Sunday Stealing

I haven't done one of these in awhile, so thought I'd do a spot of Sunday Stealing....  More stuff you probably didn't know (or care) about me!

What was your first alcoholic drink? 

• I was about 20 and we went to a Christmas party at Mike's boss's home.  I had never had any kind of drink, so when asked what I wanted to drink, I asked for what my dad always had....a 7&7.  I was seriously sick the whole night.

What was your first job? 

• While in college, I worked part-time in a Kresge's 5&10 (it was the same company that later started K-Mart).  I worked one of the check-out registers and was  quickly promoted to work in the office totaling up the day's receipts and counting the cash.  Me and numbers!  Right, they had no idea the chance they were taking!!  :)

What was your first car? 

• In the early 70s I got a 1967 Corvair convertible. 

What did you do on your first date? 

• Went to a movie in the afternoon with David F.  I don't even remember what it was, but I wore a yellow dress!  He was also my first grown-up kiss but that was a couple of years later!

What is your first proper memory? 

•  I remember the house we lived in when I was 3, my 4th Birthday party and the dress I was wearing.

Who was your first teacher? 

• I had Sister Regina for both 1st and 2nd grade, she seemed very, very old, but she was a good teacher and she like me.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

• Oh, that's easy....a little town in central Florida called Lake Wales.  It will always be home!

Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? 

• I think it was from Chicago to L.A.

Who was your first best friend? 

• Janie T. and we're still in touch (thanks, Facebook!)

What was your first detention for? 

• I was never in trouble in school....I was a very good little girl.

What's your strongest sense? 

• My emotions, hands-down

Who was your first kiss? 

• Should I count Buddy Young in 1st grade??

What was the first film you remember seeing at the cinema?

• "The Wizard of Oz", I got scared when the house fell on the witch, started screaming and we had to leave! 

What's the largest amount of money you've ever won? 

• Won?  Won???   I don't win ANYTHING, much less money!

What's the largest amount of money you've spent in one spree? 

• I don't spend a lot on myself at any one time, couldn't have been more than a $200-300 tops

If you had a warning label, what would yours say? 

• Caution, Volatile Substance, Handle with Care!

Have you ever got sweet revenge on anyone? 

• Oh yes, but I can't write about it! It was Very satisfying :)

 Have you ever been to a live concert? 

• Of course, many, many.  I've performed in concerts as well.  Seen lots of personalities in concert, only two "rock" concerts though...Air Supply and  Paul McCartney about 30 years apart.

Have you ever been to see stand up comedy? 

• Sure, no one famous though.

Have you ever needed stitches??  

• Unfortunately yes, badly cut two fingers on my left hand at work one day.  Still have the scars too.

"Nights On Broadway"

Theater is a night time thing!.  Honestly it is.  The vast majority of all type of performance art takes place at night.  "Nights on Broadway" start with an 8:00 pm curtain.  This has been so for decades and decades, even centuries.  

It is too hard to create illusion while the sun is up.  The sleight of hand that occurs when creating the illusion of a reality on the stage requires dark and shadows and mystery.  The wrong kind of light will expose all the little tricks and illusion for what they are....make believe.  In daylight a costume that sparkles and gleams under the lights of performance, will be revealed to be a bit shabby, kind of tacky, and no longer beautiful.  You might see the tears and patches of a well-used costume, the repairs made with thread that doesn't quite match, the safety pin that replaces a missing button. Things that are invisible under stage light, become glaringly obvious in the bright light of day.   The walls of a seemingly impenetrable fortress will be revealed to be nothing more than cleverly painted flats or even  Styrofoam or cardboard.  Anytime you try to create a set, a character, a costume, or a situation that seems real but really isn't, you are asking for a huge suspension of disbelief from everyone in the audience.  The audience sits in the darkened theater with stage light directed only where it helps the illusion.  The stage pops into reality, but the rest of the space visible to the audience remains completely dark and quietly disappears.

There are, of course, performances that are matinees, but those performances are always in a theater just as dark as it would be at an 8:00 show.  The theater staff must completely block out any source of natural light that might spill into the theater and detract from the illusion on the stage. For the performers, leaving the theater after a show and emerging into bright daylight can be disconcerting at best.  We do it to maximize audiences and revenue, but most actors don't like it.  It just feels wrong.  The energy level is off.  The reactions of the audience are usually diminished and the whole experience just doesn't feel quite right.

Most of the time rehearsals are done at night as well; at least in the area of volunteer, community theater entities.  Mostly this is because the cast and crew all have "real jobs" and a "real life" which take place in the daytime.  There are times when the luxury of a nighttime rehearsal is just not possible and we suck it up and make do with an afternoon rehearsal.  But a certain number of night time rehearsals are really essential to take advantage of all the benefits of the night that allows the creation of that illusion.

What theater does not do well is mornings!   It is just wrong in every possible way.  Most theater people seem to be night owls, so mornings are their least favorite times of day.  Not only do you not have good energy, your creativity, coordination, attention span, voice, agility, timing, and memory is just not there either!

And the absolute WORST thing is having a rehearsal scheduled early in the day for an energetic musical with lots of dance!

Like the one I had today....that required an 8:00 AM rise (after only 5 hours sleep), a 20 minute drive to the rehearsal space, for a start time of 9:00 AM and lasting until 12:00 Noon!!!

Really, that just sucks!  I'm lucky I didn't fall off the stage and break my neck!

9:00 AM, indeed!    Honestly, the things I do for love of theater!   lol!

"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"

I will never understand why it is so hard to start a good habit, break a bad habit, or re-start a good habit that you broke!   Changing any behavior pattern is never easy.  Like change in any relationship, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do!"

For the last several weeks I have had lots of things to write about but somehow I just haven't been able to get back to writing.  For instance:

*  We have a brand new roof that turned out great; but we're still waiting for approval on the deck replacement and addition of the pergola.  The urgency is somewhat mitigated by the weather, it's been a lot cooler, not always good outdoor weather for me.  Maybe it will get done in time for Spring!  Maybe!

*  I'm in rehearsal for "Side by Side by Sondheim," a musical review of Sondheim's early works.  Having a  really good time with it.  This is the first musical I have done since moving to Austin!  That's 13 years!!  New group of nice people, makes all the difference!

*  In the early stages of discussion of establishing a new theater group with two very good friends!

My baby,
the world traveler!

*  Ratchlet went to Shanghai, China representing UT in discussions about a cultural exchange of some type!  She was gone for a week, had a "fabulous" time, but is still suffering from jet lag even though she's been home for almost 3 days.

*  Neither Ratchlet nor I nor Mikey was able to attend M-t-G's first band concert this year.  First one I've missed.  So sorry, sweetie!  I hope it went really well!  I won't miss the rest!!

*  After my trip (see below), I returned to a house with no kitchen sink or water, partially torn up counter tops and a mess. It's a big project and I knew Mike would be working on it, so it didn't come as a huge shock. I hope that it won't take a millennium to finish, but I have lived through Mikey's projects before.  It will take longer than he expected, be more work than he hoped for, but will be gorgeous in the end.

*  And the piece de resistance??  I went to a multi-class High School reunion that was just the best trip ever!  Saw and reconnected with so many old friends, met some spouses, caught up on nearly 50 years of history, ate, danced, laughed, talked, hugged, and generally had a wonderful time. I was even able to spend a bit of time with the mother of one of my old friends.  She is 90 years old, very much present, and still  a hoot.  What a dear lady, I've always loved her.   Through the extreme generosity of my oldest best friend forever, Flossie, I stayed in her lovely new home with a beautiful view of the lake the town is named after.

My good friend , Bart A,  he and I danced and danced.

It was going home for me and made me realize yet again how much I love that town and especially so many of the people in it! I'm still feeling sad that one of the best experiences of my life is over. Again, the memories will have to serve! I'll never forget it and I'll always love the special people I saw. Lake Wales NEVER lets me down!!

I'm sure there are other things that have happened since my last post, but this is a start.

So here it is, Resolution #375  to Start Writing Again.  I will get back to this. I will!  Really!!  (I hope.)