Madwoman's Attic: In The Attic

So, I'm running through my various blogrolls and on one of my favorite theatre blogs-- by a guy named Simon Ogden out of Vancouver, Canada-- I look to HIS blogroll and what do I see?

A link to Valley Theatre Reviews-- my local reviews blog. 

AAAAAAACK! 

I can only think that he discovered a quote of his I placed on said blog:
Ditch the Fragile Ego Bit

and decided to link me.  A tremendous compliment! 

But it does still have that minor freak-out effect I always get when I discover that someone I don't know directly is reading my stuff.  When I write for magazines or newspapers, I know this.  But for some reason, I still think of my blogs as a conversation with friends. 

Illogical, I know.  But that is what it takes to be me. 

So, I'm twiddling my thumbs until its time to put the pork roast on.  Another 10 minutes or so. 

I heard from COS today and I have an interview a week from tomorrow.  So that's always good. 

Last night's rehearsal went exceptionally well.  The show is really looking good.  We got out early enough for me to get home and catch the Project Runway 4 reunion show.  If I hadn't seen that show I would have missed the funniest thing I've seen all week.  :

When Tim Gunn was asked what his SuperHero name would be, he said, "Polysyllabicus".  And then the camera quickly jumped from Heidi's face, to Chris's face, to Christian's face. . . .

and none of them understood what it was he said. 

It was seriously funny.  And then it goes back to Tim Gunn who is laughing at his own joke and everyone's just staring at him. 

I felt a real kinship with Tim Gunn at that moment in time. 

Tonight, though, I'm looking at a quiet evening and a quiet weekend ahead.  Probably a goodly amount of sewing, but that's about it.  Hopefully it will be generally uneventful. 

Again, not much exciting news, but I feel like updating.

I "tested" for a job at C.O.S.. .. . again.  It's like the fourth or fifth time I've interviewed for a job there, but I keep trying.  It is a desirable place to work for, despite all of the educational politics and red tape involved.  That's what you get working at any school, no matter the job. 

I did pretty well on the testing, although I am admittedly weak on my MS Access skills.  I think I figured it out, though.  Luckily, I'm pretty good at navigating software. 

In a strange way, though, I'm hoping I do well in the interview for this job but not so well that I GET the job.  lol!  Don't get me wrong, if they offer me the job, I'll undoubtedly take it.  I want a full time job and sooner is better than later. 

HOWEVER, there is another opening at C.O.S. for an Instructional Specialist in the English Department.  Basically, it's running the reading/writing lab for the department.  Teaching support workshops and working with students one on one with their assignments.  I'd also be running the English department computer labs.  That job is VERY in tune with my long term goals and involves teaching, which. . . let's face it. . . is like breathing for me. 

Basically, I want a job at COS because it puts me in a good track to finish my Masters Degree (with some financial assistance from the school's staff development program) in English Lit and have an in for adjunct teaching and then full time teaching.  So, yeah. . . having a job that's already in the English Dpt. would be an advantage. 

Like I said, I'll take any full time job they offer me, but deep down I hope its the second job and not the first!  But, knowing the Parish luck, I'll get offered the job I don't care as much about.

Aside from job pursuits and trying to get my legs back underneath me, Red Riding Hood is going well.  Looks like we'll have some coverage in the South Valley Bee, so I'm glad I finished the RRH cape and grandma's hooded robe last night.  I'm going to try and do Tom's waistcoat today and the essentials of James' doublet tomorrow since we may be having a photographer in.  We'll see how it goes. 

Three Layer Cakes

Mom and I made a three layer cake today. . . white cake with lemon curd filling and some sort of lemony-vanilla-really-sticky-frosting made with simple syrup, egg whites and powdered sugar.  It's a really beautiful cake with the white frosting and lemon slices on top of it.  Tastes right good, too, if the removed cake tops dipped in the curd and frosting are any representation.  It's going up for auction at the Masonic Bake Sale tomorrow.  Yes, it will go toward the subversive activities of a powerful secret society that holds all of the secrets of the Western World. 

Or to the Rainbow Girls.  I forget which. 

There isn't much else to report right now.  Rehearsals for Red Riding Hood are going quite well, although I really have to stop dinking around with the costumes and just get to really making them.  I'm filling out a lot of apps for full time jobs and have two interviews lined up.  The jobs are pretty competitive, though, so I'm not holding my breath. 

Otherwise. . . all is well right now.  I'm off to bed. 

A testament to the a.d.d.-ification of America

. . . or at least of me. 

Lately, most of my tv watching has been through online or dvd media.  Netflix-- both the traditional and the "Watch Now" feature-- You Tube (in 10 minute increments), the network websites, etc.  In this way, I've been able to watch canceled shows I missed their first time around or catch up on shows I've completely missed until recently.  "Lost" is, of course, the major entry in that last category. 

I'd never watched a minute of Lost when it was taking the country by storm.  But I caught the "catch up" episode at the end of last month and decided to catch up.  So, after Netflixing the first three seasons, I'm fairly interested. 

But here's where I get impatient.  Now that I have to watch "Lost" one episode at a time, once a week, and that episode interrupted by commercials four times for five minutes each. . . it's insanely frustrating viewing for me.  I feel like it's taking WAY too long for them to get anywhere with this storyline!  If I were watching it uninterrupted, I'm sure I wouldn't feel that way.  I'd relish the unfolding of the mysteries like the unwrapping of a present.  But no, now I have to watch it all in starts and stops and then wait a week for the next minute clue into who the Oceanic Six are. 

bOOOOOOOO!

Oh, well.  I imagine I'll get over it.  I think, though, that it is likely that within the next week, whilst waiting for the next episode, I may very well be downloading the 6th season of "24" and I may forget all about watching "Lost". 

More's the pity, I guess. 

Virtual Dinner-Party, or. . . .

"Dinner with Cyber-Heather". 

As happens whenever I prepare a recipe calling for wine, I have drunk (drank?) two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc in the course of preparing my evening meal.  Two glasses of anything alcoholic will, obviously, do two things:  a) weaken my grammatical and spelling abilities, and b) improve my creative abilities. 

So, I was thinking as I was preparing this evening's Chicken Amandine, (and as I often do when preparing a simple, but delicious recipe from the Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook), that I want to have a dinner party. 

Now, my house is not a grand house for entertaining.  It is in a perpetual state of run-down-ed-ness.  You know, cabinet doors missing, leaky roof, old and chipped servingware. . . but it is WARM and generally comfortable unless you're over 6'1" or have an aversion to cats.  So a dinner party among like-souls is something I find appealing-- even for all of the work it would entail and the demands it would place upon myself as a host/cook.  (I am but a newbie to both worlds). 

But when I think of a guest list, I find there are a few people in the immediate local area I'd like to have involved. . . various guild members such as Dave and Lynn, Michael and John, Kat. . . and then Andrew, James, Alicia. . . and then Tom and his wife and Randi . . . and then my friends Sergio and Ryan (both of whom I need to meet for drinks soon).. . . and then Craig and Terrie. . . already it's too big for my little place.  And that's not even including Christine and Jag. . . . and random other people I'd like to have over to dinner someday.   

So then I think of EVERYONE I'd like to have at a dinner party. . . the people I want to be with for an evening.  (I think I can thank Lauri for this and her mention of having the girls over for movie and a dinner). . . I really can't imagine my ultimate dinner party without Alyson and Laurilyn.  And Brooke. That's just a given. 

But if i'm going for my ULTIMATE dinner party among my acquaintance, it would have to include Cat (Not Kat). . . I mean, Kat would be invited; I'm distinguishing between Cat and Kat. . . you know!. . .

And then opens up the list from donwoodonline.com. . .   Respighi Mahler. . . Red Nellie. . . Beebalm. . . Martha. . . Michelle. . . LMNOP (there's no way I can spell out her screenname. . . I'm finishing my third glass of wine!). . . . oh, yeah. . . and of course Don and his various friends who know nothing of me but whose blogs I read.  . . . 

Well, you can see that the list has grown HUGE and will continue to grow exponentially as I continue down this train of thought. 

SOOOOOOO. . .  my brain automatically went to the IN-TOR-NET, as Don calls it.  I thought, "WE SHOULD HAVE A VIRTUAL DINNER-PARTY!".  Multiple locations, multiple dinner parties, all webcast online via webcam!.  It would be easy for the west coasters to do a simulcast. . . . Alyson hosts one in WA, Lauri hosts one in OR (after she gets a 'puter at home), Cat and I cover the Californios. . . .  We check in with each other at designated times.    Share menus.  Comment on the movie of choice for the evening. . . . watch each other get drunk. . . . 

The NOLA and NY parties would have to be on some sort of a time delay. . . like a post-show party or something, beginning at 10 p.m., but I'm not sure that would be a problem with anyone.

But you see what I mean. . . in my currently drunken stupor. . . THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!!!!!

Okay, I'm off for some banana pudding.  :D