pause.

So this weekend didn't turn out as swell as I had hoped. My best friends' (the family I have been friends with for 30 years) cousin died unexpectedly on Friday - he was 33 years old. He was someone I saw at all of the family functions (they are truly my other family) and it is just incredibly unbelievable and shocking. They are not my details to share, but I can say that there is nothing like a massive slap of perspective. The services are this week. My heart is with them so much right now.

With that going on, I don't feel much like going on and on about my weekend or my thoughts about the Oscars, my rehearsals, etc. More later this week. I hope you have a good one!

garden state

At this very moment, I am listening to Jane yelling at Jimmy because he's not sharing. So there's that. This will be a quick one.

As always, very happy it's Friday after another silly and ridiculous week. We are New Jersey-bound this weekend to go see our friends and their one-year-old. When we used to go visit Dimitry (Greg's old college roommate) we would head to NYC and go see shows and go to bars and out to dinner at amazing places and roll in in the wee hours competely hammered.

Life has intervened, and now our little group has two young additions, with another on the way (that would be Jackie who is pregnant, not me). So our trip will be much more....suburban. And you know what? I'm really, really looking forward to it. We always have fun with them, no matter what we are doing.

I have scheduled rehearsal early on Sunday night so I can make it back home to watch most of the Oscars. I looooooove me some Academy Awards. My boyfriend Mark Ruffalo is nominated for his role in The Kids are All Right, and while he won't win, he will still be there, all dappered up. Plus, my friend Dwayne's boyfriend James Franco is hosting, so that will be....interesting to watch. I have graciously once again featured the picture of me and my boyfriend MR for your pleasure. Oh, my friend Jen is there too. But see how he is gripping my shoulder? True love.

What are you up to this weekend?

blah.

What I WANTED to do today is post a picture of my dad from 1984 - see, today is 11 years since he died. I found the picture last night - it's of him and one of my beloved Cabbage Patch Kids -nd I thought it would be fun to share. BUT my scanner wasn't working right and then I got completely overwhelmed with work-related stuff that the day got away from me and I never had my picture scanned and there you have it.

I know I'm getting back into the habit of not blogging a lot lately. My life is currently work, rehearsal, home, work, rehearsal, home - and I think that's probably boring to hear about. And I don't have the energy to do any real deep-thinking blogging. I mentioned on Twitter the other day that I won't be participating in reverb11 - while others have been good with keeping up with the monthly prompts, and while I really, really love my new blogging buddies from that project, I think it's something I can do every other year or something - it's not my style of writing on a regular basis (because, as you've gathered, my style is much more superficial and complainy.) (I don't think complainy is a word.) (However.)

That's my report from the trenches on this February 22. Hope you are having a great week!

weekend update.

There were a few moments this week that I didn't even think I'd get to Friday (see previous Misery Bear post). Although Misery Bear and I have very different types of jobs - my job is actually pretty unique and cool - there were many moments that I also wanted to stick a Post It note on my forehead that read "Kill Me." But it is all over now, I am more or less in one piece, and here we are, at the weekend! On tap:

Friday: I had today off, because of the aforementioned craziness. What a perfect day to have off too - it was sunny and 60 degrees - it felt like summer after the feet and feet of snow we've gotten over the past couple of months. I did some chores and went to lunch with my mommy. I also watched the season premiere of "Survivor" - did anyone else see this? It looks like an awesome season! Now I am watching Diego with Jane and just enjoying the fact I don't have to be anywhere else right now.

Saturday: We are having one of Jane's daycare peeps and her mom over in the morning. I'm kind of nervous because we're super low-key people and I always wonder what people must think of our crazy little troupe in this house, but hopefully it will be fun. I have begged everyone in the household to please keep the place clean for the next 15 hours. I particularly stressed this to the dogs.

We were supposed to go to a surprise birthday party for one of Greg's friends tomorrow night, but neither of us is really up for making small talk with people we haven't seen in years, so we might go to the movies instead, since a babysitter is already secured. Nice, right?

Sunday: Not sure what's on tap, except for rehearsal at night. Might drop by my neighbor's house, since her daughter's birthday present is four months overdue. Bad neighbor (me, not her).

Monday: Bonus holiday! Yup, I have a four-day weekend. It's like a mini-vacation! No plans yet for this day either. Might send Jane into daycare and have Amanda Day, or maybe I'll keep her home. Pretty much depends on how the next two days go.

What are YOU doing?

friends, this has been my day. my week, really.

This video speaks to the core of my soul. It was the best thing to happen to my day today. Click on it to enlarge because for some reason blogger doesn't load it right.

love day.

Happy Valentine’s Day, my dear readers!

I know lots and lots of people despise Valentine’s Day, but I’ve always really kind of loved it. My parents always got me little presents, and I love candy (those little conversation hearts are my second favorite holiday-themed candy, after candy corn), so what’s not to love about Valentine’s Day? Sure, I’ve spend many a holiday single and alone, but I really never made it much about romance anyway – just about who and what I love. So with that in mind, here are five things I’m loving right now (outside of my family and friends, because, really – DUH):

1) My RUMORS cast. Holy shit, they are awesome. Also, rehearsals. I’m totally loving rehearsals. Why? Because I have an awesome stage manager as well. And she is the organized one, so I don’t have to be. And that makes it so much fun.

2) The fact that I ran this morning. Outside. OK, OK, I also walked a lot. I walked much more than I ran. But I did run some, and that’s something, especially for me.

3) My new highlights. I don’t even have a picture guys, but don’t be mad. You probably couldn’t even see them in a picture. Greg couldn’t tell I got anything done. But I can tell. And I just needed something to spruce up my tired, pale self.

4) I have a four day weekend coming up. Sure, the reason I’m taking Friday off is because I am working tremendous hours Tuesday-Thursday, but still. Four day weekend! (We have Monday off for President’s Day.)

5) I was able to go to Jane’s Valentine’s Day party at school this morning. They had ice cream sundaes. I got to open her Valentine’s Day cards with her. They all decorated paper bags for their Valentines, and I have to say it was pretty damn cute. Also, ice cream.

BONUS: This tweet from @MayorEmanuel on Twitter yesterday: Fuck you, sun! Don't fucking set on us, you fucking gas-bastard.

Gas-bastard! I’m sorry, but that’s just funny.

weekend update.

Friday again! This is the first full week I've worked in the office (without at least working one day from home due to snow) since the beginning of the year - at least it feels that way. Which makes Friday that much more special and magical. Magical, I say! My weekend update is big time lame, but here were go:

Tonight: We're going to the mall. Yeah. So basically, my Friday night plans have reverted to what they used to be when I was a teenager. But I have no interest cruising for boys. And I'm certain they have no interest in me.

Saturday: I am going to get my hair cut and get highlights tomorrow morning. I am irrationally excited about this. I haven't had anything interesting done with my hair since I had Jane, I swear. Hopefully I won't look terrible. Most likely, no one will notice. Because I like to spend lots and lots of money on self-improvements that no one notices. As for the rest of the day - chores, filling out Jane's Valentine's Day cards, and random other non-exciting stuff. I hope for some quality sit-on-my-ass time.

Sunday: We are going to our friends' house to hang for the morning with them and their daughter, who is Jane's age. We've been bringing these girls together for playdates since they were mere months old, and it's only been in the past year or so that they've FINALLY started to play WITH each other. Sweet victory! I also have to block the rest of my show (only 21 pages left), go to my mother's house, and go to rehearsal.

What are YOU up to?

how is it only Wednesday?

Seriously. How is it only Wednesday? This week has been completely balls to the wall. I am immensely busy at work and in my regular life, and the past few days have felt like a complete blur. Next week is shaping up to be off the hook busy, so I guess I shouldn't complain quite yet. Rehearsals are in full gear for my show, and I'm completely loving it. I absolutely love my cast and despite the fact that our rehearsal hall is barely over 60 degrees when we are in there, I am having a total blast. I feel like they all come there three times a week just to make me laugh.

But that leaves me with very little for blogging, unless you want to hear me talk about how busy I am over and over (which, seriously, is at least 60% of this blog. OK, 70%). As you can see, my posts are last-minute ramblings when I realize it's been a few days since I've written anything here. I've been fairly quiet on Twitter too. Real life has taken over, I guess. And the hectic pace of life right now is one of the things keeping me (relatively) sane during these dark, very cold, seemingly-endless winter months.

But I'm still here.

requiem for an icicle

Dearly beloved, we are gathered her to say our goodbyes....

To my icicle.

It was dead upon my arrival home from work on Friday. My mouth actually fell open in disbelief when I saw its absence from my gutter. Speaking of which, it managed to not take any gutter or roofing with it, so that's good.

But still. I have been in mourning. Time heals all wounds, I guess.

weekend update.

Well, this has been a fun week of snow, then snow and some ice, and then more snow tomorrow. I managed to get into the office four out of five days this week, with only one work-from-home day, so that’s a pretty good record, at least this winter.

Bygones – because the weekend is here! And now, my ever-fascinating update on what I am doing:

Friday: I have my book club meeting tonight. We read the book Little Brother, which was all technology-filled and shit, but I liked it a lot anyway. Yup, that’s my review right now. I’m sure I will come up with better(ish) and more eloquent(ish) stuff to say tonight. I was an English major in college after all. And, as you know, I LOVE me some book club.

Saturday: Well. It’s supposed to snow/ice/slush tomorrow. So, basically, shoot me now. However, we are only supposed to get 3-6 inches, which may have had some impact back in November, but now just feels like a little dusting. I need to get some blocking work done for my show, and then I’m going to see my friend Tony in RENT tomorrow night with some friends. RENT is my all-time favorite musical, so I have very high hopes. I saw the show 22 times professionally, but only one other time since community groups got their hands on the rights. I feel very protective of that show, so I hope it’s great.

Sunday: I moved Sunday night’s rehearsal to Sunday afternoon because of the SuperBowl. See? I’m a nice director. I received notification this morning that there are some nerves regarding the sturdiness of the roof of our rehearsal hall (for those of you not living in CT – because of all of the snow and ice, roofs are collapsing everywhere. It’s awful.). So, instead, I am having rehearsal at my house. In my living room. It’s a big room, but still – this should be interesting. I hope everyone likes dogs and three year olds. And then we’re off to a SuperBowl party at night.


What are you doing this weekend? Do tell in comments!

ice, ice baby

Well, as previously complained about on as many social networking sites as possible, today we enjoyed yet another snowstorm, this time with the added benefit of lots of ice. As you can see, my pet icicle is coming along nicely.

So today I was lucky enough to be able to work from home, a nice benefit of my job, when I am able to take advantage of it. Today was one of those days, because I had no meetings or any imperative reason to be in the office. Pro to working from home: giant window at my "desk." Con to working at home: endless - I'm talking ENDLESS - Nick Jr. blasting from the TV.

As for this, well - this was the other night, and it just cracked me up. Beware, intruders! We are armed, and we sleep with one eye open.