Sorry, folks. There's been a lot going on in my life, but I don't really comfortable blogging about much of it in detail. And since the heavy stuff is what's on my mind, I'm better off not writing anything at all.
Yesterday, however, was an all-time terrible day. Consider the following sequence of events, in chronological order:
- woke up and had a "relationship discussion" with the girlfriend; let's just say things are in a precarious position right now
- found out that I would not be moving into my apartment this week, as I had anticipated, because the federal agency that has been screwing me the past six months wanted one mo' gin
- discovered that I had given away the door key to my old apartment, meaning that I had to wait outside to be let in
- discovered that I had not received all my W-2s/1099s, which was bad news, because I needed to take them to my agency-screwing on Thursday morning, meaning I had to make an extra trip
The day did get better; my friend took me to a basketball game. That was pretty cool. Still, there were several points yesterday when I wanted to climb back in bed and start all over.
Back soon, hopefully with better news.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
the best laid plans...
Remember my earlier blogging plans for 2009? Yeah, that's going real well.
In other news, we are now entering the fifth year of this blog's existence. I don't know that I had any grand plans for this when I started (and I really don't think I'm having that much of an impact) but I'm kind of amazed that this has lasted so long. Life takes funny twists and turns.
I've got a really hellacious stretch (three doubles in four days) coming up here, but I should have some interesting stories to tell - and I'll be back in NYC in ten days...
In other news, we are now entering the fifth year of this blog's existence. I don't know that I had any grand plans for this when I started (and I really don't think I'm having that much of an impact) but I'm kind of amazed that this has lasted so long. Life takes funny twists and turns.
I've got a really hellacious stretch (three doubles in four days) coming up here, but I should have some interesting stories to tell - and I'll be back in NYC in ten days...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
i love this cover
It's not often that a magazine cover makes me laugh out loud. This one did.
Mobile post sent by Rover using Utterli.
Replies.Friday, February 06, 2009
25 randoms 'bout me
This meme has been making its way around Facebook lately, and I thought it'd be perfect for F&G. Enjoy!
I've gotten tagged by, like, six people for this - figured it was time to do it. If you don't want to respond in kind, no worries.
Let's go.
1. The reason why I have the time to write this now is because I'm stuck in the house with a sinus infection. I usually get them at least once a year. Have you ever had a sinus infection? It feels like someone is twisting a vice inside my face. They are not fun.
2. I tend to have more female friends than male friends (including almost all of my exes; if I cared enough to date them, why wouldn't I want to remain close with them?). No idea why that is. I also tend to have random and contrasting groups of friends, some of whom do not get along. It would be interesting to get everyone in a room together and see what happens.
3. I have an irrational disgust for rock salt - you know, the stuff that they put on the roads during snowstorms? It makes my skin crawl.
4. Apparently I could read at age two. My mom thought that I had just memorized the stories, but then she would ask me what a particular word was, and I would get it right. At four I was reading the sports section, mostly for the box scores. "Jose DeJesus" (a former Phillies shortstop) was a name that gave me fits.
5. No one talks better Steelers football with me than my father. When the schedule came out in the beginning of the year (remember, it was one of the hardest schedules for any NFL team since the merger in 1970), I said to my dad, "If this team wins twelve games, they're going to the Super Bowl." And not to toot my own horn, but I also said to him in December '05 that I thought they could "win the whole thing". They did. TOOT.
6. I quit playing baseball my junior year of high school so that I could continue doing the musical. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had kept baseball as the priority. There are days where I'm still surprised I made that choice.
7. If I wasn't allowed to act anymore, and could do anything else on the planet, I would love to be a football historian. I love learning about anything in general, but I'm fascinated by the history of football: how it started, what marketing decisions they made, how teams were built, etc. I can't get enough.
8. I love my job, but I'm not sure that I'll still be acting in twenty years. I definitely won't be doing regional theater away from my own bed 26 weeks a year.
9. I rarely cry, but when I do, I'm usually only able to get out about eight tears. My body and breath may still be weeping, but my tear ducts just shut off.
10. I wish I was better at keeping in touch with my friends. There are so many people I want to hang out with and keep up with, and they're all spread around the country, and there aren't enough hours in the day to call and/or e-mail as much as I'd like. I actually try not to think about it too much, because it gets frustrating.
11. I'm VERY sentimental for the days of yore. I frequently wish I could go back in time to my days in Sleepy Hamlet. Or at grad school. Or undergrad. That's probably why I love Facebook so much, because I can keep in touch with all of those people.
12. When I was on our 7th grade class trip (nicknamed Cryfest '90), a friend and I (he shall remain nameless, but he is tagged on this note) came up with an ingenious rating system for foxy females - you could be pretzels, dough, or beernuts. The best rating you could get was a "crunchy salty pretzel". I'm pretty sure that (a) this ranking system was inspired by seeing a girl that I had a crush on in a swimsuit for the first time, and (b) being in Canada for the first time made me dumber.
13. By the way, I had a crush on (and occasional relationship with) that same girl for ten years. And I'm pretty sure that I was the one who eventually blew it.
14. This sinus infection is totally taking away my appetite. But if I could have any meal in the world right now, I would have:
- fried catfish
- fried chicken (by my mother)
- collard greens
- yams or sweet potatoes (again by my mother, whatever she felt like making)
- rolls (by my grandmother)
- sun brewed sweet tea (again, by mom)
15. You know the voice that I do for my mother? I never get tired of telling that story (much to her chagrin), but it drives me crazy when I hear other people who have never met her try to do the voice. She's MY mother, not yours.
(This is also the time where I admit that I sometimes sound like that, too. Ask my current castmates.)
16. When I was a kid, I used to wonder why my parents didn't listen to any popular music. Instead, they would put on records of their favorites -usually War, or Stevie Wonder. I liked their music, but I always thought, "They should be listening to all the new stuff instead of their old stuff. No way that will EVER happen to me." Well, I'm still up on popular music - but I totally get why they felt they way they do.
17. Speaking of which, if you came of age listening to hip-hop in the mid-90s, two films you have to see are NOTORIOUS and THE WACKNESS. It will make you long for a hi-top fade. Or a red and black lumberjack. With a hat to match.
18. One of the most annoying things about growing up black in an all white suburb was the stream of kids who constantly wanted to play with my hair. They would touch it. They would stick things in it. They would put handprints in it. They weren't trying to be mean, but it didn't feel good just the same.
19. Some people view me as a success. I don't. Not yet.
20. I still see streaks of light in my eye from that sucker punch ten months ago. I think I probably will for the rest of my life. Surprisingly, I don't think about that night all that often. But sitting with my back to the door of a bar/restaurant brings it back in a flash. I still haven't been back to that bar, but I really want to have a night where I invite all of my friends there and we take it over. Now, if I could just be in the city long enough to make that happen...
21. <-- This is my favorite number.
22. I have a lot of debt; some "good", some "bad". I'm not ashamed of it. I just want to get rid of it.
23. I feel like I'm the only one of my friends that doesn't have kids. Seriously, almost all of my best friends my age have them already. Most days I'm totally ok with that, but I will say that, in the distance, I can faintly make out the sounds of a clock ticking...
24. I love Brooklyn (and NYC in general) to death; it's my home. But I'm virtually certain that I don't want to spend the rest of my life there. I do need to live in some type of urban area, though. As long as I'm around some kind of city with a major professional sports franchise, I'll manage.
25. I see myself as a storyteller by trade. Some days I want to leave all of this behind, move into a cozy loft in a bustling metropolis somewhere, and become a writer. I could write about sports, or just tell crazy stories about life on the road, or strange things that have happened to me. I mean, I tell these stories orally all the time; why not write them down and share them? To me, it's a natural extension of what I do onstage.
Thanks for playing.
I've gotten tagged by, like, six people for this - figured it was time to do it. If you don't want to respond in kind, no worries.
Let's go.
1. The reason why I have the time to write this now is because I'm stuck in the house with a sinus infection. I usually get them at least once a year. Have you ever had a sinus infection? It feels like someone is twisting a vice inside my face. They are not fun.
2. I tend to have more female friends than male friends (including almost all of my exes; if I cared enough to date them, why wouldn't I want to remain close with them?). No idea why that is. I also tend to have random and contrasting groups of friends, some of whom do not get along. It would be interesting to get everyone in a room together and see what happens.
3. I have an irrational disgust for rock salt - you know, the stuff that they put on the roads during snowstorms? It makes my skin crawl.
4. Apparently I could read at age two. My mom thought that I had just memorized the stories, but then she would ask me what a particular word was, and I would get it right. At four I was reading the sports section, mostly for the box scores. "Jose DeJesus" (a former Phillies shortstop) was a name that gave me fits.
5. No one talks better Steelers football with me than my father. When the schedule came out in the beginning of the year (remember, it was one of the hardest schedules for any NFL team since the merger in 1970), I said to my dad, "If this team wins twelve games, they're going to the Super Bowl." And not to toot my own horn, but I also said to him in December '05 that I thought they could "win the whole thing". They did. TOOT.
6. I quit playing baseball my junior year of high school so that I could continue doing the musical. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had kept baseball as the priority. There are days where I'm still surprised I made that choice.
7. If I wasn't allowed to act anymore, and could do anything else on the planet, I would love to be a football historian. I love learning about anything in general, but I'm fascinated by the history of football: how it started, what marketing decisions they made, how teams were built, etc. I can't get enough.
8. I love my job, but I'm not sure that I'll still be acting in twenty years. I definitely won't be doing regional theater away from my own bed 26 weeks a year.
9. I rarely cry, but when I do, I'm usually only able to get out about eight tears. My body and breath may still be weeping, but my tear ducts just shut off.
10. I wish I was better at keeping in touch with my friends. There are so many people I want to hang out with and keep up with, and they're all spread around the country, and there aren't enough hours in the day to call and/or e-mail as much as I'd like. I actually try not to think about it too much, because it gets frustrating.
11. I'm VERY sentimental for the days of yore. I frequently wish I could go back in time to my days in Sleepy Hamlet. Or at grad school. Or undergrad. That's probably why I love Facebook so much, because I can keep in touch with all of those people.
12. When I was on our 7th grade class trip (nicknamed Cryfest '90), a friend and I (he shall remain nameless, but he is tagged on this note) came up with an ingenious rating system for foxy females - you could be pretzels, dough, or beernuts. The best rating you could get was a "crunchy salty pretzel". I'm pretty sure that (a) this ranking system was inspired by seeing a girl that I had a crush on in a swimsuit for the first time, and (b) being in Canada for the first time made me dumber.
13. By the way, I had a crush on (and occasional relationship with) that same girl for ten years. And I'm pretty sure that I was the one who eventually blew it.
14. This sinus infection is totally taking away my appetite. But if I could have any meal in the world right now, I would have:
- fried catfish
- fried chicken (by my mother)
- collard greens
- yams or sweet potatoes (again by my mother, whatever she felt like making)
- rolls (by my grandmother)
- sun brewed sweet tea (again, by mom)
15. You know the voice that I do for my mother? I never get tired of telling that story (much to her chagrin), but it drives me crazy when I hear other people who have never met her try to do the voice. She's MY mother, not yours.
(This is also the time where I admit that I sometimes sound like that, too. Ask my current castmates.)
16. When I was a kid, I used to wonder why my parents didn't listen to any popular music. Instead, they would put on records of their favorites -usually War, or Stevie Wonder. I liked their music, but I always thought, "They should be listening to all the new stuff instead of their old stuff. No way that will EVER happen to me." Well, I'm still up on popular music - but I totally get why they felt they way they do.
17. Speaking of which, if you came of age listening to hip-hop in the mid-90s, two films you have to see are NOTORIOUS and THE WACKNESS. It will make you long for a hi-top fade. Or a red and black lumberjack. With a hat to match.
18. One of the most annoying things about growing up black in an all white suburb was the stream of kids who constantly wanted to play with my hair. They would touch it. They would stick things in it. They would put handprints in it. They weren't trying to be mean, but it didn't feel good just the same.
19. Some people view me as a success. I don't. Not yet.
20. I still see streaks of light in my eye from that sucker punch ten months ago. I think I probably will for the rest of my life. Surprisingly, I don't think about that night all that often. But sitting with my back to the door of a bar/restaurant brings it back in a flash. I still haven't been back to that bar, but I really want to have a night where I invite all of my friends there and we take it over. Now, if I could just be in the city long enough to make that happen...
21. <-- This is my favorite number.
22. I have a lot of debt; some "good", some "bad". I'm not ashamed of it. I just want to get rid of it.
23. I feel like I'm the only one of my friends that doesn't have kids. Seriously, almost all of my best friends my age have them already. Most days I'm totally ok with that, but I will say that, in the distance, I can faintly make out the sounds of a clock ticking...
24. I love Brooklyn (and NYC in general) to death; it's my home. But I'm virtually certain that I don't want to spend the rest of my life there. I do need to live in some type of urban area, though. As long as I'm around some kind of city with a major professional sports franchise, I'll manage.
25. I see myself as a storyteller by trade. Some days I want to leave all of this behind, move into a cozy loft in a bustling metropolis somewhere, and become a writer. I could write about sports, or just tell crazy stories about life on the road, or strange things that have happened to me. I mean, I tell these stories orally all the time; why not write them down and share them? To me, it's a natural extension of what I do onstage.
Thanks for playing.
i am estatic, by the way...
...over the Steelers' victory in Super Bowl XLIII. I've just been busy packing and unpacking and being sick to write anything about it. Thanks for all of the kind words and thoughts.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
football!
Sorry I've been absent the past couple of weeks. I've been going through some stuff in my head, things that I don't feel comfortable sharing with the world yet. And it was kind of hard to come on here and chat about random stuff. Everything's fine, no need for alarm.
Anyway, I'm here today to write about something much more important:
Super Bowl XLIII.
My Steelers are playing against the Arizona Cardinals, and I am very excited/nervous/anxious. I've been making my calls to my friends and family across the country, with everyone weighing in on the game. I'm having a couple castmembers over, on the condition that I can actually hear the announcers. If it gets too loud, they have to quiet down - or leave.
Kickoff is in two and a half hours. Must find something to occupy my time until then...
Anyway, I'm here today to write about something much more important:
Super Bowl XLIII.
My Steelers are playing against the Arizona Cardinals, and I am very excited/nervous/anxious. I've been making my calls to my friends and family across the country, with everyone weighing in on the game. I'm having a couple castmembers over, on the condition that I can actually hear the announcers. If it gets too loud, they have to quiet down - or leave.
Kickoff is in two and a half hours. Must find something to occupy my time until then...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
we have a new president
And I am SO excited.
I got to watch the swearing-in and most of PRESIDENT OBAMA's (I just love writing that) speech before heading off to a student matinee yesterday. I wasn't as overly emotional as I was on election night; I just felt really, really happy. I smiled a lot. It was really nice.
I'm not naive enough to think that the honeymoon will last all that long, but it's just so nice to have so many people inspired by their government. I'm going to enjoy it while I can.
I got to watch the swearing-in and most of PRESIDENT OBAMA's (I just love writing that) speech before heading off to a student matinee yesterday. I wasn't as overly emotional as I was on election night; I just felt really, really happy. I smiled a lot. It was really nice.
I'm not naive enough to think that the honeymoon will last all that long, but it's just so nice to have so many people inspired by their government. I'm going to enjoy it while I can.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
popular
Old Village is like most cities in this country; if you want to go dance to some good music, you have to hit up a gay club. After the show last night, four of my castmates (two guys, who we'll call The Mayor and AC, and two ladies; all of us are black) and I went to get our groove on.
The crowd was more gay than straight, but there seemed to be a large number of straight ladies there. We walked towards the back of the bar, passing the restroom, along with a young lady who gazed hungrily at us as if we were dessert. AC and I sidle up to the bar. I'm standing there for maybe fifteen seconds when a young lady kind of brushes past me and stands leaning on the bar directly next to me. She pulls out her cell, glances at it, then checks me out. "Hi."
"Hey, how's it going?" I'm trying to be good, you know, since I'm so far away from my girlfriend right now, etc., so I try to ignore the fact that she's giving me every signal in the book. I look away. She goes back to the cell phone.
AC, who is one of the friendliest and most gorgeous men I have ever met, then greets her. She kind of steps over to the side and has a brief conversation with him, all the while leaning over my back. At some point, AC introduces me. We do a variant on the usual song-and-dance:
GIRL: So, what are you doing here?
ME: We're actors. We're doing a play in town.
GIRL: Oh my gosh! You're an actor? That's SO cool! I love plays! Can I come see it?
ME: Sure. We may be able to help you out with tickets if you want.
GIRL: I would love to come see it. I have to say that I think you guys are really cute...
She gives me her number. I've been in the club for five minutes. AC said he got two phone numbers from two different people in sixty seconds. As I was leaving the club, a girl was making eyes at me while she was hanging on to her boyfriend.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that I'm getting this attention because I'm insanely gorgeous. I mean, I clean up pretty well, but I'm not that special (unlike AC). We're getting this attention because there are not a lot of black people in Old Village, and in liberal-leaning towns like this, black men get a LOT of attention from women - mostly white women. I guess it's because we're different, or "exotic", or something. I'm not quite sure why this is, but it's been a constant in my travels.
All of which makes it extremely hard to be good. I've gone out three times since I've been in town and have been given four phone numbers.
But I'm trying, Maxine. I'm trying.
The crowd was more gay than straight, but there seemed to be a large number of straight ladies there. We walked towards the back of the bar, passing the restroom, along with a young lady who gazed hungrily at us as if we were dessert. AC and I sidle up to the bar. I'm standing there for maybe fifteen seconds when a young lady kind of brushes past me and stands leaning on the bar directly next to me. She pulls out her cell, glances at it, then checks me out. "Hi."
"Hey, how's it going?" I'm trying to be good, you know, since I'm so far away from my girlfriend right now, etc., so I try to ignore the fact that she's giving me every signal in the book. I look away. She goes back to the cell phone.
AC, who is one of the friendliest and most gorgeous men I have ever met, then greets her. She kind of steps over to the side and has a brief conversation with him, all the while leaning over my back. At some point, AC introduces me. We do a variant on the usual song-and-dance:
GIRL: So, what are you doing here?
ME: We're actors. We're doing a play in town.
GIRL: Oh my gosh! You're an actor? That's SO cool! I love plays! Can I come see it?
ME: Sure. We may be able to help you out with tickets if you want.
GIRL: I would love to come see it. I have to say that I think you guys are really cute...
She gives me her number. I've been in the club for five minutes. AC said he got two phone numbers from two different people in sixty seconds. As I was leaving the club, a girl was making eyes at me while she was hanging on to her boyfriend.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that I'm getting this attention because I'm insanely gorgeous. I mean, I clean up pretty well, but I'm not that special (unlike AC). We're getting this attention because there are not a lot of black people in Old Village, and in liberal-leaning towns like this, black men get a LOT of attention from women - mostly white women. I guess it's because we're different, or "exotic", or something. I'm not quite sure why this is, but it's been a constant in my travels.
All of which makes it extremely hard to be good. I've gone out three times since I've been in town and have been given four phone numbers.
But I'm trying, Maxine. I'm trying.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
drinking woes
Finally kicked the illness. Went out for the first time in Old Village on Saturday night, which was very low-key. I drank cranberry juice. With a twist of lime.
For some reason, I decided to go out again last night. Again, I had a drink with a twist of lime. It was a Corona. The beer wasn't settling in my stomach too well, so I switched to vodka tonics. I'm not sure how many I had, but I'm pretty sure the number starts with a one.
Needless to say, I don't feel too great today.
And I'm also re-evaluating my relationship with alcohol. Three times in the past two and a half weeks I have ended up sick or violently hung over after drinking. I've blacked out twice in the same time period - and that's something that just doesn't happen. I'm still able to have one beer or one glass of wine with dinner and stop, but lately I don't seem to have the same control at the bar.
I'm concerned.
For some reason, I decided to go out again last night. Again, I had a drink with a twist of lime. It was a Corona. The beer wasn't settling in my stomach too well, so I switched to vodka tonics. I'm not sure how many I had, but I'm pretty sure the number starts with a one.
Needless to say, I don't feel too great today.
And I'm also re-evaluating my relationship with alcohol. Three times in the past two and a half weeks I have ended up sick or violently hung over after drinking. I've blacked out twice in the same time period - and that's something that just doesn't happen. I'm still able to have one beer or one glass of wine with dinner and stop, but lately I don't seem to have the same control at the bar.
I'm concerned.
Monday, January 05, 2009
really sick
I had intended to put up the first of what will hopefully be many powerful posts today, but a funny thing happened to me: I got sick.
Now, I usually get colds a couple of times a year, and my allergies will flare up on me in the spring, giving me red itchy eyes and a runny nose for days. I usually get a sinus infection every year, too, which is good for an uncomfortable few days, but I can usually get by with nothing more than Tylenol Sinus.
But this was different.
It was so bad that I really couldn't sleep. I could actually feel (going to get graphic here) the mucus swirling around inside my sinus cavity: tip my head one way and it would run down my throat; move it another way and it would rush out of my nose. I was coughing up phlegm with flecks of blood. My face felt like an elephant was stepping on it. I was in bad shape.
Fortunately, the theater company here in Old Village (where I am now; I finally gave the place a name) has an ER doc on call. He told me I had bronchitis, and was able to get me some antibiotics. I've been on those for 48 hours and I'm finally starting to feel ok. 75%, maybe? Thank God for drugs.
Anyway, now that I'm up and walking again, I'll hopefully be able to give you something of consequence soon.
Now, I usually get colds a couple of times a year, and my allergies will flare up on me in the spring, giving me red itchy eyes and a runny nose for days. I usually get a sinus infection every year, too, which is good for an uncomfortable few days, but I can usually get by with nothing more than Tylenol Sinus.
But this was different.
It was so bad that I really couldn't sleep. I could actually feel (going to get graphic here) the mucus swirling around inside my sinus cavity: tip my head one way and it would run down my throat; move it another way and it would rush out of my nose. I was coughing up phlegm with flecks of blood. My face felt like an elephant was stepping on it. I was in bad shape.
Fortunately, the theater company here in Old Village (where I am now; I finally gave the place a name) has an ER doc on call. He told me I had bronchitis, and was able to get me some antibiotics. I've been on those for 48 hours and I'm finally starting to feel ok. 75%, maybe? Thank God for drugs.
Anyway, now that I'm up and walking again, I'll hopefully be able to give you something of consequence soon.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
the goal for 2009
Last year, I decided to undertake a huge project: to blog every day for a year. I don't know what possessed me to do this. I know that I felt like I was a lousy blogger, and I wanted to try my hand at writing more.
I completed the journey yesterday, and there wasn't any real joy or sense of accomplishment, just relief that I didn't have to blog every damn day. It wasn't fun, you know? I felt like a lot of days I just cranked out crap, or decided to use a text message or e-mail rather than write down how I really felt. As December came to a close, I gave some serious thought to closing up shop all together. The whole last month was just a struggle. I would think of post ideas, but I'd just push them to the side. But writing meaningful "columns", for want of a better word, was the whole reason I wanted to do Blog 365 in the first place.
So, after careful consideration, I've decided to keep the blog going. I am planning on making a significant change, however. Instead of throwing something up here every single day, I am going to aim for one quality post a week; something of substance between 500-1000 words that I'll work on during the week and will go up every Monday. There may be weeks where I have more posts; there will probably be a couple of vacation weeks where I decide to write nothing at all. The important thing, however, is that I put things up here that are worth your time, and mine. I hope that you'll come along for the ride, and hopefully we can start up a back-and-forth in the comments again, like the old days.
One last thing. I left NYC this morning, to do a show in a new town with considerably better weather. (I haven't named it yet.) I'm staying in one of the nicest places I've ever lived in. It seems to be the perfect way to kick off a new year.
I think that, after the last 365 days, I deserve a bit of a break. I'm taking the rest of the weekend off. See you on Monday.
I completed the journey yesterday, and there wasn't any real joy or sense of accomplishment, just relief that I didn't have to blog every damn day. It wasn't fun, you know? I felt like a lot of days I just cranked out crap, or decided to use a text message or e-mail rather than write down how I really felt. As December came to a close, I gave some serious thought to closing up shop all together. The whole last month was just a struggle. I would think of post ideas, but I'd just push them to the side. But writing meaningful "columns", for want of a better word, was the whole reason I wanted to do Blog 365 in the first place.
So, after careful consideration, I've decided to keep the blog going. I am planning on making a significant change, however. Instead of throwing something up here every single day, I am going to aim for one quality post a week; something of substance between 500-1000 words that I'll work on during the week and will go up every Monday. There may be weeks where I have more posts; there will probably be a couple of vacation weeks where I decide to write nothing at all. The important thing, however, is that I put things up here that are worth your time, and mine. I hope that you'll come along for the ride, and hopefully we can start up a back-and-forth in the comments again, like the old days.
One last thing. I left NYC this morning, to do a show in a new town with considerably better weather. (I haven't named it yet.) I'm staying in one of the nicest places I've ever lived in. It seems to be the perfect way to kick off a new year.
I think that, after the last 365 days, I deserve a bit of a break. I'm taking the rest of the weekend off. See you on Monday.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
happy new year!
Having a delicious dinner at Melissa's house. Hope that everyone has a safe and healthy New Year.
Mobile post sent by Rover using Utterli.
Replies.Tuesday, December 30, 2008
an explanation
If you scroll down the screen to December 20, you will notice a post entitled: in '09, i'm going to usher the following things into my life. An explanation is in order.
I have a friend who, every year, has a Solstice Party. There are several rituals involved in this party, but my favorite one is when people write down a list of things that they want to bring into their lives the following year. I guess it's sort of like a more abstract version of a New Year's resolution. You are not supposed to look at the list until the Solstice Party the following year, when you read the list and are mortified that you forgot all about learning to ice skate - or are pleasantly surprised that you did land an agent like you thought.
Anyway, I've been going to this party for years, and I always assumed that I had posted my goals for the year, but this is the first time that I've put them up on the blog. The list is here, and hopefully this will inspire you to make your own list. Enjoy.
I have a friend who, every year, has a Solstice Party. There are several rituals involved in this party, but my favorite one is when people write down a list of things that they want to bring into their lives the following year. I guess it's sort of like a more abstract version of a New Year's resolution. You are not supposed to look at the list until the Solstice Party the following year, when you read the list and are mortified that you forgot all about learning to ice skate - or are pleasantly surprised that you did land an agent like you thought.
Anyway, I've been going to this party for years, and I always assumed that I had posted my goals for the year, but this is the first time that I've put them up on the blog. The list is here, and hopefully this will inspire you to make your own list. Enjoy.
Monday, December 29, 2008
headshot madness
via e-mail, giving Trouble advice about her headshot outfits
I say stick with the magenta/fuschia/pinky red color.
I say stick with the magenta/fuschia/pinky red color.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
i really enjoyed this game
via text message with Snapple, who has a rooting interest in the Philadelphia Eagles
ME: The eagles are awesome.
SNAPPLE: what happened?
ME: They are BLOWING out the cowboys 44-3!
SNAPPLE: yay playoffs!
ME: Exactly. At minnesota next week.
ME: The eagles are awesome.
SNAPPLE: what happened?
ME: They are BLOWING out the cowboys 44-3!
SNAPPLE: yay playoffs!
ME: Exactly. At minnesota next week.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
i feel like warmed-over death
Just a suggestion - if you're going to have multiple drinks - like, say, more than five - you might want to try eating something before your beverage consumption. Otherwise you could end up feeling like me.
Ugh.
Ugh.
Friday, December 26, 2008
a new york meme
Name: The Rover
Job: Actor
Age: 31 (sigh)
Neighborhood: Big ups to Brooklyn!
Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
This is a great question.
Unfortunately, I don't have an answer.
What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
Generally, the last one. I did have a fantastic dinner with Maxine a couple of weeks ago at Blue Water Grill in Union Square, so I'll go with that.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
In between surfing the internet, texting friends, watching TV, talking on the phone, I tell stories - or look for new stories to tell.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
That would be a raise for me, so yes.
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
The Little Mermaid. I know someone in the show. It was pretty good, actually.
What's your drink?
It changes, depending on the time of year. In the summer, I prefer a hefeweizen. Winter demands Irish Whiskey or Scotch. If I'm "watching my figure", I'll go with the vodka tonic. And if I need dessert, I'm not above ordering a Kahula or an Amarula. But, generally speaking, I'm a beer guy.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
When my life isn't too chaotic, I'd say 90% of the time. When I'm in tech, or hopping from place to place, it's more like 40%. I prefer to cook for myself.
What's your favorite medication?
The prescription-strength Pepcid that keeps my acid reflux at bay.
What's hanging above your sofa?
Nothing. Which reminds me, do you want to buy my sofa? It's too big to fit into my studio...
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$20. But I'm kinda cheap.
When's bedtime?
Ideally? 1 am. Usually? 2:30.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I guess new, but there really are no winners with this question.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
No. I subscribe to a bastardized version of the viewpoint discrimination theory: either I give to everybody, or nobody. I'm poor, so right now it's nobody.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
He uses too much gold in his buildings. Otherwise, I think he's hilarious.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
The price tag.
Who is your mortal enemy?
I don't know that I have one right now.
When's the last time you drove a car?
Yesterday.
Who should be the next president?
The guy we elected. YES WE CAN!
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times. Not even close. Although I do enjoy seeing the front and back pages of the tabloids every day.
Where do you go to be alone?
These days? The bathroom.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
A healthy disdain for tourists. That, and being able to give a person multiple routes to get to the same place.
Job: Actor
Age: 31 (sigh)
Neighborhood: Big ups to Brooklyn!
Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
This is a great question.
Unfortunately, I don't have an answer.
What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
Generally, the last one. I did have a fantastic dinner with Maxine a couple of weeks ago at Blue Water Grill in Union Square, so I'll go with that.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
In between surfing the internet, texting friends, watching TV, talking on the phone, I tell stories - or look for new stories to tell.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
That would be a raise for me, so yes.
What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
The Little Mermaid. I know someone in the show. It was pretty good, actually.
What's your drink?
It changes, depending on the time of year. In the summer, I prefer a hefeweizen. Winter demands Irish Whiskey or Scotch. If I'm "watching my figure", I'll go with the vodka tonic. And if I need dessert, I'm not above ordering a Kahula or an Amarula. But, generally speaking, I'm a beer guy.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
When my life isn't too chaotic, I'd say 90% of the time. When I'm in tech, or hopping from place to place, it's more like 40%. I prefer to cook for myself.
What's your favorite medication?
The prescription-strength Pepcid that keeps my acid reflux at bay.
What's hanging above your sofa?
Nothing. Which reminds me, do you want to buy my sofa? It's too big to fit into my studio...
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$20. But I'm kinda cheap.
When's bedtime?
Ideally? 1 am. Usually? 2:30.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I guess new, but there really are no winners with this question.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
No. I subscribe to a bastardized version of the viewpoint discrimination theory: either I give to everybody, or nobody. I'm poor, so right now it's nobody.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
He uses too much gold in his buildings. Otherwise, I think he's hilarious.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
The price tag.
Who is your mortal enemy?
I don't know that I have one right now.
When's the last time you drove a car?
Yesterday.
Who should be the next president?
The guy we elected. YES WE CAN!
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times. Not even close. Although I do enjoy seeing the front and back pages of the tabloids every day.
Where do you go to be alone?
These days? The bathroom.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
A healthy disdain for tourists. That, and being able to give a person multiple routes to get to the same place.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
christmas dinner
This is the third of three meals we've made from scratch today. I'm not in shape to eat this much!
Here's hoping that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!
Here's hoping that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!
Mobile post sent by Rover using Utterli.
Replies.Wednesday, December 24, 2008
i thought she was serious for a minute
via text - Maxine is home for the holidays visiting her mom
ME: How was shopping?
MAXINE: Well, i'm done so i'm happy!
ME: What did you buy me? ;-)
MAXINE: Hah! Cowboy boots!
ME: Great! I needed brown shoes...
MAXINE: Oops, well, i hope you like crocodile.
ME: How was shopping?
MAXINE: Well, i'm done so i'm happy!
ME: What did you buy me? ;-)
MAXINE: Hah! Cowboy boots!
ME: Great! I needed brown shoes...
MAXINE: Oops, well, i hope you like crocodile.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
not enough time!
I'm having one of those frustrating days where it just seems like I don't have enough time to get anything done. You know what I mean?
I promised my roommate that I'd go help her out at 3:30. When I made that commitment, I realized that I wouldn't have enough time to go to the gym and shower.
To kill the gap, I made a couple of phone calls I needed to make and took care of some paperwork. I figured that I would have enough time to knock out a couple of episodes of my addiction du jour (the HBO miniseries "John Adams"). But, alas, now it's almost 2:30. I can't even get that done.
This vacation has not been very relaxing.
I promised my roommate that I'd go help her out at 3:30. When I made that commitment, I realized that I wouldn't have enough time to go to the gym and shower.
To kill the gap, I made a couple of phone calls I needed to make and took care of some paperwork. I figured that I would have enough time to knock out a couple of episodes of my addiction du jour (the HBO miniseries "John Adams"). But, alas, now it's almost 2:30. I can't even get that done.
This vacation has not been very relaxing.
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