Friday, June 30, 2006
Friday Feast
Appetizer
On average, approximately how many times per day do you yawn?
I'm not sure. Maybe a dozen?
Soup
What was your most memorable school field trip?
I was in grade 7 and we took a ski trip. My teacher broke his leg above his boot and needed metal plates put in. Poor fellow.
Salad
Fill in the blank: I was extremely __________________ this week.
busy/rushed/tired
Main Course
Which color do you think of when you hear the word "soothing"?
At this point in the week, I cannot even comprehend the word "soothing" let alone think of a colour for it.
Dessert
What is something that, if you had to, you could save up the money to buy within one month?
A gaming system. Although the PS3 that comes out in the fall may be too pricey to get with only one month's savings.
Posted by Dre at 10:03 AM
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Thursday, June 29, 2006
Back to The Director's Chair...
More Rain. Just what we needed. It has been a rainy season and I'm about ready for some sun. I sure hope we have good weather next week since we'll be performing outdoors in the Rothesay Commons.
Otherwise rehearsals are plugging along. Once I'm done with Much Ado, it'll be time to move on to makeup for Macbeth, and once that is done I'll be moving on to rehearsals for "The Spelling Bee" by Phillip Vassallo. I'll be directing it for Theatre on the Edge and I'm pretty excited about it. Here is a synopsis:
This animated comedy thrusts two young men on stage, one black and one white. Each has been victimized by the same crime. One at a time, they tell their story while the other plays humorous supporting roles to enhance the narrative. The back assails everyone he sees in the white world: neighborhood greasers, sociology professors and sleazy businessmen. Reverse discrimination, violence perpetrated by blacks and the impotent justice system form the core of the white man's tale. Their tirades culminate in an explosive confrontation- one's sister was stabbed to death and the other was charged with the crime and then exonerated.
Dark, funny and touching - right up my alley! I've managed to convince Huey Lord to be in it, so at auditions (July 8th at 11 AM and July 9th at 1 pm a the SJTC Loft at 86 Prince William Street, 4th Floor) I'll be looking for the other character. It will require an experienced male actor (approx. age would be in their 20's or early 30's) - someone who can jump in and out of characters and really hold their own on stage. I recommend reading the play first if you get a chance.
Posted by Dre at 7:29 AM
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Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Superman Returned With Mixed Reviews
After rehearsal last night, about 10 of us from the cast rushed over to Empire Theatres to see a sneak peek at Superman Returns. From a pure entertainment standpoint I just loved it. Fun over-the-top story, some very well done acting, good casting, and awesome special effects. I even enjoyed some of the cheesier moments in the film (I think that's part of the fun of the story.)
There are, however, a couple of things that came to mind after mulling it over. Now some liberties have been taken that Superman purists would roll their eyes at. How is it that he isn't really affected by krypton unless he comes into direct contact with it? That bugged me. Also, Lois seemed too young to have a kid. She didn't really have a maternal essence to her. And she's way too skinny. That just bolsters that hollywood stereotype and permutates eating disorders in young girls who hope to match these unrealistic expectations. But I digress.... Now I normally love anything that Kevin Spacey does but I wasn't too fond of his Lex Luthor. But then, that's in the writing. I thought he did a fine job with what he was given (which in this case, was a pretty dumb plan and some far-too-silly companions.)
I'm guessing that a lot of my friends who went to see it last night weren't impressed in the end. It'll be interesting to hear their thoughts on it. All-in-all I was up for some action-fluff and didn't mind if a few liberties were taken, and so I still think it was a fun bit of entertainment.
Posted by Dre at 7:58 AM
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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Free time? ROFL
Ah well, let's see... I'm into the thick of things with rehearsals for Much Ado About Nothing. Essentially it's a rush to get from work to rehearsal each night. Just enough time to stop home and feed the cats and get changed before running off. The show is starting to come together. Man - there is some funny stuff in it. I can't believe it's next week. It runs Monday to Friday at 7 PM at the Rothesay Commons. Tickets are $10 each and don't forget to bring a lawnchair/blanket.
Posted by Dre at 9:31 AM
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Monday, June 26, 2006
Saturday's Jambalaya
2 cups of ham, cubed
2 chicken breasts, sauteed & cubed
6 pieces of crispy bacon, crumbled
7 oz shrimp, broken
3 cups rice (cooked)
6 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco to taste
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cook the rice.
You'll want to use a large deep saucepan that you can put everything in:
saute the chicken breasts in butter. Cut up the cooked chicken.
Chop up the celery and dice the onion. Saute the celery and onions until glassy.
Cook the bacon until crispy. Crumble it.
Chop up the ham and shrimp.
Then combine everything in the saucepan and mix it up. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Serves 6 apparently.
Posted by Dre at 10:41 AM
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Sunday, June 25, 2006
Have you ever...
The only instruction for this meme is BOLD those that you've done:
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your records
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes.
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someon'e life
Posted by Dre at 9:02 AM
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Friday, June 23, 2006
Friday Feast
Appetizer
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you like your job?
Depending on what projects I'm working on, it would range somewhere between 6 and 9. It helps when I feel like I'm contributing and making a difference. I'm fortunate enough to have a job that has great benefits and is flexible enough to allow me to do theatre in my spare time. The tough part for me is the fact that I'm a creative person working in big business, so a lot of times I feel quite disconnected.
Soup
When was the last time you think you were lied to?
I have no idea. I chhose to believe that no one would have any reason to lie to me. Ah - blissful ignorance - LOL!
Salad
Share some lyrics from one of your favorite songs.
"I lie in an early bed
Thinking late thoughts
Waiting for the black to replace
My mood."
-Fiona Apple, The First Taste
Main Course
What do you do/take when you are in pain?
Advil Extra-Strength.
Dessert
Fill in the blanks: My __________ is very __________.
My life is very full.
My friends are very nice.
My family is very loving.
My kittens are very playful.
Posted by Dre at 9:12 AM
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Thursday, June 22, 2006
Without A Jacket
Today was the first day this year where I left my place and headed for work and didn't bring a jacket. What a treat!
I'm looking forward to rehearsal for Much Ado tonight. We're getting our choreographerr and learning the dances. It should be fun!!
Posted by Dre at 12:58 PM
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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Kitten heels on a grassy hill
I headed over to rehearsal last night and was still in work clothes. Yesterday, that meant I was wearing heels. We weren't able to use to theatre to rehearse inso we headed outside to the courtyard, and that's how I found myself slowly sinking into the grassy hill. It's an odd feeling for all of you guys out there. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing - it was more along the lines of amusing. Bit by bit we are getting more cast members joining the show. From what I've seen it's going to be a lot of fun. In between things, I spent my spare time playing sudoku on my DS Lite. Damn addictive games - LOL. It is quite amusing how many people in the cast have a DS...
Posted by Dre at 7:37 AM
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Monday, Monday
Had rehearsal last night for Much Ado and it seemed to go well. I'm glad I stuck around for a few minutes at the end of things to see what Jay and the boys had come up with for a chase scene - it's freakin' hilarious! Aweome stuff :-)
Not much else to report on. I'd still love to be completely lazy for a while but things are starting to pile up a bit so I have to start making better use of my time.
Posted by Dre at 9:27 AM
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Monday, June 19, 2006
Weekend of Relaxation
Friday night I caught up with Colin over a bite to eat at Taco Pica (love their guacamole!). Then I had a very early evening due to a headache.
Saturday was a fairly lazy morning followed by a wee bit of shopping & grocery shopping in the afternoon. Around supper time I got things packed up and headed out to Joanna's to chill. She's about an hour away and I knew we'd be breaking open some wine so I had planned to saty over. This was strategic from my end - as the annual courtyard party on Horsefield Street was that night. Their courtyard backs onto mine but they are not connected. They have live bands and the party goes late late late. I didn't want to have to deal with the noise and the lack of sleep, and I wasn't up for a big night out. Unfortunately, by heading out to Joanna's I missed a few other events. My apologies to those folks who were having other things going on that night that I had initially thought I could make it to. But as it was - I had an awesome evening. Besides, Joanna's cooking just about trumps all ;-)
We had a lazy Sunday morning sitting out on the verandah, and then I eventually made my way back to the city. That was then followed up by a tasty supper at Darren's. I then headed home early to hang out with Hunter and Grace.
Posted by Dre at 8:03 AM
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Friday, June 16, 2006
Fun!
eLouai's Candybar Doll Maker
Posted by Dre at 12:53 PM
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Friday Feast
Appetizer:
What is a word that you use that would not be considered common?
Slacks.
Soup:
What theme of calendar do you have on your wall this year?
My calendar at home has art nouveau prints.
My mini calendar at work has vintage posters from France.
Salad:
Name 3 people you speak with by telephone a regular basis.
Colin, Beth, Mom (& by proxy, Dad who usually yells from the sidelines for Mom to say hi to me for him), Kristi, Ann, Stephen.... but it changes now and then. Sometimes I barely use the phone for weeks except to make quick plans. Other times it's to catch up on how someone is doing or how someone else's project is going if I haven't seen them for a while.
Main Course:
If you could buy a new outfit for someone you know - who would it be and what would you purchase for them?
I enjoy taking my mom shopping for new outfits. I would find some nice new work-friendly clothes for her that have clean lines and bright colours.
Dessert:
What is the last beverage you drank?
I'm currently drinking water. But I really want coffee....
Posted by Dre at 7:23 AM
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
Monlogues, Rehearsal and Gaming - oh my!
Let's see - I helped host the Evening of Monologues the other night. That seemed to go fairly well - I think we had around 17 or 18 people come out. A few folks had prepared monologues and a few found some there that Jay had set out. One fellow decided to tell a couple of stories and promote his laughter club in lieu of an actual monologue, which was interesting. It was nice to see a few folks that I don't get to see too often, and I really enjoyed the prepared monologues that folks ahd worked on. When that was all said and done, a few of us caught up over a beer at Churchills for a bit. And I was still home by 10:30!
Last night was the first rehearsal that I had to go to for Much Ado. Yes I am actually in it. I am an extra. I even scored a line last night! It seems like a very relaxed rehearsal environment. It's nice to be involced with the show and it seems like it'll be a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to the dances getting choreographed!
I brought along my new Nintendo DS Lite and Animal Crossing and Lisa had brought along hers. My character visited her town and met a bunch of new characters, picked up some new foreign fruit, and purchased a couple of things at the store that haven't been available in mine yet. It's a pretty cool game and I love the fact that you can visit friends' towns through wi-fi! :-)
Posted by Dre at 11:05 AM
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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
New Addiction
Lisa had recommended this fun little game for the DS and I can't tell you how cute it is! I'd met up with Ann for a lovely dinner at Swiss Chalet and a mosey through the mall, and when I got home I decided to try this out - and wound up spending the rest of my evening playing this little game! I love it!
Posted by Dre at 7:51 AM
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Monday, June 12, 2006
My Weekend News Headlines
Improv Was Funny!
Cat Destroys Christmas Cactus!
Xbox Live Is Awesome!
New Toy Discovered: Nintendo DS Lite
Posted by Dre at 7:33 AM
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Friday, June 09, 2006
Friday Feast
Appetizer:
About how much money did you spend on gas this week?
$0. Since I walk to work, I don't use my car too much. Even so, it's usually just to run out to get groceries or go to the mall for the most part. That means that I rarely have to fill up. :-)
Soup:
What is your favortite brand of toilet paper?
I think I use Cottonelle. I'd have to go home and look at the packaging though to be sure. I don't like cheap toilet paper and I like using the jumbo rolls so I don't have to change the rolls too often. I don't have any space for storing extra rolls in my bathroom (it's pretty tiny) so I keep thm in a cupboard in the kitchen, along with extra rolls of paper towels and extra Kleenex boxes.
Salad:
When was the last time you discovered something that you thought was pure genius?
I'm not sure...
Main Course:
What is the least amount of sleep you can get by on per night?
I sould probably function for a day with only 4 hours, but if I don't catch up on my sleep within the next day then I'm toast and will catch a cold. I usually need a full 8.5 hours in order to function properly. That's tough to do with a busy schedule.
Dessert:
June is a popular month for weddings. Do you know anyone who is getting married this month?
Nope. Natalie's wedding is in July and I know a coupld more people who are planning weddings for September but that's about it this year. This has been a year of friends getting engaged.
Posted by Dre at 9:17 AM
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Thursday, June 08, 2006
Some Items That Are Filling My Brain
1.) I'm looking forward to summer weather. No really - I love the heat.
2.) a nice pair of turqouise shoes would be lovely
3.) but no - I'd be better off putting that extra money on my credit card
4.) poor little Grace seemed to have strained or sprained a leg. Not sure how she did it, but the howling woke me up this morning. I made an appointment with the vet for Saturday in case she doesn't get better. If she starts putting weight on it, I should be able to call and cancel.
5.) enough with the allergies already
6.) I should make those small adjustments for Dawn's brochure and print out a new copy so that when I meet with her tomorrow she has the latest version. I hope she likes it.
7.) I look tired. I am tired. I should really make a point of getting to bed earlier.
8.) there just aren't enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do
9.) it's a treat to catch up with friends over lunch
10.) I have been worrying about some friends. some who have things thrust upon them that they have to deal with, and some that do it to themselves and don't even realize it.
11.) must paint. but when
12.) must keep reading scripts
13.) it's a good time to get started with the Macbeth makeup plans etc.
14.) I'd love to be home napping with my kitties right now
15.) naps are awesome
16.) mmmm.... large Foghorn (dark roast Java Moose coffee)
17.) when was the last time I wrote anyone an actual letter. there are a few people I'm overdue getting in touch with.
18.) etcetera - and so it continues...
Posted by Dre at 12:59 PM
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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
A Quiet Night In
Got home.
Fed Hunter and Grace.
Made supper.
Ate.
Cleaned up.
Played with Hunter and Grace for a bit.
Finished a short quest in Oblivion.
Read A Clockwork Orange: the play.
Read Entertaining Mr. Sloan.
Read Spinning Into Butter.
Hit the hay.
At 11:38 my phone rang. I got up to get it but they hung up just as I got there. I didn't recognize the number (it was local) so I tried to call it back, but all I got was a message that this number had been disconnected. How confusing and irritating. Frankly, anyone calling me after 10 pm - especially on a weeknight - had better have a damn good reason.
Posted by Dre at 8:12 AM
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Tuesday, June 06, 2006
The Mulling Zone
It usually takes me a while to process things. For example, I may think of a good comeback a day later. After auditioning for something - I leave feeling one way about things but can't "see the forest for the trees" until I've had a little more perspective.
Same thing happens with movies. I leave the theatre thinking that I was entertained but I won't process it for a day or two. By then I may have figured out why I only felt so-so about a movie. An example of this would be the Da Vinci Code. I enjoyed it and was glad I saw it but couldn't put my finger on whatever it was that was keeping me from thinking it was awesome. Bit by bit over the next couple of days I realized why. In this case I already knew the storyline and found that the film version just seemed like an awful lot of running around puctuated by bouts of complex expositoy dialogue. I think Tom Hamks was mis-cast and I was pissed off that Audrey Tateau's character was relegated to that of a bystander (especially since the theme of a lot of it had to do with the sacred feminine) - when in the book, her character solved a lot of the puzzles and was actively engaged in the process of uncovering the clues. But I digress....
There are lots of times that I wish I could process things right away. At least I know that I function this way. I try not to promise design work right away because I know I need time to process a concept. I need to tuck that info back into the "mulling zone" in my head and let it soak for a bit. Then I might be in the midst of something else and it comes to me. There are, however, lots of times with work that I just don't have the time to mull things over and that's where elbow grease fills in. I have to work through a concept the hard way to come up with something satisfactory. But I prefer to use my "mulling zone" - it may be a bit slow but it's reliable.
Posted by Dre at 12:57 PM
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Monday, June 05, 2006
Talking 'bout the weather
I wonder just how much rain we got this weekend.
The Da Vinci Code was a mediocre movie. Lots of running around to a ton of locations punctuated by complex expository dialogue. Like the book, except that it made for a much better read. Not to mention the fact that it irks me that a film about the sacred feminine has relegated the female lead to the role of bystander. In the book, she deciphers a lot of the codes.
Mission Impossible 3 was very entertaining. Just the kind of action-fluff I was in the mood for. I think it's my favourite of the series.
I rented Match Point which was very good.
It was nice to catch up with a few folks at Suzy & Chris's engagement party.
Spent lots of time hanging with H&G this weekend. They are awesome kittens.
Posted by Dre at 9:34 AM
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Friday, June 02, 2006
Friday Feast
Appetizer:
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how funny do you think you are?
Maybe 3? I usually tend to be rather serious.
Soup:
Name a local restaurant would you recommend to a visitor to your town or city.
Suwanna. It's a traditional Thai restaurant that's located in a beautiful Victorian B&B on the west side. The Service is fantastic and the food is even better! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it....
Salad:
What's a lesson you were lucky enough to learn the easy way?
Things are a lot easier if you do your homework.
Main Course:
Where would you like to be 5 years from now?
I'm not sure.
Dessert:
If you could see the front page of a newspaper from June 2, 2106, what would you imagine the headline might be?
Strife in Middle East Continues
Posted by Dre at 9:31 AM
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