I'm not sure..

if I like this whole Thanksgiving-week-off deal. Sure, it sounds good in theory. A whole week off?! Gee, thanks Mister! But going from a week of constant schoolwork (I'd like to meet one of my classmates who has not spent this week working on papers and projects!) to a national holiday to a few more days of relaxation and work back to the grind and back to finals, of all things.

Not to mention, I've been so busy, I've barely seen anyone besides my parents. I love em dearly, but I do miss seeing my peers on a regular basis. (No, Juliet, I didn't forget about you.. just saw you today. The first non-family person this week!) Hopefully the 5 week long winter break will be better. I won't be doing papers, and I won't worry about deadlines, and I'll be able to work how I wish (extras time!) or I could go to Disneyland! It's all wide open!

So I think yeah, winter break's gonna be better than this. I am not looking forward to Sunday night and Monday night. Getting everything done in time is gonna be hell.

I'd better look forward toward tomorrow, then! I get to go see Spring Awakening, at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. The next few weekends are jam-packed full of shows! I think the weekend after this is Grinch, then a play with James Roday of Psych, then Mary Poppins. I think. That sounds about right.

Okie doke, knitted stuff.
-made a pair of fingerless gloves out of Noro's Cash Island. It's a great yarn, but thinner than I anticipated. If I make another pair with it, I'll have to pair it with a solid yarn...
-have most of the sweater done! One full side is complete, but I don't think I have enough yarn for the second, so I kind of have it still on needles in the first stage - but mostly complete in that stage. I go back to school (and the Michael's by it) on Sunday, so I may pick it up then. I checked my local one and they don't stock it. They barely had one ball of the brand at all. It was kind of pathetic.

I went to THREE Thanksgiving dinners this week. The first one was when I was going out to Arizona again and saw the whole clan. The second was our traditional one - heading over to my aunt's - my mom's sister - and having Thanksgiving lunch. The third was heading from my aunt's to my uncles - Gary's brother - and having dessert. That's where I beat my kid cousins at pool. They were astonished that I kept winning. Well, yeah, I have 10 years of experience over you!

Anywho, I'm tired from doing Black Friday today (soooo worth it....) so I'm off to bed.

Night!

research

I'm in my local library (cuz I can't focus at home) and skimming through my well-worn script of La Cage aux Folles, just in case I missed anything in my paper about Jerry Herman, the composer and lyricist of said show. One section just made me laugh so unexpectedly, some heads around me turned.

The situation is that Jean-Michel, the son of Albin (the drag performer) and Georges (the owner of the drag club) has just announced that he is to be married to the daughter of really really conservative people. Georges was in the room, and Jacob the butler (though he prefers "maid") ran down to tell Albin the news. So, without further ado:

(The U.S.L. club door flies open and in a rage, puffed to twice his size, ALBIN enters and crosses D.S.L.)

ALBIN: Wedding bells? Do I hear wedding bells?!?!?!?!?

GEORGES: Jacob strikes again.

ALBIN: (circling the stage) What have we raised, Georges? An ani-mal? Snakes live male and female together. Cats live male and female together. We are human beings. We know better!

-

Ah, I love Harvey Fierstein. (He wrote the libretto). Thank you for giving my research a bit of a kick. :)

-

ADDITION:

Okay, I came across another instance that has me in stitches. The little girl being read to at the next table is giving me very odd looks.

The situation: Jean-Michel has requested that Albin be sent away for the night, so that George and his biological mother, Sybil, can meet the conservative family with no repercussions. Albin is heartbroken and performs the super powerful "I Am What I Am" (please look it up on iTunes, if you haven't heard it. The one by George Hearn, if you please.) then storms off stage and disappears for the night. The next morning, Georges finds Albin and says that he can come to the dinner that night, but only as Jean-Michel's "Uncle Al". His straight Uncle Al, no less. This is quite a feat to be performed. Here is Georges trying to tell Albin how to act heterosexual:

GEORGES: Thank you, my love. (Crossing C.) Now to prepare. (He pauses to think how to go about this. Looking at ALBIN:)

ALBIN: Slouch?

GEORGES: Go ahead. Slouch! (ALBIN tries to slouch) Not like that.
(MME. RENAUD appears from the cafe with breakfast tray, and puts it on the cafe table. GEORGES takes ALBIN R. to the S.L. cafe chair.)
You better slouch in that chair. (to MME. RENAUD:)
He's going to be a heterosexual man tonight. He'd better behave like one. Slouch! (ALBIN screams.)
What's the matter?

ALBIN: You yelled at me. (M. RENAUD appears.) Sorry, he yelled at me.

GEORGES: (Crossing D.S.C.) Yes, I yelled at you. But you're a man. You must face up to your destiny. Even if that means getting yelled at. You must say to yourself, "Something terrible has happened to me. I have been yelled upon. But I am a man! I am strong! I will climb back up that mountain!"

ALBIN: (applauding) Bravo!

GEORGES: (crossing to ALBIN) Now, drop your shoulders, and let them go round and beaten. Stop holding in your stomach. (ALBIN tries to cover up his stomach with his scarf.) Let it pour over your lap, a testimonial to the nights spent drinking with the boys. (GEORGES pulls away the scarf.) Let it pour over your lap. Now... spread your legs!

ALBIN: Excusez-moi?!

GEORGES: You're wearing pants not a skirt. Spread them! ... (ALBIN spreads his feet, keeping his knees together.) ... You can do better than that. Spread them! ... (ALBIN pries his knees open, and daintily covers his crotch with his hand.) Now pick up that croissant. (ALBIN picks up a croissant delicately. The way he holds it, it looks as though he is holding a penis.) .... Better try the toast. (ALBIN picks up a piece of toast with equal delicacy.) No, not like that. Think of a man. Think of...

RENAUD: John Wayne!

GEORGES: Exactly; John Wayne. I want you to pick up that piece of toast like John Wayne.

(ALBIN stands, takes off his hat and hand it to MME. RENAUD. He pretends to take a gun out of a holster, shoots GEORGES and then M. RENAUD. He then sits legs together and picks up the toast as he had before.)

GEORGES: And what was is that supposed to be? I thought I said John Wayne.

ALBIN: It is John Wayne. As a little girl.


xoxoxo so much George Hearn (in La Cage) and Nathan Lane (in Birdcage) love in this scene. I can't wait for La Cage to get back to Broadway, so it can tour! :)

NOTE: None of the text cited belongs to me. It was written by the amazing Harvey Fierstein, and copyrighted 1984 and 1987.

Driving back

We're on the way back from Arizona right now. All I can say is, thank God for this iPhone app. A good third of my posts have been from here.

But anyway.

California is stupid and we had to change our clocks back one hour, last month. So I've gotten used to that time. Well, Arizona isn't on that schedule. They kept our old time, so everything went forward an hour while our bodies were still with California time.

Insert groan here.

Yeah, that wasn't the most fun. But it was fun, seeing all my relatives. I don't see them nearly enough. My baby cousin ("Liam") is getting so big! We had an awesome time this morning watching The Incredibles! Every time he would request that I turn it off, I'd ignore it (I blame my behavior on the fact that I was woken up at 7 am according to my internal clock) and he'd go outside and visit with his mom then come inside and become fascinated again. I love his attention span! Three year olds are awesome.

So anywho, we got back on the road at 10 or so and drove about two hours before stopping in Quartzsite, Arizona. Quartzsite is this itty bitty town that plays host to a gem show/flea market from late November to late February. It sounds pretty epic. But it wasn't going on just now. But the reason we stopped is because of the naked bookseller. Yes, you read that right. Well, he's technically not NAKED. He does have a crocheted thong pouch thing to hold his.....thing. His store is pretty awesome. He has books from all eras, so you're pretty much guaranteed to find something. Both times I've been there, I've had a specific book in mind. Last time I didn't happen to find it. Today I found it purely by happenstance. My dad had already paid for our books and was talking to the guy, and mom and I were still in the store. On a lark we decided to look for Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. It wasn't there, but my book was plainly there in the next section over, staring right at me. :)

After that, we walked around the town some more. I got a turquoise ring and an opal charm for my necklace for $20.

Good trip.

Oh! That's right! I forgot to mention that my grandparents are letting me borrow four Al Jolson movies- including the first "talkie" ever: The Jazz Singer. I got so excited...

Okay, NOW knitting update:
- I finished a scarf for my friend for Christmas.
- Started a 1x1 rib cotton scarf cuz my hands were getting tired of the wool I was working with.
- Just about at the point to turn the heel for my Christmas stocking.
- Forgot my sweater directions at home, so beyond "knit 7 inches garter stitch before decreases", it's all a mystery.
- Started another Christmas scarf for another friend. On size 15 needles with one of my favorite ever yarns.
- Debating what stitch to do on an important project.

And that's it for now. Are we there yet, are we there yet?

Xoxo-

Well, now-

This was a nice surprise. I check Facebook and saw I had an invitation - a call to post creative writing pieces to the school newspaper, which I've been a part of since last year. I accept the invitation, go to the page, and see a friend's poem, which looks interesting. I click the link to go to the site, not thinking anything of it.

Until I see under the "Recently Commented" links: 'Opinion: RENT'.

Wow, I thought. Did someone else write a RENT article? And proceed to click on THAT link. Which deposits me at my article. Posted ten days ago. That I had no clue about.

HOLY CRAP!

I am still soooo excited! I don't care that I wasn't told - I have the site bookmarked, and yet I didn't notice my own article? Come on... - but that I'm a published writer again?

Oh, sooo good.

In other news: I had my audition for the spring Production last night. Kinda (really) screwed up my monologue, but had clear sailing once I was able to hold my notecards - I think just having the option of having them made me more confident in my ability to perform it. Other than that, I feel I did well.

Oh, yeah. Yesterday was a month. :)

I'm at home now, getting ready for Thanksgiving break. Tomorrow we head out to Arizona to make Thanksgiving dinner for my grandparents. The car ride out there should be really fun. I've my knitting (and LOTS of it, so if I get bored with one project I can just pull out another) and a few books and my homework sitting on the floor next to me. THAT shan't be joining us.

Ahhh... let's see here. Knitting update: I've started a Christmas stocking. It's moving along fairly quickly, which is a pleasant surprise. Of course, it helps that I'm using needles larger than toothpicks or skewers, and really bulky yarn. Instead of the aforementioned toothpicks and spiderweb-thin yarn. Yup. Um.. on my lap is my newest project: a sweater. It's on absolutely HUGE needles and REALLY thick yarn. If I have enough, I want to be finished by the time we get back from Arizona. I think that the time in the car may be enough time. I hope so, in any case. I started it an hour ago and have about three inches of the top already done. And it only has to be twenty on one side.. always nice.

I think I'll leave it there.

xoxo-

My hair...

Has calmed down. Thank god. I've been getting compliments on it left right and center today. :)

Okay. I had too many thoughts in my head at dinner so wrote them down in no particular order. So please excuse the randomness and order of the below topics.

The Odyssey (where we were at) is very very yummy. Also very "antique chic". It has the best view of the Valley of anywhere I can imagine except when crossing the Sepulveda Pass in driving. It's so pretty, especially at night. The whole Valley just lights up.. Love it!

I admire anyone who works in food service. There must be so many people that come through your section, and all of them expect so much of you. Of course, in this town, it's all about substitutions and what's health-conscious and stuff. They deserve more than what they get, dealing with brats like us.

Okay, so I've come to the conclusion that Friends had the right idea. Chatting in a coffeehouse with friends has taken up two days of this weekend already and I've had so much fun.

The caffeine doesn't hurt matters, either. :)

So my new idea is to find an independent coffeehouse in both towns - at home and at school. Screw Starbucks. They have enough customers. It's the little companies that need the support.

Barnes and Noble almost ripped me off today. I was looking at a CD, and it was $18. As I'm standing at the listening station, I get the brilliant idea to check on my phone on iTunes. Where the same CD was only $9. Um, I'm all for supporting the music industry, but I'm still going to get the cheaper one. At least I'll buy it, you know? I know people that could get it for free for me. Illegally, but still. I buy. I'm legal. :)

Okay. That's all the backside of my script has to offer. If anything else comes up, you'll be the first to know.

Xoxo!

My hair...

looks a little like a wig right about now. I spent FOREVER getting used to my new hot rollers, but the end result is a bit fantastic, if a bit poofy and crunchy cuz I hairsprayed it upside down to slow the straightening process. Also, I have on my scarlet red lipstick - the one that gets used for special occasions so still feels brand new and I curled my lashes and put on lip liner and blush and a whole bunch of stuff that normally doesn't happen.

I feel like I look good right about now. I love this feeling! It ususally comes in this huge dose when I've spent hours dolling myself up, but in the end it's always worth it. I don't ususally spend that much time on myself, makeup and hair - wise, but the knowledge is there. I just don't have the time (or patience, everyday) to get like this. Oh goodness no.

So today I went on a mini shopping spree through Target and Ross. I'd forgotten all about Ross, except for the irritating commercials that have popped up recently. So I got a shirt for tonight (I cut off the collar and made it 80s style) and these AMAZING argyle style tights. They give the impression that my leg is being wrapped in 1/2" wide straps, but then there's these purple squares that appear in the diamond between the straps. SO cool.

Plus I'm wearing a skirt tonight, so I'm gonna want to have some insulation between myself and the cold (?) air.

I also attempted to complete my "business" look, so I can sign with an extras agency soon, but I don't know if the pants I got are going to work. I'll bring them home this weekend and check with the whole outfit.

Oh, good, my nails are finally dry.

This weekend should be fun. Tomorrow I'm planning on having lunch with my best friend from middle school. Then, (again), Sunday I'm having brunch with one of my best friends from elementary school! (Yesterday, I caught up with a friend from high school. This has been/ is going to be a week of reunions!)

So these few free days off have been very good to me, knit-wise. I did not get as far ahead in my school work as I would have liked, but that's all right. HOWEVER! I did finish the blanket. This is still a huge deal for me! It was there to comfort me after I had my wisdom teeth taken out, when I went on road trips and went through friends.

This weekend I'm also going to be focusing on memorizing my monologue to audition for next semester's production. I've chosen one from Oleanna, and I think it's pretty good, especially with the material of the show in mind. I've also got to work on my three other scenes - one from Cinderella, one from My Fair Lady, and one from an Argentinian play called Information for Foreigners. The latter needs to get memorized more quickly than the others do - the performance date is two days earlier.

Okay, well, I'm feeling the bass line through my walls and hearing the beat of the music of the block party not quite outside my window. Should be fun!

TTFN-

Ow.

I just ran into a door. Well, it kind of bitch-slapped me, but since it's an inanimate object, I'll just say that I ran into it. But I digress.

Has it really only been a few days since I last updated? It feels like a lot's gone down since then..

Well, I've had a long weekend so far. It's Thursday evening, and I'm technically on Night Two of This Weekend. It's not been as productive as I'd like, but I blame only myself because I never COULD work in my room properly. But I'm working now, so that's okay.

Ah, er, um... knitting news!

I finished my blanket. THANK GOODNESS! About time, right? Well, apparently the numbing solution for ripping back four rows is watching various episodes of Sex and the City. Problem solved, all bound off, and I have a nice lovely LONG afghan at the foot of my bed.

Also: I started (and finished) a neck-warmer last night. It was this really cool pattern, and I had a button and some spare yarn and the right needles.. it just all cried out to be made RIGHT NOW. And I did. And it's pretty and warm and not really itchy, which is good.

Um, um... I've almost finished up the ball of the Neopolitan Cowl yarn. Fortunately, apparently my local Michael's carries it, so when I run errands tomorrow I'll just get another. :)

Another small project I've been working on is this pillow. It's a star, and the various pieces are really easy to work on... I've been doing one a night before I get to bed. Again, Michael's may come in handy - I don't know how much stuffing I'll need for it when push comes to shove.

This weekend's going to be fun. Tomorrow is the circus themed block party, which is always exciting. I'm fully planning on dressing somewhat crazy, by the way. Be warned. ;)
Um.. then Saturday my mom's friend is hosting a baptism.. And Sunday I get to have brunch with one of my closest friends from when I was younger.. and I'm really really excited for that! It's been a while since we've properly caught up, so it'll be fun.

I think that's it for the time being. Gotta go, my contacts are driving me NUTS!

xoxo-

I have a confession to make.

I am a procrastionator.

There! I said it! Are you happy now?

So midterms have come and gone, and final exams and papers are upon us here. Isn't it lovely? So tomorrow, with my lovely, LOVELY (please note sarcasm for this) three-class day, I have so much work due, it's crazy.
For musical theatre: bring comfy shoes for dance, find script for My Fair Lady and Cinderella, and watch the insanely long DVD of West Side Story.
For multicultural lit: write a freakin' 5-7 page paper. Sure, it's the rough draft and double-spaced, but I still have no clue how to write this paper at all. I have a feeling mine's going to be closer to four pages.
For world drama and theatre: read the plays online so I can decide which I want to read my research paper on, so I can do and turn in the abstract tomorrow.

Fun stuff, fun stuff.

Today I had to show off my drawn and painted figures for Cloud 9 for costume design. If you haven't read this play, please do. It's so amazingly trippy and just insane all over. I really enjoyed it. Not to mention I think that it was my best work of the semester.

I am not an artist.

So I got back to my room and was going to start immediately on the huge load of stuff.. then noticed that on my autumn Jasper scarf, there was only a few more yards left. Okay, so I'll just finish that, then get started. Yeah, right.

So I finished the scarf - love love LOVE it, btw - and right after whipped out another set of needles, a pattern for a cowl, and the yarn I got for it yesterday at Velona's Needlework in Anaheim. Then proceeded to keep checking facebook and email alternatively while I did the first four rounds of 1x1 rib and first round of knit.

I'm going to call it my Neopolitan Cowl. It's made with white, brown, and pink self-striping yarn (Patons' Shetland Chunky, "Ashes of Roses") and looks like a bowl of neopolitan ice cream decided to become a cowl in Fair Isle pattern. It is quite lovely, and moving along quickly.

Okay... The blanket. Still not done. I told you before, I HATE ripping back! Only thing is: It's getting colder, and the blanket's cozy and warm, so I will force myself to finish it in short order, if only because I want to be warm and have the needles free again.

My outlook on life shall be stated Musical Theatre style, because that's just how my mindset is this semester - Everything's coming up roses! Loving school (for the most part), loving my peeps (you know who you are!), loving my hobby (especially finishing projects!), and loving life! <3

I bid you adieu, so I can go read some plays for world drama.

xoxo!

I'm sure...

Everyone out there will be happy to know that the "damn yarn" from last post did behave.. almost immediately after I posted, as a matter of fact. I think it just wanted into the blog. Silly yarn. I don't blame it - it was wonderful. A mix of wool and silk. *happy sigh* It worked on size 10 needles, with 2x2 ribbing. It worked out well, as the friend I gave it to appreciated the more sensible stitch.

Ah, let's see, what's going on in my world? Me and Ernest are still going, and I still couldn't be happier. I still know it's been too short to really make an opinion (or so I hear) but I don't care, I'm happy.

Aside from that, life has basically been school. Still. And of course three of my classes have papers due on the same day. FML. But not really, cuz I love my life.

Halloween weekend was fun. Friday, Ernest, Lauren and I headed to Disneyland again.. we didn't really do much, but what we did was a blast, in my opinion. Only thing that could have gone better was that the Halloween Space Mountain scared the crap out of me! I am not a horror flick loving chick, and honestly didn't expect Disney to make it so... so... words escape the fright that came from that ride. Ah.. Actual Halloween was pretty fun. Ernest and I watched The Matrix (cuz I hadn't properly seen it, before), then Lauren and I carved pumpkins as I was partially dressed up for Halloween.

I don't know if it was shared, but here it is: I was going as Dolly Parton.

Feel free to laugh.

All I can say is: I managed to put on false lashes for the first time in my life, and couldn't be prouder. The false nails fell like flies - they were all gone once two hours was up. The wig was hysterical. The fake boobs were so embarassing to shop for, but so fun to walk around in. My balance was totally weird due to them.

We stopped several different places: my neighborhood, Lauren's grandma's neighborhood, then my uncles' neighborhood. Mine was a let-down (my house is the one that celebrates the most. It's great, but not fun when walking around looking for other holiday-y people). Lauren's grandma's was a goldmine! Not only did we get a load of candy, but my costume got recognized (!!!) and we stumbled across a gang of pre-teen boys running around in drag. They cat-called me and Lauren, saying stuff like, "You think YOU'RE a woman? Pfft!" and "Please don't judge me..." XD They had some guts, I must say.

So let's see here. I am (still, continuously) surrounded by yarn and needles of various sizes and textures. One is a lovely lovely cotton scarf (for a Christmas gift!) that may almost be completed; I've not quite yet decided yet. One day I'll say Yes it is, time to cast off, then the next day I'll say No way in Hell, this needs to be longer! My mind will be made up by Christmas, I swear. Another project is a wool autumn scarf (I know, I'm a bit late) also in 2x2 rib - it's my favorite, lately - that I know I'll need more of when I go home, as the scarf is fairly wide and the skein only consisted of 98 yards and I can see this needed 300, easily. Number three is an acrylic yarn that's sort of soft (but will be really warm!) in a really different kind of pattern, for my friend going to Iraq. And number four is nylon and acrylic, denim blue, and so warm and soft I almost don't want to let it go. It's also in 2x2 ribbing, and almost as tall as I am. I'd almost forgotten how to make a scarf longer than 45 inches - this is probably 61 1/2, if my eyeballing is correct. I need to make this long - it's a guy's scarf, also for my friend going to Iraq. I've been on auto-pilot for the past few hours, surfing the web, reading friends' blogs, facebooking.. and it just grew and grew (yep, that 2x2 rib is very repetitive). Oh so soft.. I only hope he likes it.

That seems to be it for now.

H&K's!