Thursday, November 30, 2006
Good food, good friends and a touch of productivity.
I caught up with Chad last night over a tasty dinner at Swiss Chalet. This seems like the calm before the storm of the Christmas season. Still, though, I'm aiming for a fairly quiet Christmas this year.
While we were out, I also picked up some supplies for painting so I can do a couple of commissioned pieces for a co-worker.
I then spent the latter half of my evening getting things ready for the reading of Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika next Tuesday a t 7:00 PM at the SJTC loft (86 Prince William Street, 4th floor). All are welcome by the way - there are 25 parts to read and we need both readers and listeners!
Posted by Dre at 8:02 AM
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Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Painting Again
Kristi and I made plans to do a bit of painting last night. We started the evening with a quick trip to the grocery store and then a quick and tasty dinner at Swiss Chalet, and then we headed back to my place to get to work on the paintings.
Kristi is working on a painting that will be a Christmas gift. She managed to get it blocked in which is a great start. I, on the other hand, have FINALLY gotten back to Colin's b-day painting. I've decided to do it in oil so it'll be slower going but the results should be more along the lines of what I am looking for. We watched Singing in the Rain while we worked, as Kristi hadn't seen it. What a wonderful film. I never tire of it and I'm always amazed by the incredible talents of Gene Kelly.
Posted by Dre at 12:05 PM
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
A Printer & A Movie
I had intended to hit the gym last night but my cough developed into something pretty wicked by the end of the day due to some good ol' chest congestion. So instead, I headed out to Staples and got a new printer for myself. My old printer was ready to retire and I'd been puting off getting a new one. So many choices, but I wound up getting an HP printer that is pretty basic. I don't need one that also scans and copies and is a fax machine. I went with HP because it's less expensive to refill the ink cartridges and seemed a good price for the quality I was looking for. When I hooked it up to my Mac, it worked wonderfully with the OS and now I can even print right from iPhoto!
I then curled up on the couch and settled in to watch The Virgin Suicides, which Colin had lent to me. It's hard to belive that this was the first movie that Sofia Coppola directed. It's wonderful.
Posted by Dre at 8:02 AM
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Monday, November 27, 2006
Weekend Update
Our work Christmas party was on Friday evening. I know - it does seem a bit early to have a Christmas party, but I'd imagine it gets more difficult to book things the closer you get to Christmas. This year we had a dinner and dance that was held upstairs at the thistle-St. Andrew's Curling Club in the north end. The decorations were lovely (lots of white twinkle lights) and it was nice to see everyone dressed up. I opted to stick to straight Clamato juice as I was dealing with a cold. The dinner was lovely. Lots of turkey and dressing and veggies. I devoured a very large plate of food and enjoyed the conversations and company. Then the band started. It seemed like a small space to have a live band. So it was pretty loud. They sounded good (even though I don't listen to country or country rock) but I was getting an ear-ache and couldn't hear any more conversation so I opted to head home after making it through their first song. (As it is, I already have a hard time chatting in busy social situations where there's lots of background noise, as I always find myself struggling to hear what people are saying.)
Saturday was an afternoon of play readings at the Saint John theatre Company loft. I actually wasn't really looking forward to them because I felt as though I still wanted a bit of a break from theatre, but I went anyway and wound up really enjoying the afternoon. There was a good turnout and the plays and the readings were great. It'll be hard for the committee to pick a few for the one-acts in February, but I'm happy to be choosing from a selection of ones I like.
After the readings a few of us wound up down at Churchill's to get a bite to eat. After that, Jay & Lisa M & I headed over to Lisa & Anthony's to check out their Nintendo Wii. It was pretty cool, although not something I think I'd buy. There is something to be said for playing tennis/baseball/golf/bowling/car racing with a wireless 3-d controller. Definitely worth checking out. We then decided to head over to the Blue Olive to see Kizzy singing with the house band, but she'd called in sick, so we stuck around for one drink and then headed home. It had been a full day.
Sunday was a blissfully quiet one. I did a bit of gaming (yes - more Lego Star Wars on the Xbox 360) and headed out to the vortex (as I lovingly call McAllister place & environs, thanks to the fact that I usually head out that way intending to take 20 minutes and pick up one item, and wind up spending 4 hours and more money than I'd planned - it just sucks you in!) I wound up picking up the one item I went out to get - a new artists easel. This will make working on paintings a lot easier than my table-top easel that I was using. Also, it will holder larger canvasses than the table-top one. I plan to get back to painting this week. I didn't start on Sunday because I wanted to finish the book that I'm reading for book club (Luck by Joan Barfoot). I wound up staying up a bit late to finish it. It was a good and interesting read. Her style or writing is quite unique. I'm looking forward to our first book club meeting next Sunday!
Posted by Dre at 8:04 AM
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Friday, November 24, 2006
Mmmm... Bond
I went to see the early show of Casino Royale last night. It was even better than I'd hoped for. I think Daniel Craig makes an excllent new Bond. The movie was long but good. Totally worth seeing on the big screen. Lots of great action that aren't too gadget laden. Excellent eye candy on all levels too! Unfortunately, Kizzy and I were seated between a guy chatting to his girlfriend about the film through the entire thing and a woman (in the row behind us actually) who hummed through the entire film. Ah the joy of going to the theatre.... :-)
Posted by Dre at 8:05 AM
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Friday Feast #119
Appetizer
Have you ever changed a flat tire by yourself?
Yes.
Soup
Do you have an "innie" or an "outie" belly button?
Innie.
Salad
Name a new paint color and describe it.
Deep Sea - rich blue/green/purple swirls
Main Course
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The unwrapping of the gifts on Christmas morning one at a time while enjoying coffee and treats and listning to classic Christmas tunes. It makes it more of an event than if you rush through it.
Dessert
If you were a cookie, what kind of cookie would you be, and why?
I have no idea.
Posted by Dre at 7:44 AM
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Thursday, November 23, 2006
Slow
Things are slow at the moment. Work is busy, but all else is pretty slow. I'm enjoying the break. And I need a bit more rest - to try and get healthier again. Thank goodness for modern over-the counter cold medications that mask symptoms enough that I can function!
I've been listening to radio stations over iTunes lately. Today I'm listening to The 1920's Radio Network while I work.
I'm looking forward to seeing Casino Royale tonight. I've heard it's long but good. I think it'll be worth seeing on the big screen. I hope the crowd isn't too chatty though. I have to admit that I'd probably go to the theatre more often if people weren't so noisy. It's so disrespectful to other people there. I'm reminded of the Student Dress Rehearsal we did at the Imperial last week. I couldn't believe how much people were talking through it. The worst part is when you're up there putting on a show and pouring your heart out and you can hear the chatting. And trust me - we CAN hear you out there. /end rant
Posted by Dre at 12:55 PM
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Wednesday, November 22, 2006
More Lego Star Wars!
I was feeling unusually tired yesterday, and I barely managed to drag myself through my work day. Even a caffeine boost didn't seem to help. So I decided a quiet night in was the order of the day. I picked up a used copy of Lego Star Wars II for the Xbox 360 and enjoyed that for a while. (I'd played the first one through to the end and loved it!)
Now I know why I was so tired yesterday. I woke up this morning with a new cold. Hopefully this one won't last too long.
Posted by Dre at 5:48 AM
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Quiet Time
Colin, Beth & I caught up with Joanna after work yesterday. She's about to head to Halifax for her jaw surgery and she'll be away from work for a couple of months. I hope it all goes well for her!
After that, I made a quick stop at Superstore for some cat food, and then headed home to enjoy a quiet evening in. I spent a bit of time gaming (Oblivion), and a bit of time reading.
It looks like I'll be ataking one more day off before I get back to the gym. The feet, legs and back are still sore and I don't want to hurt myself.
Posted by Dre at 7:52 AM
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Monday, November 20, 2006
Post-Show Recuperation
(Thanks to Brian Goodwin for the great photo!)
I had an awesome time doing Noises Off! Thanks to a wonderful cast and crew for making it such a great experience. I learned a lot about physicality for this show. Last week was hectic to say the least. And Saturday was so full. We did two shows that day, and my family met me for dinner and came to see the show. Mom and Dad, and Pat and Jennifer came from the Halifax area, and Jessie and Reg came all the way from Saskatoon! It was so nice to see everyone!
I caught up with them after the show, then popped in at the cast party - just long enough for the speeches and then went home to rest. I wasn't up for a night of drinking and dancing. I was way too tired and my legs and (especially) my feet were too sore to even keep standing.
Sunday was indeed a day of rest. I met my family for a late breakfast at Reggie's, and we hung out at my place for a bit before they headed back to Halifax. I got a nice long nap in, and then I went to see the early evening show of Stranger Than Fiction, which was quite enjoyable. I got home, gamed for a bit, then hit the hay.
I'd planned on getting to the gym today but I'm going to have to put that off until tomorrow. My legs and feet are still really sore.
Posted by Dre at 8:06 AM
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Thursday, November 16, 2006
Life Imitates Art.
We had our full dress rehearsal with a student audience for Noises Off last night. In a fun evening of life imitating art, we had a few small things happen behind the scenes that were a little whacky. Thankfully, as the evening went on, things started to run a little more smoothly as we went.... for the most part. Throughtout the evening, we had some mixed-up lines, missed or off cues, I had a great wipe-out (chasing Mrs. Clackett out of the study door) and a blind stage entrance as we tried to get back on set for our curtain call. All sorts of entertaining stories for future gatherings! :-)
Tonight is our opening night! Where does the time go?
Posted by Dre at 10:54 AM
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Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Mid-Vacation Update
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've taken the week off so that I can get a few things done around home and focus on Noises Off. We've moved into the Imperial and have actually gotten a chance to try things on the real set. As I'd suspected, it was a large adjustment. Enough so that our first time through, I found myself just trying to get through it, let alone actually communicating with the other characters in the play. Last night ran a little better, and it was the first time we got a chance to do Act 3 on the set as well.
On the home front, I finally got a chance to take care of laundry and getting my apartment clean on Monday. Yesterday, I got groceries and did a bit of shopping. RW & Co. opened at McAllister Place yesterday and I found a couple of great new tops there.
Today will be a day f more errands, such as bringing in some recycling and picking up some shoes that I'd brought in to get repaired. Tonight will be out first audience. It's our full dress rehearsal, which is open to students. We're going to have to remember not to step on the laughs.
Posted by Dre at 10:54 AM
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Friday, November 10, 2006
Friday Feast #20
Appetizer
What are your plans for the upcoming weekend?
A big day of rehearsal on Saturday. I hope we take a short break at 11 for a moment of silence. It is Remembrance Day after all. An even bigger day on Sunday that will consist of set disassembly and loading, followed by a full run, followed by loading props into the Imperial and possibly more. (We have been warned to "Be prepared for a long day!") I'm pretty exciting about moving into the Imperial. I can't wait until the set is built so the cast can get used to it. We'll only have a couple of short evenings to walk/run the set and try to re-adjust our timing for all of our blocking and cues. Then, I have next week booked off on vacation! I decided to take the week off so that I can (1) catch up on a bit of sleep, (2) have some time to get some much needed personal things done, such as bringing my car in for an overdue checkup, and doing groceries and laundry. It'll be busy evenings at the Imperial theatre as we prepare for our Opening Night of Noises Off on Thursday!
Soup
Who was the last person you talked to on the telephone?
I got a phone call at work yesterday from a fellow who is organizing Aliant's Christmas float this year. They have a theme and wanted to know if I could help with the design again this year. Unfortunately, the Christmas parade is on Saturday the 18th and I'll be busy with Noises Off. Unless I come up with some grand concept while I'm in the shower....
Salad
Name a hobby that you've tried but eventually gave up for some reason.
Macramé. I'd joined 4H when I was in grade 4, hoping that it would lead to fun new experiences. All it lead to was a finer understanding of knot work.
Main Course
What is the most important personality quality in a mate?
It's so hard to just pick one... intelligence? That's important to me, but then, if they don't have respect for themselves and others, then why bother with anything else. I'll go with respect.
Dessert
Why is the sky blue (be creative with your answer)?
Ah yes - the joy of light refraction. I know, not very creative. But that's about all I have time for before I get through my Friday workday.
Posted by Dre at 7:50 AM
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Thursday, November 09, 2006
Turning It Up
Now that I know all of my character's intentions and motivations and I'm getting the hang of the blocking, it's time to tweak things a little more and make my character even bigger. Belinda is no longer just nice. She is now SUPER nice and overly dramatic about everything. It gives the other characters more to feed off of, and certainly makes things more interesting. I may even require some calisthenics to warm up for this part!
Noises Off opens a week from today at the Imperial Theatre!
Posted by Dre at 12:08 PM
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Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Bits & Pieces
- A belated congratulations to Anthony for running his first 1/2 marathon on the weekend and beating his expectations and finding a new PB (Personal Best)!
- A belated congratulations to Todd Price for his spectacular run at the New York City Marathon on the weekend. He came in 272 out of 38,000 and did it in 2:46:54!! (And - he was the 4th fastest Canadian there!)
- Interesting bit of news that Jay passed along: I guess the guys in INXS are planning on retiring the name "INXS" and going back to their original band name, "The Farriss Brothers." I hope this change doesn't hurt their sales in any way. Time will tell.
- I went for a run after work yesterday. Man it's getting dark early now, even with the time change. It looks like if I want to run outside, I'm going to have to start doing it at lunch now.
- One week until our first audience for Noises Off. Our full dress rehearsal is open to students for a greatly discounted price. Meanwhile, rehearsals are plugging along. I need to find time to go over everything again before my next rehearsal (tonight).
Posted by Dre at 8:02 AM
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Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Small Things
The role that I'm playing in Noises Off is going to require a lot of running around - and a lot of running up and down stairs. In preparation for the stairs, I thought I'd spend a little time on the stairmaster at the gym yesterday.
Rehearsal went well. We worked through the little bits and pieces that needed tweaking or practise.The blocking is akin to a very precise convoulted dance. I just hope I can remember everything!
When I got home from rehearsal I took the chicken soup broth that I'd made the night before, and I added stuff to it to make a hearty soup. I love homemade soups! (Guess what I'll be eating all week?)
I had a night full of dreams - mostly ones where things had to be repeated over and over (like we'd been doing in rehearsal) and others where I was actually going through my lines and cues from the play. Oy.
Posted by Dre at 8:11 AM
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Monday, November 06, 2006
Noises Off opens in a week and a half!!
Friday evening was pretty mellow. I met Lisa at the gym for a workout. We then decided it'd be nice to stop out for a glass of wine. Anthony came and joined us, and we ran into Pauline and David and chatted with them for a bit. I was home and ready to crash by 9:30. It had been a long week.
Saturday was a full day of rehearsal - we worked on Act 2. We're at the point where we really seem to be ramping things up, which is just making the show funnier and funnier. After rehearsal, Lisa and I headed out to Swiss Chalet for dinner and then we went to see the movie The Queen which was very good. I can see why there's a lot of talk about Helen Mirren getting nominated for an Academy award for this role. We'd gone to see the early show, so it was a nice surprise to get home before 9 PM. I decided to take it easy and put in Pride & Prejudice.
Sunday I was up early enough to roast a small chicken before I had to be at rehearsal. We worked on Act 3, broke for lunch and visited the partially assembled set, and then regrouped and did a mostly full run with what costumes we had. It was a bit shakey - I need to sit down and review my lines and blocking notes again. I keep second-guessing myself and I would rather be a bit more comfortable with it all so I can be even more in the moment.
After rehearsal, I went home and made supper from the chicken I'd roasted, and I cleaned the carcass of meat and put the bones on to simmer for soup. I love home-made chicken soup! I watched a bit of TV and played a bit of Oblivion. I had a late evening sugar craving and made a 1/2 batch of peanut butter cookies. Aww yeah! I wanted to go over my script and notes but I was just tired of the show. Perhaps that'll be my lunch hour today....
Posted by Dre at 8:04 AM
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Friday, November 03, 2006
The 32-Type Dating Test
The Sonnet
Deliberate Gentle Love Dreamer ( DGLDf )
Romantic, hopeful, and composed. You are the Sonnet. Get it? Composed?
Sonnets want Love and have high ideals about it. They're conscientious people, caring & careful. You yourself have deep convictions, and you devote a lot of thought to romance and what it should be. This will frighten away most potential mates, but that's okay, because you're very choosy with your affections anyway. You'd absolutely refuse to date someone dumber than you, for instance.
Lovers who share your idealized perspective, or who are at least willing to totally throw themselves into a relationship, will be very, very happy with you. And you with them. You're already selfless and compassionate, and with the right partner, there's no doubt you can be sensual, even adventurously so.
You probably have lots of female friends, and they have a special soft spot for you. Babies do, too, at the tippy-top of their baby skulls.
ALWAYS AVOID: The 5-Night Stand, The False Messiah, The Hornivore, The Last Man on Earth
CONSIDER: The Loverboy
Thanks to Blaine for finding this test. Here is the link to it: The 32-Type Dating Test by OkCupid.
Posted by Dre at 8:14 AM
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Thursday, November 02, 2006
Full Run
We tried out our first full run (off book of course) of Noises Off last night. there were a few shakey sections, but otherwise it went pretty well. I can't believe we open in two weeks!
Posted by Dre at 8:10 AM
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Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Egged
I got home from work and out of my costume. I was ready for normal clothes again. And I was tuckered out (probably from getting up so early) so I took a 45 minute nap. Then Lisa and I went to the gym for a full workout. I'm glad we went. Heck, I'm always happy that I've gone! From the gym, we both went to get some much-needed groceries. I got home, unloaded the groceries to the counter, and then went to go park my car.
As I circled around Canturbury Street to come back and park on Germain Street, my car got egged. While I was driving. Lovely. I think the worst part about it was when I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw that the guy who had done it and who was running away was not a young kid. He looked like he was in his late teens. Now living uptown, I don't have a driveway and hose so I can't just give my car a quick wash. I didn't want to leave the egg on the car - who knows what it'd do to the paint as it dried on, and who knows when I'd have a chance to wash it again. So I headed out to the Esso on the east side to get my car washed. It's the only touchless car wash that I know of. Well, other than the ones where you get out of your car and wash it yourself - but those require cash and I only had 22 cents on me. So, by the time I got home at about 9:45 PM, I still hadn't put the groceries away, and I still hadn't even had supper. Needless to say, there wasn't much of an evening left. I hastily put the groceries away and just had something really quick to eat. I also took a much-needed shower and washed all of the halloween hairspray out of my hair. I then sat down to go over my script but I didn't get very far before I started to doze off. So much for spending the bulk of the evening working on the play.
Posted by Dre at 7:55 AM
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