Fringe Benefits

The DC Fringe Festival is almost over, and my volunteering time is done. For each time that you volunteer you get a chip that you can turn in to get a free ticket to a show. Two of my chips I used last night to see a play that someone I work with was acting in – Thinking Under the Influence. The room that the play was held in was seriously no larger than a small master bedroom, and they managed to shove in there about 50 folding chairs for an audience and leave about 3 feet for the actors to work with. I mean we were really crammed into that room – it was about as edgy and small-time as you could get, as if someone decided to put on a show in her efficiency apartment, with no air conditioner, and fifty people showed up. And then add the 11 or so actors in the play . . .

The play was only an hour long and was pretty good – my only complaint was that the ending was rather abrupt. No one was quite sure that it was actually over when it ended and people just sort of sat puzzled for a few minutes. My workmate did a fine job, although it wasn’t a very good showcase of his acting – his role, while not small, was sort of cancelled out by the other ten actors.

Tonight we are going to see another short play, using up the other two volunteer chips that I had. This one is a comedy about how male friendships change over the course of the college years through the twenties. I gave Mr. Random several options and this was the play he picked. I actually was somewhat interested in seeing the Sahara Dance Company’s Belly Dancing performance, since I haven’t seen belly dancing live before, outside of a Moroccan restaurant, and I thought it would be fun and might inspire me to take some belly dancing classes or something. But, when I broached the idea by Mr. Random, he seemed less than enthused. I’ll just have to seek them out another time . . .

I’m so glad I got involved in the festival this year and I hope that I’ll get to help out again next year if it happens again. The response seemed to be quite favorable to the whole event, and many of the shows were sold out, or close to it.

The only problem that will have to be worked out next year is the whole issue of late seating. Even though it says quite clearly that we won’t seat anyone once a performance starts, I’ve had to deal with too many irate people demanding to be let into a performance late, because they ran into traffic or whatever and they already paid for the tickets. While I understand that traffic sucks around here, it is not fair to either the performers or to the audience who actually arrived early or on time to have to disrupt a performance just to find latecomers seats. Especially in the smaller venues, where latecomers can break a performer’s concentration and basically ruin the show. Just because you bought a ticket doesn’t mean that you can be nasty to people just because you came late. People just feel so entitled! And the shows are less than and hour long, so if you’ve missed 15 to 20 minutes, you’ve pretty much missed most of it anyway. Can you tell I’m way upset about this?

On a random side note, my hair is just a constant big ball of frizz and it is driving me just batty. I can’t complain though – DC in the summer means H-U-M-I-D-I-T-Y to go along with the 90 degree days. Southern California may not have this horrible humidity, but it doesn’t have the pretty greens either . . .

Another random side note: I think the Today Show is much better with the rotating hosts. I was never a real Katie fan. I especially love Campbell Brown and David Gregory together . . . I guess I have an affection for them because they were White House Correspondents and I have actually been lucky enough to meet them and hear them speak.

Yet another random side note: I guessed right on which famous boy band member was gay . . . I called that one a long time ago . . .

What Should I Write About Today

The week is officially half over – and yes, this was supposed to be the first week of my two week vacation. [Note: I originally typed “two year vacation.” I wish!]

I don’t know exactly what I was looking for during this time period, what exactly I wanted to happen. I had originally planned to go down to Birmingham, AL to visit my Grandma, but schedules and finances necessitated that the trip be moved to Labor Day weekend. Then I thought that I would take the two weeks off anyway – one week to have with myself and Mr. Random, and the other to spend entertaining Mr. Random’s Mom while she is here. It would also allow me some time to take stock of what’s been going on in my life thus far, and allow my brain some much needed rest – maybe even read a book or three.

The week started out hectic but promisingly. Sunday, I helped put on a baby shower for a co-worker at a local restaurant. We had over 20 people show up and a great time was had by all, except for the tallying up the bill part, but that always goes horribly when you have a big group. Monday, I spent the day with my friend, J, and actually got to see a play. We had Mongolian Barbeque for lunch, which was a new experience for me, although J said that out in L.A. they usually have noodles available too, and that it usually isn’t so expensive.

Yesterday was not as much fun. I felt really sore, achy and tired, so I pretty much slept on-and-off all day, and then I had a horrible experience volunteering at the festival last night. Nothing major, but I felt really bad about it and went to bed with a feeling of absolute dread for today.

It also didn’t help that Mr. Random had to go into work today. He was supposed to take today through the end of next week off – the rest of this week so we could spend some time together and also help get the condo ready for his mom to come. However, he is as driven as I am, and had to finish some things up that couldn’t wait until he got back. I have a feeling that he might have to work tomorrow too, but I’m hoping to be proved wrong.

So in the absence of Mr. Random, I decided to check my work e-mail and immediately regretted it, since I found out that a project which we thought was going to be put off until 1st quarter 2007, is now again on track for this November – which means more aggravation when I get back. It is frustrating and disappointing, and it continues to make me wonder if taking the new position was the right thing to do. I mean, I wasn’t going to advance in the old position, but at the moment I am not getting much enjoyment out of the new . . .

I feel so down and whiny today. I need to shut off this computer and do something else. If Mr. Random didn’t have the car today, I would drive somewhere and just walk around a bit, window shopping and people-watching – that usually perks me up a bit. I also do a lot of good thinking when I am walking - it is hard to do when stuck inside, with everything competing for attention. I would do some puzzles, but I am definitely not in the mood. I’d call someone up for a chat, but everyone is at work and busy . . .

Mr. Random is very excited that he’s going to be starting school soon, and wishes he could start right now. I envy the new experiences he’s going to have and all of the wonderful learning he is going to do. I don’t know why I’m so decidedly unoptimistic when it comes to me lately – I guess I just need to get through this sloggy summer and wait for things to pick up in the Fall.

Sorry to vent here . . . but if I can’t vent on my own blog, where can I vent.? . . .

Stating a Preference

Last night as part of the DC Fringe Festival, my friend, J, and I saw Bartleby at the Historic Synagogue at 6th & I. This modern adaptation of Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby the Scrivener” was performed by the small-but-mighty Journeymen Theater Ensemble.

It was one of the more accessible-sounding works offered at the festival, and I’ve always loved that story (Moby Dick, not so much . . .) so I really wanted to see it. Also, I would have felt horrible volunteering for all of these performances and not being able to actually see a production.

The setting was small and intimate – the room was basically the social hall of the synagogue and was about the size of your normal house-of-worship’s basement, with a good chunk taken up by the stage area, the “back of stage” and the lighting and sound boards. There were about 50-60 folding chairs arranged around the stage area. When you walked into the spade, in the middle of the stage were about a dozen wooden chairs, stacked up in a rather jumbled and top heavy way, balancing precariously.

I really enjoyed the show – I have not seen a lot of live theater lately, and especially not in such an intimate setting. It was so fun and immediate. The play was rather well written, not too many dead/incomprehensible spots, and the acting was well done. It takes place in a modern office, and while very funny in spots, a lot of the situations echoed common office happenings . . . and the way the play was written, you noticed that it wasn’t just about Bartleby, but how people in office environments act and interact.

Going to the play last night has made me want to see even more events like this. I know that there are a lot of cheap/free theater offerings in this area, so lack of funds really shouldn’t be an excuse . . . although it is. *sigh* It also doesn’t help that there are only so many hours in the day to do all the things I want to do . . . and there is always so much going on!

I have to volunteer tonight at the Festival and I’m hoping that I keep on having positive experiences this week . . . I could really use a positive break . . .

On the Fringe

You know, I’ve been intending to post all week on what a slacker I’ve been, but I was much too busy to write it . . . yes, seriously!

Life at the Random Non-profit is still a crazy mess – everything is still in flux, senior staff members are jockeying for power, and there is much uneasiness amongst the rest of the staff . . . besides there still being much, too much to do all of the time . . .

But now I am on vacation! I have the next two weeks off, although they are not really “off-off” since Mr. Random’s Mom is coming to town the first week in August and we still have much cleaning and many small improvements to do around the condo.

But this week shall still be fun anyway, because this week I am volunteering at the 1st annual DC Fringe Festival. To see what it is, go here: (www.capfringe.org). Most people don’t think of DC as an arts town, but there is quite the active visual and performing arts community here, and I am quite excited to be able to help out in the first year of what I hope will be many more Fringe Festivals. If anyone is in the area and is going to attend, leave a comment and let me know – I may be volunteering at the venue where you’re going to be!

One thing to know, if you are going to attend any Fringe Festival events, is that you have to get to your preferred performance early. Don’t show up 5 minutes late, wanting to get into the show, because the productions start promptly at the listed time, and we are not allowed to let anyone else into the room – this is at the request of the performers and directors. This makes sense because a lot of the rooms are rather small, and letting more people in to find seating is very disruptive to both the audience and the performers. Today I had a large family show up 15 minutes late to a performance, driving into DC all the way from Centerville, but we could not let them in to see the show. It may have seemed harsh, but this particular show was only 35 minutes long, so they missed half the show already anyway. Besides, if you were going to drive in from Centerville, wouldn’t you try to get into town super early anyway? Traffic is usually a bear, and you should always overestimate the time needed just so you get somewhere on time . . .

Also, if there is a particular show you want to see, try to reserve the tickets online first. At this point, a lot of the more popular shows are sold out already for the week and next weekend . . . especially if the production is in a small room in a venue. Someone I work with is in a show, and this afternoon I saw that his shows this weekend were sold out, so I was going to buy tickets online when I got home and – surprise! – it turns out that the shows scheduled for the rest of the week and on Saturday are sold out too. That sucks! I really wanted to see it, especially since this person hardly ever mentions what other productions he is in . . . and rumor is that he is a pretty excellent actor.

. . . I’m hoping that with the week off, I’ll have much more time to post and respond on other people’s blogs. I’m sure there will be more interesting happenings at the Festival as the week goes on and I hope to get to tell you about then . . .

Easybeats Running Through My Head

I’ve had this Easybeats song in my head all day and it won’t leave! I think the music was a bit ahead of its time – it’s one of those songs that still sounds great today, in my humble opinion. Have a great weekend, all!

Monday morning feels so bad,
Ev'rybody seems to nag me
Coming Tuesday I feel better,
Even my old man looks good,
Wednesday just don't go,
Thursday goes too slow,
I've got Friday on my mind

Chorus

Gonna have fun in the city,
Be with my girl she's so pretty,
She looks fine tonight,
She is out of sight to me,
Tonight....I spend my bread,
Tonight...I lose my head,
Tonight...I got to get tonight
Monday I have Friday on my mind.

Do the five day drag once more,
Know of nothing else that bugs me
More than working for the rich man,
Hey I'll change that scene one day,
Today I might be mad,
Tomorrow I'll be glad,
I've got Friday on my mind,

(Repeat Chorus)

Mediocre Housekeeping

I have about several very blog-worthy topics swirling around in my head at the moment, and no time to write any of them. Arrrrgh!

Good news is that the bathroom is finally painted – bad news is that the fresh new color makes everything else in the room look shabby. Didn’t get to buy dark stain for the vanity yet, which will probably end up being a project for the week I am on vacation.

It is also sickening to realize that whoever put up the hideous wallpaper in the kitchen also decided to install the kitchen cabinets right on top of it – thus rendering it almost impossible to get rid of said wallpaper entirely unless we get new cabinets. That would be the only reason that we would get the old cabinets down. The wallpaper is red and white striped with light, thin stripes of green. Doesn’t that sound lovely . . .

We need new cabinets, because although our previous owner did put in new cabinets before we bought the place, he bought the cheapest cabinets that he could find. It only looks like we have lots of cabinets – the way the cabinets are designed, the doors are much too narrow to get any large plates or pots comfortably in and out of the space. Each cabinet has two doors, with a wide strip of wood in the center that is the main culprit. If we were to cut down the middle pieces, we would have to get new doors to go over the newly-enlarged opening. This also assumes we cut the middle correctly. So I just want new cabinets and new countertops, too. The green “fake marble” brings me down. I’d also like more usable counter space . . . and new appliances . . . and a new floor . . . none of which are going to happen any time soon. ***sigh***

I did clean out my clothes closet a few weeks ago. It’s very liberating to be able to walk into a tidy closet. At least something in my life is properly organized at this point. Mr. Random took several bags of old clothes to Goodwill – some of the clothes now being a bit too big on me now. Hooray!

Topics I need to write about: attending my Maiden Name family reunion, a new reading list, a screed about my woeful reading habits, gripes about my pitiful writing output, and an examination of whether I have made a correct career choice. Whether I actually write about them is up in the air, but do know they are in the forefront of my mind . . .

Bonus thought. To answer my own question: During the time of the American Revolution, I most certainly would have been a slave – either out in the fields or inside mopping a floor somewhere. Would I have even known what was going on? Would I have even been able to weigh pros and cons, or would I have just thought that things would be the same no matter who was in charge? Would I have been able to read? . . . But if you were to say that I would be as educated as I am today, and have the faculties of mind that I currently employ, how could I not be involved in the revolution? How can you argue with the logic (borrowed a bit from Locke and Rousseau, if I remember correctly) so eloquently laid out before us . . . how could one NOT be moved by the promise of these words:

. . . We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute
new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety
and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established
should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all
experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are
sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are
accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably
the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is
their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new
Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of
these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter
their former Systems of Government. . .

Could this be written today? Sometimes I am not so sure . . .

Viva Italia!

Congratulations, Italy, for winning the World Cup this year! I was rather sad that France didn’t win, and that Thierry Henry had to leave the field hurt, but I was not sad to see Zidane leave as he did – that head butt was just SO uncalled for, and it is such a sucky way to end one’s career on the pitch. I felt so sad when I saw the French coach at the end, just standing on the sidelines, staring out in incomprehension at the team’s defeat. However, seeing the Italians win was wonderful, especially since this will be the last time that probably a lot of the Italians will be playing on the same team for a while – with the big Italian soccer scandal, the relegation of a lot of the Serie A teams to lower levels means that a lot of those players are going to be on the open market and will be scattered to the four winds . . .

I really enjoyed following all of the Cup games this month, and I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself now that it’s over. It was so much fun watching all of the matches and getting caught up in all of the country vs. country rivalries. Soccer is truly a worldwide game, and it is rare to get caught up in something that folks all around the world are following at the same time. More people around the world watch the World Cup than follow the Olympics. On to 2012 . . . in South Africa! Who knows, maybe I will have caught the traveling bug and might be able to see them in person . . . or, if the rumors prove true and the games end up in the States, I will totally be there . . .

Stand Together or Hang Separately?

Question of the day, relating to the past Fourth of July holiday. I’m borrowing from Marginal Revolution – sue me, I have a thing for economists . . .

(http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2006/07/would_i_have_su.html)

Let’s pretend that we are all living around 1773 or so. The American Revolution is fermenting here in the colonies. You are just a normal person, like you are today. You do not have the benefit of hindsight or can see into the future at all.

Would you have supported the revolution, or sided with the British?

This is a rather fascinating question, given all of the things that could have gone horribly wrong . . . what do you think? I’m curious to your answers . . .