Last Day before Tech Week.....

The day before Tech Week, or Hell Week! It's going to be a long week, but there will much good stuff having.

I have put the final touches on the program (just sent the final FINAL version). I love when I clean my flash drive that my program designer used to make the program and found ONE ad that never made it in, even after 2 or 3 revisions. Sigh! It's best that I did check that particular flash drive (I had everything in 2 places, cause I am anal retentive about that). It meant a bit of extra work, but at least I am sure that the program is complete.

I spent today catching up on things that have needed attention; I updated my mp3 player with new music, Weird All/Ingrid Michaelson and relabeling other stuff, I did 2 loads of laundry, took out the trash/cat litter, and all this after test driving my friend, Chelsea's old tracker (slightly used, but in good condition) that David and I will be getting in the next week (post Tarzan and Hairspray). Learned a bit more about my new (slightly used) Nook. Oh, and I drank coffee!

The day has been filled with productive, but now I want to sit back and relax. I have done the whole of the things I really needed to accomplish.

I am 1/3 of the way through "Lirael", by Garth Nix.

I spent all of yesterday with my friend Sara, cutting fabric for the ape costumes while watching The Monkees, Buffy, and listening to Weird Al and Ingrid Michaelson. It was a great day and also got a lot done. So, I am ready to relax and NOT do anything Tarzan or laundry, or anything that requires thought.

Most excited because my press release for Tarzan is in the Courier Advocate (with a bit of format help from Sara Love), I am excited. So, I have been writing in the past few weeks, of sorts, that and bios and program work. 

Remember to go and check out my fellow writer/bloggers at the Round of Words Blog Hop. Going to have a great week, Dear Readers. The cast is amazing and my job is winding down; now I am just working on stage crew and such. Birthday's in a week, as is a show, and then onto August for some excellent summer days, reading, going outside and playing in lakes or amusement parks, and lots of writing! What, Dear Readers do you like to do on a sunny summer day in August.

Hanging in the Jungle this month!

This is short, and I feel bad. I have been living in the jungle this summer, producing a production of Disney's Tarzan. The cast is ridiculously talented. There are tumblers and folks trained in stage falling/stage combat, to master carpenters [who made monkey bars], costumers, and everyone has made this show special to A LOT of people.

"Tarzan, Jane." ~Jane

"TAR-ZAN! Jane." ~Tarzan

Most days I work until 5 and then rush off to rehearsal or spend the evening collecting ads, advertising the show, getting posters printed, etc etc etc. This, of course means, very little of time has been devoted to writing. Buy, something I am well aware of, and maybe I forget sometimes. I am a writer, but also a theatre folk. One who acts, writes, directs, stage manages, and countless other tasks. Why? Because I love to create something new in the world. While being a producer is a thankless job. It is one that allows others to act and direct.

Bixa Orellana and Carila Papaya

This is a talented cast, and I will take the next few weeks of being distracted from writing to watch the little monkeys picking fleas off each other, rolling in their own poop, or grunting at each other. Or maybe watching the plants spin and twirl in time to the music: Bixa Orellana or Carila Papaya.

If you are in the area of Avoca, NY (Elmira to Corning to Bath, NY) or other nearby points, you should come and see The Keuka Lake Player's Tarzan August 1st, 2nd (7:00 pm), and 3rd (2:00 pm) at Avoca Central School. The obligatory plug!

I have been reading Lirael of the "Abhorsen Trilogy", making great process and enjoying my re-read.

I wish I had more to report, but that is it, Dear Readers. I will be picking up more time in the coming weeks and time will be fully devoted to other projects. While the summer feels like is going fast, I will still have August. No time is truly lost if it has been properly lived. Remember  to check out my fellow writers/bloggers at the Blog Hop!

ROW80 check-in and Sharknado Rifftrax

Been a long week. Tarzan is gearing up and I have a lot more deadlines than I thought. This stuff sneaks up on you fast. I am going to try to get what I can accomplished on my goals, but I am part realist. There are only so many hours in a day. It's going to be short.

What I did accomplished:
*Finished "Sabriel" and have started reading "Lirael"..

*Started my Apollo myth re-write, got a bit hung up on some details. Going to try to work a bit more on it. It's harder for this one. I have the original myth in my head, but trying to re-write and still keep something of the original. I am finding it harder to find the path that the story is to take place on.

*Tarzan Stuff! Gotten a the T-shirts money and forms collected and turned into be ordered (with help from
the rest of the production team. Getting sponsor moneys rolling in. Posters are ordered. Working on getting advertisement for the show (print and radio media). I have a TV interview scheduled for later this month. Almost got a videographer too. So, over all making progress on all the necessary things. Show is August 1st - 3rd in Avoca, NY, if you are local and want to see awesome show!

*Been keeping up with visiting blog, maybe not everyday, but consistently. That is something, right?

What I did not accomplished or Better yet, Things of Potential:
*Writing. I haven't written at all this week. Well, I have, if you count my ROW80 updates. I did blog one day last week. I aqm aiming to blog sometime between Thursday and Friday. Saturday is very full and not sure I will have ANY time Saturday, so it's looking like Thursday or Friday night.

*Haven't submitted more poetry or stories. I got another rejection letter sometime last week. I guess I got the blues a bit after receiving it, so I haven't made the attempt to submit more. Need to push past that and get my arse in gear. Just a little disheartening to say the least.

Other things--------->

I had date night with the hubs last night. We went to go see Rifftrax's Sharknado in Ithaca and then to Manos Diner (also in Ithaca). Rifftrax will be LIVE riffing Godzilla in August and Anaconda in October (check out the website. They riff modern movies in the oeuvre of MST3K. Actually Rifftrax is like a modern MST3K). I needed a break. I have been shuffling from Tarzan to Improv to work and Cat and housework. So, my personal time has been short and even shorter with David. We needed this time. It was great, the movie was as terribly terrible and delightfully funny as ever, even after the third time viewing it. The Regal Theatre at the Ithaca Mall has nice leg room and a nice place to watch a movie. And Manos Diner is always a treat. It's a 24/7 all night diner with the best in 'creepy' rustic feels (that's because I have watched the movie "Manos: Fates of Fate" and pretty awesome food. I'd say if you're in Ithaca, NY, check it out. I absolutely love the place. It's a 'greasy' little dive, but it's one of my 'greasy' little dives, and I have never had a problem with service or food. SO, I still say check it out.

Remember to visit my fellow writers/blogger at the Blog Hop, Dear Readers. I hope to have a more productive week writing-wise next week.

Have a delightful week, Dear Readers!

Rain Dancing during AROW80 Check-in!

There is something about a Saturday that make a person want to goof off. It was a good day for goofing off, but I also managed to get a bunch of stuff done.  Today is a rainy day, which is a perfect day for getting caught up and writing. I have my drum, Irish, Bach, and fiddle music to keep me going. I have good feeling about this week.

 Something also to consider, when it is raining, sometimes to have to just drop what your doing and run outside for a quick dance in the rain. Today is clearly no exception. Before finishing this blog I had to run out and romp in the rain. and puddle hopped too.

 

Interrupted by a Rain Dance Break!

Goals achieved/started:
*Chapter 22 of "Sabriel". You know when I read this back around 2009, I liked it, it was different. Now, after a few years break I don;t just like it,  I love it. It's a unique spin on the fantasy realm versus real world motif. The characters are different. AND this....! (Sorry for the language, but I needed to bring up this point); I was surprised by the use of "Circumcised Penis" in the book to describe a character who was ensconced in wood. I mean, not disgusted, but you wouldn't see that in an American YA series. You might get a vague description of the anatomy of a male or female character, if at all, but not describing a young man's full features down to his genitals. I like it and it actually made sense to Sabriel's character. Cheers Australia for having the balls on this one! I guess there are more lenient standards about the use of genitalia in YA books in the land down under. HEHEHEH :-). Seriously am sorry if I let my punny nature show itself (okay, maybe not too sorry!).

*Been working on Tarzan stuffs this week; getting sponsor ads for the program, setting on TV appearances, writing press releases. Damn, being a Producer is tough! I know it would be, but in reality it feels so different. I have more to do today, emailing the poster printer and such. So the randomly rainy day (not really random, as I knew it was going to rain as some point), but it ruined the Tour de Putt Putt (going around to various mini golf courses during the day). It will have to wait until next week then (down side of the rain).

*Did a lot of housework yesterday and of course there's always more to do. But laundry and most of the dishes are caught up. Also, went for a walk on Saturday. Not a huge one, but stretched the legs and found some new old jeans at the Salvo.

*Wrote a poem after rehearsal on Thursday. It had been a few weeks since the last poem. What happens when you sit on a picnic table on an incline and the people on the other side stand up? See poem below:

Life in Slow-Mo (Or when picnic tables attack)

Sitting
just sitting,
when the world decides to go top over bottom
and you are trying to keep from
turning into a pretzel
and you think you can fix all you troubles,
but in the end
you end up in a pile on the clover.

*Been keeping up with the journaling twice a week. But it's been a couple days since I visited any blogs. ~OOOOOO THUNDER~ Sorry, was distracted. Will be more focused and aim for 2 blogs visited per day, but not limited to just two. I might visit 5 per day if I feel inclined.

Things not yet/partially started:

Apollo

*My re-write of the Apollo/Artemis myth. It was request by my friend, Todd. Been kicking around ideas and am planning on working on that today.

*Going to spend a bit of time looking at my Doctor Who WIP that I started back in Round 1.

*Need to submit more of my work. Since the last update of Round 2, I got another rejection letter. Oh well! Gotta keeping going. Gotta keep submitting. Gotta keep writing. Right?

There is something cleansing about the rain especially if you dance in it! Dear Readers, do you dance in the rain? Do you find rainstorms exciting or peaceful? What do you like to do during rainstorms? I am fond of reading or sometimes writing during a rainy day. I love to watch thunderstorms, with the spectacular light shows of lightening. Living is Dallas, I got to see some pretty stellar thunderstorm during the Spring, especially on the roof of the SkyTV building in Deep Ellum. Also, remember to visit the Blog Hop and check in on my fellow ROW80-ers.

Make My Day Musical

Today has been quite a day of retro things. I was going over in my head what I could review or comment on. Then is hit me, it was a VERY music/musical based day.

As it turned out today was a very music inspired day, starting with a walk over to the neighbourhood Salvo Store, where I picked up some records. I had been getting into records and the sound of how music sounded before CD's. I knew what records were, my mom had a HUGE collection of 45's back in the day. I was adept enough to play the records at my local library (Darwin R. Barker Library). But lately I find myself pulling out the record player my random record collect: Voulez-Vous by ABBA to Harry Belafonte, or one of David's unique Beatles related finds.

My finds today were 3 New Christy Minstrels albums, an Olivia Newton-John, Harry Belafonte, and Chinese Folk Songs. Listened the a Beatles knock-off band, called the School Boys. They sound like a mix of surf rock and reggae. It is a new genre, Surf Reggae!

Also on today's menu I watch Peter and the Wolf, the Disney short from 1946. It was written to be a children's theatre company by Serge Prokofiev in 1936 and written in about 2 weeks. It was to be a way to introduce children to classical music and the instruments of the orchestras. Using the characters and their corresponding musical instruments, with the aid of the narrator, while the musical piece is performed. Here is a nice video of a performance done by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

I hadn't seen it in years. I remember studying the piece of music that inspired the cartoon and the original folktale it's from during elementary music class, maybe third or forth grade. It's was when the teacher taught us about the different instruments. The Disney short is a fun romp through a piece of classical music.

As I had done before with "The Reluctant Dragon" and "Donald in Math Magicland", I happen upon a copy of "Peter and the Wolf" (part of the Disney Mini-Classics VHS set). It's a half on hour of musical cartoons starting with "Peter and the Wolf" narrated by Stirling Holloway (the original voice of Winnie the Pooh and whom I would love to have narrate my life were he still alive that is), then the Silly Symphonies short "Musicland", and capping off with a Mikey cartoon "Symphony Hour", both of the cartoons were new to me.  Fun fact, the part where Mickey draws a gun on Donald was edited it out in some broadcasted version of the cartoon.

Ending the day listening to music and  thinking about things and stuff Dear Readers. It's been a wholly productive day, mixed with a bit of goofing off. That's definitely what Saturdays are for. Was a gorgeous day too, sunny and warm. I have plans tomorrow and stuffs to do. Will probably be a full day, but it's a weekend and for me writing and putt putt are all part of the game.

Have a wonderful evening, Dear Readers. My poll for this evening, whom is your favourite Disney character of the classic group, this would include Mickey, Donald,Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, Clarabelle, Horace, Pete, and any of the other old school, original Disney characters created my Walt and Company. Mine is Donald, something about that speech impaired firecracker of a waterfowl.

Mid Week Check-in Thoughts

I did stuff in the day and a half since my first post. Maybe not a lot, but I did do stuff. Between my producer duties for KLP's Tarzan and my Improv troupe, I have to make use of what time I do have. Life of a theatre nerd, I suppose!

This will be a short check-in.

Since Sunday/Monday:
*Been reading "Sabriel". 300 plus pages in and making good time. I love this series, but it's different than most YA sci-fi/fantasy. Planning on finishing the book this week and begin "Lirael" the second in the series.

*Been writing in spurts this week. I posted a blog featuring a re-write of the classic Greek myth of the chained maiden, Andromeda. I have had a request to re-write the myth of Apollo. Looks like I have some writing to do this week, in between rehearsal and interviews and work (Oh my!). I also edited the short version of the myth, discovering that the story might make a good short (longer story) or maybe a novel.

*This past weekend involved a lot of walking, Saturday was the Fireman's Parade and then walking around Avon's Flea Markets. Some good exercise, and found some neat treasures. I am hoping to continue that trend into the weekend. We bought a small charcoal grill for the 4th and grill burger and corn on the cob. Enjoying the nice weather, except when raining and with the humidity it's been awfully warm.

*Visited 3 blogs today (Wednesday), need amend my goal to visit at least 3 to 5 blogs a day. I have noticed my fellow writers and bloggers have this same goal. So, I am going to try to follow this as well.

That which have no been started:
*My lonely WIPs need attending to. I am hoping to spend sometime this weekend writing and editing.

*Nothing new submitted this week. I am hoping to return to submitting.

There is not a lot to report on. Feeling more productive after the long weekend. Sometimes it's good to goof off, but I love finding my flow and my purpose again. Dear Readers, have a fantastic week! Go and check out the Blog Hop for A Round of Words in 80 Days.

Re-write of the Andromeda Myth

Sometimes you want to try something different. I sign up for this thing hogwartsishere.com. It's like school,
but online school for Harry Potter fans. I like Harry Potter and it's free. I signed up for Astronomy, as I feel that I could still do the homework, even if I wasn't a full on Harry Potter nerd (NOT that there's anything wrong with being one). My first assignment was about constellations, writing in one's own words about our favourite constellation and then re-writing the same myth. Well, I was excited. This was something I could do.

I chose Andromeda. While it's NOT my absolute favourite myth, that would be Minotaur, it is in the top 10. So, I played with ideas and concepts and came up with this little ditty about the alternate Andromeda myth, using some ideas from the original myth and taking other ideas. I found that maybe I could turn this into a short story, maybe even a novel (if I did it right).

I have added a bit more and tweaked the verbiage. But I present, the myth of the Sea Warrior (or Goddess of the People)

Andromeda who grew up in a distant land. She was born with strange powers. Something that made her mother feared what the village elders would do when they found out. Would they kill Andromeda, thinking her a witch?

From even an early age strange things happened around her everything from rain storms forming when she cried, lightening striking in strange places, the random fires from the lightening strikes that couldn't be extinguished by water. Or the death of the village’s blacksmith. One day he was wielding a new sword he had just forge, testing the balance, when suddenly a bolt of lightening flew from Andromeda's hands, hitting the blacksmith. She had been nearby, watching the sword dance on his fingers, she duck behind her hands when he did a complex maneuver. She screamed in terror and he burst into flames and died. 
 
 It was then that the village elders couldn't deny that Andromeda had special powers. Many of the Elders were afraid, some want to ban the little girl from the village, others would have had her locked away, one even wanted her dead. Andromeda's mother fought to kept her daughter alive. after all, she was only six. What harm could she do. But, the Elders said 'plenty' pointing at the Blacksmith's widow and children. The elder boy had to take up his father's volition, at a much younger age, Vulcan was not a Blacksmith by trade, but the village needed a smith, so he took his father's mantle up and sharpened sword, made horseshoes, and tried to make new weapons. This , the ELders said was why Andromeda had to be punished. But, her Mother kept trying to tell them Andromeda was only a child, they couldn't just abandon her or kill her.

In the end the Elders, they chose banishment. They lead her to the edge of the village, her mother screaming and crying, threatening to leave the village, if only to allow Andromeda to stay. The Elders were all but deaf to the mother's tears. That day, the day Andromeda, a scant six years was banished out to the world. 

One Elder, a woman named Pyra, also cursed with a curse or gift of fire making. She decided to act alone and give Andromeda a satchel of supplies and a bit of sage advise. She told her to travel south and look for the Man in the Grey Hood. She said they when she found the Man with the Grey Hood, she would know what to do. Ans thus Andromeda was sent into the world. 

She traveled many leagues through forest and fens, into other villages, mostly keeping to herself. She tried to keep her cursed gift to herself, but sometime a thunderstorm occurred when none was predicted. After some ten years of roaming the lands, she came to a seaside village, far from her homeland. The village was in the middle of a drought, all of the crops were dried and dead, people were starving. As she walked through the marketplace, she saw the meager crops and the dying. On the edge of the market, there stood gates to the castle, the smallish castle. Andromeda thought of the advise Pyra had given her all those years ago, "Look for the Man in the Grey Hood." It was the first time she had thought of that advise in years. Her first year or two, she asked in every village, usually making up an excise to why she would need to see him. No one ever heard of him, so after a while Andromeda stopped asking. But today, something made her climb up to the gates of the castle. The guards seemed indifferent, but just point down the hill and out to the harbour.

Down she trudged back through market, asking after this Man in the Grey Hood. A young boy sitting on a stone wall with a dusty sheep tugging at it's reigns, he pointed towards the sea, he  motioned her to follow him. Taking his sheep and her hand, he led her down the worn foot path down to the sea. There at the edge of the village he pointed to the break wall, where the waves crashed against the shore there was a figure, cloaked in grey. Andromeda nodded to the boy and placed a copper coin in his hand and walked out onto the break wall.

She crossed to him, about to tap her finger to his shoulder and then he spoke, “It’s been there for almost four fortnights, no storm has taken this long to break. the spring rains have never been this late,” he said, “We are dying of thirst here.”He pointed to the huge thunderhead there loomed over the town. Turning to her she saw sadness in his eyes, as he pulled his Grey Hood off his head. Eyes of slate grey staring at her. 

"I see," was all she said, and nodding she turned back to the sea and then storm cloud. She lowered her satchel, placed her walking stick down, and raised her arms to the heavens. No words escaped her lips, but there was a flash and lightening streamed from her hands towards the cloud. A crash, lightening hit, and people screamed. There was a gust of wind and then suddenly the rains began to fall. 

Andromeda lowered her arms, turning slowly to the Man in the Grey Hood; her hair plastered to her forehead and stared as she panned across the growing crowd. A resounding cheer followed as she felt a clap on her back, smiling. “Thank you, Great Goddess" said the Man in the Grey Hood. "What is your name, so we may give tribute?”

“My name,” she gave pause, “is Andromeda, no Goddess am I, but a woman cursed. I just did what I knew needed to be done. Back home I was almost killed because I brought the rains.” She pause, "They thought me a witch because a man died from a stray lightening bolt that I couldn't control because I was untrained. I didn't know."

“Nay, I see no one curse, but a young woman who has just saved my home. You must had learned a lot of patience in the years since," he said "You do not have to fear your gift here, for you are welcome here in the land of my Elders. We will honour you for your deed today. A statue of your in your finest, of you with your arms raised to the heavens to break the storm cloud.” The rains continue to fall as Man in the Grey Hood led Andromeda off the break wall and back up to the village. 

He turned to her. “My name is Perseus. Welcome to the edge of the Kingdom of Persia."

ROW80 Goals, 4th of July Goof-off, and Flea Market Treasures

I begin Round 3 of A Round of Words in 80 Days a day late. You know it was a holiday weekend and the need to goof off was too great. The hubs and I went to the Avon Flea Market yesterday. Avon, NY (about 25 miles from Rochester, NY) on Sundays are filled with yard sales and a giant Flea Market at the Drive-in Theatre, there is also The Barn, a smaller version of the main Flea Market (right off of highway). It runs from April to October, or when it get too cold to  have it (by October it's usually slim pickings).  You can find anything here, from collectables, to 1960, 70, 80, 90's nostalgia, to tools, music and movies fruit and veggies, practically anything.  

David grew up taking trips with his family once a month up to Avon, and the treasures that were found was liken to finding buried treasure. A kid walking around with spending money and a whole morning to find the best goodies, heck even I, as an adult felt like a kid when David introduced me to the Avon Flea Market. For us, during college breaks and post-college, Avon became an adventure, looking for the most nostalgic item. The flea market is opened from about 6:00 am to at least 3:00 pm, but by one the vendours have started to pack up. This mean you must get there early, so a typical Avon day means waking up early, stopping for gas/and coffee, and driving 90 minutes (from Corning, NY), also included was a breakfast stop in Dansville, NY.

Yesterday yielded a nice, if smaller booty. Money being what it is. David's current trend for added to his public domain cartoons found him adding to his collection; while I found the whole set of Garfield coffee mugs from 1980's McDonald's (see picture below, mine are in need of a good scrubbing before I can take a good picture) and these awesome key chains: Figment the Dragon, Niagara Falls, and African Lion Safaaaaaaaaaaariiiiiiiiiiiiiii. I could have walked away with more, but my pocketbook could only get me so much. What I didn't get at Avon, I did find at the super fantastic, mega neat Buzzo Music Shop in Geneseo, NY. I found three new (to me) Dady Brothers' Albums.

Thanks to Jared Shuknecht on Pinterest for the picture!

Anyway, I did not get to writing up my goals for Round 3 yesterday, but this morning dawned early and after a goof off weekend I decided I needed to write me some goals. After having been through two previous rounds, I THINK I have a good idea on goals for this round.

Round 3 Goals:

*Revise to submission standards "Bluebirds Gone" and my 3 One Acts.

*Finish my WIPs from earlier this year. In have two story stories and a potential novel (that might be the NaNo 2014 project). So, finish the two WIPs from earlier this year.

*Continue to write, anything and everything. This includes blogging once a week, non-ROW80 blogs.

*Visit 10 or more blogs per week and comment.

*Journal twice a week.

*Continue to submit poetry and other writings (fiction, 1 acts, short stories).

*Read the "Abhorsen Trilogy".

*Get out into nature at least once a week. Experience life whenever possible.

It is now full on summer, Tarzan is in full swing, and I am going to be busy this month. I hope to accomplish a lot and still have fun this July. Dear Readers, I leave you with good thoughts and a great week ahead. Go out and make something awesome thing week! To my fellow ROW80-er let's start Round 3 fantastically! Check out the Blog Hop!