it's interesting to me how some things trigger memories, almost out of nowhere. The other day, i was getting ready to leave work and i realized that i had some linens in the car that i needed to take into the building to restock for the next morning. i turned off the car and got out and loaded up the linens in my arms. After i put them away, i was walking back thru the kitchen at work and realized i still had my sunglasses on. i thought to myself "That's odd. Does anyone really wear sunglasses inside? Oh well"
i got back into my car and started my drive home when i remembered i time when my Mom had her sunglasses on inside. i was in the 5th grade and i had been selected to attend the SPEC camp the following summer. In order to attend, i had to have a "junior" physical from my doctor. Mom made the appointment and took me to see Dr. Perkins after school one day. After Dr. Perkins did my physical and we were wrapping things up, Mom asked me to go and wait in the car as she needed to talk to Dr. Perkins. i didn't really think anything of it, so went out and sat in the car til she came out. We were parked right in front of the door to Dr. Perkins' office and when Mom came out, she already had her sunglasses on. At the time it struck me as odd, because she normally waited til she was outside or in the car to put her glasses on. Mom got in the car and i asked her what she needed to talk to Dr. Perkins about, and she told me she wasn't feeling well....it was probably a cold or something. Little did i know at that moment that it wasn't a cold. And little did i know that that night Mom would tell me and Bill the information that would forever change our family's life.
Anyway, it was just interesting to me that that memory came to me that day at work. Of course, i cherish every memory i have of Mom....and she rocked some sunglasses!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
a theatre memory - nailing an audition
Have you ever walked out of an audition and known you had just nailed it and landed that role? That only happen to me one time in my college career. That fall semester had a great season: Candida, The Who's Tommy, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, Fall Shorts and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I would've been happy to have been in any of those shows.
I'd only gotten called back for two shows that semester, Cat and Fall Shorts. The director of Christmas Pageant later told me she didn't call me back because, even though she would've liked to have worked with me, she knew I would bet getting a bigger, meatier role somewhere else. I thought that was nice of her to tell me. And I didn't sing that year at auditions because I didn't want to be in the chorus of Tommy, I really wanted to act.
Alan Cooke called me back to read for George in Necessities, one of the two one act plays in Fall Shorts. A wonderful play written by Sally Holmes Meehan. I really hope she writes another one!! :) Anyway, George is a great part, but I really thought it was out of my range because he was the leading man role, and I was always more supporting/character parts.
At the callbacks for the show, I read several times with different combinations of actresses. There is a scene with George, Shelley (I hope I got that right, it's been awhile lol) and her mother. I think I read it twice with different people. I know I read with Donna Robinson at one point. Well, after he'd read dozens of people on stage at Taylor Theater, he kept six of us back and paired us up to read the final scene of the play: Me and Holly Parlatore, DH Johnson and Andrea Anthony, Josh Purvis and Amanda Spivey. We were all COMPLETELY different types so there really was not much clue as to what Alan was looking for.
He gave us the sides for the scene and sent us off to read through a couple of times and then we each headed down to the studio theater to read. Holly and I sat out in front of Taylor and read the scene several times. We'd become fast friends the previous year but had never had the opportunity to work together. The scene itself was pretty intense and I told Holly that I was going to go after her. She said that wasn't a problem and to expect her to come right back at me. We didn't really get into the scene that much when we were going over it because we knew we had the chemistry and needed to save that energy for our reading for Alan.
When we went down to read for Alan, it was magical. Everything fell into place. We barely had to look at the script, it was as if we already knew these people. It was just such an incredible feeling to feel that safe with another actor that I could take myself where I needed to go with it. I remember at one point throwing a chair across the stage, we got that riled up. It's hard to explain why it worked, it just did. And when it was over, Alan thanked us and we left. Holly and I didn't speak much afterwards, but in my mind I knew we had just gotten ourselves cast in Necessities.
When the cast lists went up, lo and behold, there were our names. Holly asked me if I was ok with getting George because she knew how much I wanted to play Gooper in Cat. I told her hell yeah, I was ok with it. It was one of the best acting experiences of my life and no regrets whatsoever.
Till the next theater memory :)
I'd only gotten called back for two shows that semester, Cat and Fall Shorts. The director of Christmas Pageant later told me she didn't call me back because, even though she would've liked to have worked with me, she knew I would bet getting a bigger, meatier role somewhere else. I thought that was nice of her to tell me. And I didn't sing that year at auditions because I didn't want to be in the chorus of Tommy, I really wanted to act.
Alan Cooke called me back to read for George in Necessities, one of the two one act plays in Fall Shorts. A wonderful play written by Sally Holmes Meehan. I really hope she writes another one!! :) Anyway, George is a great part, but I really thought it was out of my range because he was the leading man role, and I was always more supporting/character parts.
At the callbacks for the show, I read several times with different combinations of actresses. There is a scene with George, Shelley (I hope I got that right, it's been awhile lol) and her mother. I think I read it twice with different people. I know I read with Donna Robinson at one point. Well, after he'd read dozens of people on stage at Taylor Theater, he kept six of us back and paired us up to read the final scene of the play: Me and Holly Parlatore, DH Johnson and Andrea Anthony, Josh Purvis and Amanda Spivey. We were all COMPLETELY different types so there really was not much clue as to what Alan was looking for.
He gave us the sides for the scene and sent us off to read through a couple of times and then we each headed down to the studio theater to read. Holly and I sat out in front of Taylor and read the scene several times. We'd become fast friends the previous year but had never had the opportunity to work together. The scene itself was pretty intense and I told Holly that I was going to go after her. She said that wasn't a problem and to expect her to come right back at me. We didn't really get into the scene that much when we were going over it because we knew we had the chemistry and needed to save that energy for our reading for Alan.
When we went down to read for Alan, it was magical. Everything fell into place. We barely had to look at the script, it was as if we already knew these people. It was just such an incredible feeling to feel that safe with another actor that I could take myself where I needed to go with it. I remember at one point throwing a chair across the stage, we got that riled up. It's hard to explain why it worked, it just did. And when it was over, Alan thanked us and we left. Holly and I didn't speak much afterwards, but in my mind I knew we had just gotten ourselves cast in Necessities.
When the cast lists went up, lo and behold, there were our names. Holly asked me if I was ok with getting George because she knew how much I wanted to play Gooper in Cat. I told her hell yeah, I was ok with it. It was one of the best acting experiences of my life and no regrets whatsoever.
Till the next theater memory :)
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
recipe of the week - stuffed squash
i made these the other week for Michael and myself. Hadn't made them in years, but they turned out well, i think :) My Grandmother use to make them all the time. They were a staple at Sunday lunches and at many luncheon parties she hosted. However, she didn't particularly care for them LOL She would always put one on her plate and then not eat it. Occasionally, she would take a bite, but not often. Still, i loved them....still do!
4 whole squash
2 slices bread, crumbed
small onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp margarine, melted
salt/pepper
Cook squash in water for 15-20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut off neck of squash. Slice off tops and scoop out squash, leaving a boat-like shell.
To scooped squash (and chopped squash necks) add bread crumbs, chopped onion, margarine, salt and pepper. Fill squash shells with mixture. Place in a baking dish. Bake 15 to 20 minutes @ 350
Enjoy!
4 whole squash
2 slices bread, crumbed
small onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp margarine, melted
salt/pepper
Cook squash in water for 15-20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut off neck of squash. Slice off tops and scoop out squash, leaving a boat-like shell.
To scooped squash (and chopped squash necks) add bread crumbs, chopped onion, margarine, salt and pepper. Fill squash shells with mixture. Place in a baking dish. Bake 15 to 20 minutes @ 350
Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
where i was 12 years ago
It seems like only yesterday that the images of 9/11 became permanently etched into my memory. At the time, it really was more than i could emotionally handle, though i didn't realize it at the time. When i was growing up, Mom would tell me stories of the Kennedy assassination and she remembered exactly where she was when she found out....in college, on the way to a history class. In the back of my mind, i always feared that i would have one of those moments that was so nationally traumatic that i would remember every detail about it. When i was in 5th grade, the Challenger blew up right after take off. i was standing outside the cafeteria at Walter Bickett Elementary School when we found out. i really thought that was going to be my moment that i'd always remember. Little did i know what was to come.
Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 started out as another typical day at work. i was in a particularly good mood that day, having just returned from the South Eastern Theatre Conference the weekend before. i always enjoyed going to that and had actually talked to several companies in the northeast about potential jobs. i was helping to get the day's deliveries ready....making tea in the wait station...the stereo in the kitchen at work was blasting 97.1, the Tom Joyner show. Then the EBS alarm came across the radio. Having heard it many times, i really didn't think much of it....it was only a test. Then the news of the first plane hitting the tower came on. At first, i thought it was a joke....like Welles's War Of The Worlds. i didn't think anything like that could ever or would ever happen in my lifetime. Soon after, i realized it was no joke and thought what a horrible accident that was. Meredith came down from the office upstairs to see if we'd heard what had happened. That's when the 2nd plane struck and we all knew this was no accident. Then the reports from Washington and Pennsylvania started pouring in.
Needless to say, i just stood there...dazed...in shock. i really could not believe what i was hearing. This wasn't true. Soon, i would wake up and this would not be true. But, it was. And i started to think about my college friends up in NYC, particularly Marcia and Jennifer. Marcia worked near the towers. Was she ok? Who else did i know up there that might be affected by this? My mind was racing. And, of course, by that point trying to make a phone call to NYC was fruitless. Almost no one could get through.
Work went on that day...what choice did we have. Leslie went home and brought a small tv that she put up in the office so that we could watch what was going on. Lunch deliveries came and went. Everywhere i turned, there it was...the horrible reality of what was taking place. Every tv channel, every radio station, every inch of my mind was consumed with it...i could not escape it. After everything started to sink in for me, i pretty much put myself on autopilot...something that ended up lasting a lot longer than i expected it to.
i spent most of the next 14 months in a total haze. my concept of reality had been thrown out the window. i could hide it in social and family settings, but most of the time, i just was not focused, mentally or emotionally. i truly thought this was the beginning of the end. i no longer knew what to think. My behavior spun out of control for awhile, simply because i did not know how to deal with what i was feeling. Hell, i didn't really know what i was feeling to be honest....i had shut everything off and out. i had no idea what i was doing half the time.
My snap back into reality came very suddenly and i'm glad it did, but that is a story for another time. Now, years later, i can look back on myself and learn a lot from this tragic day. i hope to God i never see anything like it again.
Other than the obvious things....all those innocent lives lost, the destruction, the fear....what makes me the saddest about that day is that it takes a national tragedy such as the 9/11 attacks for us to truly be the UNITED States of America. And even that's short lived.
Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 started out as another typical day at work. i was in a particularly good mood that day, having just returned from the South Eastern Theatre Conference the weekend before. i always enjoyed going to that and had actually talked to several companies in the northeast about potential jobs. i was helping to get the day's deliveries ready....making tea in the wait station...the stereo in the kitchen at work was blasting 97.1, the Tom Joyner show. Then the EBS alarm came across the radio. Having heard it many times, i really didn't think much of it....it was only a test. Then the news of the first plane hitting the tower came on. At first, i thought it was a joke....like Welles's War Of The Worlds. i didn't think anything like that could ever or would ever happen in my lifetime. Soon after, i realized it was no joke and thought what a horrible accident that was. Meredith came down from the office upstairs to see if we'd heard what had happened. That's when the 2nd plane struck and we all knew this was no accident. Then the reports from Washington and Pennsylvania started pouring in.
Needless to say, i just stood there...dazed...in shock. i really could not believe what i was hearing. This wasn't true. Soon, i would wake up and this would not be true. But, it was. And i started to think about my college friends up in NYC, particularly Marcia and Jennifer. Marcia worked near the towers. Was she ok? Who else did i know up there that might be affected by this? My mind was racing. And, of course, by that point trying to make a phone call to NYC was fruitless. Almost no one could get through.
Work went on that day...what choice did we have. Leslie went home and brought a small tv that she put up in the office so that we could watch what was going on. Lunch deliveries came and went. Everywhere i turned, there it was...the horrible reality of what was taking place. Every tv channel, every radio station, every inch of my mind was consumed with it...i could not escape it. After everything started to sink in for me, i pretty much put myself on autopilot...something that ended up lasting a lot longer than i expected it to.
i spent most of the next 14 months in a total haze. my concept of reality had been thrown out the window. i could hide it in social and family settings, but most of the time, i just was not focused, mentally or emotionally. i truly thought this was the beginning of the end. i no longer knew what to think. My behavior spun out of control for awhile, simply because i did not know how to deal with what i was feeling. Hell, i didn't really know what i was feeling to be honest....i had shut everything off and out. i had no idea what i was doing half the time.
My snap back into reality came very suddenly and i'm glad it did, but that is a story for another time. Now, years later, i can look back on myself and learn a lot from this tragic day. i hope to God i never see anything like it again.
Other than the obvious things....all those innocent lives lost, the destruction, the fear....what makes me the saddest about that day is that it takes a national tragedy such as the 9/11 attacks for us to truly be the UNITED States of America. And even that's short lived.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
thought for the day
today, i'm going to try to switch things up. Doing a few things to change my morning routine and my daily routine. We shall see how it goes. Already i feel a sense of relief to be sitting at the computer and not spend my entire pre work morning checking out all of my profiles. i've done my crossword puzzle and that's going to be about the extent of my time on here....besides this.
Now, i just have to figure out the other things to fill my time before i go to work. Maybe i'll pack my lunch haha big fun. Eventually, i'm going to start working out in the morning i think. We shall see how it goes.
Now, i just have to figure out the other things to fill my time before i go to work. Maybe i'll pack my lunch haha big fun. Eventually, i'm going to start working out in the morning i think. We shall see how it goes.
Monday, September 2, 2013
letting go of the cyber social world
i just cannot do it anymore. it seems like every website i'm on with a profile is just one big disappointment after another. Each site i'm on is for a different reason, which will not be discussed here as some are very personal and, frankly, none of anyone else's business.
Someone pissed me off tonight on Facebook, saying that my posts were too vague. Well, ya know what? They're fucking vague for a reason. i have family on there that doesn't need to know every aspect of my life. And i do not have the fucking time to go through hundreds of Facebook friends and pick and choose which ones can see what i write and which ones can't. i ain't got time for that shit!!
So, i've just got to figure out what to do. i've taken 90% of my profiles out of my bookmarks, hopefully that will help me cut down on visiting them. i have deleted a few profiles, and more will follow once i can establish a real social life with real friends. That's something i just don't have anymore because i've forgotten how to have one.....spending too much time on the computer pretending to be something i'm not.
here i've sat all Labor Day weekend with just the dog for company. i'm afraid to reach out to anyone because of my huge fear of rejection. Oh well. At least i had to the dog.
And the phone apps are gone too. Hopefully i can handle this self induced world of silence. We shall see.
Thanks for reading, if you did, which no one does, so i can truly say whatever the fuck i want to on here.
Cheers!
Someone pissed me off tonight on Facebook, saying that my posts were too vague. Well, ya know what? They're fucking vague for a reason. i have family on there that doesn't need to know every aspect of my life. And i do not have the fucking time to go through hundreds of Facebook friends and pick and choose which ones can see what i write and which ones can't. i ain't got time for that shit!!
So, i've just got to figure out what to do. i've taken 90% of my profiles out of my bookmarks, hopefully that will help me cut down on visiting them. i have deleted a few profiles, and more will follow once i can establish a real social life with real friends. That's something i just don't have anymore because i've forgotten how to have one.....spending too much time on the computer pretending to be something i'm not.
here i've sat all Labor Day weekend with just the dog for company. i'm afraid to reach out to anyone because of my huge fear of rejection. Oh well. At least i had to the dog.
And the phone apps are gone too. Hopefully i can handle this self induced world of silence. We shall see.
Thanks for reading, if you did, which no one does, so i can truly say whatever the fuck i want to on here.
Cheers!
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