latte.

In other news, I have officially run out of clean underwear. Alan and I came home from vacation to discover that our downstairs neighbor was ill. With pneumonia. He didn't leave his apartment for two weeks. The washer and dryer for our house is in his downstairs unit. (To be fair, we control the thermostat) I've made a point to do laundry on weekdays, while he is at work, so that I don't have to be invading his place while he is home. This has mostly worked well. My job tends towards evenings and weekends, with the option to sew from home during the week.

Yesterday, I realized while dressing for a callback, that I have no more clean underwear. Not even granny panties (went through them last week). Not even the REALLY uncomfortable ones for special occasions. In fact, in a desperate move, yesterday I wore a swimsuit bottom.

I know, I know. There is such a thing as hand washing. But I'm going into tech for Sweeney Todd tomorrow, and doing fittings tonight for Romeo and Juliet (which only rehearses once per week, so technically is closer to opening than Sweeney, even though it opens weeks from now). I forget to hand wash when I stumble home at night.

Maybe there's one more hidden in the suitcase I haven't had time to repack...

It's not quite 8:00 and I'm awake. I'm getting ready to start dress rehearsals for Sweeney Todd on Monday, and this week has been chock full of 12-hour work days. Today, however, I have a callback at 11:00, and Alan and I are going to see "The Importance of Being Ernest" this evening. On the way, we are stopping at a restaurant for my very favorite Lavender Martini. The drink is nice, but the best part is licking the sugar off the glass.

The sun is shining this morning. Crocus are blooming in our yard. Daffodils were waiving from the median on my way to work yesterday. Our backyard birds are more plentiful than usual. (They should be. We purchase them the expensive seed. Pure Thistle Seed. Attracts finches. There is frequently a lineup of birds on our terrace waiting for their turn at the feeder. Our back porch is a little birdie crack den.) I saw two out of three hummingbirds at our feeder yesterday - which normally they won't do. Nevermind that there are four little plastic flowers on that thing to drink from. They will chase each other away. You would think the makers of hummingbird feeders would know this about them.

I love our bird feeders. Now, granted, it does make me feel a little elderly to get enjoyment from watching them with a cup of tea from my window seat. But in a hectic life, it's nice to take a break for a moment and watch another creature that is entirely focused on the moment. And it's cheap entertainment. Finches can't eat the seeds without cracking open the shell. So they have to hold the seed in their feet, peck it open, and gobble out the meat in the middle. They don't do this gracefully.

It's cheaper than a movie...

A very long hiatus...

Hello blog world... It's me. I know. It's been a long time. I've missed this. The thing is....after five years of working non-stop trying to "make it" in the theater world here, I became kind of boring. My hobbies are at a standstill, since my job involves being creative on a daily basis. I've journalled sporadically at best. Quiet time is at a nil. And I'm married. Which is wonderful, but means that most of my "spare" energy and time is spent trying to date my husband...or at least, fall asleep at the same time for a change.

I had an epiphany around Christmas this year. I finally, FINALLY got to do a great show at a real live, professional, "pay your actors" theater with great people and sold out performances every night but a handful in an 87-performance run - something I've been working towards since I moved here (minus the children's theater work I do, which pays really well). I'm making enough money that I've begun re-evaluating what to keep and what to give up for next season costuming-wise, since I don't have to take every gig offered just to make ends meet. Getting the second alterations gig this year means that my portion of the bills are covered by hemming pants, and anything I choose to do beyond that is "discretionary."

But niggling around in the back of my mind was a sense that I needed something more than work. That should be obvious. Every women's magazine in the checkout line has that right on the cover. I even need something more than a wonderful husband - as much as I love my marriage, Alan has more to do in life the exist at my beck and call, whenever I have time to spend.

My 'Blessed Company', which has been chosen across many years, many different versions of my life, many different cities and states, and sometimes even countries, had fallen a bit by the wayside. This is natural, I think, when one is entering into a relationship and then into the early stages of a marriage. But I felt bereft of friends and support, and missed the letters from one set; the phone calls and texted photos from another. Finally, at Christmas, when I had a few months with a little bit of downtime, I set about reconnecting.

Then, by a miraculous happenstance, Alan and I took a vacation. On our way, we discovered that the Texas branch of the Company was going to be on the same vacation we were - on overlapping dates. We managed to connect at the fort in St. Augustine, and Alan met the 2nd branch of the Company. It was a wonderful time, and so wonderful to connect parts of my life to each other. Alan now understands why I love the Scobells so much, and they why I love Alan.

So, I'm taking steps this year to try to balance. I'm making an effort to extend invitations to people here. I'm going to Thai with a Stitcher friend of mine next Saturday. I've made a New Year's resolution to exercize 52 times this year. Alan and I took a much-needed vacation. I've told a few people "no, I don't have time to do that." And I'm trying to let myself stop working sometimes. And maybe, just maybe, I'll blog again....

Older "Overheard"

Rachel: "How long until I get to walk down an aisle and smile at you?"

Alan: "Do you mean get married? Or just walk down an aisle. 'Cause we can go to Safeway."



Girl in audience: "I like the White Princess!" (Referring to the African-American actress in the white dress. Possibly my favorite Storybook moment)



Kid in audience: "How come you reference Lady Gaga when your show is CLEARLY medievil?" (MENSA candidate, that one.)



Alan: "Are you Grumpy? Sleepy? Happy? Doc? Any of the other dwarfs?"

Rachel: "No, I'm Sore."

Alan: "I don't think he's one of the dwarfs. Sore-y"

Rachel: "The Canadian dwarf."



Dame Trott: (At a Panto of Jack and the Beanstock) "Because if a joke's worth doing once, it's worth flogging to death!"



Grace: "Dear Storybook Theater, you fill my heart with joy."



Alan: (While watching Friends reruns) "...what's the scenario...I mean, was I snoring?"



Alissa: "Today I saw Jesus. He was dirty, he was where you would least expect to see Him. He didn’t have blue eyes, and He didn’t speak english. And I saw Him."



Rachel: "I'm short!"

Alan: "No, I'm short. I'm 5'8. You belong in a tree baking cookies."



Thomas: "So Austin, what are you not going to do between shows?"

Austin: "Eat Sugar? Break my arm?"



Kid at Restaurant: "Guess what I did yesterday?"

Rachel: "What did you do?"

Kid: "I went to the SPACE NOODLE!"

(His Mom starts cracking up)

Rachel: "And how was the Space Noodle?"

Kid: "It was AWESOME!!!!"


Constance: "The wrap party for FACE was really fun. I played you in the scenes!"


Rachel: "What did you have to do? Wander around making inappropriately timed non sequetors with a tape measure around your neck?"


Constance: "I had to look great first of all. I had to be a little cranky on the day I didn't have my coffee first. I had to primp everyone, it was so fun."



Scooter: "Oh no, don’t avoid Costco. Costco is good. Costco is addictive. Costco is where you sell your immortal soul to Mephistopholes for a 24-pack of Twinkies, four tires, a new laptop, 50 rolls of kitchen towels, a case of top-class wine, 10 lbs of Rib Eyes and the aforementioned car. None of which you needed. All before noon. And then you top it up with a $1.50 hot dog/diet coke combo. Costco is heaven. Try it out now." (From LittleRedBoat)



Abby: "What is with all this sun? I want it to be rainy again for another month!"

Me: "You see, this proves you aren't a true Seattle-ite."



Amelia: "But WHY didn't they make Anne faint into Gilbert Blythe's arms? It would have been sooooo much more romantic!" (Another promising feminist bites the dust.)



Teri: (referencing her recent cold)...And as soon as they heard me do announcements, the whole congregation went, "Oh my god, she's going to serve communion."



(At the homeless shelter)
Woman: I don't get Seattle's coffee thing. Why do people stand in line to buy a four dollar cup of coffee. Where I'm from we just drink Jo.

Me: Is this your first Seattle Winter?

Woman: Yes.

Me: Wait until February.

Alan and I went to a wedding last night for some theater friends of his. It was a very nice wedding in a converted Barn in Issaquah. There were sparkling silver trees at the front of the room, and mirrored tiles on blue tablecloths, with tea candles and tall candelabras or silver branches hung with crystals.

The ceremony itself was in the front of the room, followed by a vegan Thai spread. This was alright, though my poor Scottish husband ate only the jelly beans that were in packets on the tables (I thought jelly beans were taboo, too, for vegans). The only tricky business was that there were only napkins provided, and no silverware or plates for a lot of hors d'oeuvres that came with dipping sauces. I finally ate my cup-o-flavored-noodles, and used the empty cup for peanut sauce.

My favorite part was sitting in the ceremony and remembering our wedding, just over a year ago. Alan quipped to me, at the end of a fairly long religious ceremony - complete with mini-sermon, self-written vows, and unity sand-pouring demonstration - that we were on our honeymoon by now. Alan gave a shout-out to my bridesmaids, who took care of me during our reception, so I could sit and eat, wander the room saying hello to the guests, and not worry that my suitcase made it to Alan's car. Nice job Denise and Teri!

I'm so glad we got married. I've grown a lot, and am trying to be neater. I've gone up to a fairly high success rate of not leaving glasses around the house, and a lower success rate on getting them washed in a timely manner after transporting them to the sink.

That was funny, listening to their oh-so-very ambitious vows. Especially the bride, who made paragraphs of promises, and then promised that if she ever broke any of them, she would always come to him in repentance, seeking forgiveness. I sometimes wonder if this is the reason for the slightly higher divorce rate among Christian couples, as compared to the national average. The expectations of what your marriage will be, and who you will be to each other, and the amazing Spiritual journey you will both be going on together as a couple, can't possibly hold up to the reality.

I've had a great first year in my marriage. We've had fairly few arguments, and most of them handled productively, but mostly we've been learning how to balance spending time together often enough, with giving each other breathing room to still be ourselves, and busy, and stressed out a lot. We made three fairly pedestrian vows apiece, and I haven't mastered all of them. Neither has he. Cabinet doors I've mostly licked. (Yep! I just wandered through the house, and only by closet door in my workroom is open - and that room is fair game for me to be as cluttered as I like) Alan still drives 55 MPH in the left hand lane of the highway, and we've learned that if we have to get anywhere quickly, I drive.

I think there's something to be said for making promises that you can have a good success rate in keeping. Alan feels the most loved when he sees I've made an effort around the house. I feel the most loved when Alan remembers to ask if he can take me out for dinner, instead of saying that he wants to go out. Simple things, but it's taken almost a year to get here.

We were talking with some another friend about a couple that we know who broke up six months into their marriage last year. He mentioned that he thought the reason for it was the bride had a "Romeo and Juliet" idea about marriage, that didn't last the year. Alan and I agreed with him that, even a year in, things are better than a year ago, but different. Life is good!

It's dark.

I've been up early this week, but up so long before sunrise that it had already risen by the time I stopped working. Today I seem to be up just at the nick of time. Usually the shorter days just take a toll on me, but this year I'm doing pretty well.

This morning I'm up to do alterations for Banana Republic, then finish the show alterations for Farnsdale Christmas Carol, and then with any leftover time, I'm working on Alice in Wonderland costumes before I have to go into my shop.

Alan's in tech this week for The King and I, which he directed. It opens the day after Thanksgiving. Then Brigadoon v.2 begins teching the day after that. We'll both be running that show through the holidays.

I've been cast in a straight play for my next venture, and I'm very excited! I'll be playing Sorel in Hay Fever by Neil Simon. After years of consecutive musicals, I'm kind of looking forward to stretching a bit by constant dialogue. It's going to be a lot of memorizing over the holidays!

Oliver Photos
Studio East: Training for the Performing Arts
























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And....we're moving!!!!

Alan and I have been looking for a new place to live for a very long time. One place we actually put in an application, but she went with the couple that saw the place 10 minutes before us. Now it's official. Saturday we went to look at a lovely 2 bedroom split level house in Allentown (south of downtown Seattle), and fell in love with it. We asked her to move in hours later. Then hustled up to Capital Hill that night to give her money.

We are SOOOO excited!! Our current place is too small, and nothing gets fixed. Building Vep for 4 weeks in the living room solidified why I need a workspace...so we started looking again!

We have 2 bedrooms, one is light blue and one is .... purple! Our dining room is red, our kitchen is teal, and I can't recall what our living room is... It's so bright and fun. It's not loads of square feet, but it has the most beautiful view of the hills in South Seattle and the Duwamish River, which is 100 yards from our door (but significantly downhill). We actually only about a minute from the highway, but you'd NEVER know it from the few turns you make to get to our place. It feels completely rural - even to the Allentown General Store blocks from our house.

We are both ready for it! Our first place together!

My computer is working again! Thank you honey, for staying on the phone with India for 2 1/2 hours!

Tonight is the first night since Brigadoon ended (the last Brigadoon, not my current production) that I've dyed my hair. I may get ambitious and paint my toenails and pluck my eyebrows. Alan's off opening Irma Vep tonight (preview). I'll get all dressed up tomorrow for the actual opening.

It's been such a busy fall. Pictures to follow of the Hawaii trip. It was a wonderful week off. Alan was a sweetheart, and planned out the whole trip. It did mean we did a lot of movie sights-seeking, but he also found a few wonderful, romantic restaurants. Our final night we splurged on an ocean view hotel right on Waikiki beach.

I'm in rehearsals now for The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Brigadoon. After tomorrow, I only have one more show due before Christmas. It'll be nearly relaxing!

Alan is back off his assignment at Starbucks, which makes me happy! It makes him miserable. But with both of us working 60-80 hours per week, there's no one left to make dinner or deal with household stuff. We agreed when we got married that whoever isn't in tech takes care of the other one, and so far it's worked.

It's good to be back!