3.30.2009

in town

Yay, I'm in Portland for a month and it makes me happy. 
List of things that make me happy:
1) getting to see Joe! (even better when he makes me breakfast, we work on my bike, and watch math documentaries in between searching the depths of our souls and growing emotionally and all that). He is rad (and brilliant, and silly, and focused, and so kind and loving and considerate. I'm a lucky Hannah.)
2) Scout! (a very close second to the bf. even better to catch the two of them snuggling.)
3) the library! I've become a voracious reader lately thanks to the library and this lovely little thing called putting things on hold. I've read 4 more books by Chris Bohjalian this month, David Sedaris' newest collection, and just started Derrick Jensen's A Language Older Than Words. (I felt obligated to make a list as I've not updated my GoodReads page in ages.)
4) BIKING. 
5) Getting to perform in a real theater. Like with fancy lights and a black floor and seats that people pay for. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job bringing the puppets to the kids in cafetoriums across the land, but I've gotta say, it's pretty freakin' sweet to be treated like a professional every once and again.
6) My house. My bed. My kitchen. My lovely housemates. Having a home and a community. 

happy happy Hannah. Life is good.

3.19.2009

yesterday was the best

Yesterday we did a show at a school with the Deaf Education program for the county so I not only got to do 2 shows (WITH WORKING EQUIPTMENT, rock on), but I got to go to their classroom and introduce them to the story and puppets in ASL. Followed by a lovely drive back up to Bellingham, tasty food, good cheap wine, chattin' on the tele-phone with the bf, and socialization with Amanda and friends, and bed-time Dr. Who. Purdy awesome.

Starting with Sunday, I'm in town for a month. More awesome.

Now, onward post-sleeping in brunch and two more shows. Huzzah!

3.05.2009

jonesin' for the southland

So, last night after I'd checked into a crappy hotel in ARMPIT OF AMERICA otherwise known as Puyallup, Washington, I flicked on the tele to zone out. Yeah, this is why I don't own an idiot box, because I'd actually do this more frequently if I did. Regardless, I was flipping through, and came across a travel show about hot dogs... Yup, hot dogs. And in the intro they showed a clip from the Varsity (of course) and so I watched a 30 minute show about hot dogs just to watch the 5 minute segment about the Varsity. And I nearly cried. For serious. 

It continues to amaze me that I actually miss Atlanta at all, and how sharp that's getting. Granted I haven't visited in over a year, but still. The list I could make about things I hate about that place is loooong, but today I had the funny thought that I might actually end back there someday. And that wouldn't be the end of the world. It's kind of how I thought I would never in a million years go to UGA and then ended up having a really great experience there. It would amuse me to no end if I made a home for myself in the place that I can't stop running from. 

Ya see, besides a cache of my favorite people in the world living there, there is the minor bit about the Center for Puppetry Arts being there. Yeah, like THE place for puppets in the 'ole US of A. Ironic, huh? Ah, this life thing, never fails to surprise me. 

I am counting the days until my roadtrip (constantly evolving, new update: Not doing the O'Neil. One puppet conference is enough for this summer). I am at a weird place in Portland. I have realized that it actually makes me uncomfortable to be living in a place not only of such uniform thought, but thought that so closely aligns with my own. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm craving some conservatives. Girl needs to be challenged. Girl needs some diversity, ya herd? Also, I'm not exactly deepening the connections I have here (because I'm working all the damn time, and honestly the only people I see these days are Joe, my housemates, work folks, and folks from Meeting all of whom I love, but still...). At the same time all of these people that I love, and I mean that in a would walk-in-front-of-a-bus-for kind of way, aren't here. And I'm barely maintaining friendships with them. The time difference really messes with my ability to keep up with people, and I've just done a crappy job at it of late. Le sigh. Needless to say, I am Very VERY excited about this summer and can feel my expectations rising like a thermometer in Georgia in July. 

So if you're reading this, and live far away, this is for you. A little love letter from my little rainy home away from home. I don't think I could have said it better than my beautiful, talented, makes-me-laugh-'til-I-snort, kindred spirit friend, Lauren. Big love, y'all. Big love.