Waste of time

I'm hanging around, waiting for actors to get off stage so I can get back to work. But I found this big waste of time on the web, via another blog. It's an addictive little game. In just a little bit of playing, I got 6!

I promise more detail of this hellish weekend later.

When will there be an end???

Pollocks

One of our settings for Midsummer calls for a painters dropcloth. S's job is to make the new cloths look used. Who says work can't be fun.

Schmoozing the rich

a.k.a. Political games

Every year, my theatre hosts a benefit for ourselves. It's called the "Night of Stars". It's a chance for the towns rich and snobby to prove to themselves that they're better than the proletarian rabble. This year, for the first time, the staff are allowed to go for free. For the past 11 years I've avoided this function like the plague. I've had to set up for it, had to supply lights and other equipment, but never been allowed inside the doors because I'm too miserly to fork out $75 for a ticket for a $12 meal. Well, no excuses this year. I'm also being pressured to go by a very persuasive person. Damn you, S, I never could refuse a pretty lady. Eleven years of soapbox boycotting down the drain, flushed by a pair a pretty eyes and a smile. Oh well, she says the best fun is sitting in the corner and making fun of what the people with more money than sense call style. At least I get a good meal out of it. Another friend recommended that I treat it as a work function, not as a social gig. That way, you don't have to actually enjoy yourself, only look like it; and if you do actually enjoy it, then it's a bonus. I also have an excuse to book out early if I can't stand it any more, we have a late comedy show on our stage starting at 11 pm. that night.
I need to remember to take my camera. Some of the shots could be entertaining.

A monday meme

Ok, it's not monday, and this isn't even this weeks meme, but it's the first in a long while that has been interesting to me.

Monday Meme 35 : 2006-01-16 : Play Time
<>1. Do you prefer to play video games or board games?

oh board games by far. especially the newer trivia or challenge games. Though I also like Mancala, or monopoly. Could never get into chess. Backgammon is good. Or Othello, remember that one?
<>
2. Have you ever played a competitive sport?

As a kid I used to play Hockey. I was a pretty good goalie.
<>
3. Have you ever preformed in a play or anything else theatrical?

Well, now as a theatre designer, I abhor the limelight. But there was one time, in elementary school (maybe 6th grade?), I was the butler in a show about a butler who reformed a troubled kid. I've tried to blank it from my memory.
<>
4. What is your favorite card game?

I grew up playing pinnochle. It's still my favorite card game, but trying to find 3 others is impossible. It involves strategy and skill. I call it 'Euchre for grown-ups.' Poker is the current rage.
<>
5. What song makes you happy every time you hear it play?

ohh there are several. A couple of Simon and Garfunkel songs, especially, 'Feelin Groovy'. Some Alan Parsons, some Lisa Gerrard. All in all, too many to mention. Most of them are linked to memories.

Walls

Sometimes we put up walls. Not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to knock them down.

Wow.
That really hit home.
That was a PostSecret postcard on their site this week. I realize that I do that a LOT. I'm also so very happy that I've recently found somebody on IM that does care enough to knock at my wall (maybe not down, but at least to peek over). I'm not sure these walls will ever come down. But it's been a LONG time since anybody wanted to look over my wall. And a long time since I've let anybody see over the wall. I'm still unsure if I like it. I know it's good to have somebody who knows your secrets that you can talk to. Friends like that are rare. Now I have to learn to open up to them without having them break out the metaphorical prybar.

It's been a while since I mentioned E in my posts. I saw her today and it opened some fresh emotional wounds again. This past week, Shirley, one of the dear old theatre supporters died, and today was her funeral. Of course, I found out about it as S was on her way out to the funeral. She dragged me along, dressed for work, and probably not smelling so sweet. E was there too. She's still as beautiful and sweet as ever, but possibly even more fucked up than ever too. S, just found out, that for the past year, she's been smoking, while telling S that she'd quit, supposedly her best friend. She prefers to spend time, as S said, "sleeping with college kids." She needs to grow up. I'm not as obsessed with her as I used to be. I've looked at what I can offer her and what she can offer me, and there is no correlation. It's lust pure and simple. Although when she put her arm around me briefly today, there was still a thrill at her touch. Well, I'm still keeping my hands to myself, with her outside my wall with no desire to peek in.

Work is going frustratingly slow. Back to work, so I'm not here all night.

Google replies...

I came across this on another blog I read occasionally. Considering the recent Google subpeona fiasco (GO GO Google!), I thought it amusing.

Thanks to all my guest columnists this week.

---

Yeah, I Get It, You Want to See Jessica Alba's Tits
by Google Image Search

Wait! Don't click that "Search Images" button again. Please. I've done all I can for you.

Yeah, I get it, you want to see Jessica Alba's tits. I'm sorry, but that's just not going to happen.

When you started your search, you were just another one of the millions of people who use me to search for lewd images of pornography. I saw the words "jessica alba boobs," and I wanted to help. I suggested that you turn off the search filters. I suggested that you use quotation marks. I even offered you the use of my Advanced Search. Unfortunately, for you and the entire male gender, I couldn't find any images of the actress's mammary glands.

And that's when you took things too far.

Next you searched for "jessica alba tits," then, when my images did not please you, "jessica alba naked tits." I have no way of telling you that Jessica Alba has never posed nude, so I could only show you a few images of her in a bikini, hoping to calm and satisfy you. You were not pleased.

You went on to search for "jessica alba chest," "JESSICA ALBA BOOBS," "jessica alba naked boobs free," and even "jessica alba sin city naked." My dear friend, I wanted to cry out, Jessica Alba didn't appear topless anywhere in the film Sin City. But I was unable to tell you that, and you kept searching, like a drug-sniffing dog who hoped against hope that Jessica Alba stored smack in her boobies.

Please, I implore you, just stop. There's nothing more I can do. I apologize for having failed you, but I cannot aid you in your quest any longer. I get it. You want to see Jessica Alba naked. Who doesn't? But I am just a simple search engine, and those supple bosoms are, sadly, out of both of our grasps. posted by Jake

I have to get this film!

Didn't I already have a post with this title? I dunno, but this one is a must.
I found the article via Fark. I'm a sucker for pirate links.
I did a quick search on Amazon, no dice. Well, it is a porn, but it should still be there... right?
Then via the Fark discussion board I got this link. OMG it actually looks good!
Ok some of the Fark comments are: Don't bother. What do they know.
My favorite: "Porn pirate movie? Next thing ya know they'll be making a gay western. Go figure."
Or: Pirate Pick-Up Lines
"I must be huntin' treasure, 'cause I'm diggin' yer chest."
"Hey, sexy -- how about a Jolly Rogering?"
"Ya certainly put the shiver in me timber."
"Me skull and crossbones aren't the only thing I plan on raisin' tonight."
"Do ya mind if the parrot watches?"
"Nice poop deck on ya, lassie. Care fer a swabbin'?"

Ok. Well, back to work. Finished hanging lights this morning. Scheduling Focus for Monday, to give TD time to put the set up. Oh, excuse me, BUILD the set.

UPDATE: Just found it on IMDb. here. I like the message board comment: "skeletons are not appropriate for children." HA!

ooOOOooopps

Had a bit of a misadventure yesterday. I got home about 8 last night, and as I was going in the front door, I felt a draft. And not from the house. I reached down for a package check, and, sure enough, big hole in the crotch of my jeans. About 3 fingers worth. And, if you remember, I was doing ladder work most of yesterday. Well, this was my last pair of wearable jeans, so Wife volunteered to sew them up. She was under the impression that it would hold, but I know that there is NO fix that will hold a tear in the crotch of a pair of jeans, not patches, not stiches, nothing (though I did have a pair that I stitched a piece of denim throughout the whole crotch, about 8" down each leg. That held for about 2 weeks). Well, I hoped that it would last long enough to get me to Farm and Fleet at lunch. Well, it didn't. So I limited my ladder climbing until after lunch. A press conference in the lobby killed a bit of time. Finally able to get out and get new pants, while also pricing fishtank heaters or cow trough tank heaters for the pools in Midsummer. While the new jeans are not as comfy yet, they are not nearly so drafty. And I spent the WHOLE afternoon on a ladder, rolling myself all over the deck, getting LOTS of work done. Finally.

Not me

At a blog I occasionally follow, a comment was posted, " Isn't it strange, sometimes, to see your own face and after staring at it long enough, you don't recognize yourself?"
I'm not a big fan of looking at myself in mirrors (part of the problem is that Wife insists that they all are hung at HER eye level, so I never see my face unless I squat), but every once in a while, I glance in and see my older brother staring out at me. Kinda scary, since we've never gotten along. But since we see each other so seldom, I guess it's understandable; we do look alike, though I've always been the little brother.

The Death Psychic

Came across this on Fark. Too cool. Now I know. It's also easy to avoid. I'll live forever.
http://www.thedeathpsychic.com/prediction.asp?u37444
Then I tried it with 'Viking' and it told me the truth, a massive heart attack. No kidding.
Or you can use Google: "(name) was killed by"
* was killed by Xavier's associate Tom
* was killed by Darkseid and Linda
* was killed by three gunshots to the head.
* was killed by a drunk driver in September
* was killed by an exploding mortar shell while stationed in Ar Ramadi
* was killed by Seth, the Egyptian god of death
etc.
According to the Death Clock I have until...

	Your Personal Day of Death is...
	Saturday, December 17, 2033

Hmmm. OK enough morbidity.

I'm now ready as I'll ever be for tomorrow's Light Hang start. I'm not sure if I'll have a crew to help, but I can start anyway.
Had a really nice IM chat with a long distace friend. Until we were interrupted by TD who actually wanted me to do some WORK. Sheesh.

Getting better

Well the earache thing is going away. I've been dosing on the ibuprofen and hosing my ears out morning and night (I thought my other ear was tender the other night, so I started doing both) with one of those blue, rubber, onion-shaped, kinda like a turkey baster, squitser bulbs. It still irks me that there are no OTC antibiotics available, but then again, with any research at all you find out about super-antibiotic-resistant ubergerms that take Krypton radiaton to kill. Anyway, it's still a little tender, and just the ear, not the whole side of my head, so I'll be fine.

I'm back at work, ostensibly working on my design. I think I've got it all figured out. I've got to, I'm out of lighting instruments again. It seems like I should be doing more, but I'm pretty maxed out now as it is. I also remembered another version of Midsummer I did. Last night/this morning, almost asleep, I remembered the actors in the mechanicals play. Eric Tavares, and Randy Godwin, playing Pyramus and Thisby. The death scene, all 10 lines of it, stretched on for about 5 minutes. Those guys could really milk a bit. But I didn't design anything for that one, only worked it. So this makes it 4 versions I've worked on. Funny how I've blanked on that one until now. I can't even remember the set, only that one scene.
I caught a run-thru on Friday night. Really gonna be pretty good. The lovers are all pretty. The mechanicals are all funny. And we get the (same lover pairing from '5 women...'), but in a bikini!
Well, dammit, I need to get to work. I have to enter all the stuff into the computer tonight, so I can draft a working copy of the plot tomorrow. Well, maybe not all, I can finish it tomorrow, but I DO have to at least start.

Ugh

Woke up this morning with a raging ear infection. Damn. I've always had a propensity to getting these things. I'll give it a few days, with regular flushing, and OTC meds before I hit the doc. Not the most conducive to concentrating on a design, and drafting a plot. I see the first run-thru tomorrow, and hope to hang lights on Monday. This means drafting all weekend at work. Gotta keep busy.

about sex

OK. I'm adding this disclaimer after writing the post. This very well may be too much informatioin about me for you to stomach. If you don't like frank exposition about mature sex (and getting maturer every day) just leave now and ignore this post. Go on, I won't be offended, but you might if you continue. You've been warned.

Taking a bit of a design break now. Things are begining to fall into place. I'm pretty much done with plotting how Act I is going to look, but that's the simple one, it's a construction jobsite, basic worklight.
So I guess I'll take a moment to blog some. I've been very restless and antsy recently. Then I noticed it's a full moon time. I was online late last night, after failing to try to get to sleep right away. It seemed that a lot of the sites, I surfed thru all made me ... what...hm... not horny per se. but emphasized my frustration. I was noticing little things in pictures and images more than ever. Even fully clothed women were incredibly erotic. The very nature of womanness about them, their curves, their glow. I do have some favorite erotic sites, but I was finding even the mundane erotic last night. Perhaps I'm just frustrated (well, that's a given) but I miss making love to women. The memory of the touch, the smell, the texture of women was particularly strong. I don't think I've ever said it here before, but since our auto accident 3 1/2 yrs ago, Wife has been unable, physically, to have sex; the positions cause pain. But even before that, our sex life was uninspiring. It was sex. And it was seldom. She didn't like foreplay, she got horny quickly, and came quickly, and was done. It wasn't until Becky (the only person on this blog to have a name, since she's dead now) came to me that I remembered what making love could be like, and that was 5 1/2 years ago. Granted, I'm less than inspired around Wife. I love her for who she is, for her intellect and humor, for knowing all about who she is, and having her know and love me for who I am, but not for the sex. She doesn't request or allow exploration or experimentation that makes it sensual (stimulating to all the senses). And now, as I get older, I see in myself, that I'm not likely to experience that again (I will only say not likely. It was very unlikely with Becky, but it happened. Anything is theoretically possible), I'm gaining weight, getting grumpier, less socially ept (opposite of inept), and for all I know, out of practice in making love. There's only so much you can do by yourself. But one does what one can, and we muddle thru somehow. Life is an ever changing adventure with all new challenges. I'm just facing a new one.
Wow. I'm not sure I meant to write all that. I've now sat on this for a few hours, and I'm going to post it anyway. I hope it doesn't come off as too whiney.

Ok, I've got some books

I went to the library to pick up one of my friends book choices, and another book I'd put on hold finally came in. Jasper Fforde wrote The Eyre Affair series. This was another series in the same millieu. The main character is a detective in Nursery Crimes division, investigating the Dumpty murder, trying to re-establish his credibility after those three sneaky pigs got off after killing the wolf. Very tongue in cheek and very silly. Wife gets it first, while I get the first in a series by Jack Whyte. Wife also gets a new novel by Bruce Campbell (yes, THAT Bruce Campbell, of Evil Dead fame). She'll be thru both of those by the time I get home tomorrow night, and maybe even into MY book as well.

We had the official 'meet and greet' of the cast of Midsummer. Kinda pointless, well not really pointless, just not what I'm used to. I'm used to having the meet and greet on the first day of rehearsal, followed by a round-table read-thru of the script. Tonight, half the cast had been in for a week, the rest came in today, and the meet and greet was after rehearsal. There was no read-thru. Tonight was more of a design presentation than meet and greet. There was a gathering at the Brewery after, but I stayed late, chatting with the set designer and TD, and didn't get out 'til about 9:30 and also realized that I spent the last of my pocket money on bird food (cockatiels, three of them). Time for book and bed. And laundry, gotta throw a load in tonight.

Oh yeah, one more thing

I also finished the Harry Potter Bloody Prince book. Almost predictable. I knew the book was either V's or Snape's. and I'd heard about Dummydore before I started. But, as I said before, a good read for young adults.
But this means that I'm in the market for new reading material. Any suggestions? Fiction. Preferably light Fiction. Almost any genre except romance. I read fantasy, sci-fi, or other. Favorite authors include Asimov, Heinlein, Asprin, Anthony, Donaldson, King, Herbert, Vonnegut, Zelazny (hmm a-z?).
So, any suggestions would be appreciated. What's on your nightstand (I mean books, that other stuff is your own business, and should be out of sight under the bed.)?

What a cool idea

A cinema was hosting (on Jan 7, sorry, no future screenings planned) all three LotR movies, back to back, and hosting seven meals to coincide with the eating times of typical hobbits. to Quote (since the link may not work for long)
35 MM EXTENDED EDITIONS OF THE FIRST TWO FILMS AND THEATRICAL RELEASE VERSION OF RETURN OF THE KING WITH FOOD PAIRING AT ALL SEVEN HOBBIT EATING TIMES!

First Breakfast
Fresh Hens eggs, nice crispy bacon, grilled mushrooms and orange slice
(Substitute veggie bacon for veggie option)

Second Breakfast
Strawberries and Cream

Elevensies
Pan Seared Sausage and tomatoes with cheeses, cabbage and pickles
(Substitute veggie sausage for pork sausage with veggie option)

Luncheon
Braised Spareribs with mashed potatoes, roast carrots
(Substitute marinated mushrooms for spareribs with veggie option)

Afternoon Tea
Baby greens with garlic blackberry vinaigrette, cheese herb galette, served with tea cookies

Dinner
Stewed Coney (rabbit) with taters, carrot, and leek, fresh garden herbs with crusty bread
(Substitute a root vegetable stew in veggie option)

Supper
Swirl of tomato and spinach soups wild mushroom crouton, apple pie

A DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN OPTION IS AVAILABLE IF YOU CONTACT US IN ADVANCE BY E-MAILING KAREN@ORIGINALALAMO.COM!!!

Event pricing:
$21 movie admission
$8 unlimited NA beverages
$50 7 hobbit meals
$9 15% gratuity
$88 total ticket cost


This event will run for approximately 12 hours with 30 minute breaks in between films beginning when the credits start to roll and ending when the next film begins.

A dull weekend

I realized that I haven't posted in a while, and I kept getting distracted this weekend so I'm doing something over lunch.
It was a slow dull weekend. Primarily sat around and watched TV all weekend. I was loaned the StarWars Episodes 1-3 from a friend so that was Friday night and on into Sat. Actually managed to catch some honest-to-god FENCING on one of the sport channels, the World Championships, Sabre division. We won (otherwise I'm sure it wouldn't have been televised). Sunday we watched Secondhand Lions. A really nice family film, meaning no sex or blood, but good nonetheless. Whimsical. I like whimsical. Then, as I was about to get online to make a post, Fiddler on the Roof came on. I haven't seen that in years, and love it, so was only going to watch the first half or so, but got sucked in, and sat thru the whole thing, getting to bed a lot later than I was planning. Sunday morning I also had a really nice, long, IM chat with an old friend, going thru problems with family. This was probably the high point of the weekend. I wish I could see old friends like that more often. I need to find time and money to travel. Nebraska, California, East coast: North and South. Well, maybe not California, she could meet me halfway.

I've also joined the 20th century. For christmas, a friend gave me her old Nokia Tracfone, the kind you have to re-up with calling card minutes every 90 days or so. It was a pain in the ass getting it activated, and the number listed as mine on the phone, isn't, but it works now. I'm still not sure how I'm going to like being this available to Wife etc. Now I don't have an excuse for not calling in and telling her I'm going out for drinks with friends, giving her the opportunity to say no. I may have to practice leaving the phone at home.

Alice is now finally gone. We got the last of the tracks loaded and moved out this morning. Now TD needs to get motivated on Midsummer. Time to get out the whip. and I need to crank out my design this week, hopefully hanging lights next monday.

Such is my exciting life.

bored at work

Doing some computer checking before work, email and such. Decided that a post was in order, at least until TD comes in to work on getting rid of Alice's body.

I didn't mention our new year dinner. Wife had ordered (via internet) a smoked pheasant for christmas dinner. It never showed up for Christmas, but arrived in time for New Years. I've never had pheasant before. Interesting taste. It arrived smoked and vacu-sealed in it's little hairnet, somewhere in size between a chicken and a game hen. The meat was pinkish, and very full. More breast meat than a chicken (at least for it's size. Really, about the same amount as a chicken, on a smaller bird). The flavor was what surprised me. I don't know if it was the smoking or what, but it tasted more like a ham than chicken. Even the consistency was ham-ish, denser than chicken meat. All in all it was very good, though not something I'd want to do often, not even yearly. We then popped a bottle of champagne ('scuse me, sparkling california wine), that I'd gotten for opening of Greetings, at midnight. Wife is not a huge champagne fan, preferring sweet wines (without bubbles too), but this was pretty good. We left it open overnight, and in the morning, corked it. The next night, it was perfect. Not as many bubbles for wife, but still pretty sweet. We also were given a bottle (small keg?) of wine from a friend. She'd had it in her pantry, unopened, for half a dozen years, and knew we'd (meaning I'd) drink it. I've been having a tumbler or two each night for the last couple nights. Not bad, just a tad flat, but not to wifes tastes. Drinkable, but nothing to write home about (but evidently it was blogworthy!).

Finished watching Simpsons 7 last night. Cable TV has been crap the past week. I'd seen a lot of the episodes before, but there are some of my favorites in there. There was a report last week on NPR about words going into the dictionary from the past year. One of the words on their watch list was one from the Simpsons (besides D'oh, which is already IN the dictionary), was cromulent. It was from one of season 7 episodes, telling the history of Springfield and Jebediah Springfield wanting to embiggen the common man. Mrs Crabapple said that she'd not heard that word before coming to Springfield, and another teacher snapped that it was a perfectly cromulent word. I loved it. I'm starting to use it more and more, trying to get it into the dictionary! It's even in Websters, via Dictionary.com

Oh well, I guess I should get SOME work done today.

New year

Who'd a thunk that on Jan. 2, we'd be deluged with rain. Not snow. Not a sleety kind of drizzle. RAIN. Thunderstorm driving rain. So much for any snow on the ground. I need to see snow again.

Well, Alice is dead and gone. Well, dead at least. It won't be gone until this week.
After the last show, a bunch of the actors and crew went out for drinks at the brewery in town (mentioned a few posts back...). SM and I went along. (I don't think either one of us would have gone without the other.) It ended up being a good time, better than the previous outing. a) the group was smaller, and b) there were fewer distractions. The only sticky point was that, coming late, I ended up seated next to the crew person who has told me to leave her alone and not talk to her. Neither one of us was very comfortable. But after 3 beers I didn't care as much.

It's strange having this day off as a holiday. It makes no sense, it's not the first of the month. It's a monday, the 2nd, things should be open. Life should go back to normal now. So what that the 'holiday' was on a Sunday. It only happens once in seven years, suck it up. It only reinforces my belief that this whole holiday thing is totally arbitrary and meaningless. A day like any other. Really, how was Saturday different from Sunday, the 31st different from the 1st. It's just an arbitrary calendar notation.
I heard on the radio (NPR of course) that the official atomic clock people added a 'leap second' this year to keep the calendar current with the atomic clock. Other scientists were in favor of letting it go, and adding a leap hour every 36,000 years or so. Yeah, like they'd remember to do that at the time.

I keep seeing these surveys and memes asking about new years resolutions. Baloney. Making vague promises that are no more likely to be kept on Jan. 1 than on March 31. A day like any other. Obviously, don't get me started. I won't shut up.

I've been watching movies recently. While shopping on Sat. at Sams Club, I found, Simpsons season 7, and West Wing season 2 (at $15.00 I couldn't pass it up. That's what I paid for the first season too), and Wife picked up Brothers Grimm. Not bad. Almost typical Terry Gilliam.

Wow, I'm used to it from the dogs, but the cat sleeping on the bed with me right now (Tamsin, the tiger striped), is SNORING. Oh, well, back to my book. I'm finally reading the most recent Harry Potter. So far, it's right on par with the others, ok, but not spectacular. Obviously aimed at children (Hate mail should be sent to idontcare@yahoo.com)