ShutterBug12

I got my dad a ticket to the show's closing performance! He's stopping down for a visit on his way for some work business in NC, and he asked to see the show. I hope he's not put-off by the boy-kissing. I, erm, neglected to tell him about that.

I got a bike about two weeks ago, and only today had the chance to really take it out. It's gorgeous. Sunny. 80 degrees. And I get outside, take it for a little test-spin around the parking lot, and I discover that the highest gear won't "catch" (not sure if that's the right term for it). It keeps trying to shift, but it can't, for whatever reason. All the other gears seem to work just fine.

Not to mention that I think the salesman sold me the wrong size bike. I never actually bought a bike myself before, so I was trusting that the salesman knew what he was talking about. Well, when I ride and go to make a turn, my sneaker rubs against the tire. I'm pretty sure that shouldn't happen.

So now I have to call the place, and hope this can be taken care of without a big hassle. =\

Also, I'm pretty sure I'll be taking up rock climbing. I took the first of a three-part class on Monday and had a really good time. I hope I can meet someone to climb with, so I don't always have to use the auto belay machines.

Yay for new hobbies!

Very late notice, but I just found out: I have Kiss of the Spider Woman comps for tomorrow night. Give me a holler if you're interested.

I have production photos! They are pretty! Come look! (Warning: massive photos behind the cut.)


First look at Molina at the top of the show.

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I had my last dentist appointment for a while today. Last filling on the list. But they had to fix the first one they did, because they didn't do a very good job, so the whole right side of my face is numb. I feel like I have no control over it whatsoever and am paranoid that I'm drooling all over, which I'm not, but it feels like I am. I can't even swallow correctly, so I can't eat and I only have until 7:00 to do that, since that's when my break is over. Ugh. Not a fun feeling.

On the plus side, my platform for my spotlight has MUCH improved. Now I have a footrest AND a comfy seat, so I don't have to fuck up my back for a month. =)

I was recently in touch with one of my professors from my university and he sent along information about a job in Colorado this summer. It would be exciting, as I've never been to Colorado before, but I have to discuss this with Sam before I apply. It would be great fun, I imagine. =)

I started working on Signature's production of Kiss of the Spider Woman about a week ago and, as I suspected it would, the experience has been awesome so far. Tech was grueling. Long days, but we trudged through. It's coming together. Tonight was the first run with the orchestra and some parts were a bit shaky, but it went well. We have our first audience tomorrow. That's always a fun day.

I was initially worried about the content of this show. The first email I received from the stage manager mentioned slip hazards because of the blood in the show and I was quite freaked out by that. It must have been a precaution because there's not a lot of blood at all in the show. A couple beaten prisoners, but nothing drastic. I expected something much more gruesome. That said, it's an awesome show (once you set aside the disbelief that comes with prisoners bursting into song, but isn't that the case with most musicals?).

But the best part, the most amazing part, is that one of the lead actors (he plays Molina, who I spot during most of the show) was the original Bobby Strong in Urinetown on Broadway. Urinetown is one of my favorite musicals and it holds a special place in my heart. It was the last show I did in college and it helps me fondly remember a peer of mine who passed away last year. Anyway, I spent hours listening to that soundtrack, to this actor's voice on the soundtrack. I saw the guy on television when I watched the Tony Awards broadcast when the cast of Urinetown performed "Run, Freedom, Run!" so this is really awesome for me. Sam said he's going to get me his autograph, because it's generally frowned upon for crew members to get all fangirly over the actors. LOL

Anyway, I'm excited about this run. =)

It looks like I won't be leaving my apartment late again! I have this tendency to be late for everything and I think it's caused my stage manager to dislike me, so I decided to try very hard today to make it to work on time. If I'm late, it will be due to circumstances beyond my control. I've showered already, dinner's in the oven, I feel refreshed and generally chipper. If I can only try to break some other bad habits and get my ass back to the gym on a regular basis, I'd be in tip-top shape.

Speaking of exercise, Sam and I have decided to take up ice hockey. Well, we'll be spending a lot of time improving our skating skills before we even pick up a stick. Nevertheless, I am excited. I've wanted to find an activity that we can both enjoy together and I think I may have found one. I may also join a rec league, which would be a lot of fun and would give me such a good outlet for my intense competitiveness. I just hope my work schedule will allow it. If not, perhaps I could just keep working on my skating and join a league when I'm enrolled in graduate school, since then my evenings would be open.

This all came about when we went to see a Capitols game on Tuesday. We had a very nice time, despite the work function that we had to go to beforehand, which was uncomfortable for me. I hate those little parties during which you're expected to mingle. I don't do mingling. Anyway, we went to the game, ate overpriced junk food from the concession stand, cheered on two fights, and watched the Caps pull out a win. Watching the game really made me miss being a part of a sports team--for those of you who don't know, I played softball on a pretty advanced level for over ten years. Sam really loves hockey and I've always enjoyed it, so we decided to get him a pair of skates, replace my figure skates (ICK) with hockey skates, and make this a regular thing. My skating isn't too bad, but I need to adjust to the different blade and learn how to skate backwards. This will be fun. =)

I'm also getting a bicycle within the next month or so. I wanted to get one last year, but never got to it. I'm determined to get one this year, and spend some time every day exploring the local trails around here. There's a network of them that go all through N. Virginia. I also want to train enough to be able to bike to Baltimore along Rt. 1. (Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm no longer running the marathon this year, as I haven't been running, and I don't really want to at this point. The friend I was supposed to be running with hasn't really been corresponding lately, and I wanted to train with someone, because it's very hard to do it alone.) Anyway, this year will be a nice year to renew my love of sports and outdoor activities, get my ass off the couch, and do something with my days.

Finally.

I'm convinced that today was National High School Skank Day. On my way home from work, there were hundreds (I do not exaggerate) of young, whorishly dressed girls crowding the Metro Center and piling onto my train. These girls were everywhere. And I looked at them and it occurred to me that I'm very happy that I don't try to model myself after fashionable society's idea of beauty. All those girls looked so similar--the same artificially colored hair, the same style of boots and jeans, the same kind of make-up all over their faces--that they hardly maintained any sort of individuality. It's sad, really. Oh, and one of the skanks ended up puking all the way down the escalator leading from the platform to the turnstiles. Heh.

On a somewhat related note (now it seems almost like an omen), as I was riding to work, I saw, for the first time, what I believe to have been a real-life pimp. This man, black and middle aged, was dressed in very stylish, clean leather shoes, black pinstriped trousers that were neatly pressed, a red shirt that I couldn't see very well because it was obscured by his authentic-looking, knee-length fur coat. He also wore sunglasses and a red hat that matched his shirt perfectly. He had apparently just come from his dry cleaner and was toting several garments with him. I've never seen anything like it.

It was quite the day for people-watching.

I just got off the phone with my mother, who spent about an hour discussing her latest visits with her doctor. Now, my mother isn't all that old and she's having some back/hip problems, fibroids, as well as some other, erm, female reproductive system problems. All of it worries me, for selfish reasons: I don't want to be forced to deal with similar problems when I'm that age. I'm half-way there, for crying out loud, and the thought of going through the shit she's going through really terrifies me. Going through biopsies, all kinds of exams, and talks of a D&C, a colonoscopy, and even a hysterectomy. Some of those words really horrify me just a bit and I dread having reproductive system problems and having to go through some of those procedures.

I also got to learn all about: My mom's miscarriage, her mother's medical history, and my grandmother's upcoming surgery, in which her entire reproductive system will be removed, and her stomach and bladder will be held up by some sort of implantation, all because her organs are starting to actually drop out of her. Yeah.

I'm trying to come up with ways I could prevent things like this from happening because if there's one thing I fear worse than dying it's having my own body fall apart like that. My mom said her doctors said that all women could do is eat right, exercise, and refrain from smoking and drinking. Well, I'm doing okay with all of those, but I can guarantee that this phone call will have me at the fucking gym for hours. I hope to God that I don't end up having to go through the problems my mother's already facing, which are only going to get worse.

If my body begins to fall apart like that, a part of me thinks that I'd rather just die. That sounds horrible, but...Yeah. It was such a weird, fear-inspiring phone call. Heh.