Of course, I'm never updating this and letting it get totally out of my control. What did I expect?

I'll try to catch up.

The MUDasMAN show went up with almost nary a hitch, and I had a wonderful time. I am so grateful to have met such a funky, interesting, kind, smart, and TALENTED group of people. I really, really hope that I can maintain contact with them...I'd be lucky to work with any of them again. My mom made it to one of the performances of Square, which she liked. I could see her laughing from the booth. As for me, I'm NEVER running lights and/or sound again, unless I'm getting compensated in an amazing way. It's way too stressful. The last night was the best-- Jerzy sat in the booth with me during Lacy, and had his head down on the counter, in the manner of playwrights watching their own work. Then, Will joined me in the booth for Niles, and kept apologizing for being in my space, which he wasn't at all, but the added body in their really made things a million times more stressful....and hot. I almost lost my cool- and my mind- several times. I'm not built for that kind of work.

So, the Local One strikes has been resolved. I'm glad, I guess. I don't think the Grinch should have been forced to open. Though of course I don't know any of the legal ins and outs....I have only the information that my brain provides to my brain. This strike was short enough that it didn't shatter my impression of every strike being ripped straight out of a Clifford Odets play, though the WGA strike, if it continues much longer, will probably do just that. Speaking of which, look who's on CNN.com: look to the right of the huggers. Yes! It's CLAM! Making his mark on Hollywood.

I haven't been working at ALL lately. Therefore, I have been earning no money. I spend my time, instead, sleeping, going to yoga, going to lunch with my friends who are also not working, watching television and movies, and of course....drinking. I mean, come on. I had a very nice dinner with Thom the other night to talk about the work I'm supposed to be doing for him. Of course, because I am the queen of derailing conversations, it wound up being more about supernatural experiences and Freaks and Geeks than bands and scripts. But it was a lot of fun.

I saw my old boyfriend, Sondre, at the Bowery Ballroom and he was lovely and amazing, as usual. My heart broke over and over realizing anew that I probably will never realize my dream of marrying him...but I guess that's a heartbreak I can learn to live with.

Today....work inside. Clean the apartment. Then, Meowskers. Good.

To be elaborated upon later...

Yesterday there was a union meeting next to our rehearsal. I went to the vending machines and the door to their room flew open. In it, there were 75 women standing up and yelling 'STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!'

I. KID. YOU. NOT.

Bahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Stormbirds of the working class?

Here is a rather strange article from the NY Times about the WGA strike...and sort of the Local One strike. I have lots more to write about these strikes, but it'll have to wait. Tech starts tomorrow (load-in was today, pretty calm except for a fraught moment when I slithered through a window [serpentine me--like a snake that's eaten a rabbit] into the booth instead of getting someone to unlock it. This caused our lighting designer to get yelled at. Eek.) ...so I'll be busy. But I'll catch up soon. I can't, after all, keep my ravenous public at bay too much longer.

STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! redux

Stormbirds come to Broadway...

Well, at least Jenni will still be working. And at least Young Frankenstein isn't getting shut down. That would add insult to injury.

As much as I support labor unions in general and their right to strike, I do hope that this shutdown doesn't cause a lot of show closings. My heart breaks to think of the people involved who might get totally fucked over because of this. The WGA strike is different, in that the losses for actors (obviously who I care about the most, being that I am self-involved) are less immediate. (Except in the case of soaps....but those actors have enough job security that they won't get let go during the interim.)

I wonder how long it will last. I know this has been a possibility for a long while now, but I wonder if it's sort of a solidarity (forever!) thing with the screenwriters. Hmm.

We'll see.

ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME?!

Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly to star in remake of 50s classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.

The earth is standing still right NOW, as far as I'm concerned! Good lord. Is nothing sacred?!

Walk this way!

So, a few different things of interest this morning. I'm writing to you from a cushy (knock wood) receptionist job somewhere on Sixth Avenue. There's a big impressive fountain in the plaza out front, and the building is a bajillion stories high....but I'm on the fourth floor and consuquently it looks like eternal evening in here. Thanks, skyscrapers. (This is not necessarily one of the items of interest. There are as follows....)

1) YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN GETS SLAMMED! Okay, not slammed, but...it's far, far from a rave in the NY Times. I don't know why, and I didn't even realize this until I read the review last night, but I sort of *wanted* this show to not be good. I mean, I did. The ticket price thing, the fact that I love the movie SO much and think it is perfect, the fact that I really like Mel Brooks but think maybe this movie-to-musical thing has gone on long enough... All of that. Plus, I hate Megan Mullally. Come on. Here are some highlights from the NY Times...starting with the headline:

"Who Put the Trance in Transylvania?"

Bahhhhhhhhhhhh! Ok. Also:

"It also surely has...the largest percentage of gags per scene. Some of those gags, many of which are lifted from the movie, are pretty funny. (O.K., let's be honest: I laughed exactly three times.) There are some enjoyable musical routines. (All right, my count is 2 out of nearly 20.)"

Damn, Ben Brantley. You know how to wound.

Here, from the post, is a seriously stupid sentence:

"It also has a great comic lead in Roger Bart as that virginal Dr. Fronkensteen being transported to the dark side of the moon."

"Great"? We're talking about a guy who is playing a part the TRULY great Gene Wilder originated. Let's not get overly-lovey, please. And virginal? And that spelling? I just don't get it.

Whooo....I was on a major roll of pretension there, but I checked myself before it could get truly bone-crushing. Next time, I'll just let it go.

Also, this: "Well, I understand from the press release that "$25 orchestra seats will be available at most performances." At that price the show would be a bargain, even if the seats are in the orchestra pit. You would even have money left over for a soda during intermission." Really? I mean...I'll go for $25 bucks.

2) So, last week, I worked at an ad agency. One of the guys that also worked there (real job, though, unlike me) is the writer and producer of a cool internet show called The 'Burg, which pokes fun at those loveable hipsters residing in...my neighborhood. Check it out: http://www.theburg.tv If you like dogs, watch the 2nd ep, "myspace." There is a funny funny gag involving a pug.

3) I'm currently stage managing a show! I am a very bad stage manager, take no initiative, and mostly spend my time eating while being on book, which is always a recipe for disaster. It's actually two different shows that go in rep- each show being made of two pieces. One evening is called Circle (it's in the round), and the other is Square (you can guess), and it's a mix of new short plays and collaboratively-created pieces. The people are nice and it's good to be doing something, even if I am a zombie most of the time. On the off chance that a) anyone is reading this mess, and b) said theoretical person should want to come see the show, go to http://www.smarttix.com and search for "mud as man" and it should come up. Or just ask me about it.

Sayonara for now.

It's a numbers game.

Really? Because I'd probably subsitute "stupid" or "fucking absurd" for "numbers."

This place is getting to me, and I have to let it not. It's Friday and I'm exhausted and still sick so anything that isn't great is probably going to ruffle me a little bit. This morning, I received (second-hand) a "complaint" because someone who I'll call N told my supervisor that my "head was down" when she walked by the reception desk yesterday. What? I can think of any number of reasons why my head would have been less-than-erect. Probably because it was too laden down with murderous thoughts and destructive ideas! Bwa ha ha! Really, though-- WHO FUCKING COMPLAINS ABOUT A TEMP RECEPTIONIST?! My whole thing here has been to not let 'em get to me, not let 'em get to me. And after a week and a half...my resolve is fading a little.

My co-reception zog, Matt, said that maybe I'll be asked to come back next week. Yesterday, that sounded like a great idea. Today...not so great.

I'm so worried about money.


Okay, I have to stop writing this because I feel the panicky tears welling in my puffy, under-rested eyes and I'd like to quit while I'm ahead.....after all, I've got 8 more hours to be here today. And all I have for lunch is cereal. I think a more appropriate title for this post would be "A coffe and a java all day."


Ok-- A few hours later, I've calmed down and am editing this. I'm not supposed to use this blog for personal ranting- that's what my ancient, creaking Xanga is for. I'm supposed to use this for pretentious discussions.

So-- here's some snark, fresh and hot off the griddle of The New York Times:

"I passed a night of unmingled wretchedness,” pants the tortured title character in one of many a palpitating passage in Mary Shelley’s gothic novel “Frankenstein.”
After passing a similar night, courtesy of the new musical version of Shelley’s tale that opened last night at 37 Arts, I can only say, “Victor, buddy, I know where you’re coming from.”

Is that great, or what? Hot damn. What if you got a review like that? Jesus. I'd never read the NYT again.

This is Halloween

So, I ventured to the Village Halloween Parade last night. I knew a bunch of people going, but I couldn't seem to meet up with any of them-- probably because it was UTTER INSANITY on the streets.

I waited almost an hour for it to begin, and I was getting annoyed, but it was pretty work it. There were some beautiful large-scale puppets in the beginning-- skeletons that were operated from backpack-type apparatus', a GIANT skeleton that cast the coolest shadow on the buildings around it, shoes with wings that would run in place, and a whole group of appliances with wings that lit up- clocks, lightbulbs, and toasters! They were obviously my favorite.

Bands were few and far between, and most of them were a combination of a bass drum and 4-5 doleful-sounding horns. Which was fine with me...I love that crap. There weren't a ton ton of floats either....the one that sent me over the edge (in a good AND bad way) was a big flatbed that had a huge cage in the middle, a bunch of gears in front of it, and a huge armchair in the back. In the cage were lots of girls dressed up in sort of sexy zombie outfits, grinding and zombie-dancing, grimly, to a recording of Doris Day singing Que Sera Sera. I just don't know. I just don't know. I got to see the much talked-about zombie "Thriller" dance group, and they were pretty awesome. Lots of people on stilts....which I could sort of do without.

And the costumes! In the "Sexy" category, my award goes to "Sexy Fridge." A duo did an improvement on my Psycho costume by actually having a shower...I was impressed. I saw a Hester Prynne with a giant A on her chest, which made me laugh. There were about 45 dick-in-box guys, every sort of slut imaginable, a Santa Claus (which struck me as odd), drag queens of all shapes, colors, sizes, and costumes....and....A SWEENEY TODD! But his costume choices obviously had taken a cue from the movie trailers, and as a purist, I sort of turn my nose up at that. Plus he had no Mrs. Lovett....though he had a wicked-lookign razor.

It was fun...but to go again I'd either have to be drunk and with friends, or be in it. And I don't know which I'd rather do. Aie.

Then I went home and watched 4/5ths of the original Omen. I was initially disappointed because the Netflix sleeve promised me that there was going to be a hari-kiri death....but there just isn't! Unless they're using it in a super-broad sense to mean 'suicide.' I don't know. Netflix....setting me up for disappointment. But it's great and scary enough that I couldn't manage to get out of bed to turn the light off in the other room before falling asleep. And Gregory Peck is dreamy.

Today and then one more day of work here....though I need the money, I will not pretend to be too sad. I think I'll give myself Monday off, maybe, and then start working immediately, if I can. I am tired.