Tonight is September 10th...
and not September 11th. While I didn't consciously think about writing tonight versus tomorrow, once I sat down, I realized (once again) what tomorrow's anniversary was. I don't think I could have written on 9/11. It's filled with too much pain and sadness. I still can't wrap my head around Hurricane Katrina and here we are, four years later, and are we better off? Well, many/most of the residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas sure as hell aren't. It's just been such a horrific century so far many, and REM's song "It's the end of the world as I know it" comes to mind (except for the "and I feel fine" tagline, b/c I don't, and I know a lot of other people don't).
I won't get all moribund on here. I know I tend to become pretty pessimistic, and I think enough has been written about the horrors of war and Bush's tragically inept and uncaring administration. I don't really need to chime in any more than I already have. (But feel free to think those anti-Bush/FEMA/Homeland Security thoughts, cause I'm right there with ya.) Instead, I'll return to my narcissistic self, b/c that's what blogs are all about, right? ;-) Seriously, I have become somewhat more grateful and even calmer since Katrina, and I think it was yet another wake-up call, as 9/11 was (the war is a different story; the problem is that the administration WON'T wake up). I don't live in a particularly decked-out apartment, my car is average, at best, and my earnings are barely adequate. But I have a warm, safe (knock on wood) abode (especially meaningful, as my last apartment was broken into twice, and it's just around the corner from this one, but it was also on a main street in a crappy apartment complex and on the first floor) and I have friends and a steady job and an mp3 player that lets me listen to my favorite music on demand (though if I continue to drop my Micro Zen at the gym every day, the latter may not be the case for long, which is why I just PURCHASED a case for it, since Creative finally makes them).
It's interesting, I think, that I've been listening to a lot of folk and roots music lately, far more than I have in the past. It started with my trip to the Newport Folk Festival with A. in August...
Sadness...I just lost 2/3 of my post! :-( And I'm dead tired and not up to rewriting it all. Despite my fatigue, here is pretty much what I covered:
--I attended the Campire at Club Passim in Harvard Square over the Labor Day weekend with A. (lots of rounds with various singer/songwriters doing original work and improvisationally gigging with others; it's a little like "Behind the Music" on VH-1). It was exciting to see so many creative artists writing, playing, singing, and gigging with each other. I was particularly taken with Jake Armading from Jamaica Plain (very cute and talented) and Brooks Williams (of the Club Passim faculty). I've pretty much decided to ask for a guitar from my family for my birthday and try again with a Berklee College of Music student (I did this several years ago and gave up after two weeks with a brand new guitar and a "beginning" class at the BCAE or similar that was anything but). I want the music to inspire the writing, not vice versa, but I have a decent ear, though no hand/eye coordination and can't read music very well (barely at all). Still, think I could make it work. I have been listening to Nickel Creek's new CD (excellent, people) every night before bed, air guitaring the chords, and am more interested in roots and folk than I've been in a while. It's just so honest and pure, I guess. I'm also a big fan of Joss Stone's first CD, the latest Sufjian Stevens (check out "Come on Feel the Illinoise!" if you haven't, because it's brilliant), the lastest CD by Death Cab for Cutie, Jack Johnson's first and third CDs, and Keane's debut. They may not be folksy-in fact, they are more bluesy or mellow indie--but they each have a sincerety to them that I think I need to cling to these days. I need heartfelt songs, and books, and articles (there are as many as you'd like to read on salon.com), and TV shows (okay, so besides the Daily Show, that's not likely, but...) to make me feel connected. Superficiality is not working for me now, despite my happiness to escape into the Red Sox pennant race and the Patriots' quest for a three-peat (starting with a win on Thursday night).
--I have not received an invitation to be part of Another Country's SlamBoston programs in September OR November, so it's unlikely, though still possible I'll be asked, acc'd to Amy of AC casting coordination. While I do feel as if I had a strong audition, I realize so much is dependent upon factors that have NOTHING to do with me, and I just have to live with the decision and not get too depressed about it. (We did discuss this in my first real cognitive behavioral therapy session on Tuesday. I think CBT will be tough, b/c you must be focused, completely present, and repsonsible for all of your thoughts, feelings and actions. You can't slide, and I guess I'm using to sliding, at least a bit.) I also wrote another director about his upcoming auditions this Monday. Since I auditioned for this troupe in the Spring, and was one of only three at the 2 1/2 hour auditi9on, I think the director knows me well enough to be honest about my chances (come by, your choice, or don't bother). It's just better to have some sense, IMHO.
--I taught my first Year One/Freshman Seminar on Wednesday from 5-7pm and it reminded me of how much I love teaching. The class ranges in age from 25-46 (the 56 year old student withdrew from the class, which worked out better for a number of reasons), and all are mature adults who "get it." They ask intelligent, probing questions, and I finished an entire Venti Green Tea Frappucino (a mistake, so free, and tres, tres tasty) during the session, as I relayed all I know about the BAC. ;-) This week is an IT and Resume Writing seminar, so it shouldn't be too taxing on me. Afterwards, A. and I will attend a free showing of "The Real Thing" by Tom Stoppard at the Huntington Theatre, thanks to stagesource. We also plan to see "Urinetown" with half-priced tickets soon at the Lyric (both just opened). We're excited about the season getting underway.
--My workouts are going well. I burned over 650 calories on the elliptical cross-trainer today, followed by a mile on the treadmill and floor work. Maybe that's why I'm so tired, or maybe it's the cooler weather (only 56 degrees out right now, down from 70 a week ago). I'm glad I have a 90 minute yoga class and not just cardio tomorrow, to give my body a bit (a tiny bit!) of a rest. I can feel the beginning stages of SAD creeping in, and I'm a bit concerned. Besides the workout, all I did today was food shopping, and watching Andre Agassi win the men's semi-finals at the U.S. Open (so sweet) and the Red Sox defeat the Yankees (payback for last night's loss). I bought a lot of food on sale (soup, peanut butter, Diet Coke, crackers, kudos-type bars), so I'm stocked up for a while. I will...ahem...admit going to the Gap today to procure a desperately-needed pair of black pants (as much as a pair of pants can be desperately needed, of course). I promise to wear them 1-2 times a week and make the purchase worthwhile, and they do look VERy nice on (hug the waist but just enough, don't flare out in the leg). I am meeting with Norbert the Financial Planner next week for more help. It's still not pretty, but a bit better...
--I am also taking Fridays off for the rest of the semester, to cut down my 4 1/2 weeks of vacation, six days of which MUST be taken by December 30th. It will feel strange but good to have 3-day weekends, and as long as I'm productive and don't feel guilty about having the time off, I should be fine. If I can write for just 2 or 3 hours on Friday or Saturday, the time will have been well spent. I also got the note from Rich that Autumn Premieres is still slated to go on in March, but possibly at the Devanaughn Theatre in the South End, which is a far more convenient location (and seats fewer people, so there is less pressure to fill the house with 100 seats a night, when there aren't as many as that!). I do hope to get cast in "Toast," but just having a play receive a full production, when none of my plays are being chosen for ANYTHING these days, is really prize enough.
I think those were the major points. I wish so much I didn't care about being cast in SlamBoston, but I also know I HAVE TO LET IT GO. (A. has, and is none the worse for wear!) At least it's theatre season, so there will be plenty of plays to educate, infuriate, and provocate during the season (like my rhyming?! ;-)). While the one A. and I saw last night was not very good, in either of our opinions, it was probably worht seeing, just so we could figure out why it didn't work (writing was both heightened/stylized and naturalistic, which is hard to pull off, and didn't work, and one of the main characters was completely one-dimensional, and we needed to know why or he needed to have more complexity).
Let me conclude by giving thanks for the safety and health of my family and friends, my comfortable, safe (knock on wood) apartment, a steady job, music, and a life outside of the office. I am eternally grateful. And I get to see my niece, nephew, and sister in Florida in 3 1/2 weeks, which makes me smile and smile even more. :-)
I won't get all moribund on here. I know I tend to become pretty pessimistic, and I think enough has been written about the horrors of war and Bush's tragically inept and uncaring administration. I don't really need to chime in any more than I already have. (But feel free to think those anti-Bush/FEMA/Homeland Security thoughts, cause I'm right there with ya.) Instead, I'll return to my narcissistic self, b/c that's what blogs are all about, right? ;-) Seriously, I have become somewhat more grateful and even calmer since Katrina, and I think it was yet another wake-up call, as 9/11 was (the war is a different story; the problem is that the administration WON'T wake up). I don't live in a particularly decked-out apartment, my car is average, at best, and my earnings are barely adequate. But I have a warm, safe (knock on wood) abode (especially meaningful, as my last apartment was broken into twice, and it's just around the corner from this one, but it was also on a main street in a crappy apartment complex and on the first floor) and I have friends and a steady job and an mp3 player that lets me listen to my favorite music on demand (though if I continue to drop my Micro Zen at the gym every day, the latter may not be the case for long, which is why I just PURCHASED a case for it, since Creative finally makes them).
It's interesting, I think, that I've been listening to a lot of folk and roots music lately, far more than I have in the past. It started with my trip to the Newport Folk Festival with A. in August...
Sadness...I just lost 2/3 of my post! :-( And I'm dead tired and not up to rewriting it all. Despite my fatigue, here is pretty much what I covered:
--I attended the Campire at Club Passim in Harvard Square over the Labor Day weekend with A. (lots of rounds with various singer/songwriters doing original work and improvisationally gigging with others; it's a little like "Behind the Music" on VH-1). It was exciting to see so many creative artists writing, playing, singing, and gigging with each other. I was particularly taken with Jake Armading from Jamaica Plain (very cute and talented) and Brooks Williams (of the Club Passim faculty). I've pretty much decided to ask for a guitar from my family for my birthday and try again with a Berklee College of Music student (I did this several years ago and gave up after two weeks with a brand new guitar and a "beginning" class at the BCAE or similar that was anything but). I want the music to inspire the writing, not vice versa, but I have a decent ear, though no hand/eye coordination and can't read music very well (barely at all). Still, think I could make it work. I have been listening to Nickel Creek's new CD (excellent, people) every night before bed, air guitaring the chords, and am more interested in roots and folk than I've been in a while. It's just so honest and pure, I guess. I'm also a big fan of Joss Stone's first CD, the latest Sufjian Stevens (check out "Come on Feel the Illinoise!" if you haven't, because it's brilliant), the lastest CD by Death Cab for Cutie, Jack Johnson's first and third CDs, and Keane's debut. They may not be folksy-in fact, they are more bluesy or mellow indie--but they each have a sincerety to them that I think I need to cling to these days. I need heartfelt songs, and books, and articles (there are as many as you'd like to read on salon.com), and TV shows (okay, so besides the Daily Show, that's not likely, but...) to make me feel connected. Superficiality is not working for me now, despite my happiness to escape into the Red Sox pennant race and the Patriots' quest for a three-peat (starting with a win on Thursday night).
--I have not received an invitation to be part of Another Country's SlamBoston programs in September OR November, so it's unlikely, though still possible I'll be asked, acc'd to Amy of AC casting coordination. While I do feel as if I had a strong audition, I realize so much is dependent upon factors that have NOTHING to do with me, and I just have to live with the decision and not get too depressed about it. (We did discuss this in my first real cognitive behavioral therapy session on Tuesday. I think CBT will be tough, b/c you must be focused, completely present, and repsonsible for all of your thoughts, feelings and actions. You can't slide, and I guess I'm using to sliding, at least a bit.) I also wrote another director about his upcoming auditions this Monday. Since I auditioned for this troupe in the Spring, and was one of only three at the 2 1/2 hour auditi9on, I think the director knows me well enough to be honest about my chances (come by, your choice, or don't bother). It's just better to have some sense, IMHO.
--I taught my first Year One/Freshman Seminar on Wednesday from 5-7pm and it reminded me of how much I love teaching. The class ranges in age from 25-46 (the 56 year old student withdrew from the class, which worked out better for a number of reasons), and all are mature adults who "get it." They ask intelligent, probing questions, and I finished an entire Venti Green Tea Frappucino (a mistake, so free, and tres, tres tasty) during the session, as I relayed all I know about the BAC. ;-) This week is an IT and Resume Writing seminar, so it shouldn't be too taxing on me. Afterwards, A. and I will attend a free showing of "The Real Thing" by Tom Stoppard at the Huntington Theatre, thanks to stagesource. We also plan to see "Urinetown" with half-priced tickets soon at the Lyric (both just opened). We're excited about the season getting underway.
--My workouts are going well. I burned over 650 calories on the elliptical cross-trainer today, followed by a mile on the treadmill and floor work. Maybe that's why I'm so tired, or maybe it's the cooler weather (only 56 degrees out right now, down from 70 a week ago). I'm glad I have a 90 minute yoga class and not just cardio tomorrow, to give my body a bit (a tiny bit!) of a rest. I can feel the beginning stages of SAD creeping in, and I'm a bit concerned. Besides the workout, all I did today was food shopping, and watching Andre Agassi win the men's semi-finals at the U.S. Open (so sweet) and the Red Sox defeat the Yankees (payback for last night's loss). I bought a lot of food on sale (soup, peanut butter, Diet Coke, crackers, kudos-type bars), so I'm stocked up for a while. I will...ahem...admit going to the Gap today to procure a desperately-needed pair of black pants (as much as a pair of pants can be desperately needed, of course). I promise to wear them 1-2 times a week and make the purchase worthwhile, and they do look VERy nice on (hug the waist but just enough, don't flare out in the leg). I am meeting with Norbert the Financial Planner next week for more help. It's still not pretty, but a bit better...
--I am also taking Fridays off for the rest of the semester, to cut down my 4 1/2 weeks of vacation, six days of which MUST be taken by December 30th. It will feel strange but good to have 3-day weekends, and as long as I'm productive and don't feel guilty about having the time off, I should be fine. If I can write for just 2 or 3 hours on Friday or Saturday, the time will have been well spent. I also got the note from Rich that Autumn Premieres is still slated to go on in March, but possibly at the Devanaughn Theatre in the South End, which is a far more convenient location (and seats fewer people, so there is less pressure to fill the house with 100 seats a night, when there aren't as many as that!). I do hope to get cast in "Toast," but just having a play receive a full production, when none of my plays are being chosen for ANYTHING these days, is really prize enough.
I think those were the major points. I wish so much I didn't care about being cast in SlamBoston, but I also know I HAVE TO LET IT GO. (A. has, and is none the worse for wear!) At least it's theatre season, so there will be plenty of plays to educate, infuriate, and provocate during the season (like my rhyming?! ;-)). While the one A. and I saw last night was not very good, in either of our opinions, it was probably worht seeing, just so we could figure out why it didn't work (writing was both heightened/stylized and naturalistic, which is hard to pull off, and didn't work, and one of the main characters was completely one-dimensional, and we needed to know why or he needed to have more complexity).
Let me conclude by giving thanks for the safety and health of my family and friends, my comfortable, safe (knock on wood) apartment, a steady job, music, and a life outside of the office. I am eternally grateful. And I get to see my niece, nephew, and sister in Florida in 3 1/2 weeks, which makes me smile and smile even more. :-)
posted by Sue B at 7:50 PM
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