OctPoWriMo Day #13

 Day #13 - Theatre (no form suggested - Oddquain); 1, 3, 5, 7, 1

Wings,

Waiting in

Feel the heartbeat pound

Glancing into the darkness--

Wings

Shakespeare Day 2016

Yesterday was Shakespeare Day,the anniversary of Shakespeare's birth (?) and death day.

Yesterday was also the final performance of Corning Community College's Muse of Fire production of the musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost and the day before was the final performance of the Keuka Lake Player's production of Macbeth, so its been a month full of Shakespeare. Also, The Lake Country Players are filming a movie adaptation of the Bard's 12th Night shooting this summer. So, yeah, lots of Shakespeare in 2016.

I felt inspired to write a sonnet (which I have become quite adept at) taking pieces of Macbeth and Love's Labour's Lost in my own tribute to the Bard from Stratford-upon-Avon. If you have never read a Shakespeare play, or seen one performed, you are missing out. I realize that the language is a bit to grasp, but there is something liquid to his words, especially when performed. Listen to an well performed soliloquy and you'll see (hear) what I mean.

The Bard’s Call (or from Macbeth and Love’s Labour’s Lost)

Within the wood of Birnam do you go,

Searching for blood, reconcile the tyrant.

Spoken by the sisters three they echo,

A call to fate shining brightly brilliant.

When love’s vow is proclaimed against the rule

And you feel unjustly cohearsed by might

And the world you know has become that cruel,

Only by chance can one, an ending write.

Two stories told to the audience be

A miraculous joy, mirth and mayhem

With hardly poor players upon stages see

A tale “told by an idiot” poem.

Has been done since the 16^th century,

Not bad for a tanner’s son that he be.

 

Dear Readers, if you are a little lost, please check out Brows Held High's video on 400 years of Bardoltry here. There is also his review of the Kenneth Branagh's version of Love's Labour's Lost here.  The version the CCC did is a modern adaptation of Branagh's version wit different songs. 'Twas an enjoyable and funny version, something a little different.

Essay - How to Audition

It's a bit surreal when you do something that you haven't done before.

Auditioning! Its not something new, truthfully. But....

Audition: 1. a trial hearing given to a singer, actor, or other performer to test suitability for employment, professional training or competition, etc.; 2. a reading or other simplified rendering of a theatrical work, performed before a potential backer, producer, etc.

A trial is definitely what is was. Funny that after all this time I am seeing like that. 

I have auditioned for a number of shows over the years and each one has a story: a few of the memorable ones were Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (that didn't go well, still got a chorus part), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (did go well, was asked to be the back stage manager. I was still pleased with my performance), and Beauty and the Beast (my first musical and I was scared out of my mind, also got chorus). This past weekend I attended auditions for a local production of Shakespeare's MacBeth with The Keuka Lake Players (out of Bath/Hammondsport area). This is there third Shakespeare production I am going to be involved with, the first being A Midsummer's Night Dream in 2012, I played Bottom and then two year laters in 201, I played Trinculo in The Tempest. Dear Readers, you probably have read out some of my exploits in the theatre world on this blog. This is about my most recent foray into Shakespeare, specifically about the audition process and what I discovered.

A trial is something you have to go through to see that what you do has purpose. An audition has purpose, to get you to show your best for the role you want. I knew what I wanted, or did I?

You see, Dear Readers, I guess I never really took auditions quite so seriously before. Often I would go in and just do a cold read of the scene for the part I wanted. If it was a straight play, no singing or Shakespeare I would just go and read. When it came to Shakespeare I was much more unsure that I could just do a cold read. For the past two shows I would I read the show all the way through, so i would at least know the show, if i hadn't already read it. With Midsummer I focused more on how I could be Puck (by reading and re-reading the Puck parts), and to  think like Puck (this was the part I wanted). I remember during Midsummer auditions I tried to take what the director suggested and  give her what she wanted. i hadn't prepared anything, I just knew the show (is my favourite Shakespeare show). Thus, I did not get the part I wanted, but I ended up getting cast as Nicholas Bottom, the Ass. I loved the role of Bottom. As proof, I still have the head! 'Twas a good time.

Me in the Asshat!! (The only time this term is accurate)

When it came to The Tempest, I had much less time and wasn't as prepared. I never worked on a monologue, nor did I the show more than once prior to the audition. I wanted Ariel. I wanted Ariel bad. But i wasn't prepared when I read for Ariel, thusly, I did not get it. True story, Tara who did get Ariel was perfect. I was cast as Trinculo the drunken clown and cast alongside Sara as Stephano and David as Caliban. It was the best time and The Tempest is a new favourite!

What have I learned?

Hang on, I'm getting there.

So somewhere in the middle of the last two year my brain decided that after Tempest I needed to try something different. For MacBeth, I was asked to prepare a monologue from an non-MacBeth show and something from Macbeth. This meant that I had to actually do some research and work. I took it  much more seriously.

Try: to attempt to do or accomplish.

Something I never realized before about auditions is that they are hard work, especially if you want that part. Audition are just as important as when you get the part, spend time rehearsing, and performing. Auditions really are the foundation on which you build a show. I wanted to be Lady MacBeth. I wanted it. I wanted it bad. I found my Midsummer script and prepared my old Pyramus monologue from the play within the play, "Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beam; I thank thee moon for shining now so bright; for by thy gracious, golden glittering gleams; I trust to take of truest Thisby's sight..." It was surprisingly easy to return to Bottom. I had an old copy of the script. Also, I bought a new copy of MacBeth and picked out a scene to learn


Dear Readers, when I chose to do that I made a commitment to myself to do what I could to get that part. I purchased the FEAR NOT version of MacBeth that had 2 versions, the regular Shakespeare version and the modern language version. Act 1 Scene 5 is what I read, over and over, looking for cadence, emotions, and tamber.  I looked into the deeper meanings, trying to figure out who Lady MacBeth was.This is what I studied. I looked up scenes online for further development in Lady MacBeth's character. I did this to see what makes her tick. The power and passion under her persona. "O, never shall the sun the morrow shall see. Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters...Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under 't...and you shall put this night's great business into my dispatch...give solely sovereign saway and masterdom."


Commitment: a pledge or promise; obligation.

I was scared out of my mind when I went to Thursday (the first night of auditions). But, I stood up and performed my Bottom monologue in front of those at auditions (many who were my friends). That went well (except that I messed up a line and had to start over, probably because I overthought it at first). Bottom lived and flowed off my tongue in an overzealous spree. It was glorious! That was the easy part. When the time came to do my 1-5 scene, I was paired with Ryan, an English teacher who has taught this play for years in his class room (and husband to Sara. And no, it wasn't awkward either, Dear Readers.Yes, I have to tell you that). I wasn't off book, but I performed the scene. It is vastly different doing a scene with someone then by yourself, which is what I had been doing. Suddenly there was chemistry, elecrticity flowing through me and Ryan. I could feel myself becoming Lady MacBeth.

Transform: to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose.


The downside, I second guessed myself and I didn't push past and complete the circuit to make the transformation complete. I knew I hadn't done everything. The rest of the audition included reading with Kevin and Ryan in other scenes and finally reading the "Out Damned Spot" scene. I left feeling good, but disconnected, and now I had to wait.

Sara said that anyone reading for a lead should come back Saturday for callbacks. I vowed to return. I vowed to start what  I finished. This was the upside.

Downside, I had to wait a whole day and a half before I could get there.

Upside, more time to find the Lady MacBeth in me.

Friday was more studying and keeping busy, a good three hours at my local coffee shop Soulful Cup where I found this page and the quiz. I took it and got a 5 out of 5. And when Saturday arrived I was wired, nervous, excited, and probably several other emotions hanging out in my head. It was a long day and equally long night. A three hour audition turned into a 4 and half hour audition where I waited the first 90 minutes before I could read. There was suddenly a slew of new people auditioning that needed to go first. So, I waited. The talent of Thursday was amazing. But Saturday's blew me away, and I was only auditioning. And I waited.

To wait: to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often followed by for, till, or until.

Whence I got to perform, and it truly felt like a performance. I read against Ryan for 1-5, 1-7, and 2-2. Also read for more Witch scenes too. But when I was Lady MacBeth I felt the room move away from me and time become real only for Ryan and myself. In 1-5, after MacBeth enters and Lady MacBeth sees him, she is suddenly full of life, blood, passion, and desire.  I felt I was loving on my husband, the great provider, the new Thane of Glamis and Cawdor. I could feel Lady MacBeth's passion for MacBeth, her power and her sex flowing through me. In a split second, right when I had pause (merely a millisecond) I was kissing him in my audition, doing what I had wanted to do on Thursday, but has second guessed myself, living the scene as if it was my life. I had become Lady MacBeth and I had sold it. I brought it! "Only look up clear. To alter favor ever is to fear. Leave all the rest to me." It wasn't a fluke as when Ryan and I read 1-7, the passion was equally there and another kiss. I still cannot believe it, but I can, because I did it. I made those choices to make that scene as realistic as possible, to show the love, passion, and insanity that is Lady MacBeth.

I was floating. It was wonderful.

Note: Lady MacBeth is a very fun character to portray, but also physically demanding.

After the casting, my friend Lisa(h)-yes I added an H-told me afterward that even if you do not get the part or job, you should still "sell to the room". Lisa(h) was my biggest competition for Lady MacBeth and a close friend. We had joked between us earlier that it was a battle and it was no hard feelings between. And there aren't. She won Lady MacBeth fair and square. This audition was my battle to win or lose, mine alone. I fought. i fought hard. And while I didn't win Lady MacBeth, but not for trying,I don't feel I lost. Seriously, it was that close. I still won. I sold the room and for those brief moments I WAS Lady MacBeth. (Even when there was giggles and Ryan had started giggling during scene 1-5). We finished three scene strong and proved to the room that both of us could do it.

We were MacBeth and Lady MacBeth.

I am very proud to say that I am playing Witch #1, Lisa(h) is Lady MacBeth, Ryan is MacDuff, and David is MacBeth. The whole cast is filled with phenomenal actors and my theatre family. We are going to make something amazing and awesome. And I got to prove to myself and to others that I am force to be reckoned with.

I also have set the bar pretty high for myself. I cannot just go to an audition and expect to get a part on a cold read. Yes, sometimes it happens, but no always. If I want something I have to fight for it.

Win: to succeed by striving or effort.

 

The Story of The Thing They Made

So, I receive a piece of sloth mail from a fellow Amanda Palmer fan yesterday. This was right before I was to head to the one-time performance of Here Come Snoopy Claus. It is a show that was created and birthed within two weeks. David, Kaylara, Sara, and myself came together to write and direct a show based on the Peanuts characters and with the help of Anna, Ryan, Lily, Amanda, and some adorable Woodstocks (Wendy, Tess, Daphne, Owen, Aubrey) we made a thing, a thing that never existed before.

I am forgetting that this sloth mail I received suggested I do something CRAZY. To tell a story.

I thought that doing Here Comes Snoopy Claus was pretty crazy and then I thought, maybe I should write a story about it. I tried something different. It is a bit of a rough draft, but here is my thing of the thing that was made and performed yesterday.

Enjoy, Dear Readers!

Once upon a time there were four souls. They would spend their days creating stories for the world which they inhabited. These souls were storytellers. Each telling their own stories, in their own ways for the good of the world.

But today they came together to make something.

Their world was a place filled with strife and sadness, but these souls were beings that love to make art and beauty and love.

So one day, these souls met in a not-so-secret place and discussed the making of a thing. Something never made before. This was a thing that would bring much joy to the world.

They talked and planned. 

The souls would throw ideas against the walls of these not-so-secret place. It was a grand time. Sometimes the idea balls would stick, others exploded, and still others bounced back and the souls had to duck to avoid the flying idea balls.

They did this for the longest time, about two days, until they finally had on outline of the thing.

The souls were very excited. They told others whom wanted to take part in this thing.

Over the next several days these souls met and worked separately on this thing. They brought in other friends to help built this thing that was filled with art, songs, happiness, comedy, and love. There was guitar music and karaoke echoing across the not quite frozen lands of the soul's world. They were surprised, because it was the bleak wintertide and usually that meant cold. But it wasn't cold this year, but warmth and much still green. 

So, the souls continued to practice their art until the grand day of unveiling to the world.

Meanwhile there was sadness, when one of the souls-the oldest became ill. They souls worried as they practiced. But fear not, this story is not sad. For the old soul sought help in healing and the other souls sojourned on. They-the souls vowed to honour their friend while he was healing.

The rehearsals continued. 

And then the day was upon them.

The souls rejoiced. The main four danced and sang with their friends. The  souls of the world that lived near and far came to see with what they had created. There were lessons learned and joy to be shared, which is all the souls really wanted, and what everyone else enjoyed.

The souls they sang! Their thing brought much joy to the world.

And at the end of the day, the souls climbed upon the backs of reindeer and llamas and flew away into the night to eat chicken tenders and honey mustard.

The End.

Shapoopi Progress

It's been a Shapoopi Weeekend!

This Week:
      *Reading: been spending time earlier in the week on The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie)Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams).
and
      *Editing: I finished my read through and edit of The Real Road Trip. Wahoo!!!
      *Blogging: I managed a new blog post, posted earlier today. Working on getting on a regular blog schedule set up. I feel this will get easier.
      *Social Media: I have at least managed to keep up with my sponsor duties. Not much else this weekend.

It's been a long weekend of auditions and discussions. We had a really nice turn out with so much local talent, and now we have a cast. It feels so good! I have missed this, doing theatre and being part of a show. There something organic about theatre. You start with a story and add actors and a good director and BAM, you have a living breathing show. Of course there is much more that encompasses a show, like costumes, music, sets, and such. After all the rehearsing you have a living essence, something alive.

Theatre makes me feel alive!

Is there something that makes you feel alive, Dear Readers?

This (upcoming) Week:
       *Reading: continue with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder Comes Ashore (Julie Anne Lindsey), Invisible Moon (James A. Owen), Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman), and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
       *Writing: write daily, at 300 words.
       *Editing: begin inputting edits and re-write of The Real Road Trip.
       *Blogging: 1 new non-ROW80 blog. Making my days I blog Tuesdays.
       *Social Media: 4 blogs daily and sponsor duties. Spend more time on twitter.
       *Submissions: 2 new submissions this week.

After this week I can return to a normal schedule. I will have to adjust to the the rehearsal schedule, but I am convinced that is workable and it's what I do.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come and see what the other ROW80-ers at the Blog Hop.

Today's Music:

Let's Tardis Hop...for Funsies

Much to be said and much to do now that I am back from fantasy land...

This Week:
      *Reading: been plowing throw The Amber Spyglass (Phillip Pullman) and coursing through The Festival of Bones (James A. Owen). Nothing completed yet, pretty sure I will have Amber Spyglass done by Wednesday or Thursday.
       *Writing: wrote Wednesday, Thursday, and a little on Friday. Weds. and Thurs. were Modern Muses writing blitzes. The story is getting good. I might use it for NaNoWriMo 2015. Friday I wrote a poem, because wanted to make it to five days in a row of writing. I got 4 days of work on the WIP and one day of poetry. Not bad, certainly better than previous weeks with only two or three days of any kind of writing.
      *Editing: Edited more of The Real Road Trip on Weds and Thurs. Nothing Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Trying for five days a week on editing, in the same vein as the writing goal.
      *Social Media: I stopped at Friday. Too days to enjoy being outside and with friends that I sacrificed Friday. I did get 4 blogs daily Weds and Thurs. and all sponsor duties completed.

The Sexy Summer Duo!

It's too nice of a summer to ignore going out and enjoying life on weekends. And summer is about enjoyment and outside (or at least not glued to a computer screen). There will be plenty of days coming where being outside is not worth a dime. I have only one more weekend where I can travel before summer ends , officially that is. Labour Day marks summer end for me. As the final day before school begins, I have always held that before Labour Day is summer, after is autumn. Thus, I fill my summer weekends with traveling and fun stuff and after this summer of determination and self discovery, I realized I need to have weekends to play during the summer months.

With that being said, autumn is a good season, with colours changing, crisp air, pumpkin everything, and that last minute feeling that the world is alive. It's a joyous time and one that I fully embrace, even if it's sad at the 'death of the greenery' of summer. There is magic in the green and growing, by there is a subtle quiet beauty in the death of summer and beginnings of autumn. Like curling up in your favourite chairs with a cup of cocoa and reading a favourite book, wearing hoodies, orange, red, and gold, bonfires, etc.

This weekend was Twin Tiers Comic Con, the small but mighty local convention of nerdom, fandom, and all things that we love to geek out about. This was my third convention In have attended since 2013 and my friend Amanda's first. (I dressed her as the 4th Doctor) We ran into many and almost stole the Tardis away :-) Well Donna did! Here are a few shots from the land of the nerds in my neck of the woods.

So what of this week? A return to form and only slightly behind.

Also, I got to see a production of Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by March Hare Productions and a reprise of Centre Stage's Another Visit to the Golden Age of Radio. A very theatr-centric weekend. If you are local March Hare's Virginia Woolf performs next weekend. For more details check them out here, March Hare!

This (upcoming) Week:
    *Reading: finish The Amber Spyglass and The Festival of Bones. So close! SO CLOSE!!!! I will do it!!
    *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words.
    *Editing: edit 4 pages a day (or more) of The Real Road Trip. I am trying to get through the manuscript by August 31st.
    *Blogging: plan and post a new non-ROW80 post this week (before Friday at the latest).
    *Social Media: 4 blog daily (2 from WIPpet Wednesday) and sponsor duties. Spend sometime on twitter and connect with followers. I need to find a way to measure this.
    *Submission: 2 submissions. I to spend sometime on looking for journal, sites, and contests to submit to. If you have any, please share. I am looking for poetry, stories, and even play site to submit to.

A Round of Words in 80 Days, the blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come check us out and visit the Blog Hop and visit with other writers, poets, and bloggers. cheer them on!! HUZZAH!

It's was a hot and humid weekend. Almost like summer decided to come back to play. After a cooler and wetter beginning to the summer, this hot weather feels good. What do you like about the end of summer? How do you spend the last weeks of August, Dear Readers? For me it's one weekend more of travel you visit family, the State Fair, and maybe a trip to a nearby amusement park (Seabreeze and /or Eldridge Park).

Dark Night Poetry

Tonight is DARK! A theatrical tradition of not rehearsing the night before a show opens. I have always believed that a Dark Night is necessary to the well being of the cast. After rehearsing all during Tech Week, it's a good idea to rest up and focus on the performance to come.

The only problem is that after seven days of rehearsals, so of which were 4+ hours in length, you get used to being around your cast mates. You start feeling lonely and you miss everyone all the time. Like how I feel right now. I wanted dance with my fellow secretaries and motorwise guys. The songs are constantly running through my head. And I am pretty sure that I am dreaming about moving the set around.

Today's poems are a mix bag a little poem about Jonny and Toffee, the leads in Zombie Prom and then a poem about the feelings that come with show time. I found a two new forms on shadowpoetry.com, a Nonet and a Triquain: A nonet has nine lines. The first line has nine syllables, the second line eight syllables, the third line seven syllables, etc... until line nine finishes with one syllable. It can be on any subject and rhyming is optional. 

Somewhere

Somewhere there is a forbidden love
that waits for us at our lockers
gifting to us the treasured
few items that make us
loved by someone else.
And we can hear
their songs, voices
on the
waves.

Then there the Triquain, created by Shelley A. Cephas, is a poem with several creative variences and can be a rhyming or non-rhyming verse. The simpliest form is a poem made up of 7 lines with 3, 6, 9, 12, 9, 6, and 3 syllables in this order. 

The Time Has Come

It is time--

opening night of the 

time we have spent together, singing 

and dancing to our Beat, the one we have pulsing

underneath our skin to the rhythm--

born in our blood and we

are onstage.

If you are in the area, you should come and see Zombie Prom. It's a fun and musical show, with a bit of a moral at the end. Not so much nagging moral, but a life lesson, moral type. Also, the cast is bloody brilliant!! Ginger and Josh want you to come to the Prom!!

Zombie Haiku

Tonight's poetic fare is some haiku about the Core 4 of Zombie Prom. Haiku are short three line poems using the 5-7-5 syllable meter to tell a story within that small bit. It's a form that I really like and it is not always easy to keep the thoughts concise enough for 5-7-5. But somewhere in the middle of crazy lengthy epic poems, it is nice to have a simple thought or concept tell a whole story. I took the 4 main characters and wrote haiku for each of them: Toffee, Miss Strict, Jonny, Eddie.

If you know that show, care to wager on who is represented in what haiku?

If not, are you curious for more?

Tomorrow (Saturday the 6 main teenagers will get cinquains written for them. Come back and see Ginger, Coco, Candy, Josh, Joey, Jake get their own poems. 

Enjoy tonight poems, Dear Readers! And come to the show May 29th and 30th. :-)

Getting the story

Telling the "truth" to the world

It's the beat I seek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Making the rules count
Running school like a machine--
harder to the core.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having all the love

Is worth more than the leather.

Will prove he is true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The luckiest girl
And is the saddest one too.
For her choice to make.

Finding my way, again!

It is that time again...I am a day late, but after a week and weekend filled with Chitlins (Kids). They did really well and I am proud of them, but Saturday was a LOOOOOOONG day. Two show in one day!! Aesop's Foibles is put to bed. And I needed a day to re-coup from all that. so, Sunday was my day of rest. I re-discovered the fine art of colouring in colouring books. I finally finished the unicorn colouring book I have  had for 5+ plus years. My primary medium  is coloured pencils, but I will use anything to make pretty pictures.

It is a Dover colouring book, one that not only has pictures, but a historical look at the subject matter. In this case, unicorns.

 Yeah, I had fun with the colours! :-)

Now that I am down to 1 show, I feel I have some wiggle room.Time to get stuff done even! Tonight is a night off from Zombie Prom, so I am really utilizing the time.  I finally sat down and forced myself to write something. It definitely needs to be edited, but I now have something I can work on for the writing group #writestuff monthly writing challenge. check it out here! Lead by the amazing and stalwart PenPadPaper (Tamara Woods). I was introduced to her monthly challenges. I give me something to shoot for and I can practice my flash fiction writing too! Tamara also runs a weekly TweetChat for #WriteStuff on Tuesday nights at 9 pm (EST).

Okay, enough rambling. I am feeling like my new character Alan Gretz, who gets all rubber mouthed at all the wrong times.

~ROW80 check-in~

This Week:
    *Reading: Finished Alysa of the Fields (Tina Field Howe) and started The Trailmen of Xunar-Kun: Book 2 in the Tellings of Xunar-Kun. I love this series, written by a friend and local author. The only downside is book 3 is not done (not sure when it is going to be done). I  may need to bug Tina to work on it. I am through about a third of The Trailmen... Still plan to start Meet the Austin (Madeleine L'Engle) this week.
     *Writing: wrote 1885 words today. See above for details if you missed it the first time reading, or skipped to the check in.
     *Social Media: have at least visited 4 blog today. Will plan to visit 4 blog tomorrow. This is a return to form. Visiting 4 blogs daily, those I normally visit and at least one new blog, when I can.
     *Housework: dishes are done. Laundry is done. Garbage done and picked up this mornin. Lawn is mowed.So, house is returning to normal also.

To Week (upcoming):
     *Reading: continuing to read The Trailmen... and start Meet the Austins (finally).
     *Writing: write something anything. I think a review of Alysa of the Fields would be a good idea.
     *Social Media: 4 blogs to visit. Check in on Twitter.
     *Submissions: 1 submission by Wednesday.

Zombie Prom is gearing up. We have two weeks left of rehearsals after Thursday, I will have seven days of rehearsals. Sound intense. It is! Not what I am fully used to, but this is a different show and there are a lot of little part that go into the big parts, so the rehearsals are necessary. It's a good show and really fun. See?

Another shameless plug!

If you are in the vicinity of Bath, NY on or around May 29th and 30th you should come out to see it!

Done with shameless plug!

Anyway, what have you, Dear Reader been up to this May? Enjoying the spring weather. Is it warm in your area? Cold? How are those writing, editing, reading, crocheting goals coming?

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. It is a Blog Hop! Come on in and visit. Set a spell. Have a cold glass of lemonade and a cookie or too!

Last Performance and Bittersweet!!

Okay, so today is the last performance of The Mousetrap. Today is going to be bittersweet. As does happen, this show has been amazing to put together and the cast phenomenal to work with. Tomorrow, I will face my post show crash, but today I go in with my head held  high and watch my cast give it all for their last performance.

ROW 80 goals are still on the short side this week, as I am still in between my two worlds. It's okay. I am going to have much more time. Feeling good today, Dear Readers. My current state of health is the illness wasn't bronchitis, just a several chest cold/cough. Yay ZPAC!! Cough is receding and feeling much better.

This Week (really short):
     *Reading: finished Five Little Pigs (Murder in Retrospect) by Agatha Christie and started Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. I can see the similar characters the Miss Christie has used in a few other of her novels that I have read, but the end always seems to surprise me.
     *Social Media/Visiting: most of the week was on track, 4 blogs daily. I slipped up about Friday and Saturday nothing.

This Week (upcoming and return to form):
      *Reading: continued with Anansi Boys.
      *Writing: work on flash fiction piece for #writestuff challenge.
      *Blogging: 1 new blog entry (non-ROW80). I promise this week, I swear. :-)
      *Submitting: 1 new submission.
      *Editing: edit another 10 pages of The Real Road Trip.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a Blog Hop challenge that allows you to set goals and report on the progress of those goals. Come on in! We have Oreos!!

That's it, I write this before I have to head to the Elks for the show. It's going to be a long day. Since I have been out and about, what have you been up to, Dear Readers? Any good trouble?

Not so bad as I thought...

This Week:
     *Reading: close to finishing Five Little Pigs (Murder in Retrospect) by Agatha Christie. Less than 40 pages left.
     *Blogging: no new non-ROW80 posts, but I am current with my ROW80 updates.
     *Social Media/Visiting: 4 blogs for the last 3 days, I cheated a bit and did it all on Tuesday. But this gets me caught up on my daily tallies and keeps me informed of my fellow ROW-ers.
     *Theatre Stuffs: brush up rehearsal tonight!

It's been a weird week, what with 2 days off. While the rest was much needed I feel at a loss when I am not doing something theatre related. This is especially true of the week between performance weekends. Here are a few more (non-spoiler) shots from last weekend.

 This (coming) Week:
     *Reading: finally finish Five Little Pigs, and start Anansi Boys (Neil Gaiman). This is the plan. I was not feeling that great yesterday and missed a chance to read.
   

*Writing/Blogging: work on a story for #writestuff, post 1 new blog post (non-ROW80) to the blog, maybe write some poetry. We will see how much I can get done tomorrow (Thursday).
*Social Media/Visiting: continue to be on track.

I am still keeping it simple for this week. Expect that I will have more to report on and more writing to share with you all, Dear Readers. Yesterday was rainy, but the warmer weather has arrived this week and the piles of snow are starting to recede. Wahooo!!

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a Blog Hop, writing challenge, created to allow writers to set goals and report on their progress.

Also, it being Wednesday, it is WIPpet Wednesday. I have not really worked on my WIP The Real Road Trip, but it's time to introduce Selynee's dad. Using the WIPpet math (today's date is the 11th), I present 11 short paragraphs (I don't have access to my edited script, so here's the pre-edited version).

“Not tonight,” Selynee shook herself free of the memories. She looked up at her father, “I will tell you, but it’s almost midnight and I still have two days of school to get through before Spring Break.”

“Right. Well, if you need to talk, I can break out the cheesecake and coffee.” Her laughed and lightly shoved Selynee.

She smiled and looked up at him. He was trying. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll keep that in mind if I can’t sleep.”

“I know I’m not your mother…”

Selynee interrupted, “And for that I am glad…”

“But I want you to know that I want to be involved. I might not know how to sew, but you and me have to stick together.”

Selynee nodded, “I know, Dad. I just don’t know everything myself.”

“Neither do I. Maybe we can try finding it out together?”

“Maybe,” said Selynee.

“Goodnight, Pumpkin.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.


“Night, Daddy.” She smile and shoved him back.

Because for some reason this was playing in my head yesterday: