there's a whole paragraph about Chipotle

My last day is going to be September 24th. I am excited! I suppose I will move that weekend. It's going to be scary. Where will I park the car? How will I move the gigantic bin by myself? The whole thing is so scary. I am really nervous but also really excited. I am going to be a struggling actor. What a stupid thing to be excited about.

Chris and I both got our headshots reproduced and received them last week! This is Chris's first headshot since, like, 2000. I am going to the fall SETC auditions next Monday which I was more excited about when I registered for them. We both registered for UPTAs in February already (and thank God we did because 2 of the 3 days are already full!) so hopefully we'll be able to actually go to them. I hope so. The registration fee is non-refundable. I really want Chris to be on Broadway. I want to be on Broadway, too, but I think that his chances RIGHT NOW of being on Broadway are a lot better than mine. My type is a dime a dozen. His type is leaving the business for a more secure life, opening up things for those who are not leaving the business. Hahaha, no THANKS, secure life! We'll take our date nights at McDonald's and pasta every night for dinner life, thank you very much!

I gave blood on Saturday. I was scared. I haven't given blood since 2000. I was secretly hoping my iron would be too low... but it wasn't. Everything was normal and my blood pressure was GREAT! I have good veins. They got the needle right in. My blood did stop flowing for a little while, but it got going again. The nurse wrapped my arm in a pretty blue bandage with a purple bandage bow stuck on. PLUS, they gave me a bottle of water, oreos, a t-shirt and a $5 gift card to Qdoba! I used it yesterday. I was sitting in the Qdoba eating my almost-free food and I looked out the window.... and saw that they had built a new Chipotle in Harrisonburg. 9 times out of 10 I would chose Chipotle over Qdoba (the 1 time I wouldn't is when I had a gift card to Qdoba) but that's not the point. The point is that they built the Chipotle NOW. Harrisonburg isn't close. It's about 25 minutes away... but before, the only Chipotle was in Charlottesville, which is 45-50 minutes away. I think I've been 5 times in the 2 years I've lived here and a month of that time was spent living within walking distance of said Chipotle. Now, I know that as soon as I get to NYC there will be more Chipotles than I know what to do with, but my life has been seriously lacking in Chipotle the last 2 years. I used to go once a week!

We are starting to pack stuff and also throw stuff away. This move is getting serious.

I don't even need a bumpit

I am growing my bangs out and therefore have been pulling them back every day to keep them out of my face and eyes. A couple of weeks ago Christina bought those "Bumpits" to play with and she didn't want them, so she gave them to me and then I gave them to the costume shop. Most of them, anyway... not the LITTLE bumpit. I kept that one for me! I haven't actually used it, though. My bangs have not needed the help of the bumpit. The girls in the res troupe are obsessed with the Bumpits. Alli has been dreaming about them. I should probably give them the little one since my hair has enough volume without the bumpit.

This morning I watched a 6 month old baby for an hour and at 3 I am going to watch the Harrell kids for a while, too. I am hoping it doesn't rain so that we can go to the park. I was holding baby Imogen this morning and now I have baby shoulder. I don't know how parents do it. I know I'm gonna be exhausted if we do go to the park because of that heavy, heavy stroller.

Yesterday I had a HORRIBLE day. Well, technically the horribleness started the night before when Ellen called to tell me they lost the apartment they were getting (more on that below). For some reason when UPS came to deliver a package, they didn't ring the doorbell with a signature required so we missed them (this was the least bad thing to happen but it was still irritating). When I got to work I had to do bars for two events, both of which made me crazy, one of which was for 12-18 year old girls who wanted to complain about everything and steal things from the gift shop. The trash people didn't pick up our recycling from the theatre which I had to take up the hill the night before, so I had to take it back down. Taking it back down the hill is really, really hard. I broke like 7 bottles all over the place. None of these things sounds THAT bad, but when they're all together, it was just a bad day. The bad day ended, however, when Ellen called me BACK to tell me they got another apartment.

SO! Here's the "more on that." In about a month I am going to be moving to New York and subletting for Ellen's roommate who is going on tour with Avenue Q. She is going to be gone until the end of June, so Chris is going to be joining me in December and hopefully that will give us enough time to get employment history in the city and find our own place. We are very excited. I hope we find jobs and can get our own apartment eventually. Otherwise... uh... hopefully there is no "otherwise."

Project Runway is back, thank God. Although I kind of wanted that Ari girl last week to stay (just to see what she'd come up with THIS week), I did want that Malvin guy to go home this week. Well, I am NO FAN of that Mitchell, but that Malvin.... what to say about him. I think it's still too early to say who I really like, although I think I know who I do not like.

adventures in Tellydog

Our weekend is Monday and Tuesday and this last weekend we went to scenic DELAWARE!!! Don't laugh, because Delaware rules. At least the part I went to does. We left with our friend James on Sunday night and stayed with him up there (he and his wife live there and he goes back on Mondays to teach classes and, you know, see her). He even let us use his car! On Monday we had a nice breakfast with Anne and Keegs where they had bought us coffee (decaf and regular, because THAT'S HOW NICE THEY ARE!) and bagels and then we went to Rehoboth Beach for a little while. Even though it was a Monday, this beach was still pretty crowded so we didn't stay there too long. We did eat lunch at this place where everything was only $5. There is also, apparently, no food tax in Delaware. After that we went to some of the outlet malls, none of which were very outlet-y (but I did get 3 headbands) then we found the state park (where we'd be going the next day) and then we went back to their house. Anne and Keegs cooked us steaks and chicken, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and some really great bread on their amazing grill and then we sat in a food stupor until bedtime.

So, on Tuesday I slept in a little bit and then we made our way to Cape Henlopen State Park to go to that beach... and it was the greatest beach in the world! First of all, the second we got into the beach part, the woman in front of us says, "oh my gosh! look at all the dolphins!" Sure enough, there were dolphins everywhere and they stayed there for about 2 hours. We took some pictures but I don't know if the dolphins will actually be IN the pictures because of the camera delay. I didn't even know dolphins swam that far north! Apparently they do and they play and jump out of the water and are generally super entertaining. I went to get some water from the snack shop and when I came back they were REALLY close. It was so cool. We did get in the ocean a little bit after Chris went on a walk. Rehoboth beach was really rocky but this beach wasn't too bad and the water was really quite temperate (even though when you first felt it, it felt freezing). Plus, you know, dolphins. We got there at about 1pm and stayed until a little after 4. I have some sunburn on my back but I've had worse. I tried to read Shakesfear and How to Cure it on the beach while Chris was gone. I've read it before but I was looking for something specific. I felt nerdy in a bikini.

After that great time at the beach we went home, showered and then Keegs gave us a gift card to this restaurant, which we of course used. It was a seafood restaurant but luckily they had a cheeseburger on the menu. I should just force myself to eat some fish. I just can't decide whether it's good or bad for you. Mercury poisoning vs omega-3. It's like milk... no one knows the answer to the question: is this good or bad for you? Anyway, a cheeseburger is NOT good for you, but I ate it and I'm not ashamed. I also ate a LOT of bread while I was in Delaware. After the restaurant we went back to Rehoboth to walk around the boardwalk. We didn't go on any rides because it was so crowded I couldn't even figure out where the lines began but they looked less cheap than other crappy carnival rides. We got some ice cream and then we went back home. Oh, we also went to a place called the Sea Shell Shop, which is a ridiculous tourist crap store, because I was so in love with Delaware by this point. I even gave it a cool nickname: Tellydog.

Yesterday we left at 6:30am which is EARLY for this lady. Maybe it's early for anyone. It's about a 5 hour drive so we got back here at 11. I then babysat the Harrell kids for a little while and then I took a 20 minute nap before work. I was very sleepy. I am still very sleepy.

We've been pretty busy at work lately. I try to update this between phone calls and people coming in so the average post takes about 2 hours to write. Summer is a weird time here. There's less people coming to see the shows (compared to the ren season in winter) but more people coming in for tours and asking to peak at the theatre (answer: no). Our summer season is really long so it's probably actually the same amount of people coming, just more spread out across the 6 months.

I just found out my friend Josh is totally a hero. Some girl got mugged in town a couple months ago and he totally chased the guy down the street and into a house. The guy had a GUN! I guess he didn't know the guy had a gun when he started chasing him. But he still did it! I'm not surprised. Josh is great. And now he's a hero. It makes me want to cry.

... and NOW it's just time travel

So, in other news, last night I wrote a note that said, "Hello from the past! If you're reading this note and time travel is possible in the world you live in, please come visit us. We just baked chocolate chip cookies and we're willing to share as long as you don't hurt us or something." and put it inside a big book. I asked them to come at 12:30am last night... but no one showed. So, either the book or note became lost in the future or time travel isn't possible. OR, maybe they DID come and I just couldn't see them. I heard somewhere (and by "heard somewhere" I mean saw it in that movie, What the Bleep Do We Know?) that the way our brain is wired we can only see things that we believe are possible. So maybe I didn't REALLY BELIEVE that anyone from the future would would come here. I'm sure our landlord would have been angry if they did, anyway. (Yes, I did steal this idea from the Time Traveler Convention held in 2005. Yes, maybe I should have learned that it wasn't possible after no one showed up to their party. HOWEVER, Chris and I are a lot more low key. We wouldn't bombard them with questions. Well, maybe we would, but it would be less damning. Plus... free cookies.)

I wish time travel WAS possible. I would have asked the guy/girl to go back to May 2008 and told us we definitely did NOT want to live in the apartment we're living in. That's all I would ask. I wonder where we would have lived in this alternate universe.... somewhere mysterious.

The AC in the theatre is working overtime right now because there are approximately 150 people in the lobby. Maybe more. This is probably illegal, actually. I am pretty sure that a fire code is being violated. Our lobby should NOT hold this many people. It comfortably holds, like, 50. They are all waiting to go in to see the young company theatre camp shows which start at noon (introductions start at 11:30?). Some of the people have been here almost an hour already. One guy apparently STOLE a chair for the hotel next door and was sitting in it in front of the theatre. He, of course, didn't put it back when he was done so it was just sitting out there. One of the people who work in the main office came over here at some point and was like, "Why is there a chair from the Stonewall Jackson hotel out front?" I could give her no answer. I'm not allowed to leave my little station without someone guarding it (not like I could have physically left anyway--- there were too many people in here) so that chair would have stayed there for quite a while if she wouldn't have moved it.

Ok, everyone was finally let in. WHEW. It's going to be 100 degrees today and I was sitting here shivering because I'm right next to the AC vents. Since I am obviously working this event I can't watch the shows which is actually bumming me out a little bit. For the last 3 seasons I have been almost forced to watch them. I want to support the program but the event is really, really long. Sometimes 4 hours long. And, sometimes when you're in a troupe, it's your only morning off. And you might want to do something else during that morning. Like... anything. But you always go and you always enjoy it. But today I have to sit at the gift shop. They're doing Merchant this year and since, you know, I like that play a lot (and our friend Tyler directed it), I watched a dress rehearsal on Friday night. That play is so good. I think it's my favorite play. This was the first time I've seen it since we did it. The kids did a great job. It also made me realize that our show was really, really good. Maybe some don't agree with every single choice that was directed, but it was great. And every single person knew exactly what they were saying during every single word. I am so lucky to have gotten to WATCH that show every time we performed it (we sat on stage during the whole thing).

We are dog sitting for the next couple of days for Christina. She has a little schnauzer. Last time we did this they brought the dog over at night and she went CRAZY until about 4am. She just ran back and forth between the living room and the the door that they exited through, apparently looking for them. When we were trying to sleep this was really annoying and horrible. Today they brought her over at 9am. Hopefully she will not still be running back and forth (which is what she was doing when I left) 15 hours later.

So, the rent in downtown Staunton is, from what I understand, going up. WAY up. This one weird card/novelty store is having to move out of downtown to the OTHER part of the city... they might as well be closing. Well, I'm sure they WILL be closing because no one is going to go to it anymore. There is an apartment located above the soon-to-be-former store that is $1200 a month. I'm sorry, WTF? $1200 a MONTH? In STAUNTON, VA?!?!?!?!?!?! This is not an amazingly elegant apartment. It's a 1 bedroom. I can get a 2 bedroom apartment on 119th street in New York City for $1200 a month. And in New York, there are... THINGS! And restaurants that stay open past 5pm and are open on Mondays! I was amazed when I heard this. People and their greedy, rent raising ways are going to destroy this town. No one will be able to afford to live or work here.

Today is my sister's birthday! She's 24. Can you believe that? I had my 24th birthday 2.5 years ago. Yolanda Board made me a super special crown with a "24" on it and I wore it in theatre history. Dr. Bank was probably not happy. Theatre history is the only class I ever miss. Well, it and that earth history class I took my last semester, that was great. However, it is much better to not be in school than to be in school. "Back to school" time is kind of fun when you don't have to worry about actually going TO school. Remember that feeling of dread? When I was in elementary school and high school it was excitement, but in college it was just dread. Just, "Oh my God, there's only 3 weeks of summer left.... " I feel like I probably cried about it, once. I've been reading a ton of plays recently, even without theatre history. Last night I read Baby With the Bathwater and the nights before I read Oleanna and Betrayal. Although I did like both Oleanna (although "liked" is... the wrong word) and Betrayal, I liked Baby With the Bath Water much more. Christopher Durang is so effed up. It's hilarious. I hope someday there is an American Durang Center. Or Festival. I'd like to be a part of that.

It's AUGUST! Every day gets closer to me moving away. Yay.

I have to wonder: is there a correlation between smoking and committing a crime? Whenever I work an early shift and walk by the courthouse, half the people going in are smoking right beforehand. Actually, any time I walk by the courthouse there are people loitering around outside smoking. It is actually SHOCKING to me to meet/see people who smoke nowadays. I mean, I just can't believe it. Why would you pay SO MUCH MONEY for something that gives you cancer? If you need to have an addiction or need to spend $100 a week, get addicted to giving ME your money. That solves all the problems I can think of right now.

One week ago today a theatre in NJ called me and asked me to come in on Tuesday to audition for them. In New York. I didn't think I'd be ABLE to go on such short notice, but Josh lent me his car, Jeremiah covered my shift at work and Jessica and Beth let me stay with them for a night in the city and I was able to get there. I drove to, from and IN New York City. It was a long, long drive. Well, it wasn't THAT long. Not as long, as, say, Los Angeles to Kent, Ohio. It was about 6 hours. I was terrified to drive in Manhattan but that ended up being fine, it was driving in New Jersey that was REALLY terrifying. It is so confusing getting to New York! I wanted to cry a little. After I got there I couldn't find street parking (Beth and I drove around for almost an hour but the only spots that would open would have street cleaning the next morning) so I parked in a parking lot for what was, basically, a reasonable price. I loved their neighborhood. I want to live there. The funniest thing about me loving their neighborhood was the fact that the thing that REALLY made me love it was the Starbucks on the corner and this huge McDonald's on Broadway. I'm so easy to please. (The audition went okay, too.)

Driving back here was the longest drive ever. I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before and I was totally losing it. I did "discover" the most beautiful Led Zeppelin song ever, though. I don't know if somehow I never heard it or I just never paid attention, but "Thank You" off of II is just amazing. I was so stunned. I heard it on the radio and then found it on my ipod and then I just shuffled Led Zeppelin for a while in the car.

I'm going stir crazy. Even though I just left the state two days ago. I need to be in a place where things are still open after 10pm..... or, if you're in downtown, after 7pm and sometimes only 5pm. It's not 1950. You know what people in this town do at night when everything is closed? Stand around in parking lots. I've never seen anything like it. Nothing for 30 miles is open except grocery stores and Wal-mart, so they hang out in the parking lots. Just hangin' and talkin'. Freaking normal people out. If there was a restaurant open, I bet they'd be hanging out there instead.

Today is a cold, rainy day. It's LONDON weather, at least based on movies I've seen set in London... and references from "Oliver!" This is not why we came to the new world. We came for the SUN... and the TOBACCO.

Yesterday we were going to rent a car. There is this new theatre in Philly that had it's season auditions a couple of weeks ago that we had to miss because we couldn't afford to get to them. THEN they posted another audition in NYC for yesterday just for Little Shop that I really, really wanted to go to.... but we couldn't get to those, either. I was so depressed. I felt like it was my second chance and then it was gone. Boo. Anyway, when we decided we couldn't go to the NY auditions I was like "Well, we better do something FUN to make up for it!" We had planned on renting a car and driving to Richmond. We went to two rental places and neither one had any cars. When I called them they said that they did... but when we got there it turns out they were lying. Or just wrong. But either way, I was so bummed out. We did NOTHING yesterday except make a really good dinner and watch all the webisodes of the [title of show] show.... which, yes, was hilarious. And then we watched stuff about the Apollo 11 landing. But our dinner was great. I had completely failed at making corn on the cob last week but this week was a success thanks to my mom and James Keegan. And maybe Martin's for having better corn than Kroger. I'm sure we could get corn super fresh at a real farm... this is VIRGINIA, after all... but we'd have to drive around searching out a farm and we don't have a car. And the farmer's market is only on Saturday morning for 5 hours when I am generally sleeping.

We saw Up again on Sunday night at the cheap theatre. I missed the movie about A Chorus Line at the artsy theatre the other day and now it is gone forever. Now I'll have to rent it someday or something. But NOT on itunes because itunes rentals NEVER work for me. Anyway, Up is still good. The cheap theatre in downtown is HILARIOUS. I don't know when it was turned into a movie theatre but I sure know the last time it was decorated, and that was in the 1970s. It is just a dump. They have some nicer seats in the back but the seats in the front are hilariously bad. It doesn't matter, though... you're paying $6 and going for the MOVIE not the THEATRE. I'm not sure of the future of the building. I know what's next door is being turned into a performing arts center (supposedly) but I think they're keeping the movie part... who knows. I won't be here to find out anyway.

I am going CRAZY because I am so excited to move to New York. It's more than 2 months away but I am just. going. crazy. I wish there was more I could do right NOW. I have told nearly all my NY friends to keep me in mind for a sublet but no one is going to know anything for October right now. I also wish I could look for a job right now... but that's obviously not going to happen before I'm there. I'm sure people who are not in "the business" are going to think Chris and I are having problems since I'd be moving without him but rest assured, we're not. He's just under contract for a while and I am not. Plus, the sooner I can move, get a job and get somewhat acquainted with the city the better because when WE apply for an apartment together they're going to want at least ONE of us to have relatively solid employment. So, stop thinking crazy thoughts. We've been living together for 2 years... if we were going to have problems they'd probably have already come up.

Now the sun is starting to appear and I am going to need to switch computers so I may as well end this post. Good day.