Currently reading...

To make up for my brief foray into teenage vampire novels, I am now reading House of Leaves.

I cannot recommend it enough.

It has more thought put into it than any book I have ever read.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who may want to read it, but one of the chapters looks like this:

So now I look crazy on the train because some of the text is upside down and I am constantly turning the book this way and that. Or I'll come across pages like this:

And then I really do notice people looking at the book and then at me.

But it could be worse. At least there's not large type font of the word "psychic vampire".

Leftover files

I spent the past two days cleaning out all of the things the last person at my desk had.

It was a LOT. This is just a fourth of the things that were hidden under the desk.

I had to put gloves on to do it, because apparently I am allergic to something that she used on her hands. Possibly a lotion. But it's all wiped down now and so I should be fine.

Apparently, hives gets you sent home early from work. But not in a fun way, since Benadryl makes you feel like a crazy person.

Speaking of Flowers and Norm, awhile back Flowers drew me this picture of Norm.
It now hangs on the wall above my bed.
(Crooked, because the house is on a slant and the hardest thing ever is to try and hang a picture straight on a slanted wall, I mean, come on.)

Twisty, viewed from the light booth

Nick & I have done notes for Twisty the past 2 Saturdays, as Norm has had prior engagements.

This week they applied our notes from last week really well and had a great show. I was super proud of them.

The best part of doing notes is sitting in the booth with Flowers, who insists on giving notes of his own -

"Put plus 2 points for that."

(after playing a sound effect) "Write down 'Classic Flowers'."

"They're not initiating, they're dominating."

HouseCo Audience

Ticket sales for HouseCo have been going like crazy. Normally the tickets all go on Saturday, since we get a lot of walk-ups. But this week we were almost sold out by Thursday.

So by Saturday the show was sold out. It was a fun show, it always is, I look forward to it every week.

I can't tell you how much I enjoy performing for a room full of muggles, many of whom have never set foot in Second City before, and may never again. We get a lot of people who are passing through, visiting family or friends, who bring them to the show.

I know this because we interact with the audience quite a bit. And also because every now and then someone will recognize me on the street and grab my arm, which is terrifying until they start telling me they were at the show.

Washington & Wells...almost

Every day my train pauses right before the Washington & Wells stop, which is the stop before I get off.

We can be there briefly - for 20 seconds - or for awhile - 8 minutes or so.

It is the absolute difference between being on time and late for work.

Of course, people here understand more than somewhere where you would drive in. The train effects everyone.

But it is frustrating to be so close and only be able to sit and wait.

Ginger's Ale House

The last few days have been all about last minute - CHOKE ON IT was asked to sub in for another group at Ginger's tonight. Since Timmy is on the boat (and CHOKE isn't allowed to have sit-ins), Andi & I did a 2-man.

It was fun, as always, but I am very excited for Timmy to be back soon so we can start doing the 3-person shows again.

Timmy & I try to talk every week on his one day in Miami. Or as he refers to it, "dirty, skank-ass Miami". In between bits about JC Chasez, we are trying to make some plans for CHOKE to possibly have a run somewhere when he gets back.
I am hoping it pans out...doing those shows has been some of the most fun I have had. And none of us are really sure how it all happened, all of the sudden we were friends, then we were doing shows together and giggling.