| |
|
|
| 02:22pm 03/02/2004 |
| |
Sharon Osbourne has her own talk show!! Why am I not famous? |
|
| |
|
Read 1 - Post |
| |
| tabling |
|
|
| 08:48am 15/01/2004 |
| |
My dad makes tables, but not for a living. He was laid off about a year ago from a job he'd had for several years, a salesman for a metal fabrication company. Almost a month later, he found another, similar job. After six months, canned again. I keep telling him he should just make furniture. He's really good at it and the pieces he has sold have brought more money than he expected. My parents aren't rich but their house and cars are paid for. But he says it's more fun when you're not doing it for the money. I understand completely.
Happy birthday, Dad. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| hats off |
|
|
| 10:52pm 08/01/2004 |
| |
I had been perplexed by one rule set forth at all the local roller skating rinks: NO HATS. Was this to discourage gangs? Encourage conformity? Or maybe just a way that schools continue to exercise control over us? I never did understand the "NO GUM" rule in high school. Everyone wants fresh breath right? Anyway, I found out last night at the Skate Ranch, as I handed over my $1.50 and can of chopped clams to the white-haired manager. "Don't forget to take your hat off, it could fall off while you're skating and someone could get hurt." Ohhhh. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| nuclear photography |
|
|
| 02:43pm 29/12/2003 |
| |
"You're trespassing."
It wasn't the words which intimidated us as much as the AK-47 strapped to his chest. Inside my own chest, my heart was pounding and I was gripped with a fear than that only comes when dealing with people holding very large guns and the authority to use them.
"You aren't supposed to be taking pictures either. I need to see everyone's ID."
We had come to Shearon Harris nuclear plant as tourists. From the highway, the billow of smoke pouring out of the cooling tower was a guide leading us to the plant. The visitor center was closed so we drove straight for the tower. We saw several signs that said "no firearms, explosives, illegal drugs etc etc" "visitors subject to search" but nothing that said "no trespassing." I snapped a few photos when the tower was in full view. The final one Todd took of me, posing so that the smokestack appeared to come out of my head, my hands gesturing toward the nuclear hat.
Then we decided to drive closer. Maybe we could get a picture of the reactor, sitting just behind the cooling tower. A guard walked out to meet us and Todd said "Wave. Just wave." He waved us over to him and began what he called "procedures."
Suddenly we were captive. The guard called in the license plate number and Martijn's name. When he said we weren't supposed to be taking pictures, I got really nervous. I had very important photos on this roll that were irreplaceable. Todd assured me they had no right to take my film, so I shouldn't worry. I also had junk in my bag and feared for my life. What if they searched us?
"Turn the car off and hand me the keys."
"No!" Todd shouted. "Sir, I'm sorry but I'm a journalist and I know my rights. Martijn, turn off the car but do NOT hand him the keys."
Natalie and I exchanged worried looks. Perhaps we should just be cooperative? The exchange continued for a very tense minute. Another guard walked over and a white SUV kept circling the parking lot. Suddenly it dawned on me that this is America under the Patriot Act. Everyone is suspicious, and they have to call everything in, even some dumb tourists out joyriding.
"They're just doing their job," I said, "it's normal procedure."
We all started to calm down. Todd asked for directions to the hiking trails and the guard told us. Then he bid us farewell and we drove straight back to freedom.
After some nervous laughter and berating ourselves for being so stupid, we realized what probably saved us was the photo with me posing in front of the cooling tower. When the guards saw that through their binoculars, they realized we weren't terrorists. We were simply fabulous. |
|
| |
|
Read 2 - Post |
| |
| "Olive drab?" What kind of color is that?! |
|
|
| 04:33pm 22/12/2003 |
| |
you are olivedrab
#688E23 |
Your dominant hues are green and yellow. There's no doubt about the fact that you think with your head, but you don't want to be seen as boring and want people to know about your adventurous streak now and again.
Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.
Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.
| | the spacefem.com html color quiz |
|
|
| |
|
Read 3 - Post |
| |
| who ya know |
|
|
| 11:02am 16/12/2003 |
| |
I made a really good contact last night. Rita Riggs designed Scrooge's costumes in A Christmas Carol this year (the show I've been working on for the past 3 months), and I got to meet her last night. She was over 70 but was very sweet and spry and we talked for a long time after the show. She apprenticed with Edith Head, which is about as good as you can get. She wants me to come and see her in L.A. I am a lucky dog. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| year-to-date |
|
|
| 08:55am 15/12/2003 |
| |
I know the calendar year is something we as humans made up. There is no December, March or July in nature, only seasons. But every year I look forward to Jan 1 so I can start over.
I think this has been one of the most stressful years I've had in a long time, mostly b/c I've been so busy. But also because:
I turned 30. (the days leading up to it were actually worse than the day itself)
I've been intolerant and unforgiving with various people. (whose relationships with me vary from close to distant)
I still haven't completely made up my mind about grad school. (every day I think up a different reason to go or not go)
I've been slow to defend myself in certain situations, leading to self-pity. (I try to be nice, to get people to like me, and many just walk all over me.)
I've been scatter-brained and forgetful (this gets worse as I get older, doesn't it?)
Next year will be different! I won't make the same mistakes. I'll be more assertive. I will make decisions with clarity and forethought. I'll take better care of myself and figure out how to cook all those nutritious veggies I don't like. I'll also roller-skate more, make things for people, and slow the fuck down. |
|
| |
|
Read 3 - Post |
| |
| |
|
|
| 11:53pm 10/12/2003 |
| |
Every day, I think I like dogs more and people less.
Every day, I take another step toward being a bitter, old woman.
OK, let's give up the charade. I AM a bitter old woman. It's time I dropped the cutesy attitude, it's not me.
Today was a complete and utter let-down. |
|
| |
|
Read 3 - Post |
| |
| news |
|
|
| 03:26pm 25/11/2003 |
| |
I got a haircut! Wheee!! If someone takes a picture of me I'll post it.
I'm off to (as Meritage says) the Screendoor to Hell this weekend. That's right, Columbia, SC. I'm going to try to see John D; through all the years I've known him, I've never seen him in his hometown. I've even got a comp ticket for him but I'm afraid he'll make fun of the show the entire time.
In other news, it was only a matter of time. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| adaptation |
|
|
| 05:30pm 24/11/2003 |
| |
Humans are so adaptable. After being a lazy good-for-nothing, I have whipped myself into a productive, on-the-go, creative machine. I've gotten used to eating every meal in my car or at my desk at work. I spend lunchtime running errands. Today it was Hancock for frogs, then two costume shops looking for 4 identical blue wigs. I had to settle for purple. Hughie & Louie's shop on Glenwood has lots of stock, great prices ($8 each!) and the cutest chihuahua ever! I want a chihuahua so bad now, and I didn't think I liked little dogs.
My weekend was quite hectic. In order to prepare the ACC costumes for the Raleigh Xmas Parade, I worked from 4:00 pm until 4:45 am. I would have worked all night but the Mountain Dew was no longer having an effect on me, and the hallucinations were getting really bad. I was up at 6:45 to take the finished pieces to the theatre and see everyone off. Back in bed by 9:30, I awoke again at 12:30 and drove to Wake Forest for my grandmother's 90th birthday party. She looks good for 90, but I hope I don't get long black hairs on my chin like that.
I took the night off to have sushi with Natalie and Lori, then gave up on a wild & crazy night at 11:30, when the Yawns kicked in. I just can't party like I used to.
Matt got back yesterday so I'm happy. |
|
| |
|
Read 5 - Post |
| |
| another maus-over |
|
|
| 04:11pm 14/11/2003 |
| |
Spending the day remaking a shitty, falling apart Halloween costume into a cool, creepy-yet-jazzy, 1830s ghost-of-a-gentleman garb. That was way too many adjectives.
I'm teaching my left foot to control the pedal in my sewing machine, as all the tendons in my right foot ache constantly.
A beer might be nice later. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| |
|
|
| 02:14pm 13/11/2003 |
| |
Had a very successful lunch running errands. Tryon Hills Beauty Supply was a goldmine. Found snoods, 6 matching scarves for the Chimney Sweeps, some turbans to practice making 1810 hats, and a XXL white long-sleeve t-shirt to turn into the French Sailor shirt. At Lowes I got white spray paint (to put "flour" spots on the Baker's apron) and black spray paint (to put "soot" on the Chimney Sweeps.)
It's finally getting cold today. I think that's why I haven't been able to think about Christmas, it's been too warm. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| a good kind of stress |
|
|
| 10:50am 12/11/2003 |
| |
It's not the children I have problems with, it's the parents. Kids ask innocent questions and their parents yell at them. Then the parent asks a completely inane question and I'm supposed to answer placidly.
( Read more... )
After rehearsal, several people came into the dressing room where I was picking up the pieces from the night's frenzy. David (the director, who is also the artistic director, the playwright, the theatre's executive director, and who is playing the part of Scrooge) showed me his new dressing gown and night gown sent from a professional costume designer out in California. They were absolutely breathtaking. Thank you, this is the reason I want to go to grad school. I want to design pieces so exquisite.
I then brought out the completed Ghost of Christmas Past dress to show them. The room filled with "Oooh!" and "Ohhhh!" and "How beautiful!" Chrissy, the stage manager, said to David, "Isn't this what you've wanted every year but you never got it?" David agreed, "This is what I imagined it would look like."
*sigh*
I think I can get through the next 8 months. |
|
| |
|
Read 4 - Post |
| |
| independence: Day Two |
|
|
| 02:41pm 09/11/2003 |
| |
He's only been gone for (less than) 24 hours and I'm already being depressed and silly. I've sent him two sappy emails and later wrote a mean letter which I immediately deleted. I've got to get through 14 more nights without him. Pathetic. I'm reverting to those things which kept me happy before we got together: beer, shopping, vibrator.
Otherwise, I'm extremely fucking busy working on A Christmas Carol costumes. The dress for Ghost of Xmas Past is almost complete and I'm pretty happy with it. |
|
| |
|
Read 5 - Post |
| |
| Mixed Emotions |
|
|
| 03:19pm 31/10/2003 |
| |
Sad after rehearsal last night, feel useless and depressed. This IS what I want to be doing, yet I feel like I'm so shitty at it.
Happy at Wal-Mart, picking out silly prizes for ridiculous costume contest categories.
Unbelievably, explosively angry, madder than hell, pissed off at the world at the site of the boot on my tire. $50, goodbye. In my rage I plan to tell the boot-remover that I hope his dick rots off, but he is a twenty-something African American male, probably hates his job, isn't his fault, so I stay silent, brooding.
Anger fading when I arrive home for a therapeutic beer, find Moxie curled up in a box of fabric, looking adorable. Do they just do that to be cute?
Anger rising again when I let her into the backyard to roam, then return to find her missing. Call her name, search surrounding yards, no use. Come inside, she walks up to me in the bedroom, pleased with herself.
Tearful joy when I read email from ACC choreographer telling me what a good job I'm doing. Feel encouraged, stronger. Everything is going to be okay. |
|
| |
|
Read 1 - Post |
| |
| shoe biz |
|
|
| 04:15pm 29/10/2003 |
| |
One of the tricky parts of working in theatre is that you must be able to replicate any time or place, using only (for the most part) the goods and services available in your city. I'm presently attempting to make an average-sized man appear to be very very tall. His platform boots from years prior have disappeared, so it's up to me to find appropriate replacements. However, I have a couple of truths working against me -- 1, the proximity to Halloween means all the local thrift stores have been picked clean of any unusual footwear, 2, the recent trend toward flat-soled, pointy shoes means platforms are hard to find except in the goth/industrial realm (Hot Topic, here I come!)
It's becoming obvious that successful costuming requires a keen knowledge of your city. |
|
| |
|
Post |
| |
| Take me on |
|
|
| 12:07pm 28/10/2003 |
| |
If my memory serves me correctly, their names were (excuse the spelling): Morton Harken (vocals), Magne “Mags” Furuholem (keyboard), and Pal Waaktar (guitar). They made up the band a-ha, and besides being the object of my obsession when I was about 12 years old, they were in my dream last night. I think we were at a Halloween party, and I was gushing to Pal what a great musician he was (highly unrealistic, as Mags was the one I had the major hots for.) And a good part of my dream was rotoscoped, just like the “Take on Me” video. |
|
| |
|
Read 1 - Post |
| |
| knock knock |
|
|
| 01:18pm 24/10/2003 |
| |
Just got home, and was accosted by Mormans as I got out of the car (bad timing.) Lock your doors, they're on the prowl! I wonder how many Mormans get murdered inside the privacy of sinners' homes every year? |
|
| |
|
Read 1 - Post |
| |
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
gastronaut's journal