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!