Last month the first of my siblings' children got married! How and when did he get to be old enough?!? Anyway, he & his new bride have known each other for 8 or 9 years, so it isn't as though they married in haste. It was a lovely ceremony; LOTS of readings, nice music, the bride's gown was beautifully elegant, and the groom was grinning ear to ear. :) The reception was nice, too. The music was a bit loud for my taste (I loathe having to raise my voice to be heard), but because the newlyweds are both dancers, it was VERY danceable! I got to dance with both the groom and my brother, though not terribly skillfully. The floor was just a tiny bit slick, and I had trouble following because it's been years since I've danced with C, and the groom & I had never danced together before. Didn't matter; we had fun, and the bride got a couple of funny pictures of J & me out on the dance floor.
His brother is getting married in October. Another dance couple, so that should be a fun reception too.
The two couples have already started a family game night, and their marital homes are only about 5 minutes apart. The bride who's an only child will now have siblings and the bride whose siblings live in the next state will now have siblings close by. I love it! :)
Monday, August 15, 2016
Extra again
I've learned that a phone call asking about my availability doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to be booked for that date. However, I got another call tonight asking about my availability for Wednesday. Sure, I can make that. The gentleman then called back to confirm that they do indeed want to book me for Wednesday. He then called back twice more about wardrobe details, and to let me know that they want me to approximate as much as possible the way I wore my hair when I went to the open call last year. Wearing the same suit is easy; duplicating the hairstyle could be trickier (it doesn't curl as much as it did last year, for some odd reason), but I'll do my best.
The last time the gentleman called, he apologized for calling so many times. I thought to myself, "Hey, it makes me feel loved and wanted!" :D
Getting ready for the fall semester
I cheerfully admit it; I'm like a kid with a new toy, with all this back-to-school stuff. I happened to poke around a little on the university's site tonight and saw that the professor for my Intro to Stage Management class has posted the syllabus and textbook list. I did the 21st-century thing and spent at least half an hour on line comparing prices. This site was very helpful for that. The range of prices continues to amaze me; one site offered one of the texts for at least $15 more than I ended up paying for both of them, including shipping!
Now I'm itching for my other classes to create their pages for the Fall semester and post the textbook requirements so I can order 'em in time for the first day of class. I'm starting to get eager for the start of the new semester; you'd think it was my first, not my third. :D
Now I'm itching for my other classes to create their pages for the Fall semester and post the textbook requirements so I can order 'em in time for the first day of class. I'm starting to get eager for the start of the new semester; you'd think it was my first, not my third. :D
Easy come, easy go
It turns out I won't be "extra-ing" tomorrow after all. The phone call I got the other day led me to believe I would be; obviously I'm still learning how the BG booking process works. I'll just keep my eyes open for future opportunities.
Hebe! Who the deuce may she be?
My next show will be another Gilbert & Sullivan - HMS Pinafore, this time, as Cousin Hebe. I missed the initial read-through, ironically because I was singing Hebe at an all-day G&S sing. My first rehearsal will be this Saturday - can't wait! I'm always eager for the first rehearsal of a new show, and this one will be interesting because the company generally does Broadway classics, not G&S. I wonder if this will be like my last Mikado, also with a non-G&S company, in that I'll get to see a whole new group laugh at Gilbert's jokes and discover Sullivan's music.
The director told me at callbacks that she'll be relying on me and the MD to help her with her lack of G&S experience. I take that to mean she trusts me not to be a know-it-all about it. :) She's also counting on me to help with set building & painting. Can't wait!
No summer class after all :(
I was all psyched up to take Hair & Wigs for the Stage this month - ordered my book the same day I signed up for the class, so I had it in hand weeks ahead of time. Then, a few days before the first day of class, I got an email telling me the class was canceled for insufficient enrollment. Waaah!
At the Chief's suggestion, I reached out to the instructor about similar classes elsewhere, or intern/apprentice opportunities. She was very gracious, noting that she freelances and therefore can't make any promises, but would keep me in mind for future shows. She let me know that most professionals start out with a cosmetology license. Turns out that's rather expensive training - $15K-$17K for 12-15 months of school. The instructor said the university plans to offer the class again (hopefully with more notice, instead of waiting until June to set it up), so I'll won't be signing up for cosmetology school anytime soon.
At the Chief's suggestion, I reached out to the instructor about similar classes elsewhere, or intern/apprentice opportunities. She was very gracious, noting that she freelances and therefore can't make any promises, but would keep me in mind for future shows. She let me know that most professionals start out with a cosmetology license. Turns out that's rather expensive training - $15K-$17K for 12-15 months of school. The instructor said the university plans to offer the class again (hopefully with more notice, instead of waiting until June to set it up), so I'll won't be signing up for cosmetology school anytime soon.
Extra quick!
The check for my extra gig arrived today, a week to the day after I was on set - $111.48 after taxes. Extra work isn't the sort of thing you put on a resume, but it pays, and the novelty hasn't worn off yet, so I'll continue to keep an eye out for further opportunities that fit into my schedule. It'll be harder to do that once classes resume two weeks from today, and I'll have rehearsals to work around as well, but since I don't have to pay the bills this way, it isn't critical. (Yes, I realize how very blessed I am to have landed a job that doesn't just pay a pension, but pays one I can actually live on.)
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Extra, extra; read all about it!
Had my first-ever TV extra gig on Monday. Last summer I'd responded to an open call by a professional casting company, which got me in their database and on their email list. However, Monday was the first call for extras that I'd been able to show up for.
This being my first time, I showed up not really knowing what to expect beyond that I should plan to be there 12+ hours. (It turned out to be 13.5 by the time I checked out that night.) As instructed, I wore one wardrobe option suitable for the scene and packed 2 or 3 more options. Fortunately, Wardrobe liked what I wore so I pulled my "entertainment" and a pair of flip-flops out of my suitcase, put them into my tote, and locked my suitcase in my car.
We had been instructed to report to a church parking lot, where they had trailers set up for Wardrobe, Hair & Makeup, and a few others (crew rooms?). Once we'd checked in, been cleared by Wardrobe and Hair & Makeup, we boarded a shuttle to the shooting location, where we were directed to a great big tent (air-conditioned, thank heaven!) - Holding. They had a small breakfast buffet set up for us, and a constant supply of 4-oz water bottles. There was also a small trailer with 3 little restroom cubicles. I was expecting a porta-potty; not so! These were actually rather nice-looking - they were decorated! They had "paneling", a pergo-style floor, a flush toilet (presumably into some sort of tank, given that it was a trailer), a framed mirror over the sink, and even a framed picture anchored to one wall. Three cubicles weren't really sufficient for our numbers (150? 200?), but at least they didn't stink, despite the August heat.
I was reasonably well prepared for my wait. I had a tote full of crossword puzzles, some music to look over (most of which I didn't touch), and my flip-flops to wear in Holding instead of the heels I'd bought for the occasion. Boy, was I sorry by the end of the day that I hadn't had time to break those new shoes in at all! I wasn't the only one with spare footwear, either; I saw at least 2 women wearing very comfy-looking slippers in Holding.
We got a "pre-lunch" of sandwiches and sides (apples, bananas, granola bars) around 11, and a hot lunch starting around 1 or 1:30. They announced the order - crew first! The union performers would be next in line, with non-union performers going after the crew & union folks had filled their plates. Some of the people who'd done these before said that working as an extra often amounts to getting paid to sit around and eat.
Those extras (called "background", or BG) in military uniforms were called first. Mid-morning, they took about half the rest of us for an exterior scene. It wasn't until 2:30 or 3 that they called all of us for the final scene to be shot that day. They herded us all into the church, where we sat while they tweaked some technical things, and even tweaked a few of us (Wardrobe adjusted collars, brushed away fuzzies, etc., while Hair fixed a coupla women's tresses and Makeup powdered a few scalps so they wouldn't gleam). They then ran the same short scene over, and over, and over, until I imagine most of us could recite the one principal's lines right along with her. They adjusted the lighting and sound equipment, herded us first off to a corner, then back to Holding while they got it just right, and brought us all back. They then ran the same scene, or tiny parts of it, several more times. Each time, I think they tweaked some light or sound setting, or changed a camera angle. For some of the runs, they had stand-ins come in for the principals. (I wonder if that's to give the principals a union-required break, or the stand-ins some union-required work?) In the end, it took about 5 hours to shoot a scene that ran only a couple of minutes. Quite a difference from stage work, where you run a scene pretty much straight through, and don't have to worry about camera angles.
I was interested to see how very many crew they had. Because we were told to stay out of their way & let them do their jobs, I couldn't exactly ask what they were doing or "What's this for?" Still, it was interesting to see how very many different versions of tool belts & kits they were wearing and what they were stocked with - gaff tape, scissors, safety pins, makeup brushes, multi-tools... One surprise was when they were adjusting the canopy overhead from which several cables were hung. They started tugging on it and it moved! It turned out to be a big, inflated rectangle! They used several guide lines to move it over to a side section of the church; rather reminded me of the people who "walk" the big character balloons in the Thanksgiving Day parade.
Some of us were issued various props. If you received a prop, you had to surrender an ID - something you'd definitely want to get back. You got your ID back when you returned the prop at the end of the day. That was just the first step in the check-out process. Once you'd turned in any props you'd been issued and gotten your ID back, you got on one of the shuttles to go back to the church parking lot where we'd checked in. Then we all stood in a long, slow line to finish filling out the forms we'd gotten at check-in, get checked off their list, and be sent home. Filling out the form wasn't the boilerplate exercise you might think. The several copies were not all the same form! They were all stuck together as if they were multiple copies of the same form, when in fact the last 2 pages were a different form, that you had to fill out front & back. No wonder the line was moving so slowly - none of us first-timers expected two different forms to be stuck together!
I'm already scheduled for another extra gig on Tuesday. This time I'll have a better idea of what to expect. For one thing, I won't be wearing brand-new heels for the first time! Based on what I was told, I think I can get away with a pantsuit, which means flats, which means I won't have to take spare footwear for Holding. I'll still take my suit w/ skirt as one of my wardrobe alternates, but will cross my fingers that Wardrobe will OK the pantsuit. I'll also know how to fill out my paperwork this time, and will be sure to do that while I'm in Holding waiting to be called, instead of in the check-out line, in the dark.
It's only been a week, so I haven't gotten my paycheck yet, but one of the "pros" was saying extras get paid something like $88 for 8 (8 1/2?) hours, then time and a half for any time after that. Apparently you don't get paid for the half-hour lunch break (the 8.5 hours?). If that's accurate, that would mean I worked 4.5 hours at time and a half. That works out to $74.25 for the overtime, plus $88 equals $162.25. I wonder how much of that gets taken out for taxes...
I think the hardest part was probably sitting on set, as the pews in the church they were using were not very comfortable after an hour, and we were there much longer than that. I was exhausted by the end of the day (about an hour's drive each way on top of a 13-hour day), so I didn't offer to work any of the calls later this week. However, I did get myself booked for this Tuesday, so you can see that I didn't hate it. We'll see what they have us doing that day. I heard some good stories in Holding. One VERY tall guy regaled us with stories of playing some sorta monster or Viking or something in some movie. They rigged him up with a wig & beard and even built some sort of fur-lined cape that he had to wear for the fight scenes, which were filmed on a beach. He said it was a week-long shoot, hard work - not just swinging whatever weapon he had, but wearing that cape, which he said got really heavy when it was wet - and that he loved it. Another woman said that one gig she worked consisted of running a short distance, over & over & over again, along with a bunch of other people.
As I told some of my fellow extras, signing up for this has made me look at TV shows & movies with new eyes. All those street scenes, scenes in clubs or restaurants or gyms or what-have-you, all need a LOT of people to make them look realistic. Nobody particularly distinctive, just average janes & joes to "lend an air of verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative." Just call me Vera Similitude. :)
This being my first time, I showed up not really knowing what to expect beyond that I should plan to be there 12+ hours. (It turned out to be 13.5 by the time I checked out that night.) As instructed, I wore one wardrobe option suitable for the scene and packed 2 or 3 more options. Fortunately, Wardrobe liked what I wore so I pulled my "entertainment" and a pair of flip-flops out of my suitcase, put them into my tote, and locked my suitcase in my car.
We had been instructed to report to a church parking lot, where they had trailers set up for Wardrobe, Hair & Makeup, and a few others (crew rooms?). Once we'd checked in, been cleared by Wardrobe and Hair & Makeup, we boarded a shuttle to the shooting location, where we were directed to a great big tent (air-conditioned, thank heaven!) - Holding. They had a small breakfast buffet set up for us, and a constant supply of 4-oz water bottles. There was also a small trailer with 3 little restroom cubicles. I was expecting a porta-potty; not so! These were actually rather nice-looking - they were decorated! They had "paneling", a pergo-style floor, a flush toilet (presumably into some sort of tank, given that it was a trailer), a framed mirror over the sink, and even a framed picture anchored to one wall. Three cubicles weren't really sufficient for our numbers (150? 200?), but at least they didn't stink, despite the August heat.
I was reasonably well prepared for my wait. I had a tote full of crossword puzzles, some music to look over (most of which I didn't touch), and my flip-flops to wear in Holding instead of the heels I'd bought for the occasion. Boy, was I sorry by the end of the day that I hadn't had time to break those new shoes in at all! I wasn't the only one with spare footwear, either; I saw at least 2 women wearing very comfy-looking slippers in Holding.
We got a "pre-lunch" of sandwiches and sides (apples, bananas, granola bars) around 11, and a hot lunch starting around 1 or 1:30. They announced the order - crew first! The union performers would be next in line, with non-union performers going after the crew & union folks had filled their plates. Some of the people who'd done these before said that working as an extra often amounts to getting paid to sit around and eat.
Those extras (called "background", or BG) in military uniforms were called first. Mid-morning, they took about half the rest of us for an exterior scene. It wasn't until 2:30 or 3 that they called all of us for the final scene to be shot that day. They herded us all into the church, where we sat while they tweaked some technical things, and even tweaked a few of us (Wardrobe adjusted collars, brushed away fuzzies, etc., while Hair fixed a coupla women's tresses and Makeup powdered a few scalps so they wouldn't gleam). They then ran the same short scene over, and over, and over, until I imagine most of us could recite the one principal's lines right along with her. They adjusted the lighting and sound equipment, herded us first off to a corner, then back to Holding while they got it just right, and brought us all back. They then ran the same scene, or tiny parts of it, several more times. Each time, I think they tweaked some light or sound setting, or changed a camera angle. For some of the runs, they had stand-ins come in for the principals. (I wonder if that's to give the principals a union-required break, or the stand-ins some union-required work?) In the end, it took about 5 hours to shoot a scene that ran only a couple of minutes. Quite a difference from stage work, where you run a scene pretty much straight through, and don't have to worry about camera angles.
I was interested to see how very many crew they had. Because we were told to stay out of their way & let them do their jobs, I couldn't exactly ask what they were doing or "What's this for?" Still, it was interesting to see how very many different versions of tool belts & kits they were wearing and what they were stocked with - gaff tape, scissors, safety pins, makeup brushes, multi-tools... One surprise was when they were adjusting the canopy overhead from which several cables were hung. They started tugging on it and it moved! It turned out to be a big, inflated rectangle! They used several guide lines to move it over to a side section of the church; rather reminded me of the people who "walk" the big character balloons in the Thanksgiving Day parade.
Some of us were issued various props. If you received a prop, you had to surrender an ID - something you'd definitely want to get back. You got your ID back when you returned the prop at the end of the day. That was just the first step in the check-out process. Once you'd turned in any props you'd been issued and gotten your ID back, you got on one of the shuttles to go back to the church parking lot where we'd checked in. Then we all stood in a long, slow line to finish filling out the forms we'd gotten at check-in, get checked off their list, and be sent home. Filling out the form wasn't the boilerplate exercise you might think. The several copies were not all the same form! They were all stuck together as if they were multiple copies of the same form, when in fact the last 2 pages were a different form, that you had to fill out front & back. No wonder the line was moving so slowly - none of us first-timers expected two different forms to be stuck together!
I'm already scheduled for another extra gig on Tuesday. This time I'll have a better idea of what to expect. For one thing, I won't be wearing brand-new heels for the first time! Based on what I was told, I think I can get away with a pantsuit, which means flats, which means I won't have to take spare footwear for Holding. I'll still take my suit w/ skirt as one of my wardrobe alternates, but will cross my fingers that Wardrobe will OK the pantsuit. I'll also know how to fill out my paperwork this time, and will be sure to do that while I'm in Holding waiting to be called, instead of in the check-out line, in the dark.
It's only been a week, so I haven't gotten my paycheck yet, but one of the "pros" was saying extras get paid something like $88 for 8 (8 1/2?) hours, then time and a half for any time after that. Apparently you don't get paid for the half-hour lunch break (the 8.5 hours?). If that's accurate, that would mean I worked 4.5 hours at time and a half. That works out to $74.25 for the overtime, plus $88 equals $162.25. I wonder how much of that gets taken out for taxes...
I think the hardest part was probably sitting on set, as the pews in the church they were using were not very comfortable after an hour, and we were there much longer than that. I was exhausted by the end of the day (about an hour's drive each way on top of a 13-hour day), so I didn't offer to work any of the calls later this week. However, I did get myself booked for this Tuesday, so you can see that I didn't hate it. We'll see what they have us doing that day. I heard some good stories in Holding. One VERY tall guy regaled us with stories of playing some sorta monster or Viking or something in some movie. They rigged him up with a wig & beard and even built some sort of fur-lined cape that he had to wear for the fight scenes, which were filmed on a beach. He said it was a week-long shoot, hard work - not just swinging whatever weapon he had, but wearing that cape, which he said got really heavy when it was wet - and that he loved it. Another woman said that one gig she worked consisted of running a short distance, over & over & over again, along with a bunch of other people.
As I told some of my fellow extras, signing up for this has made me look at TV shows & movies with new eyes. All those street scenes, scenes in clubs or restaurants or gyms or what-have-you, all need a LOT of people to make them look realistic. Nobody particularly distinctive, just average janes & joes to "lend an air of verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative." Just call me Vera Similitude. :)
Saturday, July 02, 2016
Having a lovely long weekend so far
The Chief & I are having a lovely Fourth weekend at the cabin. The weather is so cool that I actually put on a (light) sweater this morning - it was only about 65 degrees when I left for an early-morning grocery run. That's at least 15 degrees cooler than usual for this time of year, and not a patch on the years when the highs were regularly in triple digits (and no a/c at the cabin!). It's lovely - we've got the windows open and are enjoying the birdsong.
Our huge rhododendron bush is in bloom and is very popular with the eastern tiger swallowtails. Birds also love to hang out (and hide) in it, and this year we have new visitors, who have built a nest atop the bend of a nearby downspout. So far I've only seen a glimpse of nestling wing or head; with luck, we'll get to see an actual baby bird before we leave. I haven't figured out yet what kind of birds they are, but I'm sure the internet will help us identify them.
At the Chief's urging, I packed up my electronic keyboard and schlepped it out here so I could practice my fingerings more than once or twice before my next piano lesson. I was also "encouraged" to do so by the knowledge that I'll be out of town again next weekend, for the first of two family weddings this year, and won't have access to a keyboard for the 5 days I'll be gone. I sure hope my piano teacher doesn't dock my grade for that. ;) It's actually kind of nice practicing here. I set the keyboard up in the upstairs bedroom, where I have a decent amount of space, plenty of light, and am right under both the ceiling fan and a window, so it doesn't get too stuffy. I can also close the bedroom door so I don't disturb the Chief if he's trying to study (yes, he brought his exam prep materials) or watch tv.
We're having 4 friends over for dinner tonight and some neighbors over for dinner tomorrow. In both cases we'll be grilling; we also grilled chicken for dinner last night, so the grill is definitely getting a workout this weekend. I enjoy standing in the kitchen fixing whatever side dishes we'll be having while the aroma of mesquite or hickory floats in through the open windows. Yummm...
Our huge rhododendron bush is in bloom and is very popular with the eastern tiger swallowtails. Birds also love to hang out (and hide) in it, and this year we have new visitors, who have built a nest atop the bend of a nearby downspout. So far I've only seen a glimpse of nestling wing or head; with luck, we'll get to see an actual baby bird before we leave. I haven't figured out yet what kind of birds they are, but I'm sure the internet will help us identify them.
At the Chief's urging, I packed up my electronic keyboard and schlepped it out here so I could practice my fingerings more than once or twice before my next piano lesson. I was also "encouraged" to do so by the knowledge that I'll be out of town again next weekend, for the first of two family weddings this year, and won't have access to a keyboard for the 5 days I'll be gone. I sure hope my piano teacher doesn't dock my grade for that. ;) It's actually kind of nice practicing here. I set the keyboard up in the upstairs bedroom, where I have a decent amount of space, plenty of light, and am right under both the ceiling fan and a window, so it doesn't get too stuffy. I can also close the bedroom door so I don't disturb the Chief if he's trying to study (yes, he brought his exam prep materials) or watch tv.
We're having 4 friends over for dinner tonight and some neighbors over for dinner tomorrow. In both cases we'll be grilling; we also grilled chicken for dinner last night, so the grill is definitely getting a workout this weekend. I enjoy standing in the kitchen fixing whatever side dishes we'll be having while the aroma of mesquite or hickory floats in through the open windows. Yummm...
Monday, June 20, 2016
I hadn't *planned* to take any classes over the summer but...
The department advisor sent out an email on Friday announcing summer class offerings. Nearly all were the same ones we'd been told about as the spring semester was ending, but one was new - Hair & Wigs for the Stage. It's an intense schedule - 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, for 3 weeks. Three credit hours crammed into 3 weeks - whew! I hadn't planned to take any summer classes, and of course they cost tuition, but it gets me 3 credits closer to graduation and I'll be able to apply the knowledge almost immediately in one community theater production or another.
I just ordered the textbook. Not cheap, but it's a brand-new (2015) hardback, it got rave reviews, and I know I'll use it long after the class is over, so I look on it as an investment.
I just ordered the textbook. Not cheap, but it's a brand-new (2015) hardback, it got rave reviews, and I know I'll use it long after the class is over, so I look on it as an investment.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Getting ready for more music learning...
This afternoon I met with the head of the Voice department at school, who answered all but my admin questions about becoming a Voice major or minor. She also recommended taking piano, so that's what I'm gonna do. It's always been on my "things to do once I retire" list, so on the way home, I stopped by a local music school and signed myself up for piano lessons!
I'm taking it slow: just 6 weeks of 30-minute lessons, but it'll include ear training and theory, so I'll have lots to keep my brain as well as my fingers busy this summer! I start 2 weeks from yesterday - can't wait! I'll never get to Mom's level - I'm starting MUCH too late - but if I can learn to play well enough to learn new songs and maybe even accompany myself a little, I'll be delighted.
They asked if I want to participate in the end-of-session recital. After just 6 weeks of lessons, in my whole life, ever? No way! As I told them, I don't want to subject the audience to my baby rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
This was NOT on my To Do list when I left the house this morning, so I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm actually, finally gonna be taking piano lessons. When I told the Chief when I got home, he was happy that I'll finally be learning to play the electronic keyboard I bought several years ago and which has essentially been a very large, very expensive pitchpipe and metronome. We'll see how happy he is once I start practicing scales and fingerings and my Piano 001 arrangement of Mary Had a Little Lamb or what-have-you. :D
I can't help thinking of Mom. I'm sure she'd be delighted that I'm doing this. And she won't have to listen to my halting scales. The Chief will, poor guy - pray for his sanity! :D
I'm taking it slow: just 6 weeks of 30-minute lessons, but it'll include ear training and theory, so I'll have lots to keep my brain as well as my fingers busy this summer! I start 2 weeks from yesterday - can't wait! I'll never get to Mom's level - I'm starting MUCH too late - but if I can learn to play well enough to learn new songs and maybe even accompany myself a little, I'll be delighted.
They asked if I want to participate in the end-of-session recital. After just 6 weeks of lessons, in my whole life, ever? No way! As I told them, I don't want to subject the audience to my baby rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
This was NOT on my To Do list when I left the house this morning, so I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm actually, finally gonna be taking piano lessons. When I told the Chief when I got home, he was happy that I'll finally be learning to play the electronic keyboard I bought several years ago and which has essentially been a very large, very expensive pitchpipe and metronome. We'll see how happy he is once I start practicing scales and fingerings and my Piano 001 arrangement of Mary Had a Little Lamb or what-have-you. :D
I can't help thinking of Mom. I'm sure she'd be delighted that I'm doing this. And she won't have to listen to my halting scales. The Chief will, poor guy - pray for his sanity! :D
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
It's the little things
I made some cream cheese, cucumber & dill sandwiches for church function the other day. Still have some cucumber & cream cheese left over, so I had a nice little sandwich for lunch. Lotsa dill, cucumber still crunchy - a nice lunch for a sunny summer day (when I finally spotted one of the hummingbirds who've been visiting our feeder).
Wednesday, June 08, 2016
Grade update, in case you were wondering
I did indeed get straight As for a second semester! Woohoo! I checked the transcript for my first BA; the only semester I got straight As was my final one, when I was only taking 11 credit hours. Learning how to plan things out so I didn't find myself doing everything at the last minute has been a very handy life lesson (even if I still had problems with things taking longer than I'd anticipated). ;)
This fall will probably be another 14-hour semester: Voice for the Actor I, History of Theater I, Intro to Stage Management, and Rendering for the Theater I (I'm waitlisted, but will show up the first day of class and hope for the best; it worked this spring) are all 3-credit classes. My one-credit practicum in the Scene shop (only the 2nd half of the semester, sadly) and Chorale will bring me up to 14.
I have to audition for Chorale and that won't happen until the beginning of the semester, but I'm optimistic I'll be able to get in. However, if they don't want to let the upper voices grossly outnumber the men, as happened this spring, I could have a problem. Unless they ask me to sing tenor; I did have lotsa low Fs in the Monteverdi we sang in the Spring concert. TBD...
First paid acting gig!
Friday was the taping for my first paid acting gig, and my first film work. An organization affiliated with the university was taping mock interviews for a FEMA project. I had two weeks to memorize about a 4-page script, then do the taping. That was surprisingly quick - they only did 2 takes, so I was outta there in half an hour, including paperwork (signing a release, making sure my contact info was correct - that sorta thing). I wasn't happy with my memorization - that first off-book rehearsal is never perfect! - but they were pleased and impressed, so I guess that's what matters.
I asked for a copy of "my" interview for reference purposes. They have to add a disclaimer or something, since it isn't their project, but said I should get something from them in about 6 weeks, more or less.
Not sure I'm looking forward to watching myself talk into a camera for 10 mins., but it's one more bullet for my acting resume.
I asked for a copy of "my" interview for reference purposes. They have to add a disclaimer or something, since it isn't their project, but said I should get something from them in about 6 weeks, more or less.
Not sure I'm looking forward to watching myself talk into a camera for 10 mins., but it's one more bullet for my acting resume.
"Feed the birds"
Feeding the birds can be fun, though it costs considerably more than "tuppence a bag"! I put out the thistle seed this spring and we've been delighted to get some bright yellow little birdies as frequent guests. The squirrels still probably get more of the sunflower seeds than any birds do, though I have noticed more cardinals around than before I put out the sunflower seed. Can't tell whether the hummingbirds are paying attention to their feeder, but I'll give it another week or two before I give up.
All this is to say that I broke down and made a BIG online purchase of bird feed last week - 30 or 40 lbs. each of sunflower seeds and "finch mix", the latter to replace the crappy, dust-filled mix we'd bought at the military exchange. (It was cheap; we got what we paid for.) I also bought a dozen suet blocks, "flavored" with hot pepper to discourage squirrels.
I just finished stocking the "bird buffet" and am about to make a fresh batch of sugar water for the hummers. Here's hoping we'll get a nice variety of birds partaking of the plenty. The quality bird food ain't cheap, but it's still a better bargain than paying for cable. ;)
All this is to say that I broke down and made a BIG online purchase of bird feed last week - 30 or 40 lbs. each of sunflower seeds and "finch mix", the latter to replace the crappy, dust-filled mix we'd bought at the military exchange. (It was cheap; we got what we paid for.) I also bought a dozen suet blocks, "flavored" with hot pepper to discourage squirrels.
I just finished stocking the "bird buffet" and am about to make a fresh batch of sugar water for the hummers. Here's hoping we'll get a nice variety of birds partaking of the plenty. The quality bird food ain't cheap, but it's still a better bargain than paying for cable. ;)
Thursday, May 19, 2016
All the grades but one are in and...
I've got a 4.0 GPA this semester! Only the Dramaturgy grade is still pending. I'm not surprised; the protocol books that were our final project will take our professor quite a while to plow through. With eleven of us in the class, that's a LOT of reading, even if all she does is skim to check on the nature & breadth of our research, sourcing methodology, and what we chose to include in the actors' resource packet.
If I get an A in Dramaturgy, I'll have two straight-A semesters back to back! I didn't do badly the last time I got a BA, but I don't think I ever had a straight-A semester. I know I didn't have two in a row. I guess I learned some improved study habits while I was working. It certainly made writing a lot less painful. Whereas I dreaded it the first time I was an undergrad, now it's mostly a matter of figuring out my audience and thus how to focus and structure my writing.
If I get an A in Dramaturgy, I'll have two straight-A semesters back to back! I didn't do badly the last time I got a BA, but I don't think I ever had a straight-A semester. I know I didn't have two in a row. I guess I learned some improved study habits while I was working. It certainly made writing a lot less painful. Whereas I dreaded it the first time I was an undergrad, now it's mostly a matter of figuring out my audience and thus how to focus and structure my writing.
Easy come, easy go
I finally heard back from the grad student/director about his theater project. He couldn't find enough men to cast so he's putting the production on hold until at least the fall. Too bad, because it sounded like fun. Oh well; easy come, easy go.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Good audition week!
Sunday night I auditioned for a play being written by JW, a PhD candidate in Renaissance Studies; or rather, a play he wrote as an undergrad and is now revising. It's part commedia del'arte, part English pastoral, with stylized presentation (movements, gestures, etc) in Act I and more realistic presentation in Act II. JW struck me as very earnest, with an infectious enthusiasm for the project. A little "Let's put on a show!", but I'm OK with that. As long as it doesn't turn out like that abysmal original musical I did several years ago (which doesn't appear on my resume), and I don't think it will, this should be fun.
This was only my second-ever private audition (he's accommodating people's end-of-semester schedules). I went in, he told me a little about the play, I performed my monologue, then read sections from a couple of scenes. He had me do the second scene twice, using different characterizations. He then told me he wants to use me and will let me know which role as soon as he has the rest of his cast.
This is the first time I've walked out of an audition knowing I had a role. I'm sure it didn't hurt that I talked about my experience on the tech side - sewing, costuming connections, set building experience, and just being willing to adapt to the situation.
Today I auditioned for my first training film, for a community anti-terrorist (anti-radicalization?) program. Again, I went in, we exchanged introductions, I read the first page of their script, a mock interview, and they seemed delighted. I even get paid for this gig, so they sent me a W-9 and a contract to sign and return. They'll be sending the script shortly, which they said would be "about 2-1/2 pages". I hope they don't want to film too soon - that's a lot to memorize if most of it is my character, not the "interviewer". This makes the second time I've walked out of an audition knowing I'm in. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket...
It's not often I get that "we love you" reaction when I audition, and twice in one week? Gotta love it! :D
This was only my second-ever private audition (he's accommodating people's end-of-semester schedules). I went in, he told me a little about the play, I performed my monologue, then read sections from a couple of scenes. He had me do the second scene twice, using different characterizations. He then told me he wants to use me and will let me know which role as soon as he has the rest of his cast.
This is the first time I've walked out of an audition knowing I had a role. I'm sure it didn't hurt that I talked about my experience on the tech side - sewing, costuming connections, set building experience, and just being willing to adapt to the situation.
Today I auditioned for my first training film, for a community anti-terrorist (anti-radicalization?) program. Again, I went in, we exchanged introductions, I read the first page of their script, a mock interview, and they seemed delighted. I even get paid for this gig, so they sent me a W-9 and a contract to sign and return. They'll be sending the script shortly, which they said would be "about 2-1/2 pages". I hope they don't want to film too soon - that's a lot to memorize if most of it is my character, not the "interviewer". This makes the second time I've walked out of an audition knowing I'm in. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket...
It's not often I get that "we love you" reaction when I audition, and twice in one week? Gotta love it! :D
That's the first class finished...
Today was the last session of my Fundamentals of Theatrical Design class. No final exam, thank heaven! Instead, we had a final project due today - a Cornell box based on our design concept (earlier projects) for Sarah Ruhl's play, Eurydice. We've been working on these in class over the past couple of weeks, with lots of helpful suggestions from our instructors, two MFA Design candidates (one scenic, one costumes). I was amazed at how many different takes on the same story our class came up with, each of them with its own unique spark of genius.
I'm not thrilled with how my box turned out, but it isn't horrible. Given that I've never tried anything remotely like it, I think it's OK, and some of my classmates had very nice things to say about it. After literally losing sleep over it (I'd wake up during the night and my brain would start working on what to put in it, how to arrange this or that, how to anchor the glasses...), at this point I'm just relieved to have it behind me. No idea what kind of grade I'll get for it, but I've got an A+ (101.56%, thanks to a bonus paper I turned in for "insurance") for everything else I've done this semester, so unless the instructors really hate it, I think I've got at least a B+ for the class.
This was quite an education in techniques. I had to decide what kind of paint to use on the box so the wood grain would show through; I settled on well-watered acrylics, and ended up not sealing it with anything. Anchoring the shelf was another challenge; regular nails were too big, screws ditto, and finishing nails tended to push the shelf supports away from the box. I ended up relying on wood glue, which was OK because the heaviest thing on the shelf is the clock, which has no battery in it. I had to use glue to keep the string wrapped around the nails, and museum putty to anchor the clock and the glasses in the bottom.
One of the instructors suggested "distressing" the clock so it wouldn't look so new and the purple paint wouldn't look so bright. I first sprinkled it with water and dunked it in the ashes in the grill. That didn't really work - the ashes didn't adhere to the plastic very well - so I set it in some used coffee grounds overnight. That did the trick; once I shook off the excess, it looked old (which it's not) and dirty (which it definitely is, now).
Some of it was fun, like the painting once I figured out what technique to use. (Scene Painting tips and techniques came in handy here.) The glasses were a happy thrift-shop find, as were the glass "pebbles", seashells, and dyed nutshells that went into them. Lots of idea were raised and discarded along the way - this art thing is quite a complicated, drawn-out process! :D
I'm not thrilled with how my box turned out, but it isn't horrible. Given that I've never tried anything remotely like it, I think it's OK, and some of my classmates had very nice things to say about it. After literally losing sleep over it (I'd wake up during the night and my brain would start working on what to put in it, how to arrange this or that, how to anchor the glasses...), at this point I'm just relieved to have it behind me. No idea what kind of grade I'll get for it, but I've got an A+ (101.56%, thanks to a bonus paper I turned in for "insurance") for everything else I've done this semester, so unless the instructors really hate it, I think I've got at least a B+ for the class.
One of the instructors suggested "distressing" the clock so it wouldn't look so new and the purple paint wouldn't look so bright. I first sprinkled it with water and dunked it in the ashes in the grill. That didn't really work - the ashes didn't adhere to the plastic very well - so I set it in some used coffee grounds overnight. That did the trick; once I shook off the excess, it looked old (which it's not) and dirty (which it definitely is, now).
Some of it was fun, like the painting once I figured out what technique to use. (Scene Painting tips and techniques came in handy here.) The glasses were a happy thrift-shop find, as were the glass "pebbles", seashells, and dyed nutshells that went into them. Lots of idea were raised and discarded along the way - this art thing is quite a complicated, drawn-out process! :D
Thursday, May 05, 2016
Hoping he loses this tax client
The Chief has been very busy the past couple of months with tax season, especially since he picked up 4 or 5 new clients shortly before the filing deadline. One couple, however, I think he'd be happy to see go elsewhere. They're not only flaky about their record-keeping, but they have yet to be on time for an appointment. The capper, though, was that the Chief set up an appointment with the wife for this evening. She agreed they'd be over as soon as the husband got home from work (he works a later schedule). Two hours later, they still hadn't shown, hadn't called, and didn't answer when the Chief called to leave a voice message. He had me proofread an email he was about to send, expressing concern that they hadn't shown and wondering if they were unhappy with his work and wanted to take their business elsewhere. We'll see if he gets a response.
Fer cryin' out loud, how hard is it to CALL when you're running late or need to reschedule?!? The Chief & I both tend to be punctual, so we have a hard time with people who are chronically late (sometimes by 20 minutes or more), or completely flake out and forget an appointment. It strikes me as rude and inconsiderate. The Chief is already planning to increase his rates in 2017 (his current rates are about half what Block charges). I've told him repeatedly he also needs to include fines for lateness and no-shows, since his time is valuable. If he's waiting for a no-show, that's an appointment slot that someone else could be using. Not to mention the assumption that he's got nothing better to do than sit around and wait for someone who can't bother to be even close to on time, or call to say that "I'm stuck behind a 3-car pile-up" or what-have-you.
Fer cryin' out loud, how hard is it to CALL when you're running late or need to reschedule?!? The Chief & I both tend to be punctual, so we have a hard time with people who are chronically late (sometimes by 20 minutes or more), or completely flake out and forget an appointment. It strikes me as rude and inconsiderate. The Chief is already planning to increase his rates in 2017 (his current rates are about half what Block charges). I've told him repeatedly he also needs to include fines for lateness and no-shows, since his time is valuable. If he's waiting for a no-show, that's an appointment slot that someone else could be using. Not to mention the assumption that he's got nothing better to do than sit around and wait for someone who can't bother to be even close to on time, or call to say that "I'm stuck behind a 3-car pile-up" or what-have-you.
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