And So...Life Goes On

Well, Side Show has finally opened. It was an ehxausting four week rehearsals and the show are shaping up to be the same. The fun part is finding new bruises, cuts and scratches when I come home. The latest, which happened at today's matinee, is a VERY sore nose as a result of being whacked in the face, accidentally, by a thick bamboo stick. I love it when actors don;t pay attention on stage, that is, my fellow actors. I really like this cast, more so than any cast I have ever worked with, even tho it is frustrating sometimes feeling like I have to watch myself and what I say in front of the "professionals." But I tell you what, I have never experience a love and commonality as I have with these people. Just make me even more resolute in the fact that I want and need to get to NY.

The quietness from the morons upstairs ended about four days ago and I finally broke and called the cops AGAIN tonight. He was not pleased when he came by and basically told me not to call again because people will make noise when they walk. I tried to explain that it was more than walking, but he just did not get it. Of course, who ironic that when he leaves, the noise stops.

So the frog debacle returned, except this time in the form of a cricket who would NOT shut up. I tried everything to silence the bugger and I think I managed to after four attempts ot sparying insecticides and cloroxing the soil. I told you I take my silence seriously

And on a final note...comps....yeah...in three weeks...studied? Nope. I....am...scared.

Going Back

No, this post is not about deportation. Before I get to the fun news, I have to mention that today is the first time since I got my new furniture that I actually spent some time out in the living room watching TV, eating dinner, and grading papers. It was kind of fun, and seemed so surrealistically normal. The degenerates upstairs were even quiet. This may be a constant thing now.

Rehearsal was fun, and it royally kicked my ass again. I am just hurting all over. Last night I went over to the cast house and we wacthed the boot I have of the show as well as Freaks and Chained for Life. The movies left something to be desired but what cracked my ass up were the farting noises Gaelen and Jon were making all night in sync with actions and looks in the movie. I have never laughed so hard for so long in my entire life. Erick and I also got to talking about theatre and I quickly became jealous when I found out he worked with Donna McKechnie in the Papermill Follies. He has done so many cool things, he truly is an inspiration as are the other cast members in the show who came down from NY. I just love this whole provcess and how inspired I am becoming by the director. I truly respect him and what he does.

Watched The Emperor's New Groove and laughed my ass off. Eartha Kitt is hysterical. The whole movie is just so witty and funny. This is a must buy on DVD.

Ok, now to the going back news. I went for a meeting on Friday with Kim Krege who took over the drama club at Countryside from the EDBQ. I did not knwo what to expect. It was so odd going back, but it was nice to see the kids again as well as the newcomers. Kim and I had a great conversation and we are totally on the same page with our ideas. I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with this partnership. I intend to not do some things that I know screwed up the situation before (see...I DO know how to accept blame when necessary). As shallow as this sounds, it will be nice to get a little extra dough to pay bills and keep a roof over my head. Only time can tell....well...how philpofuckinsophical of me.

Burn Baby Burn

The pain I suffered two days ago is nothing compared to tonight. It is amazing what one fireman;s pole can do. My inner thighs, the insides of my feet, and my knee, which I banged AGAIN tonight, are all sore and bruised. I have cold compressed, hot compressed, icy-hotted every inch, and in the process I accidentally icy-hotted an area I should not have gone near. Needless to say, I am enduring a most unpleasant burning sensation. I feel like a Meatballs/Porky's movie. It is NOT a funny thing. Ahhhhhh..how i suffer for my art!

A Ray of Hope?

I just checked the visa bulletin for the DVS lottery and the numbers went from 1, 903 in October to 2,070 fo November to 4,200 for December. Now, I am number 6,693. If the numbers continue they way they are, I just may be able to get my green card after all, and maybe in January or February. However, I am not getting my hopes up since the rise is erratic and not systematic enough for me to measure. But maybe I won;t have to worry for long. This would make things SO easy for me. PLEEEEEEEEEASE let my number come up! Not in the bad way tho....

I AM IN SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For a light-intensive dance show this production is royally kicking my ass. It is VERY physical and I have bruises in places I never thought of. Most of them are from being bumped and thrown into set pieces with sharp ends, but one very special one is from trying ot learn how to shimmy down and twirl down a fireman's pole. Ok...my people DO NOT slide down poles. It is not a genetic thing. But try I have. I have done everything from rack myself by hurling my body onto the pole to completely missing the pole and swinging my legs ot one side and using my upper body to lower myself. My inner thighs are SO bruised it is not even funny. I need to lose some serious weight yo.

On another note, I am on a quest to get a green card by any means necessary, legally of course. I am looking up political asylum roots, congressman letters, peitions, and so on. It will take a little bit of doing, and God knows this is not the time to be trying this, but I have to do something. Waiting for this green card lottery crap is not going to accomplish anything at all.

Hand Me Downs...It's a Good Thing

So today is Sara's and I went ot a birthday dinner and her house with a couple of other people last night. I was out 'till about 2 and I had fun. luckily, she still had her old TV set sitting in her closet, and since mine was busted, I opted to save money and take hers, which she was so nice to give :) So I now have a TV in the living room...maybe, just maybe, I'll get out of the bedroom now.

I really have nothing to say tonight...

Furniture, Cats, Cabaret...Oh My!

Think it;s been a while? So here are some updates:

The furniture has settled, and although I can;t use the second end table, everything looks good and I am very satisfied. Once Sara looked at it and said it looked good, I relaxed. Of course, I am probably never goinbg to use it because I never get out of my room, and I don;t entertain, but hey...it's the thought.

The cats had to be evacuated for three days because they were doing walkthroughs at my complex. I thought I could hide them in my bedroom but I did not want to take any chances of them being found by being heard. So I decided to take them to my mom's house this Monday afternoon. The car ride was interesting as they catterwailed the ENTIRE ride and shed their fur from nervousness. We get tom y mom;s house. They are apprehensive. One cat got acclamated fairly well, the other started hissing and meowing and hid. My mom;s cat hissed and darted out of the house. I hated leaving them there, but I had to. I go back to get them last night and one was running around, and the other was still hiding and hissed when I picked him up. The car ride back home was interesting again and now they are back. Now here is the interesting part, I was home when they did the walkthrough. Here is what it consisited of:

Me: Hey, come on in!

Them: Thanks!

One hangs around the kitchen counter, the other checks the firdge, check the bathroom--and by check, I mean looks--- and then they leave. I think the walkthrough was a cover up for something else. Conspiracy theory anyone?

Rotunda and the Bitch Boy got in trouble it seems. I found out last week that the police report that was filed on the 13th was miswritten and reported all the damage except for the noise. My luck! So I spent a week trying to convince the front office it was misfiled and then finally called the major and got him to send a revised report. So that was good. What also helped was that last Saturday I had called the front office to come over and listen to the disturbance. Naturally, when she gets there the noise stops. However, she went upstairs called them on it and reported it in their file. Well...it gets better. A week goes by. I go into the office on a Saturday and find out that they were slapped with a 7-day illegal occupancy notice. Their nephew lives there with them, altho they were trying to pass him off as visiting. He is mentally retarded and was biting children at the pool, one of the managers followed him home and he lives..right...above me. So they are just getting all these things slapped on them. I just oe this leads to them leaving.

And the kicker... Side Show is going great. I LOVE the cats and the director and I am NEVER going back to community theatre unless I can help it. Not to knock it, but I love the process and the professionalism of equity. Now here is the kicker. Sometimes I have the best luck but at the WORST possible moments. I am typing away for my blog atr 10:30 p.m. and I get a phone call. Of course, I screen my calls and the machine picks up:

Bob: Hi. This is Bob from The Players of Sarasota. I got your name from James Ashford from Florida Studio Theatre. I am calling for Fadi. F-A-D-I

Me: Who the hell is calling from a theatre this late?Hello?

Bob: Hi Fadi. This is blah blah blah. I got your name from blah blah. We are in rehearsal for Cabaret and we just lost our Emcee and I was wondering if you would be interested in filling in?

Me: This can't be for real! Okay.

what ensues is a conversation about the show and my knowledge of it

Me: So when would you like me to come audition?

Bob: No. We want you play the part for us?

Me: Whatchu talking about, Willis? Oh? this is too good to be true. What is the catch? I explain about Side Show When does the show run?

Bob: November 1st through the 11th.

Me: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so sorry, but I won;t be able to do the show. Why? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYY?

Bob: Well, I'm sorry you won;t be able to do the show...

And I proceed to offer him my help in finding someone. This just sucks. The Emcee is on my list of parts I want to play and I have been waiting for a LONG time for this. And, yeah, I coudl drop out of Side Show. Professionally, playing the Emcee versus ensemble would be great. Politically, I would be pissing off people based in New York who could be potential directors in the future. I hate this game. I LOVE the show and working it, but I also am dying to do Cabaret. WHY DAMMIT? But form what Jason Tucker tells me, I am not the only one who had to sacrifice a great opportunity. I am trying to rationalize it to myself by saying that it is in Sarasota, and they couldn;t really pay me anyway. And it is kind of nice to know that he called me sight unseen and voice unheard to do the part from someone who I don;t even know. That is the eerie part. And I hate having to say not ot all the people who have been calling recently, but I also understand that I am IN a show and I can;t say anything but "no." It;s not like I am telling them to "Fuck off!" This gives me hope that I could work steadily in the field. Or am I deluding myself. I can;t wait to get out of school!!!!!!!!!