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Thursday, September 30, 2004
 
Fast Week

Work has been keeping me very busy, so the days have been flying by. Outside of work has been rather busy as well. I've been taking the time to cook proper meal for myself (as opposed to my usual habit of eating out high-carb meals on a pretty regular basis). And I have an idea I'll be spending a wee bit more time at the gym than I had previously. I have an appointment with a personal trainer tonight to help me with a more effective new routine. I wonder what it's going to be.
 

Posted by Dre at 1:59 PM
0 comments  




Wednesday, September 29, 2004
 
Time Flies

Only 4.5 weeks until Halloween, 7 weeks until Dangerous Liaisons and 12.5 weeks until Christmas. I already know that it's going to be a very busy autumn, and it will fly by. I've given myself the deadline of Dangerous Liaisons to get in better shape. I think I can do it - it's not like I'm totally out of shape - I just need to adjust my current gym routine a bit and eat a bit healthier. Neither will be a big adjustment, but they should make a difference. I started yesterday by avoiding snacking late at night.

Tonight is Your 15 Minutes of Fame at 7 pm at the Saint John Theatre Company Loft (86 Prince William Street, 4th floor). It should be fun - events like this always are!
 

Posted by Dre at 9:14 AM
0 comments  




Tuesday, September 28, 2004
 
Yay!

I got a part in SJTC's Dangerous Liaisons! I'll be playing Emilié, the courtesan. It's a fun smaller role. Congrats to Beth Herron who will be playing Madame de Tourvelle! And congrats to everyone else who got a part! I'm looking forward to working on this project - it'll be a great learning experience, and Jerry (the director) seems like a super nice guy. Now, with the part of Emilié, I'm feeling a wee bit more motivated to make it to the gym and eat properly. Man, this is going to be fun! Yay!
 

Posted by Dre at 10:58 AM
0 comments  




Monday, September 27, 2004
 
Anticipation

I spent the first half of my weekend trying to relax. Friday night I watched season 6 of Sex and the City - which was awesome. Saturday I relaxed a bit, ran a couple of errands, rented Mean Girls (which I watched) and season 1 of Dead Like Me - and I watched the 2 hour pilot to that. Around 11 pm I decided to meet up with a few freinds at Mexi's for a beer. Sorry I missed the improv thing to those who were involved in it. I heard you were all fabulous and it sounded like everyone involved had a great time.

Sunday afternoon I headed over the the SJTC loft to audition for Dangerous Liaisons. I did my monologue and was given a scene to get to know a bit better, and I had about an hour and a half before I had to be back for the next round of auditions. I went home to work on it. I was hungry - the only way I knew was that my stomack was growling. So I made myself some toast, but because I was nervous about the callback and stressing a bit, I had a really tough time getting the food down. I went back to the callbacks and I was the first one to go up, so it did feel good to get it over and done with. Thank goodness Jerry (the director) does such a great job of making people feel comfortable and putting them at ease. It took my a while to 'decompress' after that, and then I spent the rest of the evening trying to stay busy and keep myself distracted so I wouldn't think about the auditions.

Even though today was a busy day at work, I still can't help wondering how the auditions went. The waiting is the hardest part.
 

Posted by Dre at 2:57 PM
0 comments  




Friday, September 24, 2004
 
Retro Fun

I went to see Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow last night. What an enjoyable movie. It gathered together elements of and inspirations from Buck Rodgers, The Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Last Exile, films and radio plays from the '30's and '40's and more. It was campy, thrilling, interesting, stylish and funny. It was inspiring.
 

Posted by Dre at 9:10 AM
0 comments  




Thursday, September 23, 2004
 
Another Gorgeous Fall day

Its so nice out today. Crisp yet warm and sunny. :-)

I picked up the FFXI Expansion Pack: Chains of Promethia last night and did a lot of installing and updating. And I even gamed for a bit. Until I got killed by a nasty red balloon that seemed to appear out of nowhere when I was already fighting a crawler. Oh well. At least at my level I don't lose too many experience points when I die.

I am trying to figure out what to do for my vacation this year. I'm not sure if I want to spend much on a week's trip. I may just go visit friends. I guess I have a bit of vacation researching to do.
 

Posted by Dre at 1:57 PM
0 comments  




Wednesday, September 22, 2004
 
Today is the first day of Fall

My desk at work is decorated with butterflies and Spring flower lights. As much as I enjoy it, I find that I am in the mood for some autumn decorations. I am ready for autumn.

Normally I find that as autumn comes I want to try and get a lot of stuff done, such as finish projects I've started, make a new halloween costume (which I only manage to do every two or three years), make homemade Christmas gifts, etc.... This year I still want to get a lot of things done, but I also have a strong desire to really just relax and not overload myself. It's probably because I've worked a lot of extra hours over the summer. I also haven't had a vacation yet this year. I'm still not sure if I'll take one before Christmas. I guess the real goal I should set for myself this autumn is to stay balanced - making the most of my time while still making time for myself.
 

Posted by Dre at 1:58 PM
0 comments  




Tuesday, September 21, 2004
 
Star Wars DVD

In case you weren't aware, I am a huge Star Wars fan. The first movie that I actually remember seeing in the theatre was Star Wars: A New Hope (even though I'd probably gone to see a Disney film or two before that). The Empire Strikes Back is probably my favourite in the series, and one of my favourite movies of all time. They managed to take each of the characters and develop them further, while using a variety of interesting locations. I could watch that movie over and over. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the Ewoks, I still enjoyed Return of the Jedi. I had the toys, and when I was a kid, I imagined owning my very own lightsaber. I now have 2 plastic ones under my couch. I haven't been as thrilled with the new series, but I am still looking forward to seeing Revenge of the Sith - in the hopes that it'll actually redeem itself and tie nicely into the original series.

In the mean time, as I wait for Episode 3 to iht the theatres next May, I will be keeping myself occupied with watching the original series on DVD, along with all the extras that have come along with it. I picked up my copy this morning and can't wait to go home and geek out watch it.

Oh, and before I forget, I couldn't agree more with today's Dork Tower.

May the Force be with you, always.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:15 AM
0 comments  




Monday, September 20, 2004
 
A Relaxing Weekend

Friday I had a very busy day at work, so I didn't get a chance to post any updates. I had a very relaxing weekend and got a chance to catch up with a few friends. I only made it to the gym once, but at least I managed to make it that one time and get a decent workout in. I worked a bit on my monologue - which I still need to know better, and I played Fable for a bit and played FFXI for about half an hour. Last night I was in the mood for a light romantic comedy so I went to see Wimbleton, and I really enjoyed it (even though I'm not a fan of Kirsten Dunst).

It felt like autumn this weekend - you could smell it in the air. I love that smell.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:10 AM
0 comments  




Thursday, September 16, 2004
 
Why blog?

I started this journal so that relatives and friends from away can see what I'm up to (since I'm generally pretty terrible at writing actual letters or calling). Of course, I think more local friends check this out regularly than anyone. But I digress.... I also started it to help me remember what I've been up to. There are days I can barely remember what I did the night before, let alone the previous week. And looking back on some old posts, I can see where I've spent my time. For example, more of my time has been spent gaming and seeing movies and hanging with friends and less of it has been spent doing creative projects than I realised. But then I have also spent more time involved in theatrical productions than I would have expected. Having this online forces me to try to update it on a regular basis, although I have to admit I get tired of listing what I did the night before, so every now and then I like to try to find something else to blog about.

I have quite a few friends who have blogs (which reminds me, I should update my friends links on this page) and I've seen some of them get disenchanted with blogging over the past few months. A blog may be easy to access, but how do you decide what to write in it? What is the point? Who cares anyway? Well I do - I like to see what my friends have to say - and I'm sorry to see some sites that used to be something I looked forward to reading every day wither away into sporadic updates at best. But I guess the blogs are essentially there for the blogger, not the reader. It can be a cathardic exercise for some, although since it is a public forum, it may attract unwanted attention. In that case, maybe it's better just to keep a journal by your bed.

Blogs evolve just like people evolve. And I don't think it's something that can be forced. It just happens. There are things I would like to do with this blog to make it more interesting, even if some days I don't feel like I have much to say at all (like yesterday, which is why I didn't post at all). Perhaps I could try and make a point of doing more illustrations and posting them, or taking photos around the area and using them in this blog every now and then. Of course, that takes a little more effort, but it may be worth a try. At least every once in a while. We'll see....
 

Posted by Dre at 8:43 AM
0 comments  




Tuesday, September 14, 2004
 
Monologue

I had another early night last night, and before I went to bed, I spent a bit more time trying to memorize the monologue I'd chosen for Thursday's audition for Dangerous Liaisons. I had a tough time choosing a monologue. I wanted to find something that I could relate to and was comfortable with, and that didn't need a heavy accent. So that ruled out most of the period pieces I'd found, and most of the monologues I'd come across that dealt with the death of a family member, childhood horrors or a recent prison sentence. The one I settled on is from "A Place at the Table" by Simon Block. It's set in a small television production company, and the character Sarah is explaining to Adam why she can no longer support lost causes.
 

Posted by Dre at 1:54 PM
0 comments  




Monday, September 13, 2004
 
Weekend Update

Friday night was John's b-day dinner at Rocky's. I don't like Rocky's. It's not that I mind what are commonly referred to as the "skanky Rocky's waitresses". Not a problem, as long as I get good service and good food. Alas, those seem to be missing. Also, the fact that they play hockey on all 35 TV's and turn the volume up over the already cranked music - not appealing to me at all. Anyway - we hung out there for a bit- had a bite to eat and gave John his gifts. I think most of the gifts he got had some sort of homo-erotic theme, which was pretty funny.

After supper, Scott, Jay and I ran out to McAllister Place. I popped into Toys'r'us and got The Lord Of The Rings Trivial Pursuit (an early b-day gift from mom and dad). Scott came over after and we played it - what a great game! The playing pieces are pewter figures. After that, I went online (FFXI) and partied in the Tahrongi Canyon with Lisa and another black mage.

Saturday morning I managed to get up early and get a full workout in at the gym. After the gym, and after getting fed up with my old runners, I stopped in at The Running Room and got a foot analysis and a new pair of running shoes. I was tired of having my knee and hips bother me after runs - and it had been getting worse of late.

Saturday afternoon was gorgeous weather for the Germain Street Open. I was on a team with Lisa, Suzy and Scott. It was fun this year, even though there weren't as many people or golf holes. At least the weather was rockin' for it. I did a lot better than last year - and the only golf hole I had trouble with was Jeff London's. I must have been more interested in eating the tasty chili than putting. We went to the auction at O'Leary's after, but I had developed a bit of a headache and I was feeling pretty tired. I couldn't handle the noise and the crowds, so I left early and went down to the Quality Convenience and rented The Butterfly Effect and watched it before going to bed by 9:30! I'm not usually a fan of Ashton Kutchner, but I really enjoyed this movie. I thought it was well-written and well-done overall. It's worth a viewing.

I am pleased to report that the Germain Street Open raised almost $14,500 for The Children's Wish Foundation! Amazing considering we had only 14 teams this year. Almost 4K was raised at the auction. Great job everybody!!

Sunday was a day of errands. After cleaning my apartment, I decided to head out to the new Winners/HomeSense and Pier 1, which have recently opened. The Winners/HomeSense is very nice, and Pier 1 was full of scented products, so I didn't last more than a minute or two in there. I got some groceries, washed my car, and went to the gym to try out my new running shoes. They rock! They keep my feet stable, and my knee and hips didn't bother me like they usually do after I run. On my way home from the gym, I met a fairly new neighbor of mine, Anthony. He was standing in front of his apartment gbuilding and stopped me to ask if I knew about any rental apartments where you can't hear the catherdral bells so much (they go off every 15 minutes). If anyone knows of any nice apartments for rent out of earshot from the bells, please let me know and I will pass the message on to him.

My Sunday evening was spent learning a monologue for Dangerous Liaisons auditions, which are Thursday night (and Saturday afternoon). I think I'll be spending more time on the monologue tonight. Whee....
 

Posted by Dre at 11:40 AM
0 comments  




Friday, September 10, 2004
 
Fabulous Friday

It has been a long short work week. Glad it's almost over. Last night I ran out to the mall with Anthony for a couple of errands. Other wise it was a quiet and early evening.

Tomorrow is the Germain Street Open, a fundraiser for the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada. I am looking forward to it.
 

Posted by Dre at 1:39 PM
0 comments  




Thursday, September 09, 2004
 
How much of a Geek are you?

According to The Geek Test, I am a "total geek" (with a mere 29% geekiness). What are you?
 

Posted by Dre at 11:14 AM
0 comments  




 
Leveling up

Last night I gamed. Scott and I formed a party together, and we headed to the Tahrongi Canyon. I leveled to 9. I think we actually had more fun killing crawlers and Yagudo's in East Saru than the saplings and rabbits of the canyon entrance.... When I got back to Windy, I put a bunch of stuff for sale at the AH. I hope it sells quickly so I can buy some new spells and armor. I think I'll spend a bit of time doing quests next.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:08 AM
0 comments  




Wednesday, September 08, 2004
 
Finally

On my way home from work I ran into Lisa and Anthony, so I had supper with them at Subway. Then I went home, puttered about, and decided to watch Kill Bill vol. 2 which I hadn't seen before. I think I was in rehearsals for Streetcar when that came out. Anyway, I enjoyed it. After that I thought about gaming for a bit, but instead I went to bed early. I think I needed the extra sleep - since I've been feeling a bit run-down lately.

I think tonight I'll hit the gym after work, then try and find a monologue to learn for auditions for Dangerous Liaisons.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:12 AM
0 comments  




Tuesday, September 07, 2004
 
Weekend Without Gaming

I spent the weekend in Halifax visiting family and friends. I visited some friends, did a bit of shopping with mom (I got a birthday gifts for the parental units, but my most entertaining purchase was a small box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans - I wasn't brave enough to try all the flavours, but let me tell you - the black pepper, grass, earth and sardine beans actually taste like thier flavorings), ate great food that dad made, and did my laundry. It was a nice trip and it was great to see everyone. When I got back to SJ, I stopped in at Scott & K's for a barbecue, then decided to make it a very early night.

It feels like autumn weather already. Where did the summer go? I know I didn't get much time to spend outdoors, but it seems as if at least half of the days I did have off were rainy and cold. I hope we get a decent autumn.
 

Posted by Dre at 8:43 AM
0 comments  




Friday, September 03, 2004
 
3 Days In A Row

I am really looking forward to the weekend, as I get 3 days of in a row - it's been a long time coming. Last night was busy - I made it to the gym for a full workout, got a long list of errands and chores done, then stopped out to visit some friends who were doing karaoke.

Does anyone have any special plans for the long weekend?
 

Posted by Dre at 2:30 PM
0 comments  




Thursday, September 02, 2004
 
Tuckered

Last night after work I traded my Echo in for the Matrix. What an awesome car! I ran a few errands and showed it to a few friends, then went home to get a few things done. I was pretty wiped and didn't get much done last night, and I wound up going to bed rather early. By the way, whoever tried to call me after midnight and woke me up - please don't call after 10 or 10:30 PM - it's a good general rule of thumb.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:40 AM
0 comments  




Wednesday, September 01, 2004
 
Trade-In Wednesday

I'm itching to get through the work day so I can trade in my first leased car for a new leased Matrix. Yippie!

After a long day at work yesterday, I had a great full workout at the gym (and I'm still feeling some of it today - in a good way). It looks like a busy week, so I don't know if I'll be able to squeeze in time for weights again until the weekend. I spent the latter part of my evening playing FFXI online with Lisa. We formed a party and helped out a new fellow. It was fun, even if we did die and lose any xp we'd gained. Only 800 xp TNL. Hmm... not sure when I'll get a chance to game again either.
 

Posted by Dre at 11:37 AM
0 comments  




 

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