HUNGRY!!!!!

The current show I'm working on is Empty Plate At The Café Du Grand Boeuf and the characters spend about 50% of the show talking about FOOD! They describe these fabulous dishes at length and in great detail. This is a 7 course meal at a 5-star restaurant, not some roadside diner. Absolute torture! The descriptions get more beguiling and more embellished with each course. I have to listen to this 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. And on top of all of that, rehearsals are right through the dinner hour! So I'm starving by the time rehearsal is over, but my only options are 24-hour diner spots (IHOP, Denny's, etc.) or cheap Mexican spots. The show doesn't just make me hungry, it makes me hungry for GOOD food! I try to eat before each rehearsal, but with rush-hour traffic and construction, I barely make it to the theatre on time. No chance of me getting food beforehand. So dinner consists of colorful descriptions of these fabulous dishes. Too bad rehearsals aren't catered.

Inventions of Evil

Well, it's my first day back to work (daytime gig). ICK! The worst was having to set my alarm clock last night. I think that rates as one of the most depressing moments of my weekend. That's why I'd like to nominate the alarm clock as one of the top evil inventions of the modern, civilized world.

Reality Bites

Ok, so I just got done watching that movie. So sue me. I like the soundtrack, Ethan Hawke looks yum, it was filmed in a great city and there was nothing else on TV. On to my reality.

I'm back in home and reality crashed into me like a wall of bricks. I feel like I got off the plane and hit the ground running. My next show is suppose to start rehearsal tonight - except we only have half a cast (at least, I think we're that lucky). So instead of the usual first rehearsal consisting of a read-thru, introductions and design show & tell, we're running auditions. Yeah. Our first audience comes in 2 weeks from this Saturday. Oh, and after tonight, our next planned rehearsal is on Thursday. Today is Monday. That leaves us 1 1/2 weeks to rehearse before we go into tech week. (That's where we start throwing lights, sound and costumes at the actors.) Oh well, we'll see.

On top of that, I've got my show that I'm directing. I'm running auditions this weekend. Yikes! I HATE auditions! I hate them as an actor, stage manager and director. There has got to be a more efficient, less painful way of casting a show. It's always a crap shoot. Some people do lousy auditions, but are great once you get them to rehearsals. Others do great auditions, but never get past what they gave you at that initial audition. But on the flip side, I'm meeting with my set & light designer. One person, both positions. We work extremely well together and he's very talented. I feel like this production is really rolling now. I'm excited again about the show.

My Philippine Survival Kit

These are items I'll be packing for the next trip to the Philippines (in no specific order):



1) Umbrella - especially during the rainy season (which starts in August).





2) Tita Cora and/or Tita Grace - the former is Mom's sister-in-law, the latter is Dad's sister-in-law. They are some of the best hagglers in our family. ALWAYS bring them when shopping!

3) Dramamine - they come in orange-flavored chewable tablets now! I don't need it for planes, trains or boats, just cars in the Philippines. Urban & rural travel. If you're in the city, you'll need it for the potholes and crazy taxi drivers. If you're in the country, you'll need it for the potholes, winding dirt roads and crazy drivers.




4) Fan - the hand-held type. You'll need it 80% of the time (indoors & outdoors).




5) Boyfriend - real or rental, it doesn't matter. Pictures and/or assurances of one don't work. He has to be there in person.

6) Reservations at the Amigo Terrace Hotel (when in Iloilo City) - it's right in the middle of town, has a/c in the rooms, bathrooms with showers, hot water & toilets that flush and a great staff. Bell service not only takes care of your luggage, but will run out to the 24-hour pharmacy/convenience store for you!

7) Reservations at the New World Renaissance Hotel or Shangri-La Hotel (when in Manila) - aah...the joys of a 4-star hotel! Where does one start? Rooms, room service, lounge, restaurant, drivers, walking distance to Greenbelt, Landmark & SM...the list goes on.

8) Reservations at the Tirol & Tirol Beach Resort (when in Boracay) - the rooms look like nipa huts (those are the huts on stilts with thached roofs) from the outside and each room has a porch with chairs, table & hammock. Oh, and coffee delivered to your porch every morning.


9) A lightly-packed suitcase - that way you have room for the obligatory souvenirs, cheap pearls & loads of GREAT coffee!!!

10) Bottled water - make sure you have at least 2 on hand!

11) First class round-trip - flying coach for 20 hours is no fun!

12) Toilet paper / tissue paper - trust me, most public bathrooms don't stock them.

Philippines - Countdown Back To Reality

I finally made it to Manila! Philippine Airlines kept canceling flights from Iloilo City to Manila. We started getting scared. Normally there are about 5 flights to Manila a day, but during the week PAL was canceling flights and rebooking people on later and later flights. This would be such a problem except this week was a major event for the city. According to the mayor, every hotel was booked. With all the festivities over, many people are leaving. I was in the first wave of flights out. I was originally booked on the 4:00p flight to Manila. That was cancelled and I was moved to the 6:30p flight. THAT was cancelled and I was rebooked on the 8:10p flight. I was scared that I wouldn't get off the island till tomorrow - if I was lucky. Luckily, my flight out of Manila isn't until Tuesday, so flying to Manila on Monday wouldn't have been a major problem for me. Unlike my brother, who's flight back to the US is tomorrow morning at about 9am. He couldn't risk not getting off the island late, so he took the early morning flight out - which was full.

After figuring out that debacle, I thought it would be smooth sailing. I packed (after sleeping in - so yes, I missed church), visited with relatives for the last time, double & triple checked my luggage, passport, carry-ons - everything except my ticket. I didn't remember my ticket till we were about 5 minutes from the airport. So we had to turn around and get my confirmation printout and made it with minutes to spare. Except this is the Philippines and all sense of time is chunked out the window. So "minutes to spare" actually translated to 15 minutes before boarding the plane. Filipinos and their sense of time make the Spanish mañana attitude look punctual.

So now I'm in my hotel in Manila, winding down and getting ready to go to bed. FYI, I'm staying one of the 4-star hotels and it's FABULOUS! If y'all need recommendations on accommodations here in the Philippines, talk to me.

Some random pics from the trip to keep you entertained:





The drill field & chapel at CPU. This is a cheer competition they had during the anniversary.












Engineering students on the roof of the engineering building, rooting for their cheer team.

The ice cream man stopping by our boat at Boracay. No, really! It was the equivalent of the ice cream truck going through the neighborhood. Just replace the streets with the open waters and replace the houses with boats and voila! The nautical version of the ice cream truck!

Philippines - Dinner Under The Umbrellas

Today was the CPU Grand Reunion Dinner & Reception. With so many people here for the centennial celebration, there were very few venue options for tonight's event. The reception was housed in the gym with the overflow in the auditorium. There's just one teensy, weensy, tiny problem with this: the gym's not done yet. There's a roof and a floor and ... a roof. No walls, just the roof. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be an issue. It would actually be preferable to a gym with a roof & walls because we had breeze & air circulation without the walls. With as many people there, air circulation would have been a major problem. But I digress. Back to the no-walls issue.


Did I mention we are in the middle of the rainy season? Not only are we in the middle of rainy season, there is a typhoon headed to Japan & China. This means the Philippines is getting rain from that typhoon. We've been getting rain at least twice a day for the last 6 days and today was no different. We got rain as soon as dinner started. First we heard it, then as the wind picked up, we heard AND felt it. We're sitting in the middle of the gym, so I'm thinking we may be ok. The folks on the right edge of the gym started opening their umbrellas and the rest of us were gawking and giggling. Then the wind really picked up and we could see the rain blow in sideways. Umbrellas started popping up all over the gym. No one was paying attention to the children's dance troupe, our dinner entertainment. Everyone was too busy looking around at the sea of umbrellas and with all the umbrellas open, it was difficult to see the stage. Dinner was actually quite fun and funny. Everything after that seemed almost anti-climactic.




Well, almost. This is Dad singing with some of his frat buddies. This is the real reason why I went tonight, in the rain & flood and why I had dinner under a sea of umbrellas.

Philippines - P.S.

Mr. Nemesis,

Check your email. All the info is there. Hopefully you DID read and didn't randomly delete.








Us on the boat right before going snorkeling. Ain't you jealous?

Philippines - the lechon entry

I'm back in Iloilo City and we're in the midst of rainy season.

Yay.

I can't get any of my days straight anymore. Actually, the only day I can remember is Friday because:

Friday = university-wide picnic = lechon.

So I'm using lechon as my calendar benchmark. Speaking of the pigs, as soon as we hit the CPU (Central Philippine University) campus, we saw 2 cows on spits, cooked lechon-style. Nearby under a tent, about 30-40 lechon were neatly laid out, ready to be dropped off at various spots around campus. Those pigs were so yum! And let me tell you, those pigs didn't have a chance. Vultures & condors can't work as fast as a few hundred Filipinos. This one lechon was on the table being cut into and about 5-10 minutes later, I went up to get some and there was nothing but fat and bones left. That pig was picked CLEAN in under 10 minutes! Food everywhere and everyone's aunt / grandmother pushing you to the food line to make sure you ate enough.

I've got unlimited wireless at this hotel for the next 24 hours, so I'll update later tonight. In the meantime, here are some pictures for you viewing pleasure.

Rory at Boracay.

This view was about 30 steps from my front door at Boracay. Isn't it fabulous?

Philippines - pt 1

So I'm here in Boracay in the Philippines. It's the famous beach spot here. Getting here was a test in patience.

I came so unprepared for this trip because I had almost no time to get ready. I've forgotten stuff or didn't have time to buy stuff, so I'm constantly kicking myself.

My mother has reverted so far back in Filipino Standard Time that even has the native Filipinos saying she's late. That take alot of work! For those of us still running on an American sense of time, it's infuriating.

Let's talk about happier things. Like snorkeling among the corals and tropical fish. Like a string of black pearls for $20. Like a 1 hour massage for $15. Like toilets that flush, water coming out of the shower head, hot water coming out of the shower head & window a/c units. YEA!!!!!!

I'll elaborate more in another blog and get some pictures posted. Till then, I'll go work on my tan on the white beach by the blue waters. Ciao!

STS-114

Good luck & Godspeed, Discovery!!!

Back To The Rants

Ok, so I'm back to the semi-angry posts. I just have a few things to get off my chest.

1) Yesterday I was listening to a radio show that features the local arts scene. One of the artists they featured was the winner for the piano competition of a young music artist's competition. He was playing Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 and I think that's the piece he won with. At this point in their lives, the artists are quite accomplished and talented. As I was listening to him play, I started to get mad. Actually, I started getting upset within the first 3 measures. All I could think was "he won with this performance???". I spent half the drive home critiquing and mentally screaming at his performance. To my ears, it wasn't that good. There was no finesse, he steamrolled through the opening theme, his runs were muddy & he dropped some of the melody notes in the runs (among other things). I was venting to 2 of my friends last night and they both laughed at me and how upset I was getting. Very few things get me as riled up as a bad performance (music or acting). Wow, I really can be harsh.

2) This morning on NPR, they talked about the beginning of the impeachment proceedings for Philippine Pres. Arroyo. I hope it doesn't turn into another People Power event because I leave for there in 30 hours. With all the constant political upheaval & corruption, it's no wonder we don't take the government seriously. Come on, when a political nominee's biggest and ONLY advantage is the fact that they are/were a celebrity, what would you think?

3) This afternoon I read this in the LA Times. It further cemented my disdain of the colonial mentality that's still an overwhelming social factor in Asia.

Beauty and the Bleach

Sometimes my people make me so mad.

Yikes!!!

Nemesis called me today and said that he read my blog. He made the comment that my blog was angry...no...scary. After taking another glance at it, I do have to admit that some of the entries are scary and some could be viewed as scary. So I decided to comment on some non-angry stuff.

This weekend's social calendar was PACKED. My roomie and I held a dinner party on Friday, so the nights leading up to the dinner were jam-packed with cleaning, grocery shopping at midnight and more cleaning. The menu for the evening consisted of brochettes, salad, paella and dessert. Thank goodness I decided to have the brochettes for appetizer, because the first pan of paella didn't hit the table till 1 1/2 hours after the party started. (It was a Spanish-influenced menu, so we ran on a Spanish time-table.) Yes, I did say first pan of paella. Since there were some people who are suffering from a self-proclaimed allergy to seafood, I cooked a smaller, non-seafood batch of paella. The main pan hit the table about 20 minutes after the first was done and when I brought it to the table, the first pan was demolished. Judging by the wreck of the kitchen and the volume level of the room, I'd say the party was a roaring success. It was a little nerve-wracking having 80% of the party in the kitchen watching me cook. I'm not going to lie and pretend that they were there to admire my fabulous 3 1/2 inch, pink slingbacks with bows on the back (even though I've successfully trained most of them to check out and admire the shoes). Everyone had a great time and the food actually turned out ok. Even Mr. Cynical (a harsh critic), who came the following morning for leftovers, said it wasn't bad. It's been 72 hours and Roomie and I are still trying to clean up the kitchen.

The next day was yet another wedding. I missed last week's wedding due to a show (there's a surprise), but I was able to go to this one. The wedding was beautiful but scary. (I just said this would not be an angry blog, I never promised a non-scary blog.) The bride was a girl who I used to babysit and in my mind, is still 9. (To the mother-of-the-bride, there are laws against minors marrying that young!!!) No, she's not 9 any more, but to admit her real age would admit that I'm...older. (Shut up!!! I'm still 27!) It was great seeing everyone there. There were people who I haven't seen in awhile, mentors from my younger, more impressionable years. One of them was Mother-of-the Bride. I was able to visit with her today and catch her up with my goings-on over the past few years. (I hope I haven't scared you or given you cause for concern.) But it was a great visit and she gave me things for my brain to chew on.

I leave for the Philippines in less than 48 hours and I'm not anywhere close to ready. I haven't even thought about packing yet. This trip will be...interesting. Part of me is looking forward to the trip and part of me is a little apprehensive. It will be great to see family but I'm not looking forward to "How old are you? You're not married?". Those are the questions, verbatim and in that order. How do I know? That was the standard greeting I received the last time I was there. Not once, but by every single female relative and family friend I met there. Once during that trip, I was hit with those questions at least a dozen times. Before lunch. About a week into the trip, I vowed I would not return without a "boyfriend" physically present. The boyfriend could either be real or rented. I didn't have time to rent one for this trip and it's too late to acquire a real one AND his plane ticket within the next 48 hours. Sigh. The most I can do is find my current passport before I leave. And pack.

Pottermania - part 6

Yes, I am one of the millions who bought my (pre-ordered) book in the first 24 hours of its release. I was not one of the many who bought it at midnight - only because I didn't leave the bar in time to pick it up. And yes, I have finished the book. It took me a bit over 24 hours because I had 2 shows to work (even though I read during the show between cues), a luncheon to attend (interrupted by aforementioned show) and a bar to visit. All I have to say is:

I Can't Believe She Did That!!!!!!!!

A friend and I are scheduled to meet tonight over drinks to "discuss" the book.

Bitter, Party Of 1, Your Table's Ready

Guys suck! It's almost enough to make me want to hop the fence, except that would mean having to put up with girls. And right now, girls suck, too. Maybe I should look into joining the convent with the 30 ft. high, 3 ft. deep brick walls.

"You can't choose the ones you fall for." - The Admiral

Damn, damn, damn!!!

Low Tolerance

I'm discovering I have a low tolerance for incompetence and sheer stupidity. Let me restate that - I'm discovering just how low my tolerance is for incompetence and stupidity. I had to let one of my employees go because he fucked up BIG. Basically he let his party ways interfere with his responsibilities. On the eve of one of the biggest sale days at the store, he decided he was going to party hard with his buddies. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to pass judgment on how you play and how hard you play on your own time. I, too, was coming to work after just 3 hours of sleep. When he parties hard, it usually translates to drinking into the not-so-wee hours of the morning (ie. it's 9am and they're still drinking). I'm sure this is what happened (he's very predictable). The problem is that we opened at 8am and he was a no-show. He was a no-show until 1pm. So we were short employees on a day we usually get slammed with customers. He actually had the audacity to ask if we were busy. On a phone call he made 3 hours after we opened. After my boss called asking for him. He was toast! And he was actually debating on whether or not he would come into work! He shows up 5 hours later thinking he still had a job. HA! What really sucked about the whole situation is that he was my right-hand man and he left me high and dry. He didn't even apologize when he came in. I guess he thought he could just slip in. Idiot! I know he's hard up for money and normally he's responsible and he's competent and he's a nice guy, but he messed up and I feel no remorse or pity. It's one thing if you don't know how to do something, not everyone can do every job. It's another thing if you're irresponsible and just too stupid for your own good. You deserve to get weeded out. Preferably out of the gene pool.

I HAVE A NEW PROJECT!!!!!!!!!

So I've been busy with my 2 current shows. As if I don't have enough to do I have a new project & I'm STOKED! Only lately have I been vocalizing about my project because I'm a little superstitious and I didn't want to say anything and end up jinxing the project. I will (cross my fingers) be directing a show in the fall. The crazy thing about this project is how different events & people have been falling into place. It's like the stars & planets have all aligned - and are pointing to this project! Yea!!!!!!! So I'm sure as I approach fall, more and more of these blogs will be about the project. So I apologize ahead of time for all of the shop talk.

Star Wars!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I did see Revenge of the Sith. And yes, I did see it more than once (twice, at the moment). And I plan to see it at least once more (ahem, ahem). The script needs help.
"Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo when all we had was our love." Blah, blah, blah & gag. At least the fights more than made up for the unspeakable lines.

Eek!!!

Last night, I had one of my funky show dreams. I dreamt that I was in a performance for this current show, but the set was slightly different. Not enough to be totally unrecognizable, but enough to confuse me. Apparently, everyone else was alerted to the changes EXCEPT me. I'd set out the props but everyone kept yelling that they were wrong, scene changes were in different spots, so either I'd be out in the middle of the scene or I'd miss a change, costumes changed so I had no idea who was wearing what, people were constantly screaming at me...fun stuff. Then the set morphed into an outdoor, idyllic forest scene. The bulk of my show takes place indoors, so I have no idea where the woods came from. Then Renee Zellweger appeared onstage (apparently we added performers) and I woke up - as my radio alarm kicked on, telling me about her wedding. The weird thing is (other than Renee Z's shotgun wedding) that it's been over a year since I've had this kind of dream. I usually get them about this time in the rehearsal process (tech / preview week).

How Did You Get In???

So I'm talking with my nemesis and we're complaining about how stupid the general public can be. My big amazement is how some of these people have matriculated to college! There are people still coming in to buy their textbooks NOW, 3 weeks before finals. Here's one of this week's conversations, which, unfortunately, not a unique conversation:

Shumck: I need a book.

Me: Ok...What book do you need?

Shumck: Um...I'm not sure.

Me: (fake smile plaster on my face) Ok, what subject?

Shmuck: I think it's English.

Folks, telepathy is NOT one of my superpowers!


Me: Who's your instructor?

Shmuck: Ms. _____.

Me: Oh, you need history.

Shmuck: Oh yeah.

Me: History 1 or 2?

Shmuck: Um, I don't remember.

Did I mention it's about 3 weeks before finals?


Me: Did you need a textbook or a novel?

Shmuck: I need the textbook. I'll recognize it when I see it.

Alright, most of our history textbooks are by the same publisher and have very similar bookcovers. Shmuck ain't got a chance!

(5 minutes after Shmuck stares at the shelves)
Me: Do you have your syllabus? It will be listed on your syllabus.

Shmuch: It's at home. I'll have to go home and check it.

Folks, there are suppose to have tests to keep these people out!!!!!!!!!

What A Cool Site!!!

I've always wanted to hang a big map on my wall and mark all the places I've been to. Now I have it in a much more compact form!





create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide