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Allie & Ryan
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Allie & Ryan
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Allie & Ryan
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Allie & Ryan
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Allie & Ryan
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Magic Flute - Queen of the Night Aria - Der Hölle Rache
This is from the production I worked on. Sorry the quality is awful, I was also running light cues, sound cues, and following the score! By the way, the girl playing the Queen is blind. Completely blind. And her voice is amazing! She learns by ear and it a terrific performer so I made sure to video her performance. Her high notes rock my socks off.
<3
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Midnight Madness!
Ok not really... but that was the time I was at the theatre til last night! I got home around 12:30, showered because I was gross, and fell into bed with my passed out husband around 1am. I was up at 7am for work. Ugh. It has been busy on and off today but I am dragging. So. Tired!
I got to the theatre around 6, heated up my frozen dinner, and tried to wrangle 55 opera singers into costume to be prepared to go on time. Needless to say that did not happen. I got spoiled working the Fringe Festival the past two summers with professional singers. They were always on time, in costume and make up and warmed up BEFORE they needed to be. They were always willing to help out and were the nicest people. Some of these kids, yes I can say kids referencing to freshmen, have never done tech before and were nonstop complaining.
Tech sucks. Anyone in any show, play, musical, opera, knows this. You sit around for hours to do a minute of work (on the performance side) and if you are crew you are busting your butt for fifteen hours straight to get things done and not waste anyone's time. You are polite, you try, but some people just do not get it.
If in the professional world you EVER showed up an hour and a half late, you would be fired. If you back talked to an Assistant Stage Manager who called to tell you you were late and see where you are, you'd be fired. If you were consistently rude, not in costume, missed your cue... you'd be fired. You get the picture right?
Most of them are great, especially the principle roles. They are also so so so talented. The Queen of the Night's aria gives me chills every time. You know it...
The parts where she sings with no words I am sure you recognize! And the fact the women playing the queen are in college (or grad school) and are THAT good, is amazing.
But we ran over last night til about quarter after eleven trying to finish the run. Then I had to use my "bitch list" and basically assure them they were all great but there were some things that were just unacceptable (ie missing cues, trashing the green room, back talking to the ASM, being LATE during tech week). By the time they all got out of costume and I locked up and we had our production meeting... it was midnight.
DC was deserted as I drove home. It was kinda creepy actually.
I also left my laptop charger in the theater. Lame. At least Cat was there painting and hid it for me. No internet for me tonight post-work!
Good news is, I am not called tonight! It is Sitzprobe, aka music rehearsal with Maestro, and the crew is meeting to finish the build, but since I am "professional" (aka I earned my four years of crew hours) I can stay home tonight! I am out of here in four minutes and my goal is to be in bed by 8pm. (:
I got to the theatre around 6, heated up my frozen dinner, and tried to wrangle 55 opera singers into costume to be prepared to go on time. Needless to say that did not happen. I got spoiled working the Fringe Festival the past two summers with professional singers. They were always on time, in costume and make up and warmed up BEFORE they needed to be. They were always willing to help out and were the nicest people. Some of these kids, yes I can say kids referencing to freshmen, have never done tech before and were nonstop complaining.
Tech sucks. Anyone in any show, play, musical, opera, knows this. You sit around for hours to do a minute of work (on the performance side) and if you are crew you are busting your butt for fifteen hours straight to get things done and not waste anyone's time. You are polite, you try, but some people just do not get it.
If in the professional world you EVER showed up an hour and a half late, you would be fired. If you back talked to an Assistant Stage Manager who called to tell you you were late and see where you are, you'd be fired. If you were consistently rude, not in costume, missed your cue... you'd be fired. You get the picture right?
Most of them are great, especially the principle roles. They are also so so so talented. The Queen of the Night's aria gives me chills every time. You know it...
The parts where she sings with no words I am sure you recognize! And the fact the women playing the queen are in college (or grad school) and are THAT good, is amazing.
But we ran over last night til about quarter after eleven trying to finish the run. Then I had to use my "bitch list" and basically assure them they were all great but there were some things that were just unacceptable (ie missing cues, trashing the green room, back talking to the ASM, being LATE during tech week). By the time they all got out of costume and I locked up and we had our production meeting... it was midnight.
DC was deserted as I drove home. It was kinda creepy actually.
I also left my laptop charger in the theater. Lame. At least Cat was there painting and hid it for me. No internet for me tonight post-work!
Good news is, I am not called tonight! It is Sitzprobe, aka music rehearsal with Maestro, and the crew is meeting to finish the build, but since I am "professional" (aka I earned my four years of crew hours) I can stay home tonight! I am out of here in four minutes and my goal is to be in bed by 8pm. (:
Monday, October 25, 2010
Long Weekend, Long Survey.
Oh what a long, long weekend.
27 of the last 48 hours were spent in a dark theatre hunched over a tech table and a score in a binder that weights a good ten pounds. Light cues. Media cues. Fly cues. Calling the show. Writing cues. "HOLD!" Music stops. Caffeine. Doughnuts. Pizza. McDonalds. Quiznos. Sugarfree Redbull. Sneaked cigarettes. Bleary eyes. Not enough sleep. Hard theatre seat from the 1970s. Neck cramp. Back ache (what else is new?). Dragging heavy platforms. Yelling at late singers. Cursing.... Listening to the Queen of the Night nail her famous aria. Seeing the stage look like it is a rolling ball of flames in the temple of fire. Laughing at the comedic characters' reveal and romance. Seeing the serpent slink out to open the show. Watching the leads find one another and be safe and together for a happily ever after. The stage positively ringing as 55 amazing voices sing out into a darkened theatre in perfect harmony.
That is tech weekend.
There is the good, the bad, the exhausting, and the tedious. But it usually ends up being worth it. Being in the theatre was adventure enough, but let us compare evening notes, post-rehearsal.
Friday Night
I went and watched another run through, pre-tech. I was supposed to get light cues but as usual we were way wayyy behind schedule. At least I got to see it again. I go home a little after 11. I get home around 11:45 or so. I sit down and make Ryan his "honey do list" (as he calls it) for the weekend. He had his first dinner with the Masons the night before (yes THE masons, he wants to join) and really wanted to tell me about it. I was exhausted and knew I had to be up super early but I knew he was excited so I agreed to go with him for ONE cigarette. We sit and talk for a bit about it and he goes to have another one. I am freezing in some baggy sweats and slippers and totally exhausted so I stop him. We get up to go inside and he looks at me and goes...
"Do you have your keys?"
No keys. No phones. No answer at the leasing office. Buzzing our ONE neighbor who has her doorbell hooked to her home 3 times and one hour later we get back inside at 1:30am.
I was ready to kill him. I may have punched him hard in the arm once. Or twice. I was so cold and tired and I had to be up at 8 to run errands pre-rehearsal. He got to sleep in.
He did try and help me fix my back though (sitting on a stoop for an hour did not help back pain) since it was too late for me to take my medicine and still wake up in the morning.
Flash forward 14 hours to Saturday Night
Long long day in the theatre. I finall get to go home at 11:30pm after being there since 9:30am. I am driving on North Capital St in the center lane. I am going slow as I know it is a sucky place to drive so I am being careful. Guy in the left lane was not. All of a sudden I lurch to the right as his front bumper hits me and scrapes the entire side of my car. I try to get out of the way and nearly get hit by a bus on the other side who honks at me as the guy who hit me tries to gesture at me to pull over.
My first car accident.
We pull over on the side of the road and I get out of my car shaking and crying. Damage is all cosmetic and I am shaken up but fine. The guy claimed full responsibility from the start and gave me all his information as he apologized. We both have GEICO so we call and get the claims in and finally after midnight I get to go home again. My mom was on the phone with me when I got hit (in a hands free device down in the middle counsel, promise!) so I called her back and filled her in. Then I had to call Ryan. You know any phone call that starts, "I am ok..." usually is not good. But he told me if I was ok and the car was ok just to come home. I walk in the door and he just stood and gave me a hug and I cried for about twenty minutes.
I really never want to go through that again.
It also made tech yesterday feel very long. But Ryan came and sat with me on dinner break and then stayed to watch us tech act two. He shocked me more when he said he couldn't wait to come back and see the show finished! Not bad since he sat there three hours and watched them sing in German with no translation.... he also did all the grocery shopping, a huge clean of the entire apartment, and laundry. I love him!
Two more minutes working here than off to the theatre til 11:30pm again.
This time next week it is done! Cannot wait to sleep.
I did this earlier to stay awake, feel free to do it if you're bored! I got it from Bella N Chief's blog.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - not the top but lower level....
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill not in this new job though
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors one of them anyway, sort of
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
What happened to 49?
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie stud
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving in a windtunnel....
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - does from an airplane count?
80. Published a book - I had a poem published in one?
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House - not inside, but outside?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - fish count?
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
55 definite dones and 5 maybe. I want to do a lot of the things on this list so who knows what the future will bring? Somethings I definitely can go the rest of my life without doing, like bouncing a check, but most of the travel related ones I definitely want to do!
27 of the last 48 hours were spent in a dark theatre hunched over a tech table and a score in a binder that weights a good ten pounds. Light cues. Media cues. Fly cues. Calling the show. Writing cues. "HOLD!" Music stops. Caffeine. Doughnuts. Pizza. McDonalds. Quiznos. Sugarfree Redbull. Sneaked cigarettes. Bleary eyes. Not enough sleep. Hard theatre seat from the 1970s. Neck cramp. Back ache (what else is new?). Dragging heavy platforms. Yelling at late singers. Cursing.... Listening to the Queen of the Night nail her famous aria. Seeing the stage look like it is a rolling ball of flames in the temple of fire. Laughing at the comedic characters' reveal and romance. Seeing the serpent slink out to open the show. Watching the leads find one another and be safe and together for a happily ever after. The stage positively ringing as 55 amazing voices sing out into a darkened theatre in perfect harmony.
That is tech weekend.
There is the good, the bad, the exhausting, and the tedious. But it usually ends up being worth it. Being in the theatre was adventure enough, but let us compare evening notes, post-rehearsal.
Friday Night
I went and watched another run through, pre-tech. I was supposed to get light cues but as usual we were way wayyy behind schedule. At least I got to see it again. I go home a little after 11. I get home around 11:45 or so. I sit down and make Ryan his "honey do list" (as he calls it) for the weekend. He had his first dinner with the Masons the night before (yes THE masons, he wants to join) and really wanted to tell me about it. I was exhausted and knew I had to be up super early but I knew he was excited so I agreed to go with him for ONE cigarette. We sit and talk for a bit about it and he goes to have another one. I am freezing in some baggy sweats and slippers and totally exhausted so I stop him. We get up to go inside and he looks at me and goes...
"Do you have your keys?"
No keys. No phones. No answer at the leasing office. Buzzing our ONE neighbor who has her doorbell hooked to her home 3 times and one hour later we get back inside at 1:30am.
I was ready to kill him. I may have punched him hard in the arm once. Or twice. I was so cold and tired and I had to be up at 8 to run errands pre-rehearsal. He got to sleep in.
He did try and help me fix my back though (sitting on a stoop for an hour did not help back pain) since it was too late for me to take my medicine and still wake up in the morning.
Flash forward 14 hours to Saturday Night
Long long day in the theatre. I finall get to go home at 11:30pm after being there since 9:30am. I am driving on North Capital St in the center lane. I am going slow as I know it is a sucky place to drive so I am being careful. Guy in the left lane was not. All of a sudden I lurch to the right as his front bumper hits me and scrapes the entire side of my car. I try to get out of the way and nearly get hit by a bus on the other side who honks at me as the guy who hit me tries to gesture at me to pull over.
My first car accident.
We pull over on the side of the road and I get out of my car shaking and crying. Damage is all cosmetic and I am shaken up but fine. The guy claimed full responsibility from the start and gave me all his information as he apologized. We both have GEICO so we call and get the claims in and finally after midnight I get to go home again. My mom was on the phone with me when I got hit (in a hands free device down in the middle counsel, promise!) so I called her back and filled her in. Then I had to call Ryan. You know any phone call that starts, "I am ok..." usually is not good. But he told me if I was ok and the car was ok just to come home. I walk in the door and he just stood and gave me a hug and I cried for about twenty minutes.
I really never want to go through that again.
It also made tech yesterday feel very long. But Ryan came and sat with me on dinner break and then stayed to watch us tech act two. He shocked me more when he said he couldn't wait to come back and see the show finished! Not bad since he sat there three hours and watched them sing in German with no translation.... he also did all the grocery shopping, a huge clean of the entire apartment, and laundry. I love him!
Two more minutes working here than off to the theatre til 11:30pm again.
This time next week it is done! Cannot wait to sleep.
I did this earlier to stay awake, feel free to do it if you're bored! I got it from Bella N Chief's blog.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - not the top but lower level....
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill not in this new job though
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors one of them anyway, sort of
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
What happened to 49?
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie stud
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving in a windtunnel....
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - does from an airplane count?
80. Published a book - I had a poem published in one?
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House - not inside, but outside?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - fish count?
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
55 definite dones and 5 maybe. I want to do a lot of the things on this list so who knows what the future will bring? Somethings I definitely can go the rest of my life without doing, like bouncing a check, but most of the travel related ones I definitely want to do!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tech Day 2: 13 Hours
Getting there! And at least my husband is here keeping me company (:
More stories later... oh what a weekend!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
12 Hour Tech Day One
20 minutes left today! Been here since 9:30am. Here is the set getting ready for act two.
Back to the grind.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Fridayyyy
This Friday's round up is hosted by Me and My SoldierMan so head on over to her blog to check it out!!
Don't forget to head over to Wife of a Sailor for the Milspouse Friday Fill In!
1. Are you a night owl or an early bird?
So completely a night owl. I can stay up late and sleep in like nobody's business. I would rather work from 10-7 than 8-5! When I do see mornings though I love the feel of them. The air seems so fresh and clean and the sun so bright.... but only when I see them by choice. Getting up for work does not count!
2. What makes you jealous?
Not much... but I am jealous of some of my acting/theatre friends. I have not acted in a show since June 2009 (Disney does not count as "acting" for me, I was a "Presenter" at Innoventions in EPCOT. I am jealous of some of my wonderful friends who are working in theatres in NYC and auditioning or doing student films and shows and being extras... with being a Newlywed and a new job I just don't have time to audition anymore, and that makes me really sad. I am also jealous of my friends still in Disney, I loved my job and miss it very much!
3. Have you started Christmas/holiday shopping yet? When will you finish? (There’s only 63 days left!)
Hahaha no. We have an idea of what we want to get people but nothing is actually done. It probably will get done the week before as per usual.
4. What would you have a personal chef make you tonight?
Something really yummy and elaborate I don't have time to make. A Souffle is a definite for dessert with chocolate (or chocolate mousse!). I loved this wildberry duck I had at The Source, Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in DC, and it was amazing. So that with veggies and mashed potatoes maybe!
5. Where was your first kiss?
Oh god, it was actually in my church! Youth Group lock in/sleepover. We were in the narthex, the big open front chamber before you go into the actual church, and sitting on one of the couches and he leaned in for it. I was 14, he had just asked to become my "boyfriend" that night, and drank a whole container of milk before said kiss. I hate milk. It grosses me out.
Needless to say that relationship did not last long...
I have my first night of "Hell Week" aka tech week, for the opera tonight. From tonight until Halloween the Magic Flute will be taking over my life. Rehearsal til 11 tonight, 10-10 tomorrow, 1-11 Sunday, and 6:30-11 every night next week. Shows Thursday-Sunday. My role? Production Stage Manager. At least I can still tech even if acting is not in the cards at the moment.
Oh boy!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Guest Blogger
I am SO honored to be a Guest Blogger today for Nicole over at Flip Flops and Combat Boots! Her blog is super stellar and very well written (and followed!) so I am so touched she asked me to be one of her guest bloggers. Thanks Nicole!
Head on over and check it out, I think I found what I wanted to say in the end (:
Off to meet the family for lunch then opening day of the opera at the Fringe Festival. Wish me luck!
Head on over and check it out, I think I found what I wanted to say in the end (:
Off to meet the family for lunch then opening day of the opera at the Fringe Festival. Wish me luck!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Last Week in DC
Sorry I have slacked in my updating the past few days. I have been so overwhelmed stressed the last few days! On Thursday I had a rough day trying to do that stupid light hang job. The designer is just making my life difficult and I regret taking the job in the first place. I have very little time to do a lot of work and it sucks. I then spent the evening bagging up old clothes for the salvation army, removing posters and pictures from my walls, and battling with the blue tacky stuff that does not want to seem to come off. I spent hours trying to get the walls clean and they still aren't. It sucks. And pieces of the paint came off on some of it and I am not sure if I have to fix those or not before I move out. I need my security deposit back so that needs to be fixed.
That night I ended up being awake until almost 5am! Between the walls and watching some heavily emotional episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 5 on DVD!) I just could not settle to sleep regardless how tired I was. The Ryan called me that morning around 7:30am! I remember him saying his phone card didn't have much time on it and we said I love you and Miss you.... but I don't remember anything else! I had only been asleep for two hours and I think my brain was still foggy. I hope I didn't sound too awful!
Fiday I went in to work and hung lights for seven hours. Three by myself, 2 with Rich, and 2 with Cat. I got almost all the lights on the plot in the air except the ones that were missing, and I started circuiting too. I still have quite a bit to do, but I got a huge chunk done thankfully. By myself it was hard. I was on the giant scaffolding thing and I had to climb up and down constantly carrying lights and rolling the thing around. I got soooo much more done when other people where there! I am nice a calloused now.
Then we had our last show for Fringe Friday at 11:30pm. Jay (the director and a good friend of mine) picked me up and drove me back so I wouldn't have to metro, and he took me on his motorcycle! It was cool, I had never been on one before and it was pretty fun. Good for short distances but I don't think I would last too long on the back of one for a road trip. I'd say an hour tops if I had to. In the city it was handy though, we could weave and drive easier. I think flying down the highway I'd be terrified but we hit 55 maybe once in the city so I was ok with it. The show went well, everything ran smoothly, including the lights! Finally! Go me! Then this club (Lux?) nearby was doing a big promotion and I think I saw the Real World DC crew hanging out there. I am sure the cast was around but I have no idea which ones they were, but the guy with the camera you couldn't miss!
I got home that night and my apartment was so hot. When Caitlin moved out either she or her charming boyfriend turned the AC up to 89 degrees before they left!!! I saw the temperature was currently at 76, and set for 89! Witch. Ugh. So not cool. I was always pleasant to her so I don't know why they would have done that. Unless they overheard the "Cat Lady" remarks... but that was usually Ryan saying that not me. (She sneaked in two illegal cats, living in University of Maryland housing we can't have pets and I am allergic so it was sucky.)
Yesterday I got another phone call from Ryan in the morning. He told me they were moving out tomorrow (today) to start his mission. I at least now know where he will be generally, but I won't write it here. I know better! It is a little safer I think than his original planned location so I am happy about that. He asked for toys, coloring books, cleaning supplies, and socks for the locals in his next care package. He also said phone access will be limited but apparently they will have wireless which is good. I think he said he asked his Mom to send his laptop so at least I can still talk to him.
I went back to sleep for a bit after I talked to Ryan. Then I got up and went to Gregg's for the cast party. It was fun, lots of good food, a keg of Dogfish, and of course Rock Band on the Wii. I was there for a bit and then I went to see Jay's other show Magnum Opus. It was another English language Opera and I knew a lot of the cast, including the composer and the stage manager, and it was pretty good. Jenny and Brian (two friends I graduated with, fellow Drama majors) were there so it was nice to see them again.
When I got to the theatre I was early so I decided to walk and buy some more cigarettes. After I got them it started raining. So I am on the street corner next to this tall blodne when all these young black kids come up to us and start saying "You're so pretty. Can you hang out? What are you doing?" and stuff. The other girl goes, "Sorry, I'm married and she's with me." and we walked across the street. She then offered me to share her umbrella with her which was sweet. Then I looked at her and I realized why she was so familiar, she was a contestant on America's Next Top Model! I told her she handled them well and thanked her for helping me, then I said, "Sorry, you must get this a lot, but were you..." and before I could finish she replied, "On America's Next Top Model? Yes I was." And I apologized for bringing it up and she said it wasn't a problem, she went on the show and put herself out there so it was expected. She introduced herself, Sara, as did I and we chatted for a few blocks. I told her I was going to the opera and she said she was meeting girlfriends for dinner. Sara was about 6 feet tall, so thin, gorgeous, and very kind. I then thanked her for sharing her umbrella as we parted ways and then said it was nice meeting her. I thought it was pretty cool!
After the opera we went back to Gregg's for a bit. I got my paycheck, yay! And then he gave all of us a cast/crew photo we had taken when we had dress rehearsal and at IKEA he found these mini easels he spray painted red and put the frame on that... it fit with the theme of the show and it was very sweet. I hung out there a bit longer then went and met people at the Dubliner for my friend Tom's 21st Birthday. I had a cider or two and Tom was pretty wasted by the end of the night! The bouncer kept buying him drinks and he was gooooone. But it was nice to see people again, I mostly talked to Jenny and just hung out.
Today I went to church, still keeping my promise to myself! I slept through noon mass but there was one at 4:30pm I went to. It was actually celebrated by the cardinal which was pretty cool. Then in his homily he talked about how he spent last Holy Thursday in Iraq, celebrating with the men and women stationed there. As he spoke it brought tears to my eyes. I wonder if I went to the noon mass if he would have been there, it was almost a sign to me that Ryan would be ok and I was just very grateful to hear it.
Now I am home. I saw Ryan quickly posted on his facebook that he made it safe to his new location, thank goodness. I talked to his Mom earlier today and we're keeping one another updated as much as possible.
AND. Great news. My voicemail from Ryan was set to expire, but I listened to it today, teary thinking I'd not get to again. But I tried to hit the save button and it reset for another 21 days!!! Very happy about that.
Sorry this got a tad longer than expected! Hopefully I will hear from Ryan soon. And Disney is in T-Minus 24 days!
That night I ended up being awake until almost 5am! Between the walls and watching some heavily emotional episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 5 on DVD!) I just could not settle to sleep regardless how tired I was. The Ryan called me that morning around 7:30am! I remember him saying his phone card didn't have much time on it and we said I love you and Miss you.... but I don't remember anything else! I had only been asleep for two hours and I think my brain was still foggy. I hope I didn't sound too awful!
Fiday I went in to work and hung lights for seven hours. Three by myself, 2 with Rich, and 2 with Cat. I got almost all the lights on the plot in the air except the ones that were missing, and I started circuiting too. I still have quite a bit to do, but I got a huge chunk done thankfully. By myself it was hard. I was on the giant scaffolding thing and I had to climb up and down constantly carrying lights and rolling the thing around. I got soooo much more done when other people where there! I am nice a calloused now.
Then we had our last show for Fringe Friday at 11:30pm. Jay (the director and a good friend of mine) picked me up and drove me back so I wouldn't have to metro, and he took me on his motorcycle! It was cool, I had never been on one before and it was pretty fun. Good for short distances but I don't think I would last too long on the back of one for a road trip. I'd say an hour tops if I had to. In the city it was handy though, we could weave and drive easier. I think flying down the highway I'd be terrified but we hit 55 maybe once in the city so I was ok with it. The show went well, everything ran smoothly, including the lights! Finally! Go me! Then this club (Lux?) nearby was doing a big promotion and I think I saw the Real World DC crew hanging out there. I am sure the cast was around but I have no idea which ones they were, but the guy with the camera you couldn't miss!
I got home that night and my apartment was so hot. When Caitlin moved out either she or her charming boyfriend turned the AC up to 89 degrees before they left!!! I saw the temperature was currently at 76, and set for 89! Witch. Ugh. So not cool. I was always pleasant to her so I don't know why they would have done that. Unless they overheard the "Cat Lady" remarks... but that was usually Ryan saying that not me. (She sneaked in two illegal cats, living in University of Maryland housing we can't have pets and I am allergic so it was sucky.)
Yesterday I got another phone call from Ryan in the morning. He told me they were moving out tomorrow (today) to start his mission. I at least now know where he will be generally, but I won't write it here. I know better! It is a little safer I think than his original planned location so I am happy about that. He asked for toys, coloring books, cleaning supplies, and socks for the locals in his next care package. He also said phone access will be limited but apparently they will have wireless which is good. I think he said he asked his Mom to send his laptop so at least I can still talk to him.
I went back to sleep for a bit after I talked to Ryan. Then I got up and went to Gregg's for the cast party. It was fun, lots of good food, a keg of Dogfish, and of course Rock Band on the Wii. I was there for a bit and then I went to see Jay's other show Magnum Opus. It was another English language Opera and I knew a lot of the cast, including the composer and the stage manager, and it was pretty good. Jenny and Brian (two friends I graduated with, fellow Drama majors) were there so it was nice to see them again.
When I got to the theatre I was early so I decided to walk and buy some more cigarettes. After I got them it started raining. So I am on the street corner next to this tall blodne when all these young black kids come up to us and start saying "You're so pretty. Can you hang out? What are you doing?" and stuff. The other girl goes, "Sorry, I'm married and she's with me." and we walked across the street. She then offered me to share her umbrella with her which was sweet. Then I looked at her and I realized why she was so familiar, she was a contestant on America's Next Top Model! I told her she handled them well and thanked her for helping me, then I said, "Sorry, you must get this a lot, but were you..." and before I could finish she replied, "On America's Next Top Model? Yes I was." And I apologized for bringing it up and she said it wasn't a problem, she went on the show and put herself out there so it was expected. She introduced herself, Sara, as did I and we chatted for a few blocks. I told her I was going to the opera and she said she was meeting girlfriends for dinner. Sara was about 6 feet tall, so thin, gorgeous, and very kind. I then thanked her for sharing her umbrella as we parted ways and then said it was nice meeting her. I thought it was pretty cool!
After the opera we went back to Gregg's for a bit. I got my paycheck, yay! And then he gave all of us a cast/crew photo we had taken when we had dress rehearsal and at IKEA he found these mini easels he spray painted red and put the frame on that... it fit with the theme of the show and it was very sweet. I hung out there a bit longer then went and met people at the Dubliner for my friend Tom's 21st Birthday. I had a cider or two and Tom was pretty wasted by the end of the night! The bouncer kept buying him drinks and he was gooooone. But it was nice to see people again, I mostly talked to Jenny and just hung out.
Today I went to church, still keeping my promise to myself! I slept through noon mass but there was one at 4:30pm I went to. It was actually celebrated by the cardinal which was pretty cool. Then in his homily he talked about how he spent last Holy Thursday in Iraq, celebrating with the men and women stationed there. As he spoke it brought tears to my eyes. I wonder if I went to the noon mass if he would have been there, it was almost a sign to me that Ryan would be ok and I was just very grateful to hear it.
Now I am home. I saw Ryan quickly posted on his facebook that he made it safe to his new location, thank goodness. I talked to his Mom earlier today and we're keeping one another updated as much as possible.
AND. Great news. My voicemail from Ryan was set to expire, but I listened to it today, teary thinking I'd not get to again. But I tried to hit the save button and it reset for another 21 days!!! Very happy about that.
Sorry this got a tad longer than expected! Hopefully I will hear from Ryan soon. And Disney is in T-Minus 24 days!
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