When workaholism is the norm...

Yup, I'm addicted to workahol.

Had to cancel 2 auditions this week because I realized, OH YEAH, I'm actually taking a vacation soon. It didn't even occur to me when I was thinking of possible conflicts before submitting for the projects. I thought about other shows I'm doing and any work issues... but it didn't really register that I will actually be taking a vacation and therefore cannot schedule a show for that chunk of time. Crazy.

But that's not healthy, right?

That's why I'm taking said vacation. Because if you spend all your time working (and that includes plays), then you'll miss out on a lot of unscheduled LIFE stuff. And by "you", I mean "I". And though I've been having fun doing a crazy number of projects this last year, I have quite literally been doing shows non-stop -- sometimes 2 or three at a time -- for 12 months straight. The last time I had any downtime was right before As You Like It, this time last year. And while it's been great, I don't know that I've actually come too far since then.

True, I did stretch myself as a performer with several of my recent projects, and made a lot of new friends. But I keep coming back to a "but". Ah well. It's probably good for me to take some time to NOT be in a play and work on other things, like practicing the ukulele and writing. Speaking of which...

Working on a new project to once again stretch myself -- a colleague asked me to help co-write a web series project with him... which is SO random to me, but rather than linger over "why me?" and "am I right for this?", I'm just gonna run with it and do my best. If it's not good enough, that's yet to be determined and there's no point shutting myself down before I begin.

My dear friend's husband died yesterday out of nowhere. He had a heart defect, but nothing that seemed imminently life-threatening. And it just makes you think...

... yup...

Gloriously imperfect

So yesterday, I had a bit of an ego blow: I got a *gasp* bad review for a play I'm in.

I know -- "Oooooooh..." I could elaborate, but it would not result in anything productive.

But then I thought about it...

How boring would life be -- heck, how boring would I PERSONALLY be -- if everything I did was right and good? How uninteresting would existence be if everyone everywhere approved of what you did? How painfully predictable would people be if they all liked the same things?

I've done plenty of shows that, while a handful of people I know HATED them, several others REALLY loved them. So who's to say that the show was bad just because not everyone liked it?

You know what "universal appeal" is? It's boring. It doesn't change, it doesn't take risks, it doesn't try. Universal appeal is beige; it doesn't stand out or clash with anything, it doesn't offend anyone's sensibilities.

I'm not beige. Don't know what I am, but it ain't beige.

So you know what? Review away. Pan me. Slam me.

(OK, I'd really rather you didn't, but if that's what you feel you must put into the universe, I'll deal with it.)


Plus, that "review"? Meh, just some dude on a website, posting his (extremely lengthy) 2-cents about a show he saw in the "user review" section. So what do I care about what that dude thinks.

Right?
Right.

Sorry, blog.

I've neglected you.

I'm sorry.

I've just been so busy!

I HAVE managed to keep a few plants alive, and hang a grow-lamp over them.

I got a tattoo.

I started ukulele lessons.

I've been in about 10 plays/performances/short films/pilots so far this year.

I gave blood.

I contributed to a NY Times #1 Best Seller.

I helped my friends move.

I did my taxes.

I figured out how to cook rice properly.



I did all these things.
I just didn't blog about 'em.


Forgive me?

Blogging from my iPhone

I know. Just how dorky can I get? AND I'm doing so on a Friday night. Right before I go to rehearsal.

Excuse me, I need to push up the glasses sliding down my nose.

While I am, clearly, lamesauce, it's mostly because I am also busysauce. Got a new show opening next week, shooting a short film this weekend, back in rehearsals for the remount -- heh heh, remount -- of the cabaret show I did in December. All pretty sweet. Still workin' 40 hours a week. And I made soup and bread this week. Pretty sweet as well.

Basically, I just haven't taken the time to write about any of it. Ah well. Big loss.

I did take a ton of pictures of the delicious bread I made though, much in the way that certain others take crazy amounts of pictures of their children. This to me is just further proof that I should not procreate, as I'd likely just eat my young.

An update. A vey angry update.

So I've got ANOTHER cold.

Not a relapse of the cold I had last week, oh no!
A whole. New. Cold.

Last week I had a chest cold, which I felt pretty confident that I had shaken by Sunday. Alas, I awoke Monday morning with a sore throat. I thought, "Oh no! It's coming back!"

"Oh no!" indeed, Dana. "Oh no!" indeed.

Today I realized... "This feels nothing like last weeks cold. That was a chest cold. This is a head cold. MY GOD, I've contracted another illness!!!"

I'm only over-reacting to this because it's probably been nearly a year since the last time I really got sick. Back in college, I was perpetually sick. I'm just glad they waited till just before I graduated to take pseudoephedrine out of all cold medicines. The new stuff they make doesn't work nearly as well as the old formulas. But I doubt I would have made it to as many classes and rehearsals as I did without good ol' Extra Strength Tylenol Cold.

And now I need to blow my nose 50 more times, drink some tea and go to a late rehearsal. Dammit.

I know, I know...

I have abandoned my blog!
I have abandoned my blog!
I have abandoned my blog!

Enough.

So I've been ill. Well, it's really my own damn fault. I felt something coming on last week and fought tooth and nail to stave it off... until Saturday.

(Let me point out that what I felt coming on was almost certainly a product of the previous weekend's Halloween festivities, which included bobbing for apples; that didn't sound like such a horrible petri dish of bacteria when we were kids, did it?)

Anyhow, Saturday was my birthday party. 'Round about 4pm the day of the party, my voice began to get lower and lower. I ignored this fact and enjoyed my celebration.

The next morning, I awoke with no voice.

Now I grant that I am prone to hyperbole, but FOR REAL, I had no voice. Which made my 9a.m. singing/dancing rehearsal very interesting. And quiet. But alas, since I am... how do you say... ME, I was not able to simply accept that I had no voice and not push it. NO. I TOTALLY screwed myself by forcing what little voice I had all day long. But I was very thankful that it was just my voice and I wasn't sick.

The next morning, Monday, I awoke to the beginnings of a cold. Awesome.
The NEXT morning, Tuesday, I awoke feeling worse, went to work, and came home half an hour later.
The subsequent Wednesday and Thursday mornings were similar, in that I awoke feeling like ass, cleared my respiratory of grossness, took some DayQuil, and marched myself to work.

Now it's Thursday night. Things have been all-or-nothing today. I'm either feeling fine, not sick at all... or my lungs are trying to escape through my mouth.

I had a fun little incident at The UPS Store just now. I had a full-on coughing fit while trying to send a package, which ended in me nearly choking on my Ricola, being offered a bottle of water by the sweet guys at the counter, and repeatedly assuring them that I do not have the swine flu. Seriously. Really embarrassing.

THEN I went to Coffee Bean to get my free winter 12oz. beverage (YAAAAY FREE STUFF!), trying to hold it together there, and succeeded. The girl at the counter was totally teasing me about how clearly excited I was to be getting a free drink. I'm such a dork. But it was very exciting. I had been waiting for it all day. The Winter Dream Tea Latte? SOOOOO worth it.

THEN a girl came around while I was waiting for my drink handing out little waffle bites and started talking to me about my earrings. This distracted me so much that I crammed the bite of waffle into my mouth -- forgetting about the half-a-coughdrop still therein -- and proceeded to crunch up the tasty morsel of waffle along with my remaining Ricola.

*sigh*

The waffle was still pretty tasty, despite the subtle honey-lemon-echinacea undertones.

And THAT, my friends, is the mark of a good waffle.

Do I have anything interesting to say right now?

Not really.

But I feel bad when I let this go too long without an update.

Erm.


Alright, I've actually purchased some new music recently. My recent favorites...

Sour Cherry - The Kills: This track rocks so hard. I hadn't realized how much I liked The Kills, but then I did some browsing and ended up plunking down for Midnight Boom. Damn good. Also good: Cheap and Cheerful

Atticus - The Noisettes: Heard it on KCRW a while back, but the new album, Wild Young Hearts, wasn't out yet. Really beautiful song, a lot less bouncy than much of the album, but man... those kids have range. Also good: Wild Young Hearts, Never Forget You (a.k.a. the song Amy Winehouse probably wishes she had recorded)

(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Weezer: It's been QUITE some time since I approved of one of Weezer's singles (I'm looking at you, "Pork & Beans". And "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived". And "Beverly Hills". And "We Are All On Drugs".) Because of this, despite my deep and unrelenting affection for The Blue Album and Pinkerton, I have not been an easy sell on their post-Matt Sharp material. But I really do like this track. The upcoming album title, though... Raditude? Really, Rivers? Also good: yet to be determined

Savior - Rise Against: Just a really great, high-energy song. Also good: Audience of One

Percussion Gun - White Rabbits: Seriously, if you're gonna call a song "Percussion Gun", you better have a whole lotta drums going on. This song does not disappoint. Feels like there should be some rock-n-roll belly dancer gyrating along to this tune. Also good: I confess, I know nothing else by this band.

Samson - Regina Spektor: Not new at all, but I fell in love with this tune back during "Gloves Required". Just gorgeous. Also good: You caught me again; I'm not nearly up on my Spektor.

Days Go On - Greg Laswell: One of those songs I hear on KCRW every now and then and it sticks in my head. Finally looked it up and downloaded it. Also goo-- ALRIGHT! I'm giving up on this section. I am not as well versed as I might pretend.

Origin of Love - Hedwig and the Angry Inch: I just re-watched this movie. GODDAMN, it's good. Anyone who hasn't seen it... do so. It's available on Instant Watch on Netflix. Which is great, because that means I can watch it anytime I like. John Cameron Mitchell = genius. "Shortbus" is also incredible... but prudes need not apply. Also good: Wig in a Box, Wicked Little Town, Sugar Daddy

Meh, that's it for now.