Calendar Mishaps

Me. Monday night. And again Friday morning...

So, ya know how I was worried about getting to the audition on time from work last Monday? Well, I shouldn't have been because despite going all the way there and arriving about 30 minutes after it was supposed to begin, I was actually a day early. The audition was on Tuesday evening. So, when I arrived on Tuesday, on time, already knowing where I was supposed to go, all was well (and I even had time to sit in the sauna Tuesday night before I taught two lovely yogis--they are regulars in my Tuesday class--what I termed broga)!

Also, no one came to my Monday night class. Again. With no weird weather (I mean, I guess it was cold?), but this is now the third time since the start of 2016. What is the deal with Monday nights????

Then, I prepared Thursday night and woke up early for my 1030am Oklahoma audition on Friday, only to get all the way there, attempt to check in with the front desk and, once again, find out I am there on the wrong day. This time, TWO WEEKS early. Two. Weeks... Gonna be double and triple checking my calendar from now on...

At least I got up and outta the house, and got to yoga that afternoon before heading back home and showering to get ready for the show that night (opening AND closing in one).

Well, as the room moderator said a week ago, "Better early than late." And at least I'm super prepared for my 3/11 audition now...

I Love This and This Hurts Me, Too...

I am gonna miss Beast Mode's antics SO MUCH! This is why he's so amazing! Rapping in Egypt on a camel. BECAUSE HE'S THE BEST! I just hope he stays as awesome as he's always been now that he's retiring...

New York Theatre Debut!

Our show (from l to r, top to bottom): Steve (director), Brenan (Gabe), Lindsey (Claire), Mike (Rick), and me (Betsy)

So, on Friday I performed in a 10-minute show! I did it! I was cast in something. And I rehearsed for it. And performed in it. For an audience. In New York. Debut unlocked! YAY!

Also, it went well! The show was a shitshow. Most of the scripts were not good (too long, bad material for a one-act), but ours was! And people laughed! And they liked it! They even told Steve, our director, that of all eight of the pieces, ours was the best. I mean, WE knew that, but validation is always a good thing.

Plus, as we were getting ready to head out for a celebratory drink, one of the other show's directors grabbed me to get my contact info. Turns out he's usually a playwright/screenwriter and wanted to shoot me some of his scripts to see if I'd be interested in any of the roles. I, of course, gave him my info and have spent most of today's work day reading them. They're not necessarily the best things I've read, but, especially if it would give me more on-camera experience, I'm willing to consider them. Exposure!

Martyr'd Signs Lives

I have yet to see it, but this is the audience entrance to our new space, a church in Williamsburg! Should be exciting...

So, on Friday we officially got a space for Martyr'd Signs. We will be performing at a church in Williamsburg (a big giant BITCH for me to get to (and home from) from my apartment, but the show will go on)! It's a really big deal as I know Noelle was just assuming she was gonna have to cancel and now we won't. Unfortunately, with the expedited rehearsal process, our Lavinia had to drop out, so that super sucks. Mostly because I was really excited to work with her. So, totally selfish, but whatever. We'll see who replaces her and how that shakes up casting. Clearly, it doesn't affect my role, but it'll be interesting to see who takes over and how things get shuffled around...

I am excited to keep doing the show and, honestly, less rehearsals mean more opportunities for me to temp and make monies, but blearg. This show is becoming SUCH an ordeal. I just hope it ends up as good as I think it could be and that this move works out in our favor. I was waiting for the assurance that we have a space before I started memorizing lines (we have to do all that on our own now that we have less rehearsals, which is never my favorite thing), so now I guess I have to hit the script pretty hard to be completely off book in ten days... Oh well, Marcus doesn't really talk that much. So long as I nail the monologue, the rest of the dialogue should come pretty easily,

Also, we have to post something about our culture that we love and talk about it. And, I think I'm the only person who has yet to contribute because I have no idea what to talk about. I mean, there's not really one culture that I strongly identify with, unless you count being a Northwesterner or a Seattlite... And I think they mean more along the lines of Irish or Italian or German or Latvian... I mean, it can be food or a holiday or a tradition, anything, so long as I love it and the only thing I can think of is saying "rabbit, rabbit" at the start of the month, which doesn't seem particular to any culture over another. It's just specific to our family. Ugh. Even the other girls' choices aren't inspiring me...

But yay, space! The show will be a thing! Performing! Yeeeeees!

Who's Blue and Yellow with Gills?

It's Leap Day! Real life is for March!

Why,it's  Leap Day William, of course! Once every four years we get this glorious extra day in February! Hope you're wearing your blue and yellow (I know I am) and someone is throwing you candy for your tears! And remember, today doesn't count, so follow your dreams and do whatever you want today because Real Life is for March!

The Better to See You With, My Dear...

So much glowtape. All over the stairwell.

I've been wanting to take this picture since the first time I worked at Ithaka (way back in December!) because I think it's hilarious. I mean, look at all the glow tape they used! This is the stairway in between the two floors occupied by the company I'm temping for, and since the elevator is stupid slow, I use it all the time ti deliver mail, check that the kitchen on the floor below is stocked, deliver milk to the fridge, run the dishwasher... and I'm sure other things that I'm forgetting.

Honestly, it took until this assignment for me to figure out why the entire staircase would be glow-taped from top to bottom since the light automatically turn on the second you walk out of the door, but I realized it's for emergencies. In case the lights go out or power gets cut, everyone can safely get out of the building. Probably, after September 11th (I'd say I'm 5 or 6 blocks from the WTC) and Sandy (Manhattan lost power starting at 50th st or so) they implemented this for everyone's safety. So, even though it's in case of a disaster, I enjoy the reliance on this theatre staple. It really works...

On the Mend

If it wasn't for this, my left ring finger would be in a lot of pain, so thank you!

So, last night I grated some cheese for my healthy nacho dinner and then while I was washing my box grater I managed to cut the crap outta the top of my left ring finger. It is really deep, and was bleeding a lot, so I put a bandaid on it really tight. I definitely really cut myself because it was throbbing all night (and kept waking me up). When I got up this morning, I took the bandaid off and rinsed it really well because it hurt, I had to go into work, and I have to teach a class tonight, so I need my finger back to normal, but instead of putting another plaster bandaid on, I decided that the liquid bandage would be a better option (I bought it back when I was in TT after I cut the bottom of my toe during a beach day and a regular bandaid kept falling off during practice), and oh my god it was! My finger doesn't throb anymore and I can type without hurting it (which means I'll be able to do yoga, too), so thank the gods for liquid bandage! I keep putting more on and it feels protected and it doesn't hurt! w00t!

Also, Saturday I got to sub two yoga classes and both classes has SIX PEOPLE in them! Yay! Adjusting twelve different bodies in one day! I love it! I think it helped that it was so beautiful on Saturday. It was the first day that I walked outside and it smelled like Spring. That, and the birds were singing up a storm! Please be here to stay, Spring! I'm ready for you!

Then when I got home, I spent three hours doing my taxes, but hey, I finished and I am getting a good chunk of change back from the government (thanks, yoga!). It's enough that it completely reimburses the cost of my TT tuition! That makes me super happy.

I'm actually a little nervous about tonight, though, because I have an audition scheduled from 6-8pm, I am working until 6pm, and then have to teach at 830pm... It's gonna be a completely full day. Lots of running around hoping that I can get places quickly and efficiently... Cross your fingers for me.

Also, the equity audition I was going to try to go to this week was for this morning, so obviously, I didn't go. I decided that a guaranteed paycheck through temping was a better option that sitting in a room all day, and possibly getting to audition. But, I have an audition Friday morning for a non-equity production of Oklahoma (THAT PAYS), so cross your fingers for me on that one!

So New York

Seems like the kind of person this guy apparently hungout with on a regular basis...

So, my friend Mark was in town this weekend from Philly, and after rehearsal yesterday we met up for brunch, just to hangout and catch up a bit. We started at this insane brunch place (super tasty, but like a 30-minute wait to order and get food/drinks), and then ended up at this Irish bar in the West Village. It was pretty empty (it was like 130 in the afternoon), but the bar area was almost completely full. We sat at the only two stools that were left together and sat next to this guy who was so stereotypically NY it was INSANE!

First of all, he talked so much that Mark and I didn't get a chance to exchange two words with each other for probably the first 30 minutes we were there. Then, you could just tell he was driving the bartender crazy. I mean, she had to humor him (been there, done that. The things we do for tips...), but you could just tell she did it grudgingly... And lastly, for a guy who lived in NY his whole life and delivered the Daily News until he recently retired (oh, yes, we got his WHOLE life story...), he name dropped like CRAZY. Talking about having dinner with "Danny" Day-Lewis and his father-in-law, Arthur Miller; getting asked to come talk to acting students by "Bill" Hickey; running into Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Washington Square Park; almost leaving an original Cezanne and Rothko on a crosstown bus (in the rain); and, of course, performing the entirety of Shakespeare's Richard III "Now is the winter of our discontent" speech (the WHOLE THING, at least 2 minutes long) for mafiosos (and us, of course).

I mean, Mark and I were both fascinated and completely annoyed by the whole thing. When he finally stumbled outta the bar, we just turned to each other and laughed. It was like, you could write a whole play outta the crap that came outta this guy's mouth... It was insane. Seriously. Insane. I mean, even taken with a grain of salt, this guy has lived a crazy life...

Fundraiser Soiree

I'm in this! YAAAAAY!

And speaking of Sandbox, we perform our show on Friday! It's been a really fun, low-key rehearsal process and I can't wait to get onstage for the first time in my new(-ish) city!

Apparently, the performance consists of eight 10-minute shows, and three bands that will play pre- and post-show and in the transitions between the one-acts. I have no idea how this is going to work. And honestly I'm just hoping it doesn't end up 3 hours long...

But, the exciting thing is performing! Onstage! In NY! #livingthedream

Fervent Uproar

Our first fight rehearsal. Learning the basics. Let's see if we get to go back to any of this...

Drama! There has been drama with Martyr'd Signs! Like, ridiculous amounts of drama, too. Apparently, Noelle, our director, has been dealing with lots of unnecessary stress from the people who run our rehearsal/performance space, including losing our rehearsal space for a week, and culminating in losing the space entirely and Noelle deciding to cancel the show. Yup. Woke up to an email on Sunday morning all about this behind-the-scenes madness (that we had no idea was taking place) and her ultimate decision that it didn't make fiscal sense to continue with this project.

I moved on. I headed to my rehearsal for Sandbox, the 10-minute show I'm working on with my friend Steve, and started thinking about how I need to start auditioning like crazy now that I am not doing a show in April. That, and the fact that I am now totally available to work during the day. Well, little did I know that the ladies of the cast were banding together trying to come up with a way to make this show work and, if I wasn't working today, I would be meeting with them at a Starbucks at noon to hash out our options...

Right now, I'm just looking at this as an awesome opportunity to workshop Titus for a month. I haven't started memorizing, so it's not like I've lost that much time, and I learned a lot about the show. Plus, it was fun to get my mouth around Shakespeare's words again... So, we'll see if anything pans out, but I'm not counting my chickens...

Back on Track

What happens when the (literally) weather goes from 0 to 60 in two days...

So, this isn't my EXACT pipe, but this is a similar burst gas pipe from the erratic winter weather, and let me tell you, coming home last night to hot water and a working stove was glorious. Unfortunately, the heat didn't pop back on (since we have radiators and radiant heat that we have NO CONTROL OVER) until sometime late last night or early this morning. So, I was not greeted by the glorious hissssssss of the radiator as I unlocked my door and entered my apartment, but showering after I yoga'd this morning was pretty stupendous.

The thing is that since we'd had no heat for going on two days and the temp has been in the 20s, our apartment still wasn't as warm as I liked it, but hey, I had to turn the fan on during my asana practice this morning, so I'll take it. Yesterday I cut my savasana super short because I was lying there practically shivering in my non-heated apartment... Boo. Good news is that I've been practicing now for 213 days in a row, and, even though I had to wake up at 515am to get a good hour-long practice in before work this morning, I did it. Because I love the way it makes me feel. And if I can get home early enough tonight, I might even head to another class (to check out a new studio)...

Tomorrow I sub both 830am Stetch Therapy (what I teach as Gentle Yoga) and 1045am Yoga & Meditaion (making that $$$) meaning that as of noon tomorrow I will have taught five classes this week! That ties my all time high! So proud of myself for knocking this yoga thing outta the park. Both with practicing AND with teaching.

This is also audition season. And although most of the generals for paid work are equity, if you're willing to wake up early and wait, you might be able to be seen if you're non-AEA (meaning, as a non-equity actor that I have to get there super early, sign up on the waiting list, and then sit in the hall crossing my fingers and hoping that there are some no-shows so that there's time for the auditors to see me. I haven't done any of these, yet, but I think I'm gonna bite the bullet and do one next week). I'll post back on how this ends up. It's feeling a little overwhelming and disheartening right now, but we'll see...

And once general season wraps up, or I get cast (cross your fingers for the latter), I'll start auditioning for more yoga teaching positions at more yoga studios. #livingthedream #hah #pleasepayme

New York Inspiration

Loved this look at my city through a TRUE NY-lover's eyes.

During my self-inflicted hermitage last Saturday and Sunday I finally got around to watching this documentary that had been in my Netflix queue for YEARS (and actually on my list of movies to see in the theater when it first came out in 2010). It's beautiful.

Bill Cunningham loves NY and he loves the street fashion he finds in NY even more. This film perfectly marries the gorgeous contradiction that is a man who sees fashion in everything and loves finding the new "it" look, with a man who for decades has been bicycling around the city wearing a $10 blue jacket with little to no personal life. He lives for his work ("My dear, it's not work, it's pleasure.") and never turns off his all-seeing "eye". It really is beautiful. He calls everyone "kid" or "child" ("oh, child!"), lives in a tiny corner apartment ("Who the hell wants a kitchen and a bathroom? Just more rooms to clean.") filled with filing cabinets holding every photo/negative he's ever taken in the AMAZING rent-controlled Carnegie Hall studios (RIP).

He lives meagerly and loves it because it allows him to work ("I don't work, I only know how to have fun everyday"). That's the most important thing to him. Not status, or money ("If you don't take money, they can't tell you what to do, kid. That's the key to this whole thing." and "Money is the cheapest thing. Freedom is the most expensive thing."), or food ("I eat with my eyes"). It's just about taking the photographs and laying them out (in his column) his way.

AND HE STILL SHOOTS WITH FILM! It's brilliant and so old school. Nothing has changed with him for decades. And it's perfect.

In his own words, "It's true today as it ever was, he who seeks beauty, will find it."

And the Ugly

It's dead. I smashed it with my shoe.

Soooooo... Sorry to show you these nasty buggers, but the brownstone next door to us (that we share a wall with) was recently sold, and now starting at 8am M-F there is construction going on over there. I am pretty sure that between that and the recent drop in temperature, these fuckers have been looking for new tenants to bug (PUN INTENDED!), and since we share a wall with their former home, we are the (un)lucky winners. Since last Fri, I have killed four of these nasty-ass things (unsure whether they're cockroaches or waterbugs) and they are HUGE. I mean, at least as long as my pointer finger huge. And they're pretty damn fast.

This was the first one I killed (luckily, I've killed all the ones I've seen. Doesn't mean there aren't others lurking around that I DON'T see, but at least there are none that I KNOW OF). It was crawling along the wall in our hallway when I got home from work last Friday. It scared the crap outta me, but I quickly went into my bedroom, took off my shoe, and went back out there to smash it's stupid face into oblivion. I mean, it's big enough that if I were to try to flush it before I knew it was dead, I'd feel uncomfortable using the toilet...

The second one, Queen Izzy alerted me to later that night. It WENT INTO MY CLOSET. Needless to say, I removed everything from the floor of my closet, but still couldn't find it. Luckily, a bit later, the Queen seemed particularly interested in a pile of my clothes, so I grabbed the shoe, moved the clothes and smashed the shit outta it.

The third popped out at me while I was peeing. WHILE I WAS PEEING. Ya know, no biggie, just crawling along the bathroom floor, so, once again, I ran to my room, grabbed my shoe and smashed the little bugger.

The last one the Queen discovered, once again. It was in the kitchen, and at first it escaped under the kitchen cabinets, so I gave it a few minutes and when I came back into the kitchen Izz was fascinated by the recycling boxes, so I grabbed my shoe, moved the box and went to work. The Queen wins.

Also, Buggers:0 Gina(/Izzy): 4

I hope there are no more giant-ass bug surprises, but if there are, I think The Queen and I have it in hand (or in paw. Or really, in CLAW--HAHAHAHAHAHA). Suck it bugs! We don't want your kind around here!

*****Update: (Do not click if the picture above made you squiggy) Definitely a cockroach. YUCK!!!!!*****

The Bad

I'm not lying. Frost. On the INSIDE of my room.

So... the weather has been... bizarre lately. This past weekend was insane. So freezing cold and nasty. Luckily, I had nothing planned, so I only left my apartment to quickly hit up the grocery store on Sunday morning, and spent the rest of the weekend bundled up inside. Mostly, on my bed, to be honest. I Netflix'd like a CHAMP this weekend. Oh, boy howdy. It was so cold that, even though my window was shut tight and locked, frost was forming on the window sill. The cat loved it (she kept going over to my window sill and licking the frost--I tried to get a pic, but she kept moving), but I did not.

The weird thing is that last year the coldest weekend of the year was over Valentine's Day weekend, too. Jess, Erin and I met up for pizza in Greenpoint (a trek from Crown Heights/Bed-Stuy, but good veggie/vegan pizza), and then found a cool bar with a woodfire stove in the middle of it in order to keep warm. Then we cabbed home. So. Cold. On my way to meet them, I remember that the CCTV cameras in the Nostrand subway station had 6" long icicles forming on it... Yeah. It was something like -25 with windchill and I think this last weekend got to -24 with windchill. And when I woke up on Sunday morning, it was only 1 degree outside. BRRRRRRRR! (But at least I'm not upstate. Apparently they have snow and ice and weather advisory warnings through tomorrow).

THEN! On Monday, it warmed up enough to snow. My afternoon walk home from rehearsal was on about 2" of snow. But by the time I left to teach yoga (TWO PEOPLE SHOWED!), it had warmed up even more and turned into freezing rain. It made for a rather treacherous and slippery walk to and from the gym (there's a small hill). Don't worry though, it had melted by Tuesday because it hit 55 degrees that afternoon. Nut-balls. What bizarre weather this week!

My walk home from rehearsal at around 5pm Monday.

The worst part about the rapid shift in weather is that a BUNCH of pipes burst all over the city, including, unfortunately, the gas line to my building. And, of course, the gas line regulates the heat, the hot water, AND the stove/oven... This all happened yesterday while I was at rehearsal, so I leave knowing that not only will I not be able to shower when I get home, but I won't be able to cook OR warm up either (because the temp has, of course, dropped back down to the high 20s/low 30s). Luckily, Maridee mentioned that she was going to her gym to shower, so I decided to hit up Slope Fitness (the gym where I teach) on my way home. It was good choices since I'm obviously working today. And I got some sauna time in before jumping into the shower. But UGH, it was SO COLD when I got home. I was wearing my pj top and bottoms, with sweats, a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt over them. Yeah, it was cold. And washing my face in the cold water was not so great either... BOOOOO.

Plus, I was trying not to spend any money this week, but with no way to cook and nothing in the fridge I could microwave, I had to order in. I did find a cool new place to order from though. It's this funky japanese/mexican fusion place that made surprisingly good food. Plus, they are cheap, they make good nachos, their delivery minimum is $8.50 and they delivered SUPER fast. Well done, Domo Taco.

The gas should be back on tonight (and if it isn't I ordered enough to have leftovers that can easily be microwaved), and all I want when I get home is to hear the rattle of the radiator when I unlock the door to the apartment. That will be music to my ears! If not, I guess I'll head back out and shower at the gym again tonight (mostly just to stay warm), and then come home and bundle myself up again...

Honestly, it's such a blessing to be in a warm office today! I think I would have had to escape to a coffee shop (and spend more $$), if I hadn't been assigned a job today.

Also, I'm not scheduled to rehearse at all next week, so I'm hoping I get a week-long job to fill my free time. Since I interviewed and signed with this new temp agency, there has only been one weekday that I was available that they haven't been able to schedule me to work (and that was Tuesday, and I was on stand-by. I did get a call that morning, and started getting ready to go in for the day, but the company decided to fill the position internally, so it got called off...). Thank the gods, though. Money in the bank and keeping me busy. Winner, winner.

The Good

Where I'm working the next two days! Oh yeah!

Well, I'm working today (yay!) and again tomorrow, at the project management office for 30 Rock! Yeah, that's right. I get to deal with the tenants at Rockefeller Plaza (already talked with the NBC Universal building director multiple times today). They were setting up the barricades for the Today Show audience when I walked up to the entrance. PLUS, there's stuff to DO here! It's not just answering phones and killing time. It's running reports, and creating work orders and sending emails. It's a breath of fresh (temping) air to be trusted to get things done on my own and correctly. I'm enjoying this way too much. The only thing that would make this better is if it was Xmas time and there was the big giant tree out front (been here 2 Xmases now, still never seen the tree. It'll happen sometime).

But yeah, I've already fulfilled requests for the Late Show with Seth Meyers and SNL as well as many of the food venders down on the concourse level. I sorta feel like a BAMF. A winner once again. Plus, working is always good.

AND the girl who is my contact/helper when I have questions sorta freaked out when she saw my Hawks waterbottle. Turns out she's a Seahawks fan, too! Her exact quote was, "Oh yeah, I can do that on a Thursday. I knew I liked you." I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love my fandom. There's nothing like it. On a related note, I got made fun of, HARD CORE, by the owner of the gym where I work on Tuesday. I was wearing my Hawks beanie, using my Hawks hairtie, drinking outta my Hawks waterbottle, and then I happened to be wearing my Hawks tank to teach in, too. He immediately says to me, "The season's over! What are you doing?" so I replied, "Next season is just getting started! I rep my boys year round." And he laughed.

We also got our casting assignments for Martyr'd Signs and I am super excited to be playing Marcus, Titus' brother, the politician of the family, the one who finds Lavinia in the woods after she's been raped and mangled, and the only one who listens or shows any empathy in pretty much the entire show. I'd say, he's one of those people who makes the logical, well thought out choice, but everything still goes to shit around him. And FAST.

Also, it was Galentine's Day on 2/13 (as well as the Seestor's birthday--happy 29th! Hope you have the BEST last year of your 20's EVER!!!!!), so naturally, I sent all my best girls Leslie Knope galentines, just like the one below. She's the best.

Oh Leslie, I love that you created this magical holiday!

That'swhatshesaid Insanity!

Street art found in NY. Of course, I shared with That'swhatshesaid. I'm in your corner, girls!

****UPDATE: The talked about two-night extension this weekend is actually not going to happen, but STILL read this article and support amazing female artists talking about a lack of a true female voice in American theatre right now... #truestory****

So, my good friend in Seattle, Erin, is producing and starring in this one-woman show that our friend, Courtney, "wrote" (she really more conceptualized (with Erin) and collaged it as you'll see when I get more into it) and Ho. Lee. Crap. There is SO MUCH controversy surrounding this show now.

OK, so here is the story from the beginning. Erin and Courtney, in response to auditioning for, reading, and seeing theatre, were feeling disenfranchised as women by the roles available for actresses. They decided to start thinking about how to address this issue in a socially responsible and non-preachy manor right around  the time American Theatre Magazine came out with their list of Top-10 (really 11 that year because, ties) Most-Produced Plays of the 2014-2015 Season, which featured 9 plays written by men and 2 written by women. In those shows there are 74 roles and 34 of those roles are women. Twenty-eight of the 34 roles are written by the male playwrights. Erin and Courtney, using only the women's dialogue and stage directions in these 10 (really 11) shows, collaged and shaped their own piece looking at how women are depicted in American theatre.

The show is, obviously, awesome, and The Stranger wrote a review saying just that. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately in the long run? We really have to see where this goes before making that statement), that review came to the attention of one of featured playwright's agents who then brought the show to the attention of that show's publisher, Samuel French. Samuel French then sent That'swhatshesaid a cease & desist order two hours before curtain on the second night of the show.

Erin, Courtney, and Hatlo, the director, got together to figure out what to do with this c&d. They decided that they would still do the show (it was sold out for the rest of the run), but all of the lines/stage directions in the offending play, Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews, would be redacted. After the show closed, Samuel French sent That'swhatshesaid ANOTHER c&d this time over Matthew Lopez's The Whipping Man, which HAS NO FEMALE CHARACTERS AND THEREFORE NO LINES IN THE SHOW, only the sound of the 72-page script flipping over the loudspeaker as Erin runs around trying to figure out where to go.

Since receiving this second c&d, That'swhatshesaid have found an arts lawyer in Seattle to represent them pro-bono since they, and their lawyer, and a number of other lawyers, all believe that this representation of the top-10 shows falls under the purview of fair use. After finding representation, they found a way to remount the show for a second weekend (this weekend), and promptly received their THIRD c&d, this time from Dramatist Play Service. The show is, obvi, still going on this weekend and even had an American Theatre Magazine article written about this whole issue that just came out today.

Needless to say, I support my friends, and think that these publishers (who obviously have not even read the script) need to get over themselves and move on. Go girls, go!

It's also really hard to read about things that I actually care a LOT about from 3000 miles away. This happened last year (two years ago? HOLY CRAP TWO YEARS AGO!) with the Balagan closing, but I kinda knew about that and this feels like it's coming so far outta left field that HOW could anyone prepare for this kinda stupidity... Anyway. Support them if you can. Gay City only seats 50, and the shows might already be soldout, but if not, it's a 70-minute show and I love these ladies, so see if you can go. Support women on Valentine's Day weekend (make it Galentine's Day, amiright, ladies?). Do it.

*****Second Update: Their lawyer just sent his glorious response to Samuel French and Dramatist Play Service. It's amazing. GINA APPROVED!!!!!! ******

Everyday I'm Hustlin'

Our weekend weather forecast. NO THANK YOU!

So, pretty much everything that I stated was going to be the "rest of my week" on Tuesday has changed since then. As it does.

The biggest thing was interviewing with (and currently working for) another temp agency. I crunched some numbers Tuesday afternoon and realized I need to kick my ass into high gear with landing more temp work OR stop spending money if I'm gonna be able to keep living in this city. Needless to say, I decided on the former and immediately started googling "best temp agencies in NY" and other similar searches, pretty much applying to everything that popped up. Lucky me, the agency I interviewed with the next morning responded within minutes (apparently, I am a good candidate--w00t!) and we set up the interview. This company is large. I mean, really large. Like, there were at least five other interviewees sitting in the waiting room when I entered and there were at least that many the whole time I was filling out my paperwork and after my interview. So, who knows how much they all work, but it seems like tons of different companies use this agency for temp fulfillment.

The guy I interviewed with loved me and said that they employ a number of actors, so they're totally good with working around day time rehearsals. I also told him I'm up for last minute assignments (early morning calls the day of), or event work on evenings and weekends. And, lo and behold, here I am, sitting at a desk, getting paid (and a free lunch!) a few days later. Hopefully, this means I will be working more random one- or two-day assignments and earning more than enough to cover my monthly expenses. Yoga helps, but unless I can land a more consistent teaching schedule at more studios with more guaranteed classes each week, it's only a supplemental income. And that's fine, but that's how I need to start thinking of it. And so I will.

My week ended up looking like this: Monday work 9-6, teach 830pm (class canceled because no one came); Tuesday work 9-6, teach at 830pm; Wednesday job interview 10am, rehearsal 1230-430, yoga 7-815pm; Thursday 10am yoga, rehearsal 1230-330, rehearsal 5-630; Friday work 9-6. And finally, tomorrow (all 6 degrees of it), I have no plans! I will be doing my taxes (FINALLY got all (six of) my w-2s!) and sleeping in and not leaving my apartment if I can help it (so cold! much brrr!). Winner, winner.

Also, cross your fingers for me, Noelle is casting Titus this weekend, so come Monday I should know who I am going to be playing! I wanna big part, guys, let's make it happen!

I Heart NY

On my walk to yoga the week after Bowie's death

I saw a Gothamist article about this street a few days before I saw it, noting that it was super close to where I am currently taking yoga and rehearsing for Martyr'd Signs, so I thought I might get to see it and then, not even intentionally, I was just walking to yoga and boom! There is was! Only in NY, my friends, only in NY.

Unfortunately, I was correct to think that the stupid snow/cold would keep people from coming to yoga last night. Another no show class. They are the worst. I go all the way there (especially after being tired from staying out late to watch the Superbowl on Sunday and working all day before my class), and no one comes... It's disheartening. I mean, at least I get paid. And an empty room where I can practice, but boo. I like teaching and I had a good fun sequence to teach yesterday, too. The only thing that makes it sorta OK to me is that this never happened when I was ONLY teaching on Mondays, so I always get to think, "I guess I'll just teach my awesome new sequence to my students tomorrow night then." And I get home, shower, eat and get into bed a half-hour earlier than I would have otherwise.

Still tired today, but knowing that all I have to do tomorrow is yoga and then rehearsal is making me feel real happy. Sleeping in! FTW!

Bodega Cat

So cute! Just sitting there! In the bodega!

As seen on Jess and my walk to brunch yesterday!

Perks of the Fandom

Evidence that we enjoyed our free dessert!

So, I taught a private to Jess Sunday morning before we went to grab brunch at a spot about 15 min away from my place. Neither of us had ever been there, but we were excited to try something new. We decided to sit at the bar. After we ate our brunches and were leisurely working on our coffee and tea, one of the waitstaff came up behind us with a plate of carmel banana bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and walnuts on top saying, "this is compliments of the chef. He likes to reward Hawks fans." The kitchen was open directly to the left of the bar, and I'd obviously worn my Hawks beanie yesterday, but I was probably only wearing it in the bar for, I'd say, one or two minutes MAX. Once we sat down, I took it off and stuffed it into my purse hanging on one of the hooks under the bar. SOMEHOW he'd seen us come in, made a note of where we sat, waited for us to finish our meal, and then sent over dessert. I love Seahawks fans and I love being a part of this glorious fandom!

Plus, free dessert!

Thank you Beast Mode!

From @moneylynch's twitter. 

In other (more relevant to my Hawks love) Superbowl news, Lynch tweeted this picture with a peace sign emoji during the 4th quarter of the game last night adding to all the speculation that he is retiring. I'm not surprised, but I am sure gonna miss watching him play. #thankyoubeastmode

Also, this was the view when I was walking to the subway to go see SB50 yesterday. Gorgeous sunset!

Queen Bey for President

The real winner of SB50

So, the Superbowl was last night and I trudged all the way up to Carlow to watch one last football game this season. It was worth it, but I am very tired at work today. And while, I'd say, 90% of the bar crowd was rooting for the Broncos, I didn't quite realize how good it would feel to see Cam Newton implode under the Broncos stellar defense. Defense wins championships. They learned that the hard way 2 years ago, but killed it last night.

But really? Coldplay? All I wanted was someone to kick stupid Chris Martin in his stupid head. Thank GOD Bruno Mars and the Queen herself saved that mediocre halftime show. And boy, did she! Those outfits! That song! Here it is (in case you wanna watch it again)!

You're welcome.

Early What Now?

I'm over the snow.

So, even though it is not snowing at this exact moment, it was earlier today and apparently it might snow all the way through Wed... I just really hope people come to my classes tonight and tomorrow night. I am ready for that early spring Punxsutawney Phil promised us...

Manifest Destiny

The Queen claiming her territory.

She enjoys it when we fill up one box at a time. That lets her sit in silent kitchen judgement for a very long time.

The Sleepiest of Hollows

Me posing in one of the many mausoleums in the cemetery.

So, Molly (a girl I know from Carlow) and I went on a little adventure on Saturday up to Sleepy Hollow. Yes, the same Sleepy Hollow where Washington Irving lived and set his story of the Headless Horseman! I was only about an hour away from Midtown on the Metro North line, and really, besides the gigantic cemetery, there wasn't really anything to do, but because of the snow the day before we decided that the hike in Cold Springs that we were originally planning on taking would be way too muddy, so we adjusted! And honestly, there was still a lot of snow in places in the cemetery, so I think we made the right call there...

I took a TON of pictures and it really shows me how good my crappy little camera phone is because they all turned out crazy good. Here is a smattering.

Thanks, Amazon

Really Amazon? This has been my screensaver FAR too many times this last week

Yeah, so this "Kindle Single" exists. Why? Who the hell knows. I mean, seriously, if that pass was "the worst decision of [his] life" I'm pretty sure he and his millions and his gorgeous pop star girlfriend will get by just fine. Christ. Get over it.

If there's one thing that Sunday's game can bring me, it's a little piece and quiet from that stupid clip being shown as nauseum. Let's move on now, pleaseandthankyou.

Go Broncos!

Annex the World

Some of the art in WOW Cafe Theatre. The top piece reminds me of Dani's art.

Also, in case you're wondering about the theatre where I'm performing Martyr'd Signs, it's call WOW Cafe Theatre that focuses on female-centric shows/production teams/casts trading sweat equity with the ability to produce your own stuff/rehearse for free, so Noelle works other shows so that her company, Hudson Shakespeare, can perform and rehearse in the space. It's pretty hodgepodge right now as there is a dance troupe currently performing in the space, but I do love all the random art that crops up in the space. And the theatre itself is a blackbox that reminds me SO MUCH of Annex's space in Seattle (where I did Money Changes Everything, c. 1993, and Starcrossed) that I immediately fell in love with it when I auditioned. Yay!

PS The snow is 90% melted. Already. Fleeting but pretty!

Hitting the Mark

He's either in triangle (trikonasana) pose or side angle a (utthita parsvakonasana). Hard to tell which without legs.

Just in case you're wanting an update on how my #yogaeverydamnday progress is going: yeah, it's pretty damn GOOD. As of tomorrow I will have practiced some form of yoga (either physical or meditative) for 200 days in a ROW! I am crazy proud of this and have no intention of stopping anytime soon. It's been hard adding teaching, auditions, work, and rehearsals to this #yogalife I've created, but I've been making it work. And when I don't have the energy for the asana practice on my mat, I meditate.

Obviously, the results have helped me in my craft (see previous post about stage combat) and as I gain strength and flexibility, I'm also enjoying how I've been learning to calm my mind as well. Now that I live in the city that never sleeps, learning how to slow down and de-stress my brain has been a huge help. Especially, now that I'm adding all these extra things on top of paying my bills.

Loving this.

Only Update When it Snows...

The beautiful Trinity Church and its graveyard covered in snow. As seen from my temp job's conference room window.

Sorry guys, I've been neglectful again... But, I swear, I've had a good reason! I've actually been pretty busy rehearsing for the TWO SHOWS I'm currently in! Yeah, that's right, TWO. The 10-minute show I'm doing with a friend of mine as a fundraiser for his theatre group has a one night only performance on Friday 2/25 with eight 10-minute shows performing and three different bands filling the time during pre- and post-show and in the transitions between shows. We had our first rehearsal for that one last night and it's gonna be a hoot. It's a ridiculous script and super short (only 11 pages), plus I don't enter until page 6, so I'm almost off-book already... And by the end of tonight's rehearsal, I should actually be off-book.

Martyr'd Signs is going well, too. We just finished our third week of rehearsals yesterday and Noelle, the director, has decided that she is going to cast the show at the end of next week! I am very excited to start working on a specific character and start memorizing. Because the show is an adaptation of Titus, we also get our first look at the script (as it is now) next Wednesday and, to be honest, what I've seen so far is crazy weird but good, so I can't wait to see the whole trajectory. She's splicing in lines from other Shakespeare shows and adding made-up scenes to really delve into the female characters (Lavinia and Tamora), allowing the audience to see them as more than just the stock archetypes they tend to read as in the original text (Lavinia as the innocent ingenue and Tamora as the evil seductress). It will be a good time and, so far, I'm really enjoying the women I'm working with.

On Monday we got to start looking at some basic stage combat and holy crap! I forgot how much I love that! I got to play with a broadsword for the first time (you know, the big two-handers the men usually get to use in period pieces) and do a little hand-to-hand. It's funny, too, because the last time I played with swords was for Midsummer (Theseus and Hippolyta entered with a sword fight--rapiers, though, not broadswords) almost THREE YEARS AGO. Since then, I've moved to NY and really devoted myself to my yoga practice, which has made learning (or re-learning) some of the stage combat sequences SO MUCH EASIER. It's amazing how much my brain has changed with a regular practice and the constant sequencing and resequencing for my classes. Suddenly, precise body movements, feet and hand positions are not only more important to me, but easier to remember and execute. My body movements are much more fluid,, AND I'm so much stronger than I used to be. Yay yoga! Makes me wanna try a dance class and see if I feel more confident in all areas of movement.

So, today, it's snowing! I mean, thank god the chick at rehearsal last night said something about the possibility of snow today, otherwise, when I walked into my living room to do my morning yoga and saw it really coming down, I would have been in absolute SHOCK. It's 31 right now and it's supposed to turn to rain as the temp heats up this afternoon, but it is beautiful, and I'm glad we got one more snow before the early spring really kicks off. The temperature change even from yesterday morning until now has been crazy. I was in my leather jacket and converse all day yesterday. And didn't even break out the hat and gloves until I left rehearsal around 630pm last night. On Monday night it was so warm (around 60), I had to open my window before I went to sleep. What a strange winter...

My walk to work. In the snow. So bizarre.