March 7, 2002

Wow - a real entry. I fear for the longevity of this format now that I see how easy it is to just put blurbs up on the live journal. But I don't want this to degenerate into nothing but meaningless blurbs - it's like just having a string of imoods listed together.

You know you're pathetic when you start comparing all your online updateables.

Anyhow, last night I probably would have written a meaningless entry just because I felt that I should, but I was tired and opted to just put a bit on live journal. I need to not let that become a habit.

Yesterday evening was actually a lot of fun. Before the show I went over to the mall to grab something to eat, as I am wont to do, and while I was there I ran into a bunch of old friends. For the most part I don't see them very much anymore, and I am sorry for it, as they are neat-o keen folks. Happily I do see Anthony regularly, but Christine and Vicki are veritable strangers these days, so it was good to see them. I wish that we could have hung out, but they were on their way somewhere and I, of course, had to go do the show.

The show was a sound nightmare, as one of the piano mics went out in act one and the new guy on the sound board didn't know it. It's not really his fault necessarily, since he had only heard the show once and wasn't as familiar with how is was supposed to sound, but Lucas was supposed to be there still and sort of shadowing the new guy, and who knows where Lucas was, but it wasn't at the board. So Lauren was livid. Lauren doesn't often get mad, but when she does, stay out of the way. I was very glad that her ire was not directed at me. Very glad. Lucas, for some inexplicable reason gets to go to the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) where the theatre is interviewing for next year's staff. No one seems to understand why this is, since it is just a bad thing to switch sound operators in the middle of a show and it seems like a bad thing to pay someone to do it, when we have someone on staff who is supposed to be doing it, but whatever.

So I was going to ask if Lauren wanted to go out for a drink, because it seemed to me that she needed to unwind a bit. Turns out that a friend of hers, Kara, was there to see the show, so the three of us trooped off to the Taphouse. Until last week, I hadn't been to the Taphouse since last April, but since then I've been four times. Once on opening night because my friends Dave and Katherine were there rather than at the after party and Walter and I wanted to see them, then on Monday for Happy Afternoon, and I think I told you about Happy Afternoon II. So last night Lauren was hungry and wanted crab dip. Let me tell you, if you are ever in Norfolk and you like crab - check out the crab dip at the Taphouse - that stuff is damn good. Kara is one of those slightly irritating people who just doesn't quite fit with the rest of the world socially, so it was sort of a challenge. While Lauren and I were waiting for Kara to arrive, my phone rang with a number I didn't recognize at all. I frequently don't answer if I don't know the caller, but lately it seems like everyone has my cell number and all of them are real people who need something legitimate, so I have been less strict about screening calls. It turned out to be my friend Janice - the one who's time zone I am never sure of - who was in her hotel room in LA. I asked could I call her later (almost asked if she would be up and then realized that it was only about eight her time) and went back to the table to order a beer. Lauren had a Smirnoff Ice, which made the bartender laugh at her. I had a beer I have grown fond of - North Coast Pranquster. I recommend it highly.

After departing the Taphouse, I went off in search of a gas station because the car was hungry and I drove over to Jess & Jeremy's because Jess and I were supposed to go for a walk together. On the way I got to talk to Janice again, and that made me really quite happy. I miss having her around - we worked together on and off at Surflight last summer. Jess and I had a very nice walk, during which I declared that I would loose 50 pounds in the next five months. I think it can be done. Of course that probably means I need to drink less beer. Damn.

Today I didn't get out of bed anywhere near as early as I had hoped to do, and so got very little done while I was home. Just the usual internet diddling. The show ran rather better tonight, though there were some rough spots, and the house was incredible - they just ate it up. As I was coming in Philip asked me what I was doing tonight ("erm, running the show?" "no, after that") and invited me over to drink beer (a trend?) and watch the Sopranos. Sure, why not. So after shutting down the light board and locking the office, I went over to Phil's place. Where I found Amy and Ashley standing in front of the apartment. Apparently Philip hadn't yet left the bar at Max & Erma's where he had been heading with the TD, Doug, at 7. So we all got into Ashley's car and went there. The bartender, Chris (yes, I know the bartender by name), was trying to close up, but acquiesced and let Philip buy the three of us a "Gee, I'm a dick" round, so I had a nice margarita (no, no beer) and we all repaired to the James Madison (affectionately known as the Maddie) where we also know the bartender (Rob) and where Doug bought me another (stronger) margarita. Doug is so cute when he gets drunk because he gets very affectionate towards all the girls. God help him if he ever actually wanted to hook up with any of us - we'd just think he was being Drunk Doug. Anyhow, I had a very nice backrub (Thanks Drunk Doug!) and then ended up walking back to Philip's place with Drunk Phil.

And then I went home. The end.