If You Are Planning To Buy A Car...

...please consider buying a Ford.

I stopped driving several years ago, so I cannot comment on the quality of Ford's automobiles.  However, their commitment to fair treatment of homosexuals and trans-genders is certainly something worth supporting.

Interestingly enough I was alerted to this by an email from the American Family Association, an organization that seems, at least as far as I can tell from it's emails, to spend most of it's energy and resources promoting blind hatred and bigotry disguised as religion.  They refer to the "Homosexual Agenda" and ask their members to encourage companies that have non-discrimination policies and provide benefits to same sex partners to "remain neutral".

The rest of their emails tend to be about boycotting stores that use the words "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".  One wonders in a nation with somewhere between 700,000 and 2,000,000 people homeless (36% of whom are families with children),  36.5 million people living in poverty (including 12.8 million children) and 47 million people without health insurance (including 8.7 million children), what Jesus would have to say to those bastards who won't say "Merry Christmas".

I Love Panda Cam!

It's just a little burst of happiness in the day.

Am I The Only One Who Thinks This?

The Internet is the worse thing to happen to dating.

Ever.

The Holidays

The period from Thanksgiving to New Year's is my favorite time of the year.  It always reminds me of good food, fine wine and the company of people whom I love.  Even if I don't get to partake in all of that every year, I still love the season and all it means.

And the best part of the whole package is Christmas.  I was discussing this recently with a friend of mine who noted how strange it was that an atheist (ie me) should love Christmas so much.  I tried to quote to her the passage from the Bible that to me sums up the idea behind Christmas* but I mangled it.  Here it is:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were afraid.

And the Angel said unto them, "Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

While I don't believe in the divinity of Jesus, I do think he had a lot of great ideas about what it means to be a part of the human race.  And I don't think it at all hypocritical to celebrate that idea; peace on earth, good will toward men.  Would we did not have to confine that notion to one day.

So I hope my non- Christian friends will forgive me when I wish you all a Merry Christmas.  I hope you all can take from it the same meaning I do.  

And wishes for you all to have a Happy New Year.

* So did Charles Schultz.

Wahoooo!

This is my first post from my new I-Mac.

I love this machine.

DAMMITT!!!

That is all.

Randomly Overheard Statements This Past Weekend

"It's sheep, sheep, sheep, and then we're out."

Dan Covey

"It's that sheep! It's trying to kill us!"

Holly Twyford

What Are You Doing Saturday Night?

This Bitches!

If Only You Could Translate Sounds Onto Blogger

Then you would hear me crashing and burning.

To the MSGAP, ignore the previous post.

A Question For The MSGAP*

What do you think of asking someone out via email?

* Multi- State, Girlie- Advising Posse

Update?

For several months I have been less than motivated to write here on the ol blog. Part of the reason is that work has been busier than the law should allow. Seriously, I went four months without going to the grocery store. There are only so many different meals you can really make from the stuff available at 7-11.

Another factor in my lack of posting was being involved in a relationship for a while. Strangely enough, I wanted to spend free time with the GF rather than sitting about writing blog posts.

Probably the biggest reason for my silence of late is that most of the things I have cared enough to write about recently I have cared too much about to write a half-assed or truncated post.

I would like to pause and say a big thank you to those of you who have continued to tune in despite the lack of reasons to do so. I appreciate your loyalty.

So what is going on?

I am currently in Baltimore designing scenery for one of the universities up here. The show has been going fairly well, although there have been some interesting mindset adjustments that have had to be made. For instance, part of the action of the play is for one of the characters to smash a guitar onstage. I suggested rigging a fake guitar to do this bit, but instead we purchased enough guitars to destroy one every night of tech and performance.

We have spent more on guitars for this show than the scenery budgets for several projects I was involved in last season. Of course this is a university with a "use it or lose it" budget situation. Like I said, a whole different world.

I have met someone I think I would like to see a whole lot more of. I suppose time will tell.

Work slows down considerably after this week. I am actually going on vacation for a while. Looking forward to getting away.

I hope I will get back to a little bit of blogging soon.

Peace in yer crease.

Why I Am Aggravated At The Moment

Because I am a big wuss.

It is amazing how much this bothers me.

And yes, I know I am being cryptic again.

Eastern Promises

Easily the best movie I have seen all year.

A Moment Of Silence

Luciano Pavarotti died today at the age of 71.

Argh!

Expletive! Expletive! Expletive!

That is all.

Blah!

I am in California at the moment. Tonight was 1st preview for Bleacher Bums. The show has been going well so far. We will start tech-ing The Weir on Monday. I will catch a plane Wednesday and finally head home.

As always seems to happen when I go out of town for extended periods of time, life has thrown me a few curve balls*. One of my mother's two surviving brothers had been sick and went to the hospital to discover that his whole body is riddled with cancer. The doctors have estimated one to six months left for him.

I received an email last week that a friend from college (the first time) died after a long illness last Sunday. Steve was truly one of the good guys. Despite the pressure of a very intensive program, he was always able to maintain a view of the larger picture. He was a dedicated family man and managed to find a balance between life and work that has so far eluded me. I wish I was a better writer so I could really express what a loss to the world Steve's passing is.

I won't go into details other than to say there is no bad guy in the situation, but I am single again.

I will pause here to say Happy Birthday to S, who is 28 today.

Peace in your crease, folks.

And There Was Much Rejoicing

Let all of the gods in heaven be praised.

I have working AC in my apartment!

Wouldn't It Be Great...

...if there was a magic ring we could drop into a volcano, and George Bush and all his cronies would just go away?

What I Am Doing Right Now...

...is drinking Jack Daniel's from the bottle and listening to Folsom Prison Blues.

It's been a grumpy two days.

If Nothing Else....

A meme. Citymouse tagged me with this some time ago.

Bloggers must post these rules and provide eight random facts about themselves. In the post, the tagged blogger tags eight other bloggers and notify them they have been tagged.

1) I can juggle. At an earlier time in my life, I lived with professional clowns. I could not stand to be the only person in the house who could not juggle, so I learned. I can only do balls though, not clubs. My attempts to juggle clubs ended when I actually knocked myself unconscious with one.

2) I have three tattoos. I want more. The last one I got was with S, a few days before she moved to New Orleans and I moved back to DC. It is a symbol that means truth, a promise between us that there we will always be honest with one another, whether we want to hear it or not.

3) When I was a small child, I had surgery to correct a chest and rib deformity and for some time had a metal plate in my chest. I have a wicked scar as a reminder. I usually win the "Best Scar" contest unless someone has had open heart surgery.

4) I have lived in my current apartment longer than I have lived any one place in my adult life.

5) My 40th birthday is on a Tuesday. How much does that suck?

6) I spent about a year managing a fast food restaurant when I was 18/19.

7) I am allergic to most fruits and vegetables raw.

8) I hate the taste of licorice.

I don't have anyone to tag because most of my friends have stopped blogging. So it's a free for all.

What I Am Doing Right Now....

... is procrastinating.

I have much to do in these next couple of days before I head to Hartford for a week (I did mention Hartford, right?) to assist D on a show at Hartford Stage. I am designing scenery for Songs For A New World with Open Circle Theatre, then is scenery and lighting for Bleacher Bums and The Weir, which are being done in rotating rep. And I have been having meetings about African Continuum's first show of the season.

So a lot of scenery to draft.

Other stuff that has been going on.

S finally got a new phone, so I have been able to chat with her again, which has been good, especially because I have been able to get updates on a mutual friend who was in the hospital.

I am, as I write this, waiting on the AC guy to come look at my unit. With any luck the AC will be repaired in my apartment when I get back from Hartford.

I am trying to find time to go look at studio space so I can finally stop working from home.

I have been spending much of my free time with the GF. That has been nice.

Not much else going on. I know I have been really bad with the whole staying in touch thing of late. Sorry about that folks. Check back soon, because I actually have some thoughts on the news to share, and I have a meme from City Mouse I still need to do. So there should be something to read up here soon.

Peace in yer crease.

Show Me The Money

So you would think this is simple, right? A fee was agreed on, we signed a contract, I did the work. Yet the contract has been violated because the producer did not have my check for me on the day of the show. It has now been four days and I have yet to see the check.

Just effing pay me what was agreed to!

This is my single biggest complaint about being a freelance artist. Why do some people feel it is OK to pay people when they get around to it? I doubt very much the people responsible would accept the same behavior from their employer.

Here is a little clue, folks. This is not a hobby. This is how I make my living. I have bills to pay just like you. So fucking pay me on time!

One of the things that sucks about this situation, other than not having the money, is I now have to be an asshole to people I will (hopefully) be working with again. In a discussion with fellow designers recently, the subject of having an agent came up. While many were skeptical about the benefits of employing someone in that role, the mutual agreement was there was certainly value in having someone else who engaged in the fights with management so that one could go into the working situation without having to be the bad guy.

The other thing that sucks is I have very little real recourse. Both shows for which I am currently owed money have closed, so I can't threaten a cease and desist. Do I have to be that guy? You know the one who takes the show disc out of the console and won't restore the show until they have been given a check. Talk about a way to sour a relationship.

What do my readers think?

A Few Thoughts On The Upcoming Presidential Elections, And Other Political Ramblings

First off, the first Presidential Primary is not until my birthday next year*, yet media outlets of all kinds are focused on presidential candidates. I think this is a little nuts, but there are probably a number of reasons for this. The Democrats** certainly smell the blood in the water, believing they are a shoe-in for the White House, so it is just a matter of choosing who. The Republicans are trying to simultaneously appear to believe we are pursuing the right course in Iraq whilst distancing themselves from the President. I have not had the leisure to really examine the front runners closely, but I have not heard a great deal on either side that has inspired much hope. The political system is broken methinks, though I have a few thoughts on steps to get it back on the right direction.

According to Project Vote Smart's website, as of yesterday there were 28 Democrats, 37 Republicans, and 49 from various other political parties. Lets just do the math shall we? 28+37+49= 114 people running for President! 114. And if we are lucky we will have three of those people to choose from come next November. Three out of 114. Now I am all for a little sifting of the political field, separating the wheat from the chaff. But it seems that every election I have voted in since I was eligible to do so has been a choice between two or three bits of chaff. Where the hell is the wheat? Perhaps the current threshing machine is not as effective as we would like to think, so here is another idea:

Do away with the Primary system. Everyone runs. Let those who have extreme agendas syphon off the fringes of the political spectrum, so that those of us who are more moderate and more capable of compromise might be able to find a candidate who exhibits those same qualities. Perhaps then we could have actual discourse on those things that really matter to most people, the economy, health care, education, retirement security, public safety, the enviroment. Perhaps then we would not have the President of the United States suggesting to us that we should waste time, money and energy to amend the Constitution to prohibit gay marriage in an attempt to arouse the most rabid and radical fringe of his party.

And speaking of Constitutional amendments, isn't it strange that the only amendment to that document in the last thirty- six years has been one to keep Representatives from voting themselves a pay raise that will take effect while they are in their present term. Here is one I would like to suggest: term limits for Senators and members of the House. We have imposed those limits on the Executive branch, yet a Congressmen or Senator can be re-elected to that position until they die, or at least until they send suggestive emails to high school pages. If you want to begin to break the stranglehold that big business and their various lobbies hold over government, take away the incentive for our elective officials to pander to them. If they can only serve two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, they won't be so worried about securing campaign contributions so they can get re-elected ad-infinitum.

While we are on the subject of election campaign financing, let's amend the Public Campaign Financing laws to stop making it a choice whether or not to accept public funding. Every candidate gets the same amount of money. Period. And no individual or organization may spend money on a candidate's election campaign, or take out ads on their behalf. Theodore Roosevelt suggested this in his State of the Union address in 1907. That's one hundred years ago, BTW, and let me tell you that is one "old fashioned value" I could get behind.

Another thing I would like to see shifted is the Electoral College system. I know many liberals who would like to see the system go away entirely, and become a popular vote, but I disagree. To go to a popular vote would mean a candidate would really only have to campaign in California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania to obtain the majority of the popular vote. That leaves most states with no say in the head of the Executive branch of the government. Instead I would propose a change so that carrying the majority in a state does not garner a candidate that entire state's Electoral College voted, but instead the percentage of the popular vote he or she carried.

A few other thoughts at random.

Hillary Clinton cannot win. Why has no one told her this. Why is the Democratic leadership so blind on this issue? As much as the Republicans hated Bill, they despise her even more. I know women who refer to her as "That stuck up bitch who doesn't know her place." The conservatives will come out of the woodwork to bring her down. Hillary on the ticket puts a Republican in the White House for four more years.

Barak Obama cannot win either. I may be called a racist, but I don't believe we will see a black President in my lifetime. I also think that is sad.

We need to stop trying to force "Democracy" down everyone's throats. It is not a system of government handed down by the gods and just because it seems to work for us does not mean it is right for all countries.

We need to stop fighting the "War on Terror". No government in the history of the world has ever defeated terrorism. They have all eventually negotiated peace and given concessions to those they labeled "terrorists". The people who are targeting our country are doing so because of a half a century of US interference in their countries. Don't believe me, look at what a Republican candidate for President had to say.

There is more, but it will have to wait.




* January 8, 2008

** ie. the pussies who have waited until they had a majority in Congress to even begin to confront the Presidential Imbecile about the debacle that is Iraq.

Back To Work!

Except for returning a few emails, I took last week off. I sat in my apartment and read, watched movies, played video games. It was fabulous. I have designed or assisted on 21 shows so far this season in addition to work at the Atlas and working as Production Manager on a ballet production in November. I have been ready for a break.

Now I am trying to adjust to being in the working world again. I would love for the season to be over, but I have three more shows to finish up. Fortunately they are all small, but still I am feeling as if maybe the week was not enough.

Have to get back to work now.

Peace in yer crease!

The End Of The NY Adventure, And Life In DC

The NY adventure went well.

Friday night, after the first preview and expected rounds of drinks at the bar just down the street, I went with the General Manager, the Sound Designer and others to a party being thrown in the Museum of Natural History. It was a blast, despite the odd "buy tickets to get drinks" system that did not seem to be working particularly well (we just slipped the guy at the table some cash). We went to the planetarium and watched the Cosmic Collisions show, narrated by Robert Redford. An interesting experience while somewhat less than sober.

Of course at all such events I feel fairly out of place. I kept waiting for one of the staff to come up and say, "Sorry sir, but you are not nearly hip enough to be in here."

Saturday morning was a bit murky. I woke up about an hour and a half before my alarm, probably because I was so excited that the GF was coming in that night. I packed up my stuff and left the keys for the whacko landlady, then headed to the theatre to go over focus with the person who will be responsible for maintaining the show through it's run.

After the matinee I checked into a hotel in midtown, and took a nap. Then was the evening performance, then back to the hotel for, you guessed it, another nap.

The GF was coming in on a bus at around 2:00 AM, so I left the hotel around 12:30 to get a bite to eat and meet her at Port Authority. While I was walking around the block, I had one of those quintessential NY experiences. A guy came up to me and tried to sell me Ex. I so love NY.

Her bus arrived in NY on time, but because the gate into the station was closed, they ended up circling the block for the better part of half an hour waiting for a guide to get them in a different route.

Sunday we saw a matinee of The Drowsy Chaperone which was fabulous. I cannot gush enough about this show. It is this sweet, mildly self deprecating ode to musical theatre and it's ability, when really good,I to transport us out of this at best tedious and at worst soul crushing experience that is daily life. I cried a little at the end.

Afterwords was dinner with D and R and a friend of theirs, then the evening performance of Beyond Glory. We finished the evening having cocktails with the other designers at the hotel, and saying farewell to the Sound Designer, who lives in Portland, and the Projection Designer who is from Chicago.

On Monday we checked out of the hotel, and then headed for Coney Island. A friend had tod me they were closing the attractions there to build condos or something, so I figured we should go see it before it was gone.

The place was delightfully tacky. We rode a roller coaster that actually aggravated an old back injury, took a turn on the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel, rode some other ride the name of which
I can't recall (I think the name was shaken out of my head by all the twisting around), and even watched the Coney Island Side-Show. We finished up with hot dogs from Nathan's. Then was the long bus ride back home.

I am endeavoring to settle back into life in DC.

The past couple of days have been about trying to straighten up the cave and putting out a few fires in work life. I am trying to take it easy this week, as much of a vacation as I can manage. Next week the madness starts again as I finish up with my last three shows of the season and start prepping for the top of next season, which is much fuller than it has ever been.

Peace in yer crease.

The New York Adventure- Day ?

The show here has been going frighteningly well so far. We have invited dress this evening, and during yesterday afternoon's run I took not one single note. We are so far ahead of the game that I went with the design staff of our show last night to see Corum Boy. Despite some over the top moments, I really enjoyed the show. I was saddened (although not really surprised) to hear that it has already posted closing notices. If you get to NY before it closes it is certainly worth a look.

Not much else going on. I had thought I would be here for three weeks, but I will now be home Monday night. I will miss the great food to be had here in NY, but I am ready to be back home and perhaps spend some time quietly in my apartment for a few days.

The GF is coming to NY on Saturday night. Since the woman I am subletting a room from here is such a nutjob, we will be checking into a hotel. I am excited to see her.

Peace in yer crease!

The New York Adventure- Day 1

We began focus around 9:00 AM this morning. We finished up about 4:20 PM. D and I went to have dinner and a cocktail with a friend of his and R's. A delightful day full of work done with enough people, all of whom were competent and eager to perform their duties.

How I wish every show could be that way.

On a side note:

It is often easy for those of us who do not live and work here to be cynical about it, but I have to say working every day in the theatre district in NY is pretty effing exciting.

There is an energy here that just infects you.

Peace in yer crease!

In Case You Were Wondering

My landlady here in NY is an effing whacko!

Just thought you would like to know.

What A Difference A Year Makes

About a year ago, I wrote a post about how much I liked New York in the Spring.

It still holds true a year later.

But unlike this time last year, I am not here on my last gig of the season with no work to look forward to. Right now I am booked through October. And the work keeps rolling in.

Also unlike last year, I have someone in my life who puts a big smile on my face. For the first time in a long time I left town for work with a sense of regret. And that is a good thing. It makes me look forward to coming home.

So things are great. Something I sometimes have a hard time adjusting to. But I am beginning to get used to it.

Peace in yer crease.

What's New?

So where the heck have ya'll been?

Just kidding.

Clearly I have been less than diligent about writing here on the ol blog. In my defense, I have been a bit busy of late, so have not had a great deal of free time.

So what's been going on?

I have been in tech for about the past six weeks. The most recent show, The Oracle with African Continuum, was a wonderful experience from a creative standpoint, and is some of the best lighting I have ever done. Go see it, not for my lighting, but for the fabulous work done by the other designers as well as for the cast who are fantastic.

I am trying to get my ducks in a row so I am prepared to go to NY on Thursday. I will be there for about three weeks assisting D on Beyond Glory at Roundabout Theatre.

Those of you who have been reading this blog for awhile probably remember that last summer was a bit stressful because of a lack of work, among other things. No such worries this year. I am at the moment booked pretty solidly through early October. There are a few small gaps in there, but since i just opened my 20th show this season as a Designer or assistant, I will be trying to take it easy during those times.

What free time I have had has been spent with my girlfriend.

I will pause now whilst you pick yourselves up off the floor.




Yes, I used the words "my girlfriend" and I wasn't being ironic. I won't share details here, but if I am not posting a lot for the next while, I hope you will understand.

Peace in yer crease, folks. I love you all.

Things To Look Forward To

On Friday I load in Sleeping and Waking for Charter Theatre. We tech over the weekend and have previews mid next week. I really like the script and am enjoying the challenge of making the show work in a small space with limited resources.

Next week load in begins for The Oracle with African Continuum. I am designing both Scenery and lighting, and although I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed, I am really psyched about the chance to do a big show again.

I am looking forward to something else I won't share here, but it has put a smile on my face more than once during what has been a very stressful week.

Peace out, bitches!

Things To Look Forward To

On Friday I load in Sleeping and Waking for Charter Theatre. We tech over the weekend and have previews mid next week. I really like the script and am enjoying the challenge of making the show work in a small space with limited resources.

Next week load in begins for The Oracle with African Continuum. I am designing both Scenery and Lighting, and although I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed, I am really psyched about the chance to do a big show again.

I am looking forward to something else I won't share here, but it has put a smile on my face more than once during what has been a very stressful week.

Peace out, bitches!

Things Not To Do At 5:00 AM

Leave your X-Acto knife lying on the floor and forget about it.

Because you will find it with your foot.

Who knew a foot could bleed that much?

That Galloping Sound You Hear ...

...is probably the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse.

For the first time in a very long time, I am content.

I am not just content, I am truly happy.

My professional life could not be going better.

I have friends who love me, despite their better impulses.

Other things I will not discuss here.

It has been a great week for me personally.

Virginia Tech.

I am heartbroken by the events at Virginia Tech yesterday.

As I try to wrap my head around it, I keep going back to Cho Seung-hui, the gunman. I am saddened that this 23 year old young man ever got to that emotional place where killing 32 people and then taking his own life seemed like the right thing to do.

A lot of questioning and examining will be done in Blacksburg and across the country over the next several weeks. It is my sincere hope that while the pundits are asking about this kid's mental stability and whether there were missed warning signs, we will take a few moments to look at what drove this young man to act in this way.

My deepest sympathies are with the victims and their families, and the entire faculty, staff and student body at Virginia Tech.

Please, be good to one another.

To Quote U2

"I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."

That would be a ticket to the Helen Hayes Awards.

How To Tell It's Getting Towards The End Of The Season

My ability to suffer fools gladly is greatly diminished.

Helen Hayes Tickets

Anyone got one they would like to sell?

My Life At The Moment

The Good Stuff:

For the past three days I have been assisting D on Alex in Wonderland at the Kennedy Center. We had an invited dress rehearsal last night, and it was the first time I have had a chance to watch the show. At one point in the stage directions is written "Pharoh's army of cute, tap-dancing bunnies enters". And they do. I love that a part of my job is to watch tap-dancing bunnies.

I received my Union card in the mail last week. I won't go into all that means to me, but it was a big moment.

I have work lined up until the middle of June, and already have six gigs for next season. I might even be able to not work between the end of this season and the beginning of the next.

One of the gigs I have is to design Scenery and Lighting for Hedwig and The Angry Inch. It's one of my favorite shows ever.

I decided the time had come to revive the DC Theatre Technician Cattle Call, and the response has been overwhelming. Three days ago we filled the last of our interview slots, and we have more than thirty theatres and production companies being represented. It will make for a busy Saturday, but hopefully I will get to have cocktails with ECAG-Retired afterwards.

It is beginning to look like I will have AC for the summer.

The Not So Good Stuff:

I am having real insomnia issues. It is becoming something of a pain.

I still have had no luck in striking that work/life balance thing. I have no personal life because I have so much work, but if I am honest with myself a small part of the reason I take so much work is because I don't really have a personal life. Snake eating it's own tail, doncha know.

S' phone died several weeks ago. This is the longest we have gone without talking since before we started dating. It is just plain weird that I can't pick up the phone and call her. I feel un-moored.

About 90 percent of the time I am happy and content with the overall status of my life. Really, I would have to be an imbecile not to be. I get paid to watch cute tap-dancing bunnies for god's sake. But every once in a while a wave of loneliness washes over me that is so heavy I have difficulty breathing, let alone moving. Then things pretty much suck.

I Am So Fucked!

My X-Box 360 was delivered today.

Reading My Stuff

Quite awhile ago I embedded Statcounter code in my blog. I get a weekly report telling me how many pageloads The Lighting Designer's Life recieves on a daily basis.

Recently I discovered that I had access to far more information regarding the visits here, including IP addresses and their country, city and state of origin. I can find out what links brought people here, how long they stayed, and how many times they come back.

Initially it sort of creeped me out, felt far too Big Brother for my tastes. Yet I find I am addicted to the info.

Things I have discovered:

People google the weirdest shit and get links to my blog. Things like "for the rain it raineth every day", "how do you do young willie mcbride", and my personal recent favorite, "sometimes you just stand there, hip deep in pie".

Not surprisingly, most of my readers are from the DC area, but I also have regular visits from people in in NY, California, Florida and Massachusetts. In addition, I have had readers from England, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, and China.

I have a regular reader that sometimes visits this blog five times a day. Unusual for reasons I won't go into.

It is odd to know not just that there are people are reading this, but also knowing from where, and in some cases who they are.

Update

My last day in California.

We had our second preview last night, and the cast received a standing ovation. The show is funny (I am still laughing even after having seen it all week) and I am happy with my work, given the limitations of the equipment.

I met someone last night who would actually make me reconsider my "Don't Date Actors" rule.

I had to bow out of designing the next show out here because I now have a gig assisting D at Roundabout Theatre in May. I am excited about both the project and the chance to hang out in NY for a couple of weeks.

I already have two gigs lined up for next season, one of which is designing scenery and lighting for Hedwig and The Angry Inch out here.

I have a lot of work to catch up on when I get back to DC tomorrow.

S's cell phone died a couple of weeks ago. We have emailed back and forth, but it has been strange not actually speaking to her.

More soon.

For Those Of You Wondering

I made it safely to California.

My Favorite Starbucks In Manhattan

The one on the corner of West 43rd and 8th Avenue.

I have been here for the better part of four hours, reading the mounds of paperwork I picked up today at the union office, and watching the world go by.

I just wish I didn't have to wait another four hours to get on my train to come home.

NY Weather Report

It is a wee bit chillier than I had planned on.

No, that is not some metaphor. I am freezing my ass off up here.

Am I The Only One Who Thinks This?

In this whole debate about whether to withdraw troops from Iraq or not, a lot of noise is being made that by fighting the insurgency there, we are not actually engaged in the "War On Terror" because Al-Qaeda is not operating in Iraq.

I have to admit to having doubts about whether the "War On Terror" is one we should be fighting to begin with.

Nothing is gained by responding to violence with violence. A saying attributed to Confucious goes "Before embarking on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

So what would happen if instead of dropping bombs, invading nations, kidnapping and torturing people, we engaged in a dialog with those nations where terrorists are being recruited? What if we sought to help those governments improve infrastructure such as roads, power plants and water treatment facilities? What if we helped fund educational institutions and granted small business loans to help stimulate economic growth? What if we did all of this with absolutely no strings attached?

What if instead of being the boot that kicks, we became the hand that fed?

Do we think we would still face the same threat of terrorism as we do today?

I Don't Know ABout You Guys...

...but I want my damned hour back!

Random Stuff

I go to NY on Tuesday to pay my initiation fee to United Scenic Artists. After that I will only need to be sworn in. It will be good to have all that behind me.

On Thursday I fly to CA to light Lend Me A Tenor. I am excited about the show but wish I had a few more days to tie up loose ends and see where something is going.

I am now booked pretty solidly through late June. A good feeling.

I have made a decision to stop paying attention to age, mine and others. If it seems right, why should age stand in the way?

Still struggling with that life vs work balance thing.

I am really glad I have gotten to hang out with the folks from Perseverance while they are in town.

Because I have been so busy with work lately, I don't have much food in the apartment. I want to go grocery shopping and do some cooking, but I don't want to leave food around while I am in CA for a week and a half.

On a related note, I am getting tired of cooking just for myself. Some of you folks need to come over for dinner. And you know who you are.

Must be up early to prep for a meeting, so I am off to bed.

Peace out.

I Am Going To Hell

I will see some of you there.

An Update Of Sorts

As is probably obvious, I made it back from New Orleans in one piece. I had a blast and am already making plans to go next year. I saw one parade, actually marched in another, and saw more boobies than I could count. What I did not see was much of S, she was working pretty much the whole time I was there.

I returned to DC to spend 74 hours in one week at my "part time" job. That is largely the reason for the light posting of late.

An old friend from High School has doggedly been tracking me down, and it looks like we might hang out this weekend for the first time in (gulp!) twenty years.

Hearing from him has been a much needed reminder that I am often not good with taking the time out to see those who are close to me. We tend to always say yes to work in this business, because you don't know when the offers will stop coming in. I think I need to have a little more faith in myself and trust that people will still call me even if I say no once in a while.

I am struggling to find a balance behind work and having a life. The past few months have been much more with the work than they have been with the life. I think i am still freaked out about last summer and the three months sans income. But right now I feel the no life thing is getting pretty effing old.

I have to take a moment to say how much I love the Multi-State, Girlie-Advising Posse. I really don't know what I would do without these ladies in my life. A tender shoulder and tough love. What more could a guy ask for?

I have spent the past two days at Theatre On The Run in Arlington, loading in and teching 37 Stones for Charter Theatre. Monday night I was certain my part of it was going to be a total disaster, but we cued through the whole show this evening and I am actually pretty happy with the results. We will see how it all holds together in the run tomorrow night.

It is late, and time for me to go to bed.

Peace out bitches!

Nope!

Don't get women.

Not at all.

Go See This

I am in tech both nights, but you folks have no excuse!

The Best Thing About Online Dating

You both know what you are there for.

Ughh!

Beginning of day 4.

Hour 45.

14 more to go today.

"Part Time" job my ass!

Off To The Big Easy

I leave for the airport in about 30 minutes.

I am doing a little Lighting Designer unplugged thing and not taking my laptop, so there will be no posting until I return.

Be good to one another while I am gone.

Peace out!

So This Must Be What We Meant....

...when we said we were bringing Freedom and Democracy to the Iraqi people.

An article in Wednesday's NY Times reported that Lt General Aboud Quanbar, who runs both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior in Iraq, has unveiled a plan to stop sectarian bloodshed in Baghdad by ordering tens of thousands of residents to leave homes they are occupying illegally.

Other parts of General Quanbar's plan include closing the borders with Syria and Iran, as well as having the government break into homes and cars it (emphasis mine) deemed dangerous, open mail and eavesdrop on telephone calls.

Hmmmm. Can't you just taste the Freedom?

Why I Prefer To Work At Home

In the room next to my office, there has been an alarm going off for two days.

It seems far more annoying to me today, but that may be because I am a wee bit hung over this morning.

Stuff

The "part time job" I started in late December has been eating up more and more of my time of late. I am not sure what the long term is going to be with this thing.

I am really excited about upcoming projects, including 37 Stones with Charter Theatre, and The Oracle for African Continuum (for which I am also designing scenery).

I will not even attempt to weigh in on the Helen Hayes noms. But really, how many theatres with an annual operating budget below 8 million are represented?

In New Orleans soon. Soon.

Six Days From Now...

...I will be laying face down in a pool of my own vomit*.

ie. I will be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.


*I am of course, kidding. We at The Lighting Designer's Life encourage everyone to drink responsibly.

And BTW...

...where the hell did Friday go?

Aren't I Too Old For This?

And by this, I mean pulling an all nighter to get a project done.

LD is a wee bit cranky this evening.

Other Stuff Going On This Week

I have a ticket to see Shakespeare's Rape Of Lucrece at WSC Friday night. The show was written and directed by two members of the MSGAP*.

I have begun to bury the hatchet with someone I was once very close to.

I have a one-off I am designing at the Atlas this weekend. The first bit of design work in the new year.

In a little over nine days I will be in New Orleans. But really, who's counting.

I discovered tonight that I have a blog reader I was previously un-aware of. Hopefully they are not the person who has been posting anonymously the past few days.

*MSGAP: Multi-State, Girlie-Advising Posse

How You Know It Is Too Damned Cold Out

I actually listened to a whole Doors song while walking home because I didn't want to unzip my coat to reach my iPod.

And Sometimes You Just Stand There...

Dan: " You know sometimes it's worth it. Standing there taking all of those pies in the face sometimes really pays off."

Pause

Dan: " So how was your day?"

Casey: "And sometimes you just stand there. Hip deep in pie."

Sports Night*


*I loaned my copies of Sports Night, so I may have paraphrased the first part of that quote a little.

:)

:)


That is all.

Good Stuff

If you want to see the show that will win the 2008 Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Scenery and Lighting Designs, go see this show.

It is the best design work I have ever seen.

Grrr!

As you probably remember, in October I took the exam to be admitted into United Scenic Artists, the union that represents designers of scenery, lighting, and costumes for theatre, opera, dance, film, and television. The following week I received notice that the exam committee was recommending me for union membership, and a vote would be made by the general membership.

And that was the last I heard from the union.

After several months of waiting, I finally called the union office on Friday, to be told that none of the people who had passed the exam had been brought on the floor at the November meeting, or at the January meeting. So now I wait until February 20th, when hopefully the office staff will have it's shit together enough to put my application into the meeting agenda.

And these are the people who are supposed to have a grasp on my pension and welfare?

So far, I am not impressed.

Hey, Where The Hell Ya Been?

I looked at the ol blog a few days ago and realized I did not post at all in the month of January. I would love to say it was because I was too busy having wild monkey-sex with some really hot chick, but alas I have no such excuse. Indeed, I have no excuse at all. I was busy with work, but no more than usual. I have just been a wanker.

So what have I been up to?

I spent the Christmas break with S and her mother. Several days of doing nothing but eating good food, drinking good wine and hanging out. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

The beginning of January was spent settling into a new part time work situation. Perhaps more on that later.

The end part of January was spent assisting D on Jitney at Ford's Theatre, and then on Crave at Signature Theatre. Both shows were great experiences, and a wonderful reminder that the production process does not have to be fraught with angst.

And in case you were worried I had gone out and developed a social life while you were not looking, have no fear. Such an event does not seem likely to occur, does it?

What is coming up for LD? In two weeks I fly to New Orleans to visit S for Mardi Gras. My liver may not make it back intact.

In March I am designing lighting for this show at Charter Theatre, then flying back out to California to light Lend Me A Tenor at Towne Hall Theatre.

I am also launching on a decorating project in the cave, er I mean apartment.

But right now I have to finish my NEA/TCG grant application and finish importing my CD collection into iTunes.

More later.

Peace out, bitches.

Oh! Dear! God!

I am such a pussy!