Happy Thanksgiving

"Not what we say about our blessing, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." - W.T. Purkiser


A heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope that you are able to enjoy the day with friends and family and that love and joy fill your heart, and turkey fills your belly.

Laugh until it hurts

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!" - Monty Python's - The Holy Grail & Spamalot

"Me and the judge have a special relationship... I don't wanna get too graphic but I sucked his d!@* for drugs. " - Role Models, the movie

In the past two days I got to laugh, a lot!

Sunday night D and I went to see Spamalot in Boston. It was a fun show and we laughed out loud. The actor who played Lancelot was brilliant - and eerily reminded D and I of our friend Ben - looks, facial expressions and tone and all. If you can see this show I highly recommend it. It was fun, bright, cheery, well written, staged and everything was splendid! What I would have given to see some of the original Broadway cast of Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria! Boy oh boy!

Before the show we went to Avila in Boston. The restaurant promotes itself as Mediterranean, but we were not overwhelmed with this theme. The food was good, but nothing spectacular. Nice basics. Ambience was nice, service was exceptional and food was solid. I enjoy the holes in the wall with surprise cuisine with strong ethnic flair. This was not it. But the meal was nice and company enjoyable - which always makes the meal.

Then last night, on a whim driving by the cinema en route to Trade Joe's on my way home I decided to screw my chores (sweeping & laundry) and go see Role Models. FUNNY! I put this up there with the funny of Talladega Nights & Wedding Crashers. I was laughing out loud, by myself, in the theatre. OK, the other 4 people there were laughing too. The one liners in this movie are what make it. The story is predictable but with some twists. If you LARP, you will enjoy this as the stereotypes represented are VERY funny and we all know 'that' guy. Though stereotypes, not insulting, in my opinion. I would see this again, and actually would like to take BB. I know he would love it.

Thinking of seeing a movie Thanksgiving Day eve as well - Quantum of Solace & Changeling are two I would like to catch. I am torn in wanting to see Twilight - think I would rather read the books first.

It's good movie season which I enjoy - Fred Claus is out in DVD too now. Have to grab that. Vince Vaughn makes me giggle.

What a tease!

Oh Harry!

QoTD

"Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon their knees." - William Cowper (1731 - 1800)

Old Friends

"Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you." - Charlie Brown to Snoopy

Amazing how getting back with old friends can make the clouds pull back and futures feel brighter. Last night I had dinner with two old friends from college - people who have seen me high, seen me low and everywhere in between. They know my theatre side, a part of my life that I have all but buried. This means a lot to me as it is a part of my soul and it does not feel completely gone beyond retrieval with knowing that someone else remembers too. We laughed and shared where life has brought us to date. We reminisced and laughed some more. No more Boones Farm and pizza though - it was pinot grigio and sushi. We have all had triumphs and losses and it was good to share those with each other and give/get support. Like a warm comfy shirt - it felt good to slide in for a little while and feel its warmth.

QoTD

"The test of literature is, I suppose, whether we ourselves live more intensely for the reading of it" - Elizabeth Drew, (1935 - )


I feel this way after a good book. It resonates with me for years and I take away a piece of it to live and love in my life better.

The Full Monty

"Anti-wrinkle cream there may be, but anti-fat-bastard cream there is not." - The Full Monty

This past Sunday I went up to Waterville, ME to see an old friend from college perform in The Full Monty at the Waterville Opera House. It was a sheer joy!

The ride was about 3 hours, but it was nice and easy and BB came along to keep me company. He really had no idea what the show was about never having seen the movie. He was delighted and said he has not laughed that much in years. The story centers around laid off factory workers who decide to start a strip show, like Chippendales, to make some money and decide to go full monty as part of the marketing pitch. Their relationship, parenting, and self-esteem troubles play into the ensemble cast. Admittedly, I like the movie better than the stage production - but both tell a great story. Terrence McNally was part of the crew to bring the story to the stage, so I knew it would be good.

The cast of this production was strong, but I felt that some of the acting performances were weak. This could be because we saw the very last show of the run, and I understand how energy can fluctuate when you are doing a show. The guy playing the lead was a fantastic singer, but his acting felt inconsistent. He lost believability for me with that. My friend Todd played Dave, the 'fat bastard' of the group. He was a natural for the part - sarcastic, loving and loyal with a killer voice to boot. And I am not saying that because I am biased. The rest of the ensemble held their own and the women did a great job keeping up their end of the bargain. I am a huge fan of community theatre as it showcases local talent - and lots of talent there usually is, Waterville, ME is no exception. The sets were also well done as was the lighting. My only big disappointment was the sound for the final number - seemed that they lost some of the mics so it did not have the power behind it it could have. The cast was a little overwhelmed by the pit band on that one. But those men....they did...they did indeed go full monty! A bunch of older women were in the audience...I thought for sure we would have at least one coronary.

The Waterville Opera House is also a New England gem. Intimate and ornate. It is in the city hall so you can blink and miss it driving by (like we did). But it is sweet and I am looking forward to going back up with the kids to see Beauty & The Beast in the spring. Todd is co-directing.

This coming Sunday I going to see Spamalot in Boston with D. Should be fun. I have been looking forward to seeing that for a while now.

New Beginnings

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else. " - Erma Bombeck


I am happy to report that my online dating adventures are now done. Did I meet Prince Charming in the crazy netherworld of online dating? Why, yes I did. But I met him April 13, 2007. BB and I have decided to give it another go. It appears that my lunacy has not completely frightened him away and his absence has taught me some very important lessons about myself and that crazy little thing called love. So we are in a fun spot - the newness of a relationship but also well aware of negative traits too and very few meet new people moments.

So I had to laugh when I saw this quote for today. Not only because it is truly applicable to my life, but also because not only do I share my dreams with BB, I involve him by talking in my sleep. Oh yeah. That would have been me telling him Friday night that someone was in the window (fyi - my bedroom is on the 2nd floor) and then Saturday night I apparently just yelled out "Mom!" and went right back to sleep. Wait until I sleep walk...then the fun really begins!

This did lead to an interesting question...if no one is with us, do we still talk in our sleep?

Think about it.....

QoTD

"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is." - Maxim Gorky

Love and the Right to Love

"Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" - Ernest Gaines

Watching the Tide Roll Away

"They say that God is everywhere, and yet we always think of Him as somewhat of a recluse." - Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

While in Maine yesterday, I took a walk out on the jetty and sat at the end by myself watching the tide come in. I closed my eyes and breathed in the salt air, felt the mist, listened to the ocean and the birds and I thanked God for that moment, these friends, my children, this time in my life where it is all coming together and I can feel my soul (re)emerging. I understand who I am and I know what I want - and more importantly, what I do not. I see so much wonderful ahead of me shining in its simplicity. I feel the challenges of my past transform into the lessons my soul needed to grow. Anger and bitterness releasing (though I still hold onto sarcastic and annoyed humor - not perfect, but trying after all) I spoke these words out loud and sent them to heavens with all sincerity of purpose, from the depths of my heart - 'Thank you'.

Then on my walk back to the house, to join my friends again, I found a rock. I found the most perfect rock. It is about the size of a silver dollar, flat and smooth. It sits in the center of my palm adding just enough weight so I know that it is there, it's texture and cool feel a calming and balancing effect. It reminded me of a card A recently gave me that is now framed and hanging in my bedroom - it says that the most beautiful rocks have been tossed and turned and polished bylife's roughest storms. When I picked up this rock I was overwhelmed and felt tears well in my eyes. For when I stopped and reached for this rock, lying alone in the sand, no other elements around it to detract from its presence, I distinctly heard God's voice say "You're welcome".

The Healing Effects of Salty Air

...and a lot of red wine :)

Heading to Maine this weekend to spend a couple of days with friends to celebrate and commemorate the ending of a truly glorious LARP run of Radiant Dragon. There will be about 10 of us at the house that is right on the water. I love it there and am so blessed to have friends who invite me to share their family home. I volunteered to make breakfast both days for everyone. Looking forward to it. It also justified my purchasing a new waffle iron. woot! In making the apple spice cake this morning I reveled in the sound of the knife cutting through the apples and the clink it made when it met the wood of the cutting board. Feeding a bunch of friends will make me very happy this weekend. So will reading my book on the porch in some salty air and taking a nice long walk on the beach and jetty. I hope it is chilly enough to bundle up a little.

Serenity now! :)

QoTD

"Our lives teach us who we are." - Salman Rushdie (1947- )

QoTD

"Mustard's no good without roast beef." - Chico Marx, (1891-1961)

QoTD

"Regret is the insight that comes a day too late" - anonymous


I have very few, if any, regrets in my life. For I have always tried to live my life with no regrets, trying to follow my heart as true as I can and take the consequence as lessons. Even the hardest and most painful decisions I have not regretted knowing, deep inside my soul, that it was right. But I have realized one in the past week or so I do indeed have one regret. Hoping it is the only one I will have on my list when I meet St. Peter. Also hoping I can, well, have it turn out ok. Shakespeare's comedies are like that no? Some drama and trauma and then through clowns and lovers it all comes out true and good, right?

Rachel Getting Married - the movie

So after a brief comedic episode of my online dating adventures (quick synopsis: 2nd date, drinks and apps, topics started repeating themselves, questions were being re-asked, gave him the opening for a good night kiss - tight lipped peck that ended with him giggling...need I say more?)...anyways...after this I decided to salvage my evening with a good movie at the local 'indie' theatre. (admittedly I was thinking about the movie half way through the date too hoping I could make the 8:10 show). I went to see Rachel Getting Married, with Anne Hathaway. If you are a serious cinema lover I cannot recommend this movie highly enough.

Directed by Johnathan Demme, the movie was an in depth, gloves off look at a family that is strained on various levels by the drug addiction and narcissistic behaviors of their daughter - played BRILLIANTLY by Anne Hathaway. Her co-lead, Rosemarie Dewitt, player her sister - Rachel was also impressive and moving. I felt for her. The story centers around her sister's nuptials. This was a tough look into addiction and the effects it has on families and the love that keeps us so tightly connected.

In the theatre or rented this is not a waste of your time. I am now even a bigger fan of Anne Hathaway and look forward to what she will bring us in future years.

I speaketh only truthism...

Dontchya just wish that some days you can throw something very heavy through a plate glass window and kick and scream and cry until you drop from exhaustion and someone picks you up and holds you and tells you - it's ok to feel that way? I want that day. I want that day when I do not have to be strong for anybody and it's ok to tell the world "This sucks and you know it sucks so say it with me...THIS SUCKS!"

See...just typing that felt better...

QoTDs

All I have today are other people's words...


"Make voyages! - Attempt them! - there's nothing else..." - Tennesee Williams (1911-1983), Camino Real

"We are most alive when we're in love." - John Updike (1932- )