pajamas

So, Jon and I completed our awesomely-amazing tour of the southwest. Pictures here.

After that, we had a couple of shows in Everett (north of Seattle). Stayed with our friend John. He was in a show, and got us in fo' free, which was super fun. It was a musical, 110 in the Shade, and I've been singing show tunes for a week. When we got back to his place he fried us up some phillipino pork spring roll thing-ys (home made by his bf's momma) and we stayed up and chatted until late. It was a truly relaxing and delightful way to spend our final night on tour.

Shows went great, despite some minor technical difficulties with my mic. Thankfully, I knew taping the cord to my back during the scene change would do the trick. Ah, such is my glamorous life. On the way back (our last trip down I-5, of course on a Friday in traffic) we stopped one last time at the Burgerville in Centrailia, our unofficial favorite pit-stop/home away from home. Monday and Tuesday we had local shows, then unloaded our set into storage Tuesday afternoon. I was surprisingly unsentimental during our last show. It wasn't until we were doing our post-show spiel about staying quiet and listening to their teachers did I get blindsided by the fact that I'd never do this again. I'm going to miss Jonathan so much. So much! Looks like he turned out to be my best friend after all.

After we finished unloading our tech stuff into the workshop Brian had to do marketing, Nancy had a meeting, and Jon wanted to spend time with his soon to be business tripping girlfriend, so a rather anti-climactic ending to the year. Not quite the bang we went out with last year, but I suppose that's alright. I'm planning on throwing together some end of the year/I'm leaving shindig before I leave.

It's been raining incessantly, and I've stayed in my pj's watching Buffy for two days. Only now am starting to feel slightly pathetic and stir-crazy. I did walk Scout for the requisite hour yesterday though, and then got the bright idea to go for a run. I'm kind of surprised, but I was able to run comfortably for 30 minutes. Probably the best side effect of being recently unemployed I've ever had.

Everything feels very surreal. I have so much to do, but am having difficulty getting off the couch. Also, my computer power cord is kaput, which is limiting my entertainment while procrastinating mo-jo. I've figured out a way to gerry-rig it, but the solution of sitting very still and holding the power cord seems impermanent.

In less than two weeks I'm Atlanta bound. (sunny Atlanta!) I'm excited for beginning, but still can't really grasp what I'm ending. I guess that's normal though. Remembering that helps less than you'd imagine, but it's just enough.

what day is it?

In the past 3 days I have driven over a thousand miles, visited with Jonathan's parents, two of my cousins, walked on a beach, seen my first puppet slam, and warmed my bones in copious amounts of sunshine.

Sometimes, tour is awesome.

reason no. 1 I am moving

It is May 4th and it is currently 46 degrees and raining in Portland. Earlier it hailed.

sun and storms

Wow. April came and went. The sun is shining momentarily, and even though it's 50 degrees, I'm thankful for it.

Let's see... So, the Malika run was pretty fantastic. We had a great response from the community, and every house had a 100+ people in it. It went by super quickly though. It's hard to believe we put in so much work for a two week run. Two days after we closed we hit the ground running and were back on the road for our final stop in lovely Bellingham, Washington. Got dinner with Brandi and Andrew, and drinks afterward with Amanda. It was the first of my lasts (at least the first that I was conscious of). It was a perfectly lovely evening, and a lovely capstone to several casual and somewhat spontaneous visits I've had with each of them these past two years. It was kind of fitting, too since we're all moving on to bigger and better things next year. Brandi will be finishing her program and looking for teaching positions, Amanda is off to grad school in Boston, and I'm headed southward for adventures as yet unnamed. I would have never expected that part of this job (one of my very favorite parts of this job, to be honest) would be getting to visit a friend from Fayetteville/Savannah, and a friend from Bread and Puppet in the same lovely little town.

This week was a bit lighter; just a show and some workshops down in Dallas, Oregon. Got to perform for a theater full of fourth graders and a small contingent of high school drama kids and did workshops with each. It was the first time Jon and I have gotten to do workshops together, and it was so much fun! I especially loved working with the high school kids. It was a nice change of pace from the extreme regimentation of an elementary school. Also, the hosts told us that we came highly recommended as the company's best team and were extremely satisfied after we were finished. That always feels nice; you know, to hear from strangers that people have said nice things about you.

Then, to make up for all the weekends I've worked this month, I got the past three days off. Unfortunately, I've been sick with a pesky sore throat that won't quit. I've rested, watched the entire season four of Buffy on Netflix (time warp. is it just me, or did every single outfit she wore look like it came out of Wet Seal?), and drinking lots of tea. Last night as I was walking to Whole foods for some ginger, honey, and lemons, it occurred to me that I had an entire bottle of my favorite cold tincture (Umka) on my dresser. I should have started taking it Sunday when I stared feeling crappy, but better late than never. I started last night, and am finally starting to feel better. Marginally.

Oh! I also had brunch Sunday with Kendall, which was perfectly lovely. It was the first time I'd seen him since we broke up in January, and it was great to see him. I think we waited the perfect amount of time, because we were quite friendly and it was comfortable and good. I think this may be a sign of maturity that I've started dating guys I actually want to stay friends with after we've broken up.

I'm kind of all over the place about my big move. I'm totally impatient, but simultaneously completely unable to accomplish anything. There is so much to do, but I feel like I can't do anything until Jon and I get back from our Great Southwestern Adventure of '10, which we leave for on Thursday. We'll be out three weeks, and then I'll have about two more to get everything in order before Scout and I fly to Atlanta. I actually have very little planned out after than other than buy a car and spend my time split between Atlanta, Athens, and the cabin until I can find a job and a place to live. I think I'm gonna have some major culture shock re-entering the southland, but I can't wait to take weekend trips to Athens on a whim, or go over to LJ and Dave's to raid the fridge. [Oh, shit I hope I can find a job.]

flying high

The past couple of weeks, I've been biking a lot. Walking a lot. Really enjoying my neighborhood, and the sparing sun. The idea of buying a car has been completely unappealing and thus I haven't thought a lot about it. This weekend I started thinking about it. The thing is, I don't want to buy a car and with my life as it is in Portland, I don't have to. 


Then, I started thinking about summer. 


Yes, I will need a car in Atlanta (and I am getting very excited about the move), but if I can use frequent flyer miles (thanks poppa!) and ship my stuff via Amtrak, I can get to Atlanta without completely depleting my savings. That should give me a little breathing room once I arrive so that I don't have to be stressed about immediately getting a job. I have decided this breathing room is worth more than a road trip*. It feels annoyingly adult, but is exciting in its own way. It also presents its own challenges, like buying a car as soon as I get to Atlanta, but I feel like its the better call for me right now. 


*[Texas family, I hope to still see y'all in May when I perform in San Antonio, and am hoping to make a short trip out sometime in the fall.]


I am starting to renew contacts in Atlanta for jobs and living arrangements with the hope that something will pan out before fall. 


Ah! On to the here and now. Rehearsals have been a rollercoaster, but I think we're in a good place performance-wise with one week to go before we load in. Jon Ludwig is a perfectionist, and an excellent director. It has been a challenge and learning experience to work with him, and although I've had my moments of frustration, can say that overall, I am better for it. Scout is wonderful. Letters are wonderful. Spring, although a fickle mistress, is wonderful.

march march march (nom nom nom)

Looks like I've gone an entire month again without an update. I suppose it's because nothing much has been happening, but in a good way.

Let's see, tour is done for a while (yippee!), gotten into knitting animals (see photo), have become obsessed with and subsequently finished all of the new Dr. Who and its spin off Torchwood (curse you netflix instant viewing!) am now a week into rehearsals with the one and only Ludwig-i-nator of Atlanta. He's an interesting character and learning to work with him has been a delightful professional challenge. Suffice to say, I've been smiling and nodding a lot, and somehow my muscles have not yet failed me. By the time the show goes up, I expect I will have spontaneously acquired small anchor tattoos on my forearms. Also, let it be noted that we had the entire (ENTIRE) show blocked with puppets and props by day 4 of rehearsal. Epic.

Momma and her Greg are coming through town tomorrow for a visit. They're officially forever now, legally and otherwise. I'm so very happy for them both and can't wait to see them fresh off their elopment/honeymoon all full of cheer and sunshine.

This also means that I'm now the lone lady in the Long henhouse, but that doesn't mean I'm in any hurry to fly the coop. I'm really really enjoying my life right now, and very much looking forward to the adventures and challenges on the horizon. Very glad this will be my last chilly Portland spring, and that this time next year my life will be full of azelas and dogwoods.

spring forward! (sort of)

While the Eastern seaboard is getting blasted with wintry weather, in Portland we're enjoying our annual fake spring. Yep, we always get this weird 2 weeks of sporadic sunny weather and warm(er) temperatures for a couple of weeks mid February. I have to admit, although I'm jealous we only had a half a snow day this year, I have been REALLY appreciating the sun. Especially since I'm well aware that this is a limited window before the rain comes back full force.

Got a kind of light week with work, which may I also say is much needed and appreciated. Had yesterday as a make up for working a Saturday a few weeks ago, and just two shows (both in town, both after 10 am). This after about a month of solid shows. (A couple of weeks ago we did 15 shows in two weeks, with 4 mornings that started at 5 am. bleh.) Then just two more weeks until we're in town for 6 working on the new show! So excited. Need to start learning lines though...

Trying not to freak about finding a job in Atlanta next year. Hoping that my connections in the southern theater scene will pan out. Surprisingly (to me at least), I've decided that I want to continue working in theater. I've always been shy about making that sort of commitment, but I'm finally ready to do it. I don't need to perform though. I'd be extremely happy doing education, technical, or administrative work. We'll see. Also, I really really want to live alone again if possible, but understand it may not be feasible without knowing what I'll be doing.

A note on my move: After crunching the numbers about flight and shipping costs, I've decided to buy a car here in Portland and take another road trip to get home (for about the same price I can have an adventure rather than a long lousy flight). I have a friend who leads kyaking tours in the San Juans every summer, and can't well leave the Pacific Northwest before spending a little quality time up there. Then I'll head over to Bellingham for a day, then down 101 (I've always wanted to drive the length down the West Coast) with a little stop over in Ashland to take in some Shakespeare. Then dow to San Francisco and further to LA to visit my cousins. Then I want to take in the southwest and visit as many National Parks as humanly possible. Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Arches, etc. before heading to Austin for a bit and then over to Atlanta and then up to the cabin for about a month. Last summer was all about visiting friends, this summer I want an adventure. I want to push myself to get out and meet people, to develop a small show to perform in parks, play my ukulele on street corners, hike, camp, and generally drink life in gulps. Big big gulps.