Weird

How very Halloweeny - I have spent my entire day feeling a little spooked.

Apparently I am more stressed than I realised. I hate it when that happens. Because arguably, it's better to know you are stressed so you can just deal, instead of waking up in an inexplicable panic with a dark ring around your mouth. Normal people get dark rings under their eyes. When I get stressed I get it around my mouth. It's not pretty and no amount of moisturizer is going to make it go away.

The weird part (besides it sneaking up on me) is that there is nothing NEW on my plate. Yes, I am in a state of flux, starting to think more seriously about my thesis and the practicalities. And applying to PhD programs in 2 months. (Because I am just such a sane person when I apply to schools.) And finishing the quarter, yadda yadda. I THOUGHT I had this under control.

Now that I have been alerted, I am craving crap like chicken pot pie and apple brown betty (oh Domestic God, I need you!). But since my body had decided it doesn't like the gym, I can't really justify piling on the calories in some futile attempt to quell the Stress Monster. Looks not unlike Cookie Monster, but his fur is dingy yellow like something puked on it. I deal with what I can and obsess about the rest.

In good neighbor news, I finally saw the Missing Girl, who is fine. She was just out of town for a while. But she thought it was sweet that I checked up on her.

on Pandora: "Up at the Lake" - The Charlatans

Brrr

Holy crap it got cold!

I know I complained about this early, and this isn't that kind of complaint. Candidly, it's overdue. But that doesn't mean I particularly like padding around my house wrapped in a blanket, with my butt or toes placed over the heater and having to start do the layer thing. It has almost past the temperature point where I can wear my gorgeous red velvet coat.

Since my mobility is limited by the blanket, I am much more inspired to do some online browsing for things like space heaters and slippers (the monkeys died in Chicago). But I found a place that sells hats with ear flaps (I thought Kallisti would make fun of it, but being a native Chicagoan, he really didn't), and matching glove-mittens.

Also annoying, the 40 degree temperature differential. In the morning it is about freezing, but supposed to get in the sixties, which means the shedding and potential loss of layers. The only good thing about this is that my travels are generally limited to Kantner and the library, so it makes the finding a wee bit easier.

The cold is not helping my health plan either. A few years ago, Cheese Fiend and I discovered that we have the primordial instinct to build the layer of fat and hibernate as soon as the temperature drops. So yesterday was a constant battle against my desire to pad my butt with pasta and junk. Did make it out to the gym, but skipped out without doing a full 20min cardio. And I am sleeping all the time. Then again, it might still be recovery from the weekend. (Neighbors vouched that they were in the same recovery boat). Also officially a sign of the advent of Cold - my constant need for lotion and the static is back. So if you see me with a hat on, it is partially to keep my head warm, and partially to hide the hideousness that is my Van de Graaf hair. (let's not even discuss what happens when I take OFF the hat...)

OK, enough with the computer. I'm gonna park my butt on the couch and catch up on some reading, with my toes tucked into the cushions.

Helluva Halloween

(the Nightmare kids with Zero and Oogie Boogie)

Until I finished my lobby display, I would not allow myself to blog. And I finally got that up about an hour ago.

This weekend was chock-full-o-Halloween. And it was awesome. Athens hosts one of the largest parties in the Midwest, so all the streets were blocked, the horses tried not to look startled at the odd costumes, and the drinking started extra early.

Kallisti came down from Chicago to witness/participate in the madness. He went as Jack the Ripper, which was especially apt as we cut through alleys to avoid the corseted tarts on Court Street. I was the Cracked Tooth Fairy, which was mostly just an excuse to wear pink fuzzy bat wings, a pink wig and too much makeup. The designers collectively went as Nightmare Before Christmas, which was most impressive. Oogie Boogie was made out of a costume from the most recent show. Sally wore 8 skeins of yarn, and we had Santa in the bag. Extra special: accosting guys dressed as Santa on Court Street.

(Sally and Jack or "Goth Prom")

Saw alot of Sailors (take a drink), bumblebees (312s), the Teletubbies, Beer Pong, and Halo. Missed "I'm a Banana, just not yet" and Paris Hilton in Jail, but pretty nice array of costumes.

To no one's surprised, the collected theatre people ended up at Blue Gator. Once collected, we moved forward to the next house party, which involved some excellent homebrew, which almost made up for the long walk in the cold. Got home somewhere around 4.30AM.

(he chivalrously gave up his sweatshirt and got the wings in exchange)

Yesterday I was in full recovery. Kallisti and I finished off the pizza while lounging on the couch watching the Bears lose. I felt bad that he didn't see more of Athens, since it was cold and rainy almost all weekend, but there are always other weekends.

Puking Pumpkin

On my way to run Halloween errands, I saw this, which was so funny, I got out of the car to take a picture.
I don't know these people, but I love them.

Hanging around the apartment

Two slightly interesting things happened in the apartment today.

1. Finally borrowed a stud finder from 847. He made sure it was properly calibrated, since it found him. Which means I finally got to hang my nice art. All of the sudden, my apartment looks grown up. Well, maybe not grown up, but nicer. Have Kadinsky over the couch, an old astronomy print from my aunt & uncle's house over the table, and the gorgeous mirror I got in BA is now in my bedroom.

2. Spent part of this morning calling all around Athens trying to find my neighbor. The story: the girl next door has not picked up her mail, turned on the lights, or even pulled the neighborhood bulletin out of her door. This seems like a weird time in the quarter to take off. Call me alarmist, but I worry. So I called the registrar, who told me to call OUPD, who told me to call Athens PD, who asked me to call my landlord. The landlord shared my concern and said they would try to call her. I heard the police knocking at her door. Hopefully she is just crashing with friends. And personally, if I had disappeared for a week, I would hope someone would check up on me.

on the toob: Queer Eye (no gym for me, it's raining cats & dogs)

Bardolatry

It's my new favorite term, used to indicate the obsession with Shakespeare that leads to his secular sainthood and a hell of an industry.

In the 270 theater history lecture, the professor did an informal survey of how many people had ever been to the reconstructed Globe. So I raised my hand. Who's been to Stratford-upon-Avon? That would be me. Who's been to or participated in a Shakespeare festival? Up, me again (I have like 7 Shakespeare shirts as evidence of my geekdom).

What was weird was the fact that I was the only person out of 70 who raised their hand. Then again, I was the only person who had ever seen a Greek theatre in person. How is it that NONE of these kids have been dragged to some Shakespearean location/event? I mean, I realise that I am extra geeky, and that I hadn't been to alot of these places until after I graduated, but still, none?

Somewhere in a box, there is a picture of me and the Cheese Fiend grinning in front of the Globe stage, which was being mopped by a stage manager (extra bonus points!)

on Pandora: "Heaven Knows I'm Lonely" - Cracker

River walking

To celebrate another freakishly nice weather, I put away the books and pulled on my shorts and sneakers. There is a really nice, paved trail that skirts the edge of campus. Walked a nice loop along the Hocking River, then up Court Street to my house.

Living in Chicago, I developed a taste for ambling. Today was the first day I had a proper amble here in Ohio. I do lots of walking, but it's very destination-oriented. Up the hill to the theater, up the hill to the library, up the hill to the Gator, et al. Instead of hitting the hill, I got a much more scenic, leisurely walk. Gorgeous trees, bright blue sky, slow-flow river. And Chicago is scenic, but in a different way.

Didn't get as much work done as I would have liked, but how many more days like this will I get?

Pretty AND Productive

All the factors pointed toward the opposite, but somehow, I have managed to do alot of work today.

Woke up nice and late this morning to an impossibly blue sky and extra eager birds. It was nice to laze out of bed, after being coaxed into going to the Gator after Mathematical Madness. Nothing like finding holes in a proof over beer. What was going to be an appearance turned into closing the joint down with the rest of the 1st years. Insisted that one girl hang out at my house before driving home, or just sitting in her car. Because I have a perfectly useful and conveniently nearby couch perfect for just such occasions. Watched Bridget Jones' Diary till I fell asleep.

Today, I have been fighting my usual low-energy. I swear, I think my body's alternator is out of whack, because I just can't seem to recharge my battery. But I burned through quite a bit of reading, prepped a preliminary biblio for my thesis, spent 2 hours in the library scanning Salvador Dali illustrated Macbeth for my students, while researching a potential paper topic. And got a big jump on my presentation for Thursday. I almost don't want to stop, but I do need to go to the gym before it gets really late.

By just blowing through work, I don't have a chance to be overwhelmed by the amount of reading-reseach I will be doing in the very near future. But I have now added quite a bit to my wishlist!

Tomorrow, I have another play to read before finishing my presentation, and posting part of the dramaturgical display for Macbett. Unless I decide to go hiking. Or to Target.

on Pandora: "Run" - Ben Kweller

Happy Birthday to my Blog

bringing you one whole year of Mindful drivel!

Clothing makes the man

Same event, different topic = new entry

Our project involved some mild costuming. Workers had to wear jeans (haha!). I had to wear a suit, or at least jacket, as the mediator. This was both a revelation and source of hilarity.

For me, I generally dislike wearing my suit, or even the jacket. I just feel kind of fake. And it's still warm, but I had to wear it so I wouldn't lose it. To mitigate the suit-iness of it, I wore my Bert-shirt and a skirt with it. Sadly, it was the skirt that likes to twist an inch every few steps so that by the time I hiked up the Hill to class, it was pretty much on backwards. On top of being awkward in a jacket, I got to be graceless as I spun my skirt around right way.

I have decided that I am not a blazer kind of girl. I don't know how boys do it. It just feels so weird. And I know that it looks great, but what's the point of looking great if you feel weird in your own skin. I much prefer the shapeless zip-up fleeces or rainbow sweater. Also not a pull-over kinda girl, but that's because I have a static problem.

One member of our cast forgot to wear jeans. No good. But he's slight. So our director, a female, offered to swap pants (she remembered to wear jeans, even though she wasn't on stage). Funny on so many levels!

1. the simple and practical idea of just swapping pants
2. the fact that they fit both parties
3. after our performance, they went behind these prop doors (like a flat with a doorknob), changed back, and entered through the doors at the same time.

Don't know if it was choreographed or not, but I think #3 was my favorite!

It's called Satire people!

For my Intro to Grad Studies (500), I have been working on a group project for a couple of weeks, and we finally got to perform a silent (image-driven) version of it today. And it was a blast.

The story:
A factory of jeans workers goes on partial strike, only zigging designer jeans, and not zagging them. This garners them media attention which misconstrues every detail, turning a small labor dispute into a full-on strike. Only when an accident is interpreted as violence are sides willing to negotiate. Unfortunately, the only benefit the management is willing to placate them with is a cheap cheesecake.

(gotta have accuracy and realism)

We switched between media (brilliantly constructed by our TD on Final Cut, complete with subtitles, French speech and picture-in-picture. And a ticker running at the bottom of the screen. It was hilarious!

Unfortunately, the rest of the class didn't get that it was supposed to be funny. They wanted to impose really serious meaning, which was there, but they didn't realize we were being satirical. It was interesting to see what people understood based on images (workers with tape across their mouths, discord, who brought in the cheesecake, our TD as "the man behind the curtain".

I don't usually like group projects, but this group seems to operate well together and voluntarily. Curiously, ours was the only humorous play (there was a thing about honor kills done by white people). I wonder if it is because the majority of the team was more experienced professionally, or just in a position that we don't feel a need to be all serious to establish ourselves. Or maybe we all share a sense of humor. Because I know we all agree on how to get a message across.

If I can get the video, I will post it. Till then, here are some candids before the performance.

(them angry workers)

on iTunes: Frisky Radio

Little piece of geek heaven

At 1AM, I should not be excited about much of anything other than my bed. Especially not something so supremely geeky.

In preparing for my thesis research over break, I have started downloading pdf's of articles from the OU database. That way, I can travel with these articles and read them without internet access. But how do you make notes on a pdf without printing it out, wasting paper and increasing the schlep from my jump drive to a sheaf of paper? Hello Skim. It's this amazing little program that opens the pdf, saves the pdf as pdf, but allows you to circle, box, and make embedded notes or comments! Holy crap, it's perfect!

Now if only I could con DePaul to let me use their library, since I will be living across the street...

A Minion of my own

It seems that I am an in-demand dramaturg. Woo! Now I just have to fit it into my winter schedule. In addition to co-dramaturging with the other MA on Spring Awakening, a 1st year director asked me to be her dramaturg on How I Learned to Drive.

Before I even had a chance to voice my concerns, I was presented with an interesting option. Undergrads have been clamoring for dramaturgy projects that the MAs get first crack at. My mentor is trying to balance the needs of graduates and undergraduates. So he has paired me up with an undergrad assistant for one of the shows I will be working on.

This gives her a chance to see what is involved in dramaturgy without being thrown off the deep end. It gives me someone to do the scutt work of research. I will communicate with the director and find dramaturgical details to be explored. Hee!

My mentor specifically asked me to take on this undergrad more as a project in itself. My assistant is an intelligent, if socially-awkward junior. And apparently I will be good at setting boundaries and mediating some of the awkwardness. And learn the fine art of delegation. Which is something I am already working on in my 500 project, where I seem to be de facto artistic director of our hypothetical theatre company.

I tend to work very well one-on-one. And this is an exciting prospect both in the sense of having a minion, as well as a teaching project.

on iTunes: FriskyRadio

Nesting season

Like a thing possessed, I got my domestic on. The only thing scarier than me cooking, or the quantity that I cooked is the fact I could have done more if I hadn't run out of dishes.

Since my apartment was cool enough, I used the oven to make 2 kinds of muffins, corn and pumpkin oatmeal (a bit dry and burned on the bottoms, but otherwise tasty to me), simultaneously making a frozen pizza that should last a couple of days. Browned beef for spaghetti sauce and chili, which I later made in my rice cooker. Not super spicy, but pretty tasty for a first attempt. So I have that sitting in my fridge as well.


Right now, just about every dish I own is dirty, which is a huge bummer. Probably a double-round, one tonight, another tomorrow.

I even cleaned the bathroom, wrestled with the slip cover some more, and disinfected every horizontal surface.

What is wrong with me?

Oh, I have alot of writing to do. Maybe that's it...

on iTunes: "No Rain" - Blind Melon

Movie and dinner

Instead of sitting at home, perched on my heater, reading like a good grad student, I went out to play all day. I even managed to avoid all the Homecoming fest-ers.

It has become a regular event to catch a matinee on Saturdays, because they are $5 and we all like movies. Last week as In the Valley of Elah. This week was Across the Universe. By Julie Taymor (my favorite director), a narrative threading together the songs of the Beatles in a late 60s context. As expected, visually brilliant, innovative and interesting. Her treatment of "I Want You/She's So Heavy" blew me away. While the story itself was a bit trite, you didn't care, because the telling was so good. Julie Taymor is at her best when she is being hallucinogenic. Great cameo casting. I think I will be seeing this again. On Monday.

Found out that Hallo-giving was TODAY. I hate being out of the loop. Without any notice, I couldn't really make anything, so I brought cranberry sauce to be ironic. Actually, there was plenty of food, which was SO GOOD. It was open-door, so people came and went as schedules dictated. I stayed later to help clean up (and eat pie).

Came home long enough to read like 5 pages of film before heading up the hill for Betty's Summer Vacation. I had to see it this weekend so that I could write a scholarly review for Tuesday. So I sat scribbling notes in the dark about the acting and themes, while the other grads were taking notes on tech and design. Having read the script, and just knowing Durang in general, I knew what to expect, which allowed me to observe the audience. Betty's is a very dark comedy that satirizes society's current obsession with tabloid culture and celebrity trials.

Strangely, for not checking anything off my to-do list, I feel pretty productive.

on iTunes: "Si J'Avais Ete" - Paris Combo

Fall compulsions

Do you know that feeling when you are motivated by forces outside yourself? Or when you suddenly become obsessed with totally un-you things? Or the even scarier feeling of catching yourself doing it?

Within about 2 minutes all three of these realisations hit me today. First, I headed over to the hippie store to stock up on more spices and bulk items. Then,I was at the grocery store picking up what started as 4 project-oriented items. Suddenly, I was filling my basket (never get a cart, it's just asking for trouble), with all sorts of baking items and random items. I wasn't even hungry (another bad idea). I became aware of this weird cold-weather compulsion to make and eat food. And while I was aware of it, I couldn't really stop.

Now I have to make 2 kinds of muffins, a cranberry crunch, chili and something else involving potatoes. On the flip side, I do like me some muffins. And I can warm up my apartment with the oven, so I don't have to break down and turn on the heat. Which feels really silly when it is still above freezing and is just for me. But it does have me thinking of investing in a space heater. Having pretty much survived on space heaters in Yellow House, I know what to look for in a heater. Thermostat, timer, ideally a remote.

I am hoping that all of this cold-weather prep/lockdown will either get me excited about being cold. Or ideally encourage a return of the warm.

Need ideas

Now that I am a student, I finally have access to a gym. And I have been very good about going. I found a cardio machine that I liked. And I never minded the weight circuit.

However, I am rapidly running out of things that can distract me long enough to get anything done without my getting bored. My music is old. Wait Wait only puts out a new podcast once a week.

So, does anyone have recommendations of either gym music, or podcast. What I like about Wait Wait is its wittiness, and outright silliness.

Today is not a great example, since I feel too cold to head back outside after spending all day running around in 50F. I just want to curl up on the couch under my penguin blanket, shopping for slippers.

on the tube: Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

Fall fell hard

I swear yesterday it was like 90F, and today, I am wearing a jacket. While I liked the slightly longer summer, the abrupt shift kinda sucks. Easy me into it. Seduce me with 70s. Remind me to have clean jeans and socks.

And it's not just the cooler temperatures. The light is more autumnal. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than walking around campus I have noticed it. There is a quality and color that is distinctly un-summer. I can only hope someone else has sensed this, and I am not crazy.

Doesn't smell like autumn just yet, other than my pumpkin spice coffee.

I guess it just makes it easier to tuck in with a book.

on iTunes: "Sex Bomb" - Tom Jones

Chicago makes me happy

Two separate Chicago things make me a wee bit giddy today.

1. It looks like I will be heading back to Chicago for my winter break. I got a message from my favorite temp gig that they want me for at least a week. And I think I have found a good sublet situation. In my old neighborhood!

2. Google Maps just added street view to the Chicago maps. Which means if you type a Chicago address, click street view and the little person, you can see photos! So I looked at my old house and some of my regular spots!

(it's my old bus stop!)

And as a bonus, I might be heading up to Chicago to see some shows this weekend!

on iTunes: "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine" - Patti Page

the Practicalities of Midterm

The biggest event of the day centered on the exam for the class I TA. It was probably the only time we have actually had every single person there. And what I found striking, is the lack of honor code. Having taken classes at two universities that have some of the oldest honor codes in the country, the lack of it seems strange.

The exam took less than 50 minutes. Having seen the exam, I thought it was super easy, all objective questions that you could find in both the text and notes. Grading it took nearly 3 hours.

Divying the exams up by discussion groups, I burned through my section. However, I am a meanie. The other 2 people were much nicer, agonizing over answers. While it was frustrating that the students didn't do better, I felt that they had all the resources and information to do well. And since there wasn't any question(s) that students uniformly missed, I didn't feel it was an issue of not teaching the info well. Instead of taking it personally, I just tried to find the humor in the situation. Arisophicles from 2 students nearly made me lose it.

When all was said and done, the spread of grades was about right. It was freakishly well-spread among the groups.

On to creating a visual display for Macbett, and more reading. Ah semiotics.

Midterm

As I prepare to help grade midterms tomorrow morning, it gives me pause.

Admittedly, OU is on the quarter system, and this is only the first quarter, but things move fast here. Two mainstage shows open in a month, for example. And in a few months, I will have a degree.

But focusing on the smaller things: I have not missed a single class or meeting yet. I have finished all of my reading ahead of time except for once. I am ahead of schedule on my papers. I have started going to the gym, and I have managed not to kill my plant, Norman.

Now to tackle the other 5/6 of my MA!

Weird weather

Running my air conditioner in October is a bit of a surprise. As is the necessity of shorts and tank tops. Not as strange as the 85F weather for my December Greek History final in college, but still odd. Especially since I remember spending last September and October being quite cold and wet. And I remember wearing a turtleneck, rainbow sweater and cami + coat to quiz nights in April. So I can't tell which is weather anomaly and which is just Chicago.

Mind you, this isn't a complaint. The longer I can put off having to truck around in several layers, which means more things to lose and launder, the better. Besides, it is so much more inspiring to read when lying on a blanket in the sun, or walk around, or cope with the Hill when it's nice outside.

on iTunes: "So Sorry" - Feist

FA5 has my name on it

In case Fridays weren't wonderful enough in their inherent Friday-ness, today was extra Friday. While it has been a fairly light week in terms of work, my students really challenged me. And it was nice to lie on the couch and not be pissed off at the Cubs. Loafed around and read Christopher Durang, as if reading one of my favorite playwrights would be some onerous homework assignment.

(this is from a couple weeks ago, but you get the idea)

Fridays After Five (FA5) had some of my favorite elements. There weren't as many of the usual suspects because of Macbett rehearsal and Betty techs. But for those of us who were not trapped inside a darkened theater for 10 out of 12, or whatever the academic equivalent is, there was Greek food. Every so often we have a theme. One week was breakfast, another was Your Favorite Foods as a Kid (which made the drinking of beer ironic. Sadly I couldn't find a sippy cup). This week was Greek food. We have one bona fide Greek, who made this amazing chicken with tomatoes, cloves and cinnamon. Mmmmm. Now that I have located 312 in the 740 I am more willing to share my stash. (The other grad student who had lived in Chicago also brought 312). Then, instead of YouTubing, we watched Strictly Ballroom. Which is only one of my favorite movies!!! It was special because I haven't seen it recently, and because I was watching it with theater people instead of dance people. So it was interesting to see what they found outrageous (lighting, shoes). And how much of it is actually accurate.

So Strictly Ballroom and baklava with theater people! Combining 3 of my particular interests in one living room!

on Pandora: "All Mapped Out" - The Departure

Teaching tyrant

I will take it as merely coincidence that we discussed Ionesco's The Lesson today. (power struggle between professor and student that ends in the student's death).

In our pedagogy meetings, I realise that I am the hardass when it comes to putting up with student crap. And my desire to enforce the rules could potentially turn me into a tyrant. And my students lackluster responses is only heightening this potential.

As part of the Theater History course, students submit short (1 paragraph) responses to something in class. Of late, these have been REALLY broad, mostly opinion, and rarely grounded in the text. The fact that these students couldn't be bothered to learn how to spell, or at least spell-check only aggravates me more, since I have to spend 10 minutes just editing their work to a point that I can read it.

Last week's discussion on Medea and Lysistrata was engaging, interesting. Students were connecting their ideas with quotes from the plays. Every single person participated, which made me really excited about this week. However, this week, I had barely half my class submit anything. What I got was along the lines of "I don't get it" (yes, it's a foreign form, but give it a try). One guy's schtick is not liking anything. I get alot of "It was nice." Yuk!

It's very difficult to craft a truly interactive discussion if they won't throw the ball. Or if they throw the ball, the just throw it far enough for it to not be in their hands. I have to fight the impulse to lay down really firm ground rules of "there must be a quote", "you must proofread your work", "no attachments" or something as obvious as "put your freakin' name on it, no matter how shitty it is."

The other discussion leaders are much milder than I. Combined with what happens when I get this provoked. Oh well, maybe the midterm will whip them into shape. And if the others are too nice to do it, I will be happy to read them the riot act.

I think I will go home, drink a beer, and then respond.

This doesn't deter me from wanting to be a teacher, but it does make me more aware of the pitfalls of my temperament, as well as my teaching strategies.

on Pandora: "Gonna Get Myself into It" - The Rapture

Pushing Daisies

I think I may have a new favorite TV show. Sadly, it is too clever to last on network TV for long.

Pushing Daisies is produced and probably written by the same people who did Wonderfalls, which I love. And the premise is clever and well-thought-out. The visuals are lush, and the script is hilarious. There were at least 3 points at which I laughed out loud, and one in which I just marveled at the intelligence.

The only promising thing is that there were a million commercials, so maybe the money is interested.

on the tube: Cubs v D-backs, Game 1

Leader of the group

As part of a class, all of the first year grads have been divided into 3 groups to create a hypothetical theatre company. In general, the whole "group project" idea kinda annoys me. But at least we are given alot of creative free reign, and I am working with a group of interesting people.

We have been hashing out a mission, which is an interesting indicator of people's personal "aesthetics". It was funny to see how divisive the idea of "musical" is. Overall, we liked the "re's" of reinvent, reimagine, etc. But too quickly people started launching into tangents, which turned some sort of arts academy. When we brought in articles, that seemed to refine what we wanted to do. And the more we talked in specifics, the more exciting it got. As a dramaturge, and generally dominant personality who is most picky about language ("performance" rather than play is more inclusive and more "trendy" term in the journals and reviews), I was selected to compile the thoughts into a single mission. This plays to my strengths as a composer, as well as allow me to keep the line about "democratizing theatre". As it stands our performance piece is something about how a thing is misconstrued. Commentary on media, and the "breaking news" addictions. With projections and a ticker!

While we are thinking big exciting, youthful thoughts, the director got a bloody papercut, which required a band-aid. I'm not sure what this says about me, but I didn't even realise I was fishing them out of my green bag until she asked for a second one. Girl scout instinct? Hypochondria? Mothering? Secret addiction to things adhesive?

on iTunes: Groove Salad FM

Hee

This just made me laugh out loud. Now I watch House

Stepping into the red tape

I was so excited that today would be the first installment of my stipend. No more living off my loan!

But no, nothing can ever be that easy. So I called Graduate Studies to find out where my money is, only to be transfered. Because OU likes nothing better than pinballing you from office to office where ultimately no one actually has an answer for you.

Ended up talking to Payroll, who informed me that my paper check was waiting on the desk of my departmental secretary. Not helpful. How was I supposed to know that? To say nothing of the fact that Wachovia is not in Ohio, so I have to mail my check.

Apparently even though I did paperwork for direct deposit through the Bursar for my student loan, Payroll can't just get that info. So instead I have to fill it out AGAIN. And give ANOTHER voided check. Which doesn't help me this month.

hate