Recent news has been buzzing about what the media is calling a 'growing epidemic' and while the issue has had plenty of air time in the past few days, I don't see the harm in adding one more voice to what I hope is a growing cacophony.
Tyler Clementi probably didn't know what an impact he'd have or that he'd be the one to punctuate a string of publicized suicides linked to sexuality and/or bullying.
Two thirteen-year-olds, a fifteen-year-old, and a nineteen-year-old have committed suicide. Countless children have returned home with cuts, bruises, and even broken bones as a result of being different.
Different from what?
I was bullied as a kid. I was thin and awkward. I sang and danced in public. I talked to myself. I picked an animal a day and would gallop, trot, hop, lope to school in the style of that animal. Yup. I was THAT girl. By Junior High, I was a little more aware of what was socially acceptable, but it didn't stop me from being me. By High School, I was being groped by guys in the halls at school and pushed, hit, kicked, and tripped for any and every infraction from talking to some girls boyfriend to befriending someone that someone else hated. It was brutal.
But then I have to stop and think about the times in my life that I've victimized someone else. Times that I have been the bully. I'm loathe to admit it, but there are many.
Several of the neighborhood boys and girls were afraid to cross my path and I took on many a kid much smaller than myself in the name of defending or avenging my younger brothers. Not only that, but as an adult, there have been times that I've taken advantage of or talked smack about or just plain intimidated someone for no reason but to make them as miserable as I am at that moment.
I've taken solace in the idea that every bully has a bully. I've passed that on to my children in the hopes that could understand the psychology of bullying early. We pass on that which is taught to us.
I was lucky in that I was raised by a Christian family. While my parents weren't that far removed from generations that tend to be a tad more bigoted, they were products of WWII veterans... having learned early what hate can do to an entire race or culture. I was a product of that "make love, not war" generation and a spiritual belief that taught the sanctity of life. From an early age, I was exposed to men with impeccably groomed eyebrows and women who wore a lot of plaid flannel. I suppose I was naive in that it never occurred to me that people would be bullied for their sexuality. Shoot, I didn't even know my own sexuality until I was mature enough to start thinking sexually. I had more than one Junior High or High School romance with a boy who later 'came out' as gay.
Just because I didn't witness the problem doesn't mean it wasn't there. It means I was spared the exposure. My children are not so lucky.
I think I was lucky in that my family taught me love and acceptance and tolerance for everyone. It sounds stupid and cliche, but one of the first songs I ever learned was "Jesus loves the little children". Even in my lifetime, I've seen a change in mentality from "red and yellow, black and white"... my children are half Scotch-Irish/German mutts and half Hispanic. I don't think there really is a black and white any more, which is beautiful and reflects a change in our respective cultures. Remember, desegregation in this country only began about 50 years ago.
It is my fervent hope that it doesn't take as long for us to learn to accept other cultures, religions and sexual orientations.
But I believe it starts at home.
I'll admit, I thought I might be in trouble the first time I was called to the school to discuss my daughter's inappropriate use of a racial slur. In fact, I was mortified... until the teacher explained that she heard my girl shout to another girl, "I am TOO a beaner!"
As I explained to the teacher, my daughter would not have known it was a racial slur. She had come home one day asking what a 'beaner' was. We told her that she was a 'burrito'... you know, white on the outside, brown on the inside. It made perfect sense to her 5-year-old mind and was no longer threatening, but a funny anecdote as an explanation to her heritage. We've always diffused situations with humor in our house. And while we've since emphasized the social concerns about using inconsiderate or 'slang' language in mixed company, I can't help but wonder if I have contributed in any way to the continued bullying from one generation to the next.
I don't think so.
My son has been bullied most of his life. He doesn't always know how to express himself and lacks the assertiveness that is required in this fast-paced, over-stimulated world to make himself heard sometimes. The bullying lessened from Elementary to Junior High and has lessened even more with his arrival at High School.
It gives me hope that our kids aren't as intolerant as we were at that age. It gives me hope that perhaps they're learning (earlier than we did) that more diverse friends are the recipe for a more diverse life. Perhaps they see the friendships and family relationships that flourish under the umbrella of unconditional love.
But if that's true, then why are our children still dying?
I do believe that it starts at home.
How we treat others has repercussions.
Call it karma, call it the 'golden rule', call it what you will. Our actions do have a butterfly effect. Good and bad, positive and negative, it is possible for one person to impact many. The lessons we've learned resonate with our children and our children's children.
Life is too short to ever have an 'us' vs. 'them' mentality. The demands of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness are hard to come by as it is. The more globally aware we become as a society, the more we are going to be faced with those who are different from us. And the more opportunity we have to grow mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially.
Tyler Clementi deserved to live his life free and unpersecuted. As do my children. And yours.
There's no harm in loving one another.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Annnnd... this is why I suck.
So, Noises Off has ended and so has my first official 'week off' between projects.
And yet, it wasn't really a week off at all.
I have two bellies in progress and had a crapload of photo editing and CD burning to get done. On top of this, I'm trying to track down footage for a demo reel and an audio demo as well as capture footage and edit a music video for a local sketch comedy troupe. Oh, and I need to update my resume, get new headshots and work on some callback prep for next week.
Enter the children and my neglected mother who never hears from me when I'm knee-deep in shows...
And so the weekend culminates in trying to squeeze in 'family time' that has been missed, catch up on the goings-on, help with homework, grab a movie, etc.
Which brings me to my rant.
I suck. I had three invites to go do something with friends this weekend, but since we had the kids this weekend and had plans, I declined all three.
Every single one of them responded with variations of "lame".
I know that it is often meant within the spirit of levity, but I'm really tired of hearing how lame I am or how much I suck for opting to spend time with my family or deciding to go home to my kids rather than out to the bar/club/meeting place. (And I hear it fairly often as I go out socially very seldom.)
Now don't get me wrong, I love the hell outta my friends. But one aspect of the theatre is very diverse social circles. We bond with other artists that are twice or half our age that come from backgrounds vastly different than our own... or in some cases, incredibly similar... but a good majority of my theatre friends do not have children. Or spouses. And while I know plenty of married couples with children, I don't know if they get the same flak I do... or if they (unlike me) choose to go out every chance they get. Which I totally understand.
And I'll explain a little bit as to why.
I was a parent at the ripe old age of 18. I had two children by the time I was 20.
I watched my friends experience the social aspects of college life while I was working a corporate job and raising two infants. I drank for the first time on my 21st birthday and felt horribly irresponsible because I couldn't breastfeed my daughter for the next 24 hours.
My children were very young when I divorced and after another failed relationship, I found myself longing for the "party life" I felt that I had missed out on.
I started to get back into theatre when my children started Elementary School, and I discovered something akin to the life I felt I had missed out on when I rediscovered those social circles.
When Jason and I first started dating, we were out on the town regularly. Durant's, Gallagher's, Amsterdam, AZ88, BSWest, Charlie's, Pookie's, etc. etc. We partied with friends and we partied with friends of friends. And we drank. And drank.
There was more than one night when neither of us had any business driving and more than one morning that we prayed and thanked our lucky stars that we made it home (with no recollection as to how.)
As my kids got older, I realized (a little more seriously) what kind of responsibility I had to them. It's up to me not only to set the example, but to keep them safe from the trauma of getting a phone call that says their mother is in jail for a DUI. Jason and I made a pact to never again be in that situation and when we do go out, one of us is DD and sober at all times.
It's a phase that we talk about openly, but not without a bit of a sheepish blush. We were selfish and immature, really... not because we loved going out and being social, but because we were old enough to know better and we were not being responsible about it.
Another added element is that our kids are now teenagers. They are inundated with alcohol and drugs and sex on a daily basis and I believe it's my responsibility to teach them about moderation and control. In addition, I want to make sure that they become adults who know how to prioritize what is important to them.
Because we don't have the kids with us every day, we try to make the most of the time we have.
The weekends that they are with their dad, I try to catch up on work and chores so that I have more time with the kids without any distractions.
I get irritated and even downright angry when I send regrets and people give me a hard time. In many cases, I've heard "I have to work" and the response will be "Oh, bummer. Catch ya next time." But if I say, "We're doing a family night" I get "Lame!" or "You suck" or "Come out after they go to bed!" Um... they're teenagers. I go to bed before they do nowadays.
Why is it that my reason for missing out is less valid?
It's not that I don't want to go out with my friends. I love them. I have so much fun when I go out with them. We laugh. We stimulate each other. And I DO desire to spend time with each and every one of them more than they know.
I just prefer to get my time with them on weekends that the kids are at dad's or at a sleepover, or otherwise not sitting at home on their Facebooks and XBoxes while mom is out partying.
As much as I loved my 'life-of-the-party' persona, I bade farewell to her about five years ago and opted instead to try my hat at responsible parenting.
What's better is that I began to discover that I like spending time with my kids. They're kinda awesome. As they learn and grow and develop, I have so much fun with them. We laugh. We stimulate each other. And I desire to spend even more time with them. I love them. Not only because they're the fruit of my loins, but because they're phenomenal human beings. And sometimes, I admit, they don't want to spend time with me at all. But it doesn't stop me from going home after a show just to hover and offer backrubs and toe-pops. Lame, I know.
I'll admit that there have also been times in which I've turned down invites to spend time with Jason as well. We live together, work together, sleep together, and eat together, it's true. And sometimes after 9 or 10 years with someone, you forget how to play together unless you make time to separate and do so. We're not as good about it as we have been in the past, but we're trying to be better about making sure that we take time away from the stresses of daily admin and at least find one night a week that is just for us. I find an odd sort of comfort in the normalcy of snuggling with Jay to heckle a bad movie on Lifetime or to catch up on our shows. Some nights when the kids aren't home, we strip down to our underwear and play Rock Band until midnight. Those are some of my favorite nights. Dumb, I know.
I'm far too social to be a total recluse, and I'm smart enough to know that this existence is a phase nor more or less definitive than the one I transitioned out of years ago. There's a very good chance that once the kids are off to college, I'll become a raging alcoholic suffering separation anxiety and be out again every night. (I doubt it, but I acknowledge the possibility.) And once that happens, my friends will probably be pregnant or having babies and we'll be at odds yet again.
In the meantime, I make no apologies for where I find my solace and my sanctuary. Making a living in the arts and working no less than three jobs at one time is a chaotic existence already. I find a peace and comfort with my family that usually keeps me pretty well grounded.
It frustrates the hell out of my friends, but I don't mean it as any offense. It is simply the phase of my life that I'm in right now.
I went out to the movies last night for the first time in months with Jay, the kids and my folks. It was so nice to just be close to them.
And even though I suck... I don't think I'd have it any other way.
And yet, it wasn't really a week off at all.
I have two bellies in progress and had a crapload of photo editing and CD burning to get done. On top of this, I'm trying to track down footage for a demo reel and an audio demo as well as capture footage and edit a music video for a local sketch comedy troupe. Oh, and I need to update my resume, get new headshots and work on some callback prep for next week.
Enter the children and my neglected mother who never hears from me when I'm knee-deep in shows...
And so the weekend culminates in trying to squeeze in 'family time' that has been missed, catch up on the goings-on, help with homework, grab a movie, etc.
Which brings me to my rant.
I suck. I had three invites to go do something with friends this weekend, but since we had the kids this weekend and had plans, I declined all three.
Every single one of them responded with variations of "lame".
I know that it is often meant within the spirit of levity, but I'm really tired of hearing how lame I am or how much I suck for opting to spend time with my family or deciding to go home to my kids rather than out to the bar/club/meeting place. (And I hear it fairly often as I go out socially very seldom.)
Now don't get me wrong, I love the hell outta my friends. But one aspect of the theatre is very diverse social circles. We bond with other artists that are twice or half our age that come from backgrounds vastly different than our own... or in some cases, incredibly similar... but a good majority of my theatre friends do not have children. Or spouses. And while I know plenty of married couples with children, I don't know if they get the same flak I do... or if they (unlike me) choose to go out every chance they get. Which I totally understand.
And I'll explain a little bit as to why.
I was a parent at the ripe old age of 18. I had two children by the time I was 20.
I watched my friends experience the social aspects of college life while I was working a corporate job and raising two infants. I drank for the first time on my 21st birthday and felt horribly irresponsible because I couldn't breastfeed my daughter for the next 24 hours.
My children were very young when I divorced and after another failed relationship, I found myself longing for the "party life" I felt that I had missed out on.
I started to get back into theatre when my children started Elementary School, and I discovered something akin to the life I felt I had missed out on when I rediscovered those social circles.
When Jason and I first started dating, we were out on the town regularly. Durant's, Gallagher's, Amsterdam, AZ88, BSWest, Charlie's, Pookie's, etc. etc. We partied with friends and we partied with friends of friends. And we drank. And drank.
There was more than one night when neither of us had any business driving and more than one morning that we prayed and thanked our lucky stars that we made it home (with no recollection as to how.)
As my kids got older, I realized (a little more seriously) what kind of responsibility I had to them. It's up to me not only to set the example, but to keep them safe from the trauma of getting a phone call that says their mother is in jail for a DUI. Jason and I made a pact to never again be in that situation and when we do go out, one of us is DD and sober at all times.
It's a phase that we talk about openly, but not without a bit of a sheepish blush. We were selfish and immature, really... not because we loved going out and being social, but because we were old enough to know better and we were not being responsible about it.
Another added element is that our kids are now teenagers. They are inundated with alcohol and drugs and sex on a daily basis and I believe it's my responsibility to teach them about moderation and control. In addition, I want to make sure that they become adults who know how to prioritize what is important to them.
Because we don't have the kids with us every day, we try to make the most of the time we have.
The weekends that they are with their dad, I try to catch up on work and chores so that I have more time with the kids without any distractions.
I get irritated and even downright angry when I send regrets and people give me a hard time. In many cases, I've heard "I have to work" and the response will be "Oh, bummer. Catch ya next time." But if I say, "We're doing a family night" I get "Lame!" or "You suck" or "Come out after they go to bed!" Um... they're teenagers. I go to bed before they do nowadays.
Why is it that my reason for missing out is less valid?
It's not that I don't want to go out with my friends. I love them. I have so much fun when I go out with them. We laugh. We stimulate each other. And I DO desire to spend time with each and every one of them more than they know.
I just prefer to get my time with them on weekends that the kids are at dad's or at a sleepover, or otherwise not sitting at home on their Facebooks and XBoxes while mom is out partying.
As much as I loved my 'life-of-the-party' persona, I bade farewell to her about five years ago and opted instead to try my hat at responsible parenting.
What's better is that I began to discover that I like spending time with my kids. They're kinda awesome. As they learn and grow and develop, I have so much fun with them. We laugh. We stimulate each other. And I desire to spend even more time with them. I love them. Not only because they're the fruit of my loins, but because they're phenomenal human beings. And sometimes, I admit, they don't want to spend time with me at all. But it doesn't stop me from going home after a show just to hover and offer backrubs and toe-pops. Lame, I know.
I'll admit that there have also been times in which I've turned down invites to spend time with Jason as well. We live together, work together, sleep together, and eat together, it's true. And sometimes after 9 or 10 years with someone, you forget how to play together unless you make time to separate and do so. We're not as good about it as we have been in the past, but we're trying to be better about making sure that we take time away from the stresses of daily admin and at least find one night a week that is just for us. I find an odd sort of comfort in the normalcy of snuggling with Jay to heckle a bad movie on Lifetime or to catch up on our shows. Some nights when the kids aren't home, we strip down to our underwear and play Rock Band until midnight. Those are some of my favorite nights. Dumb, I know.
I'm far too social to be a total recluse, and I'm smart enough to know that this existence is a phase nor more or less definitive than the one I transitioned out of years ago. There's a very good chance that once the kids are off to college, I'll become a raging alcoholic suffering separation anxiety and be out again every night. (I doubt it, but I acknowledge the possibility.) And once that happens, my friends will probably be pregnant or having babies and we'll be at odds yet again.
In the meantime, I make no apologies for where I find my solace and my sanctuary. Making a living in the arts and working no less than three jobs at one time is a chaotic existence already. I find a peace and comfort with my family that usually keeps me pretty well grounded.
It frustrates the hell out of my friends, but I don't mean it as any offense. It is simply the phase of my life that I'm in right now.
I went out to the movies last night for the first time in months with Jay, the kids and my folks. It was so nice to just be close to them.
And even though I suck... I don't think I'd have it any other way.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Another Closin' of Another Show
And so it ends...
This afternoon was the last performance of 'Noises Off' at Phoenix Theatre. What an awesome run!! We extended for four performances and had amazing and responsive audiences throughout the entire run. (Save for the few individuals that don't understand "farce" or the concept of a 'play-within-a-play'.)
It was an awesome experience. The cast was amazing... full of people that I have worked with before and every single one of which I would be honored to work with again.
And so... for a follow-up, the 'condensed' version of what I will miss about the show:
"Listen to the musicality of the Englishness." Matthew Weiner - First read thru
Lemons and bananas, turtles and doves "no, THEN you rim Tim!", parody lyrics, Debbie Gibson, pre-show YouTube, Cathy's Facebook, doors, bags, boxes, flowers, and Sardines. Vagina talk, bruise comparison, strategic taping. Heather, Jenn, Carla and Tiff. If you like it, then you ought to set your tea on it. Slim Shady? Old Navy? A ukulele? A bay leaf? A lady? A labi...a? A shelaylee.... Schelale... Sha... what the heck is a shelaylee?? Handles and dresses and zipper malfunctions, granny panties and LeeAndi... and riffin' on Cherry Tack or Merry Sack or Scary Flak or... NO BAG!!
sigh
In the next three weeks, I've got a few minor projects going, but will have some downtime before rehearsals start for 'Hairspray'. I'm uber-excited to start this one. Big time. Super big-time.
I feel very blessed.
Tomorrow is Doc's birthday, so Jay and I are having him over for dinner. We will hopefully catch up with my mom and PJ for dinner this week... and perhaps even take them out for a movie or something. I'll be able to spend time with the kids, which I've missed out on recently. It's days like these that I feel very blessed to be able to do what I love, but to also have time to spend with my family between projects is invaluable. And the fact that I don't have to crimp my hair again... is priceless.
Onward and upward, my friends...
Another job that you hope will last
Will make your future forget your past
Another pain where the ulcers grow
Another op'nin of another show.
And the premiere of 'Sister Wives' on TLC in a week. Like a magnet, I'm drawn. Really, reality TV? Damn you and your sister-wife temptresses!!
This afternoon was the last performance of 'Noises Off' at Phoenix Theatre. What an awesome run!! We extended for four performances and had amazing and responsive audiences throughout the entire run. (Save for the few individuals that don't understand "farce" or the concept of a 'play-within-a-play'.)
It was an awesome experience. The cast was amazing... full of people that I have worked with before and every single one of which I would be honored to work with again.
And so... for a follow-up, the 'condensed' version of what I will miss about the show:
"Listen to the musicality of the Englishness." Matthew Weiner - First read thru
Lemons and bananas, turtles and doves "no, THEN you rim Tim!", parody lyrics, Debbie Gibson, pre-show YouTube, Cathy's Facebook, doors, bags, boxes, flowers, and Sardines. Vagina talk, bruise comparison, strategic taping. Heather, Jenn, Carla and Tiff. If you like it, then you ought to set your tea on it. Slim Shady? Old Navy? A ukulele? A bay leaf? A lady? A labi...a? A shelaylee.... Schelale... Sha... what the heck is a shelaylee?? Handles and dresses and zipper malfunctions, granny panties and LeeAndi... and riffin' on Cherry Tack or Merry Sack or Scary Flak or... NO BAG!!
sigh
In the next three weeks, I've got a few minor projects going, but will have some downtime before rehearsals start for 'Hairspray'. I'm uber-excited to start this one. Big time. Super big-time.
I feel very blessed.
Tomorrow is Doc's birthday, so Jay and I are having him over for dinner. We will hopefully catch up with my mom and PJ for dinner this week... and perhaps even take them out for a movie or something. I'll be able to spend time with the kids, which I've missed out on recently. It's days like these that I feel very blessed to be able to do what I love, but to also have time to spend with my family between projects is invaluable. And the fact that I don't have to crimp my hair again... is priceless.
Onward and upward, my friends...
Another job that you hope will last
Will make your future forget your past
Another pain where the ulcers grow
Another op'nin of another show.
And the premiere of 'Sister Wives' on TLC in a week. Like a magnet, I'm drawn. Really, reality TV? Damn you and your sister-wife temptresses!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Calm After the Storm - One Year Later
It has been a while since I blogged. Obviously the show has kinda owned my life lately, but I've loved being busy again.
It has been a year since I finished out my last season with Southwest Shakespeare Company. I said 'Goodbye' to Sandy, Richard and Amanda as they left for Chicago. Sandy... who had become 'Uncle Sandy' to most of us... and who had been a fixture in my life (and at Southwest) since my first show there in 2002. I miss him desperately.
And Richard... who had become lord of the guitar and king of 'The Den'... a liberal and enthusiastic director and a genuine and giving actor... and a great friend. Between he and Kaitlin O'Neal, I learned more about Shakespearean language and text and more about breaking barriers artistically than I had in probably five years combined.
I miss the weekly cookouts and Saketini nights with Jim, Doc, Keath, Erika, Stefan, Sandy, Richard, Amanda, Kat, Jay and I. And those that joined intermittently for discussions about various versions of various folios or how many euphemisms for sex there are in The Merchant of Venice vs. A Midsummer Night's Dream.
One thing that leaving Southwest did was separate us a bit more geographically as well as artistically. It also allowed us to pursue other ventures and find success in other venues. From that group of artists that we lived, cried, bled, ate and slept with for months on end grew Arizona Curriculum Theatre and Class 6 Theatre. I landed some amazing roles with Phoenix Theatre and had the time to venture into more voiceover work and training. (Arial classes are starting soon and I can't freakin' wait!!)
But yeah... I'm feeling some residual guilt that I always feel when work picks up. Being busy in the evenings and on the weekends means that I miss out on a lot of time with the kids. It also means that I'm exhausted at the end of the day and often am too tired (or have to be up early the next day) and miss out on dinners, drinks, and other social events with friends.
But nothing can compare with the fact that I love what I do and am blessed to be able to do what I love. I very much miss the people that became our extended family in the past several years, but I know our paths will cross again at some point... and hopefully sooner rather than later.
I am tired, but eternally grateful. :)
It has been a year since I finished out my last season with Southwest Shakespeare Company. I said 'Goodbye' to Sandy, Richard and Amanda as they left for Chicago. Sandy... who had become 'Uncle Sandy' to most of us... and who had been a fixture in my life (and at Southwest) since my first show there in 2002. I miss him desperately.
And Richard... who had become lord of the guitar and king of 'The Den'... a liberal and enthusiastic director and a genuine and giving actor... and a great friend. Between he and Kaitlin O'Neal, I learned more about Shakespearean language and text and more about breaking barriers artistically than I had in probably five years combined.
I miss the weekly cookouts and Saketini nights with Jim, Doc, Keath, Erika, Stefan, Sandy, Richard, Amanda, Kat, Jay and I. And those that joined intermittently for discussions about various versions of various folios or how many euphemisms for sex there are in The Merchant of Venice vs. A Midsummer Night's Dream.
One thing that leaving Southwest did was separate us a bit more geographically as well as artistically. It also allowed us to pursue other ventures and find success in other venues. From that group of artists that we lived, cried, bled, ate and slept with for months on end grew Arizona Curriculum Theatre and Class 6 Theatre. I landed some amazing roles with Phoenix Theatre and had the time to venture into more voiceover work and training. (Arial classes are starting soon and I can't freakin' wait!!)
But yeah... I'm feeling some residual guilt that I always feel when work picks up. Being busy in the evenings and on the weekends means that I miss out on a lot of time with the kids. It also means that I'm exhausted at the end of the day and often am too tired (or have to be up early the next day) and miss out on dinners, drinks, and other social events with friends.
But nothing can compare with the fact that I love what I do and am blessed to be able to do what I love. I very much miss the people that became our extended family in the past several years, but I know our paths will cross again at some point... and hopefully sooner rather than later.
I am tired, but eternally grateful. :)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
OMG, I'm like, so lame.
So I realized (too late) that like my last two or three posts are all about the new dog and the animals. Even I groaned when I scanned the titles of my recent posts.
Adding insult to injury, Jay and I spent a good deal of the car ride home railing against teenagers in cars on their cell phones... and that's when I had the epiphany.
I'm old. And boring.
I had an entire day off from the theatre for the first time in what seemed like ages. The only thing scheduled was one (relatively simple) photo shoot - after which, I fell into a blissful nap on the couch... open-mouthed and drooling down my own chin. I'm not even kidding.
Today, we met the kids for lunch and got a few projects done around the house. I have a show tonight and will be at the theatre basically all day tomorrow for a morning promo, a matinee and an evening show. There's just no way around it... when I'm not at the theatre, my life is boring. Or at least, not the glamorous/exciting/adventurous life I imagine it should be.
Then again, I've always got my stinky cheeses and my decent wine assortment to suggest otherwise. :)
Adding insult to injury, Jay and I spent a good deal of the car ride home railing against teenagers in cars on their cell phones... and that's when I had the epiphany.
I'm old. And boring.
I had an entire day off from the theatre for the first time in what seemed like ages. The only thing scheduled was one (relatively simple) photo shoot - after which, I fell into a blissful nap on the couch... open-mouthed and drooling down my own chin. I'm not even kidding.
Today, we met the kids for lunch and got a few projects done around the house. I have a show tonight and will be at the theatre basically all day tomorrow for a morning promo, a matinee and an evening show. There's just no way around it... when I'm not at the theatre, my life is boring. Or at least, not the glamorous/exciting/adventurous life I imagine it should be.
Then again, I've always got my stinky cheeses and my decent wine assortment to suggest otherwise. :)
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Zen Menagerie
Every once in a while, I catch an episode of 'Animal Hoarders'. It's tough for me to watch because I have such a bleeding heart for animals (specifically strays and rescues) and want to adopt them all myself. I see animal hoarders and think "a little too much whiskey or a dive off the mental deep-end and THAT could be me!"
I sit in rapt fascination, both intrigued and horrified at the lives these people live -which is, I suspect, the purpose of these kinds of shows.
So, there was a part of me that was not only resigned to losing two of our cats, but actually felt good about the manageable number of pets we had in the house. Three cats. That's it.
Or at least, it was.
About three weeks ago, we adopted another stray. This one, a dog. Her name is Roxie and she is a Sharpei/Doberman mix (according to the vet). She is an amazing animal. So smart and SO eager to learn. She loves to do tricks, is very treat driven, and has easily assimilated and transitioned us from 'pride' to 'pack'. The cats hate her tail and we have learned to put things at least 6 inches from the edge of the coffee table for that reason, but she's a snuggle-bug and insists on sleeping in our bed at night. I wake up with her puppy breath on my face often as she somehow manages to burrow under covers to get her head on one of the pillows. She has serious separation anxiety, but LOVES to take car rides. We take her with us when we're running quick errands and she always comes with us to Petsmart, of course.
I haven't been as good about her walks as I should be. I blame my show schedule for some of the difficulty, but it also has to do with my own laziness. I am hoping to add a little motivation by getting myself a decent pair of outdoor skates. I love (and miss) skating - and she's the perfect dog to take out on a pair of skates. I used to rollerskate as a kid with our basset hound... but alas, she would often trip over her ears, which made for a very slow-going journey.
So... we're up to four animals in the house (not including Jay or the kids)... wait... five.
I forgot about the turtle.
It's actually my daughter's turtle. She's had it for years - a red-eared slider that I suspect was illegal for her to own because it was smaller than 'allowed' when she got it. Not so much any more. We just invested in a much bigger tank and a new setup for the turtle as well... which isn't a big deal until we realized how cramped the old tank was and how unhealthy that poor turtle was. I'm glad it ended up transitioning here as it wasn't really being taken care of at 'dad's house'.
Three cats, a dog, and a turtle.
Oy vey.
No more.
I think we've reached an acceptable balance. No more additions or subtractions please. :)
And here's the photo tally:
Roxie, Benedick, Claire, Spartacus, and Ninja.
I sit in rapt fascination, both intrigued and horrified at the lives these people live -which is, I suspect, the purpose of these kinds of shows.
So, there was a part of me that was not only resigned to losing two of our cats, but actually felt good about the manageable number of pets we had in the house. Three cats. That's it.
Or at least, it was.
About three weeks ago, we adopted another stray. This one, a dog. Her name is Roxie and she is a Sharpei/Doberman mix (according to the vet). She is an amazing animal. So smart and SO eager to learn. She loves to do tricks, is very treat driven, and has easily assimilated and transitioned us from 'pride' to 'pack'. The cats hate her tail and we have learned to put things at least 6 inches from the edge of the coffee table for that reason, but she's a snuggle-bug and insists on sleeping in our bed at night. I wake up with her puppy breath on my face often as she somehow manages to burrow under covers to get her head on one of the pillows. She has serious separation anxiety, but LOVES to take car rides. We take her with us when we're running quick errands and she always comes with us to Petsmart, of course.
I haven't been as good about her walks as I should be. I blame my show schedule for some of the difficulty, but it also has to do with my own laziness. I am hoping to add a little motivation by getting myself a decent pair of outdoor skates. I love (and miss) skating - and she's the perfect dog to take out on a pair of skates. I used to rollerskate as a kid with our basset hound... but alas, she would often trip over her ears, which made for a very slow-going journey.
So... we're up to four animals in the house (not including Jay or the kids)... wait... five.
I forgot about the turtle.
It's actually my daughter's turtle. She's had it for years - a red-eared slider that I suspect was illegal for her to own because it was smaller than 'allowed' when she got it. Not so much any more. We just invested in a much bigger tank and a new setup for the turtle as well... which isn't a big deal until we realized how cramped the old tank was and how unhealthy that poor turtle was. I'm glad it ended up transitioning here as it wasn't really being taken care of at 'dad's house'.
Three cats, a dog, and a turtle.
Oy vey.
No more.
I think we've reached an acceptable balance. No more additions or subtractions please. :)
And here's the photo tally:
Roxie, Benedick, Claire, Spartacus, and Ninja.
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