Lately it seems that I only write my infrequent blog posts in the wee hours of the morning. Mind you it seems to be getting later each time so who knows, maybe I'll find myself, over time, posting during sensible hours again.
Last time I was up at all hours typing away I talked about awakeness. Well in the day that followed, I remember little of the LX plots - I think one was canceled. Don G was great despite having to leave the theatre just after the start of Act 1 because I was feeling faint. That night I made it home after stopping by the side of the freeway for a nap. The next day I decided to see a doctor. Tonsillitis. Never in my life have I had tonsillitis that made me feel quite so dead. Armed with antibiotics I headed home to sleep off the time that it would take the antibiotics to kick in. Two days apparently. Two days later I was in the doctor's office again. Apparently it had gotten worse and my throat was quite swollen and it was now affecting both sides of the throat which was making breathing, eating and drinking awfully more taxing than usual. Stronger antibiotics were ordered as well as something to help make them easier to stomach. The tech run felt like it went forever. Seems the medication that made the antibiotics easier to stomach were also making me feel cloudy as all hell but I was under the impression that was the tonsillitis. Oops. No more driving if I have that medication again.
Before I knew it the show was running and even sooner it was over. I finally took some time off like I'd been speaking about doing for quite some time. Three days into my break I was bored and looking for work again.
Mind you I've had a rather enjoyable time since then. I've since, many thanks to Tam, seen Alcina and Tales of Hoffman just to complete the season of operas. I've also seen more contemporary dance which was a little lost on me but the set and lighting was very sexy. Aside from that my hours have been spent sorting out paperwork and trying to work out a plan for the foreseeable future. I've also re-discovered reading as a pastime. Robert Charles Wilson's Spin was a fabulously engaging read, now I'm slowly whittling away at the books sitting next to my bed. Steve Martin's Shop Girl is currently battling several sci-fi fantasty novels for my attention. However I did find myself rather taken with the film so it's hard to say which will triumph. I suspect neither and I'll just flit between them.
Given that the sun is likely to appear in the sky shortly I should stop writing and attempt some sleep before it wakes me up. Oh well. I figure that this time on Tuesday I'll be on my way to work so it's probably not a bad thing to be a little nocturnal. Seems to be my natural state anyhow.
End ramble.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Failure to Write
In the wee small hours of the morning, when the whole wide world is fast asleep I'm lying awake wondering why it is I've got Carly Simon stuck in my head when I've been listening to Edith Piaf's rendition of L'accordéoniste on loop all day.
I'm frustratingly nocturnal at the moment. Frustrating because I have two LX plots to attend tomorrow and I'd like to be awake for them please. As well as tickets to see Don Giovanni. Again with the awakeness.
Since I wasn't sleeping anyway, I figured I might as well update my sorely neglected blog.
Let's see, last time I wrote I'd just planted a mini-herb garden for a show. Well, the season went really well. So well in fact that Kat & I don't own any plants (dead or alive) from the show. Since then I've moved onto another show and am in the process of looking for more work over the silly season. Mind you I think I could do with a couple of days off to sort out my body clock and get a little R&R but we'll see. Plenty of time for that when the theatres are dark again.
Other items of note in no particular order are:
- my shoulder (which I fell on about two weeks ago after a particularly sleepless night... futons should never be underestimated for danger, can anyone say trip hazard?) is feeling much better but is at the annoying stage where it feel good but as soon as I do anything more than hold a cup of coffee in my left arm it begins to complain. Not that I've been doing anything but resting it of course... ahem
- Mum's started her next course of chemo after a week's break last week. For some reason I kept thinking it was her last course last time... hopefully this is the one. She's getting great results from the treatment but I think she's looking forward to stopping the chemo.
- I've made it further on my NaNoWriMo novel this year than ever before, but I'm still many thousands of words behind where I should be. Perhaps I should attack that instead of this blog... I should probably also note that I'm only ahead of my previous attempts by about 1,000 words... oh well, only 48,000 more to go...
Anyhow, that's all that springs to mind at the moment. I think I'm approaching the "low" in my sleep/wake cycle, so I'm going to make another attempt to fall asleep. Wish me luck!
I'm frustratingly nocturnal at the moment. Frustrating because I have two LX plots to attend tomorrow and I'd like to be awake for them please. As well as tickets to see Don Giovanni. Again with the awakeness.
Since I wasn't sleeping anyway, I figured I might as well update my sorely neglected blog.
Let's see, last time I wrote I'd just planted a mini-herb garden for a show. Well, the season went really well. So well in fact that Kat & I don't own any plants (dead or alive) from the show. Since then I've moved onto another show and am in the process of looking for more work over the silly season. Mind you I think I could do with a couple of days off to sort out my body clock and get a little R&R but we'll see. Plenty of time for that when the theatres are dark again.
Other items of note in no particular order are:
- my shoulder (which I fell on about two weeks ago after a particularly sleepless night... futons should never be underestimated for danger, can anyone say trip hazard?) is feeling much better but is at the annoying stage where it feel good but as soon as I do anything more than hold a cup of coffee in my left arm it begins to complain. Not that I've been doing anything but resting it of course... ahem
- Mum's started her next course of chemo after a week's break last week. For some reason I kept thinking it was her last course last time... hopefully this is the one. She's getting great results from the treatment but I think she's looking forward to stopping the chemo.
- I've made it further on my NaNoWriMo novel this year than ever before, but I'm still many thousands of words behind where I should be. Perhaps I should attack that instead of this blog... I should probably also note that I'm only ahead of my previous attempts by about 1,000 words... oh well, only 48,000 more to go...
Anyhow, that's all that springs to mind at the moment. I think I'm approaching the "low" in my sleep/wake cycle, so I'm going to make another attempt to fall asleep. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Greens
The show I'm working on at the moment calls for a herb garden. Given our rather tight budget, Kat (the set/costume designer) and I decided to donate a small herb garden. The best part was planting all of our random plants into our make-shift container.
Here we have the main container (the no-weeding required garden) which has basil, tomatoes, cos lettuce, parsley and some random flowers.
This is the second container (weed-me!) which contains baby corn, more tomatoes, more parsley and more lettuce as well as some weeds from outside the cafeteria.
We love our garden and hope that it's still alive in three weeks time when the season closes...
Here we have the main container (the no-weeding required garden) which has basil, tomatoes, cos lettuce, parsley and some random flowers.
This is the second container (weed-me!) which contains baby corn, more tomatoes, more parsley and more lettuce as well as some weeds from outside the cafeteria.
We love our garden and hope that it's still alive in three weeks time when the season closes...
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Post-Festival Update
Tonight I had dinner with my family for the first time in a month. It's strange to think that we're all living under the same roof and our only interactions have been in passing as I waltz out the door (or stumble depending on what time I made it home from work the previous night).
The (Age 2007) Melbourne Fringe Festival was great fun as I expected. I had some fabulous shows which some of my fabulous friends came to see. It was great to see them at the festival as it was the first time I'd seen some of them in months. Plus it meant that there were people out and seeing theatre. The Festival Club was our place to unwind and you could generally find us tucked around the lighting & sound desks or jumping up to follow spot random patrons and staff as the night traveled on and we burnt up the dance floor.
As is always the case, I blinked and the festival was over and I was moving onto my next gig. It's funny being back at uni but not as a student. I'm still amused by the idea but am taking great pleasure at watching the cast working. We open in two weeks time and I think the show is going to be great. Besides, with the Spiegeltent in walking distance, I'm sure that opening night drinks will last into the wee hours.
Mum's doing well and if I'm not mistaken has one more chemo treatment for this course and then gets at least one week off (which she's looking forward to). The doctors seem pleased with her progress which is great!
I kept meaning to write during the Fringe but I could barely string a sentence together let alone a thought. You should have seen me ordering coffee...
Well, I should stop procrastinating and get back to sorting boxes of stuff. I'm gradually packing and weeding through things that I clearly don't need anymore as they've been sitting in boxes for over a year now. It's a painful boring process but I'm sure it'll feel great once I'm done.
I'm feeling a tad guilty about how little packing I've achieved as I spent most of the day browsing YouTube on the AppleTV and teaching myself Fur Elise on the piano. Yep it's been a productive day.
The (Age 2007) Melbourne Fringe Festival was great fun as I expected. I had some fabulous shows which some of my fabulous friends came to see. It was great to see them at the festival as it was the first time I'd seen some of them in months. Plus it meant that there were people out and seeing theatre. The Festival Club was our place to unwind and you could generally find us tucked around the lighting & sound desks or jumping up to follow spot random patrons and staff as the night traveled on and we burnt up the dance floor.
As is always the case, I blinked and the festival was over and I was moving onto my next gig. It's funny being back at uni but not as a student. I'm still amused by the idea but am taking great pleasure at watching the cast working. We open in two weeks time and I think the show is going to be great. Besides, with the Spiegeltent in walking distance, I'm sure that opening night drinks will last into the wee hours.
Mum's doing well and if I'm not mistaken has one more chemo treatment for this course and then gets at least one week off (which she's looking forward to). The doctors seem pleased with her progress which is great!
I kept meaning to write during the Fringe but I could barely string a sentence together let alone a thought. You should have seen me ordering coffee...
Well, I should stop procrastinating and get back to sorting boxes of stuff. I'm gradually packing and weeding through things that I clearly don't need anymore as they've been sitting in boxes for over a year now. It's a painful boring process but I'm sure it'll feel great once I'm done.
I'm feeling a tad guilty about how little packing I've achieved as I spent most of the day browsing YouTube on the AppleTV and teaching myself Fur Elise on the piano. Yep it's been a productive day.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Fringe Family
Three tech rehearsals down, one to go and then we’re on! So far it’s looking like I’ll have an interesting mix of shows with music being a strong theme.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I’ve been in the Meeting Room at the North Melbourne Town Hall. There are so many familiar faces around the venue. People who I still remember coming over to our house in the wee hours of the morning having paid an exorbitant amount of cash for drinks from a 24 hour bottle shop after the bar closed early one night. As always there are new faces but Melbourne Fringe will always feel a little like a family reunion in that way.
Speaking of family, my Mum’s cousin is down from Singapore for a holiday. We went shopping last night at good ol’ Knox City and Dad’s taking her to have a look around the Vic Markets today. She’s been here for almost a week but I’ve barely seen her as by the time I’m home from work she’s in bed and I leave moments after dragging my sorry self out of bed in the morning. I must admit that I’m looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday morning before spending the afternoon reading the script before Monday’s rehearsal.
It’s good to be busy again! Now if I could start sleeping well again then life would be nigh on perfect.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I’ve been in the Meeting Room at the North Melbourne Town Hall. There are so many familiar faces around the venue. People who I still remember coming over to our house in the wee hours of the morning having paid an exorbitant amount of cash for drinks from a 24 hour bottle shop after the bar closed early one night. As always there are new faces but Melbourne Fringe will always feel a little like a family reunion in that way.
Speaking of family, my Mum’s cousin is down from Singapore for a holiday. We went shopping last night at good ol’ Knox City and Dad’s taking her to have a look around the Vic Markets today. She’s been here for almost a week but I’ve barely seen her as by the time I’m home from work she’s in bed and I leave moments after dragging my sorry self out of bed in the morning. I must admit that I’m looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday morning before spending the afternoon reading the script before Monday’s rehearsal.
It’s good to be busy again! Now if I could start sleeping well again then life would be nigh on perfect.
Friday, September 14, 2007
A Silver Lining
I couldn't sleep last night. Couldn't and didn't. Seem to have lost the "off switch" for my mind. Still every cloud has a silver lining they say and mine looked a little like this...
Pardon the quality of the picture. My actual camera ran out of battery and it was taken through the bedroom window on my phone. It was a wonderful way to start the day and I wanted to share it. I have a strange suspicion I'll be seeing something similar in a few hours time.
Pardon the quality of the picture. My actual camera ran out of battery and it was taken through the bedroom window on my phone. It was a wonderful way to start the day and I wanted to share it. I have a strange suspicion I'll be seeing something similar in a few hours time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Back in Melbourne
I've been back in Melbourne for a week and a half now. More than enough time to settle into my nocturnal habits once more. Luckily I'll be working nights for the Melbourne Fringe.
While I was in Darwin there were a few changes around my folks place. For one the old CRT tv transformed into a 42" plasma tv. What caught my attention though, once I managed to drag myself away from the new blue-ray DVDs was this...
It would seem that the dogs are enjoying the same fresh water that we are. It's only fair I suppose...
Nothing else to report really. My days have been spent looking for post-Fringe work, reinstating the blue streak in my hair and feeding my Facebook addiction.
It's been great spending time with my family though. Since Mum's cancer diagnosis Dad's been working from home a lot more so we've been lucky enough to have most meals as a family.
Mum's doing well at the moment. We received the latest results from her scans/tests and have been told that the cancer is now largely hard tissue and it's looking like she will only have to go through one more 6 week cycle of chemo before they can remove it. Right now she's having a short break from treatment as her white blood cell count is too low. Overall we're pretty happy with the latest news and I'll be sure to keep any interested parties posted. Many thanks for the well wishes.
Plans over the next week involve reading trashy magazines with Mum, heading to the city to see the Guggenheim exhibition as well as the Pixar showcase and of course the mundane catching up on paperwork and job hunting. I must admit I miss Darwin life, the warm walk-conducive weather and beach just moments away but it's good to be back in Melbourne. The skies may be grey but it's still t-shirt weather for most of the day and the owls nesting outside our house are much less shrill than the birds that shared my garden in Darwin.
While I was in Darwin there were a few changes around my folks place. For one the old CRT tv transformed into a 42" plasma tv. What caught my attention though, once I managed to drag myself away from the new blue-ray DVDs was this...
It would seem that the dogs are enjoying the same fresh water that we are. It's only fair I suppose...
Nothing else to report really. My days have been spent looking for post-Fringe work, reinstating the blue streak in my hair and feeding my Facebook addiction.
It's been great spending time with my family though. Since Mum's cancer diagnosis Dad's been working from home a lot more so we've been lucky enough to have most meals as a family.
Mum's doing well at the moment. We received the latest results from her scans/tests and have been told that the cancer is now largely hard tissue and it's looking like she will only have to go through one more 6 week cycle of chemo before they can remove it. Right now she's having a short break from treatment as her white blood cell count is too low. Overall we're pretty happy with the latest news and I'll be sure to keep any interested parties posted. Many thanks for the well wishes.
Plans over the next week involve reading trashy magazines with Mum, heading to the city to see the Guggenheim exhibition as well as the Pixar showcase and of course the mundane catching up on paperwork and job hunting. I must admit I miss Darwin life, the warm walk-conducive weather and beach just moments away but it's good to be back in Melbourne. The skies may be grey but it's still t-shirt weather for most of the day and the owls nesting outside our house are much less shrill than the birds that shared my garden in Darwin.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Departing Darwin
It's 01:22 and my flight was due to depart in 18 minutes. However the plane servicing this flight has been delayed and as a result I now have an hour to pass before I start the long journey home.
Even though I'm at the airport I can barely believe I'm leaving Darwin. I had a fairly typical Friday today. Rushing about for work culminating in drinks at the Ski Club watching the sunset.
I've really enjoyed my time up here. I can see how Darwin slowly seduces you into staying. It's laid back nature, which is wondering and trying all at once, suits the climate. I've found it to be a friendly city which I'm looking forward to visiting again in the near future. Having spent 12 weeks here I've gotten to know the city and its suburbs and have started to get to know it's locals. I must admit I'm a little sad to be leaving!
There are many things that I've learned/observed/been amused by/generally noted during my stay. Here are a few of them, in no particular order;
- Left Turn Permitted On Red Light After Stopping - it makes sense but doesn't stop me getting nervous when a police car comes up next to you while you're doing it!
- no one drives at the speed limit, you're either well above or well below
- the sunsets are amazing most days of the week
- on a really clear night you can see the "dust" of the Milky Way
- rattling the pipe gently can help to clear the blockage in the block of temporary toilets
- birds sing at all hours of the day
- there are some amazing beaches in Darwin
- it's the only place that I've ever paid $6.60 for yesterday's newspaper
- no curfew time for planes means many crazy flight times
- insect repellent and sunscreen should form part of your daily ritual. Everything seems to bite and sting up here and people get sunburn just thinking about it
- there's always something happening in Darwin
I suppose that's what I love about Darwin. There's always something happening and yet it's still a great place just to chill out and do nothing.
Well my ability to construct meaningful sentences has diminished so I'll quit while I'm not too far behind.
Next stop, Sydney
(unless this delayed plane makes me miss my connection... which I've been told is a possibility)
Even though I'm at the airport I can barely believe I'm leaving Darwin. I had a fairly typical Friday today. Rushing about for work culminating in drinks at the Ski Club watching the sunset.
I've really enjoyed my time up here. I can see how Darwin slowly seduces you into staying. It's laid back nature, which is wondering and trying all at once, suits the climate. I've found it to be a friendly city which I'm looking forward to visiting again in the near future. Having spent 12 weeks here I've gotten to know the city and its suburbs and have started to get to know it's locals. I must admit I'm a little sad to be leaving!
There are many things that I've learned/observed/been amused by/generally noted during my stay. Here are a few of them, in no particular order;
- Left Turn Permitted On Red Light After Stopping - it makes sense but doesn't stop me getting nervous when a police car comes up next to you while you're doing it!
- no one drives at the speed limit, you're either well above or well below
- the sunsets are amazing most days of the week
- on a really clear night you can see the "dust" of the Milky Way
- rattling the pipe gently can help to clear the blockage in the block of temporary toilets
- birds sing at all hours of the day
- there are some amazing beaches in Darwin
- it's the only place that I've ever paid $6.60 for yesterday's newspaper
- no curfew time for planes means many crazy flight times
- insect repellent and sunscreen should form part of your daily ritual. Everything seems to bite and sting up here and people get sunburn just thinking about it
- there's always something happening in Darwin
I suppose that's what I love about Darwin. There's always something happening and yet it's still a great place just to chill out and do nothing.
Well my ability to construct meaningful sentences has diminished so I'll quit while I'm not too far behind.
Next stop, Sydney
(unless this delayed plane makes me miss my connection... which I've been told is a possibility)
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