Something to do while I wait for better things to do

I had a nasty headache this morning, but it has receded to the mountaintops waiting for its next chance to storm the battlements.
I have ibu and decongestants manning the walls however. And I'm not afraid to use hot oil and caltrops.

Monte came to watch rehearsal last night. We did a full run thru (minus one number). Even with raggedness, it was only 2.5 hours. Sweet! (I did cut two numbers from the show, so that helps a bit.) It means that this won't be an interminable evening at the theatre.

Monte declared the show "not suck". Obviously ragged, but still fun. When they do it right, downright enjoyable. And just by having a new set of eyes watching, it forced my eyes to look anew and I was both pleased and frustrated with what I saw.
Frustrated: girls who should know the dance well "marking" it or just not knowing it - it's hard to tell. Regardless, the look on the face said "I don't take this seriously."
Pleased: I'm a pretty clever choreographer occasionally.

New thought: I think I am going to cut the reprise of "Always True to You". It just goes on forever and Lois isn't THAT good. Besides, the verses in the reprise aren't as clever. I'll review this afternoon and see.

I gave notes afterward. I'm trying to impart acting lessons in the midst of all this so I gave a brief sermon on "raising the stakes" - on making specific choices onstage, on making what you are doing important. Every character needs a reason - a life-or-death reason - for being there and being involved.
I also told them that they have until next Wednesday night to learn the dances and if I see people who don't know them, I will cut them from the dance number. If they are front and center and don't know it/won't sell it, I will move them. It motivates them. Probably because they know I mean it.
And the best moment of the night was trying to get one of my gangsters to threaten with a fist. I blocked him to threaten the other gangster with his fist, but it's the wimpiest thing I ever saw. During notes, I said,
WINDY: Ben, threaten me. *shakes fist at him*
BEN: *wimpy fist thing vaguely in my direction*
WINDY: No! Be mean! *threatens with scowl*
BEN: *wimpy fist thing even more wimpy than before*
WINDY: Ben, flip me off.
BEN: *startled* What? Really?
WINDY: Yes, flip me off.
BEN: *flips a very aggressive bird*
WINDY: Aha! Do it just like that, only without the finger!!

I was successful in finally getting a decently threatening fist. You just gotta find the right metaphor sometimes.

The set continues rather rapidly to appear. Yay. Sit-sing tonight. I'm anxious and excited to hear the orchestra.

A ton of sewing to do.

Other places of my life are not-so-good right now. I don't have time or energy to spare to address the issues. However, the suckage saps my energy and motivation. Oh, the catch-22 of it all.

Could you be more of a pain?

You want a mouse-roller-ball. I get you a mouse-roller-ball. "Well, I don't know if I can use it. It's different than the other one I was playing with."

You are the most disorganized, needy, demanding, flake of a flake-head. I find it hard to respect you, especially when you can't bloody communicate with me in any effective manner!

We are not a good match.

How about you stop whining about how you need to bill more hours and actually bill the hours you work? You're here till 10pm several times a week. You work over the weekends. How do you have no hours to bill? Could it be that you are too "nice" to bill your clients for the work? Or are you embarrassed to admit how long it takes you to do things?

"I'll take every phone call. Every phone call is a chance for work." Well, that's nice, but if you take every phone call when are you going to finish the work you've already contracted to do??

And a few more irritants:
Why do you need to walk into my very small cubicle to hand me stuff? I have a ledge. I have an inbox. You don't need to leave stuff on my chair, I will find it when you put it where it belongs. "Where it belongs" does NOT mean randomly on my desk. Also, don't sit at my desk and rearrange my things just so you can write me a post-it note.

And, in conclusion, could you stop yelling directions or questions to me from your office? It's rude to the other office dwellers. And when I can't hear you, I have to get up and go to your office to ask. Is there a reason you can't send an email? Use the intercom? Or get off your butt?
Oh, wait - don't get off your butt, because if you come out here you'll just invade my space again!!

This is why one ought not to work for a person less intelligent than oneself.

Not seeing the forest for the hunger pangs

Sometimes I am dumb.
I have been cranky and out of sorts all day. I've felt vaguely ill and very sleepy.

I started daydreaming and planning about getting food on the way to rehearsal...what would I get? Would I have time to get something?

And it dawned on me.
I'm hungry.

Why would I be so hungry?
Well, last night dinner was at 6pm and consisted of cheese-n-peanutbutter crackers and chocolate covered donettes.
Breakfast was a Pepsi.
Lunch was some left over sugar wafers I had in a drawer (I spent lunch cutting out bodices).

D'oh!

Then it dawned on me - it's 4pm. I'm here for another hour, I've got nothing to do...why not go get some food now?

Sometimes I'm so frikkin' brilliant it almost hurts.

So, yeah. I just ate a chipotle and suddenly the world is a better place.
Now, if the sun would just come out. Just for a half-hour...

Shout outs:
- lucyruthe: Good luck with getting those braces off! How exciting!
- ethel: Did you get a bit of love in the mail from Omegacon?
- fr0st_s1mul4t3d: I got stuff for you from Dave.
- jklumpp: I may not be at movie night on Sunday. Tons to do. How do we best arrange payment and handoff?
- fairoriana: Welcome home! My envy knows a few bounds, but not many.