It Helps With The Commute.

I've started back on the audio books. I'm working on the other side of the Beltway again and wrestling with an annoying, sometimes overwhelming commute. The audio books help pass the time, as does the satellite radio when my receiver is working. When it isn't I upload books on cd to my new phone which serves as an MP3 player and I escape the commute as best I can.

The funny thing about audio books is the narrator. A good narrator can make or break a book. In the past I've listened to some Isaac Asimov books in which the narrator's voices for women seemed to distract from the story. I'm sure he was trying his best but I couldn't invest in the female characters because their voices were so odd.

I just finished listening to 'A Wrinkle In Time' narrated by none other than the author, Madeleine L'Engle. This woman's voice, I can only compare to nails on a chalkboard whilst red hot pokers are being slowly shoved up the anuses of a million alley cats during a tone-deaf diva's aria in an opera performed in the bowels of Hell! Her voice was torture; unbelievably shrill, stilted, and she has the lisp where it sounds like her tongue is stapled to the roof of her mouth! I would step out of my car after my morning commute and have a headache because her voice had cause me to clench my jaw the entire ride. I wasn't sure I would make it through the 5 discs of the book but I did. Some of my students are reading the book in class and I thought how fun it would be to be able to talk with them about it. Unfortunately, now I have less of an appreciation for the book which I remember liking as a child and I can't get that harpy's squawking out of my head.

Not Really A Book Review

I recently picked up MOM'S CANCER at the library. The title, for obvious reasons, jumped out at me as I was walking by the shelf. A graphic novel of sorts, created from many different comic strips about the author's mother's battle with lung Cancer. The story covers every step along the way from diagnosis, to treatment, to recovery and all of the stages of hope, uncertainty and doubt that bombard a family dealing with Cancer. I enjoyed reading it and was a little sad to finish the book. Although the sadness could have been because the book made me miss my own mother.

'Frozen' Closing Night!

Tonight is the last performance. The rehearsal process, and character research was intense. Dealing with the production delays, all weather related, was a challenge. Our last weekend unfortunately hasn't gotten the audience we were hoping for because of the postponed opening. The backstage antics of the cast have been as equally entertaining as the acting onstage.

To be quite honest I wasn't quite sure how our production was going to be received. We've been pleasantly surprised. Audiences have seemed to enjoy the performances even if they didn't particularly enjoy the subject matter. The two reviews we received were overwhelmingly positive. Many patrons have approached me in the lobby after the show to engage me in conversation and compliment my work profusely.

I will miss this production. I am honored to have been a part of 'Frozen' and share the stage with a very talented cast. I am fortunate to have worked with a brilliant, sometimes too brilliant, director and a good friend of mine. It's a very dark, disturbing show but the end resonates with a positive message and I have enjoyed the ride.

Rough Day

I was flying up and down the radio dial on my morning commute. I happened upon a local morning show, usually pretty obnoxious, and the dj was discussing the recent death of his mother. I was instantly sucked in.

He discussed being at the hospital with her. Her suffering. Being in the room as she slipped away. Remembering the good times, the childhood memories, and just dealing with the grief. It was good to hear but hard to listen to at the same time.

It's been just under 8 months since my mother passed away. I still think about it a lot and miss her everyday. It has not been an easy year - employment problems, financial matters, life decisions, etc. There are times when I feel like we're barely treading water; struggling to stay afloat. We are trying to turn things around, and get us back on track. We're fighting to get our feet back under us, and sometimes it seems like an impossible task.

Who's Keeping Track?

1 step forward. 2 steps back. 2 steps forward. 1 step back. Left, Right, Left, Right, Left. About Face! Walk the line. Don't stray from the path! We're all lost together!

'MISTER COBB!'

One of my favorite things in the world would have to be hearing my name being shouted, exclaimed, squealed from the mouths of excited students who have, apparently, missed me. I hope this long term subbing job pans out. I miss my kids.

'Frozen' Opening Night!

Last night was opening night for Frozen, after all of the recent snow forced us to postpone opening for a week. It went surprisingly well!

This is a tough show. Everyone in the cast particularly the 3 leads, myself included, have worked extremely hard on this production. It is not the easiest subject matter to deal with and I anticipate that some audience members will be overwhelmed by the nature of the show. Not to mention that my character, an unsavory sort of chap to say the least, uses foul language which is a no no with the Annapolis theatre crowd who still remember vaudeville.

Only a handful of of audience members left at intermission. My streak continues! I have done a show a season at Colonial Players for the last few years and with every show there have been walk outs! People walked out of an award-winning production at intermission because they didn't appreciate the plot. People walked out in the middle of another production because of the zany vulgarity and missed the most offensive scenes. This time an the audience members left because... well, I can only guess it was the many F-bombs, euphemisms for the female genitalia as well as my character's other unfortunate quirks and unhealthy attachment to his van. They won't be the last.


The rest of the audience seemed to really appreciate the show. I even got a few hoots during my curtain call, which I did not expect, given the nature of my role but apparently I was able to win over some of the audience members. After the show I was even complimented several times by a local critic, as well as a group of ladies who enjoyed my performance all the while hating my character! That sounds like a compliment to me.

Olympic Heart Breaker!

I walked by the table and I asked, 'Have they shown the Luge yet?'

Not yet. I mention to the table, a seemingly nice middle aged couple out for dinner on Valentine's Day and whom just happened to sit near a television set, that I was anxious to see the Luge. A friend of my wife's was currently ranked 7th place and I wanted to watch his final run! (Sara knows an Olympic Athlete, whom I have met on several occasions so we get excited about the Luge.) The couple and I chit chat for several minutes about the Olympics and what not and then I hurry back to my own tables. Several times during the night I would visit the table, or they would flag me down to talk and they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Suddenly, during one of my trips to the front of the restaurant I notice that the wife has been crying, and is on the phone. The husband is nowhere to be seen. I convinced myself that he was probably in the bathroom and it was nothing serious. Then at one point she asks me to open a side door of the restaurant, an odd request, and then I see the husband sitting across the street sitting in his SUV mouthing something to the wife. I accommodate the wife and open the door.

The long and the short of it is she thought he'd left her at the restaurant, which he had, he told her to get in the car in not the most friendly or respectful way, she took offense to his tone and language and told him to just go home, and then she sat back down at the table to drink her wine and cry some more! This is Valentine's Day, if you forgot! This married couple got into a fight on Valentine's Day, he threw some cash at her and walked out of the restaurant! Eventually, we called her a cab and she must've gone home!

It was heartbreaking to witness. The staff all felt awkward, and sympathetic yet we all couldn't stop talking about it. I felt doubly bad because I thought that they seemed to be a fun, friendly couple with whom I shared a love of winter sports. She hinted at one point towards divorce... on Valentine's Day.

I was glad to get home to Sara, understandably disappointed that I picked up a Valentine's shift at work, but forgiving because we need the money. Our friend finished 8th in the Luge, but I kept thinking about the couple and wondering about what could have been so wrong that it ruined their Valentine's Day and tainted the Winter Olympics at the same time!

Did You Feel That?

Couple of nights ago, around quarter to 5, I was shaken from my sleep by a tremendous jostling of the house. I was dead asleep but sat straight up in bed and realized Sara was up too. What was that sound? What had shaken the house?

I was convinced a tree had fallen on our house! (Don't laugh! In our neighborhood it happens more than you'd think.) Sara hadn't heard anything except me sitting up suddenly in bed - alarmed. I needed to check the house to be sure so I got out of bed and looked out of every window I could to see if there was a tree or a huge branch leaning against the house or crushing half of the patio. There was no sign that anything was amiss.

I'd imagined the whole thing. As I lay back down in bed, heart pounding, I was concerned. Why had I been awakened by an imaginary tree falling on the house? Stress? The recent snowstorms have brought down many trees and branches in the area. Both Sara and I have been missing work because of the weather and our bank account is feeling the loss. The show that I'm supposed to be opening this weekend is being affected by the blizzards because of missed rehearsals. We'd been snowed in the house for 3 days earlier in the week.

Add it all together and it appears to be a stressful time for me and my overactive imagination. My mind was playing tricks on me, I guess.

Oh, and it's snowing as I type this post. The 2nd blizzard in under a week. The bank account's still reeling, the show's status is still up in the air, and I'm still worrying about falling trees!

Snowbound Day 3!

The snow stopped falling last night but the amount of snow to shovel is overwhelming! We've cleared our cars and 8/10s of our driveway. It was a Herculean effort! With the driveway cleared, and the road semi-plowed we were finally able to take the dog out for a walk.

The area is still digging out and probably will be for days. Annapolis is under a driving ban, supposedly, so we haven't left the neighborhood. I'm not sure if we would make it anyway.

The show that I'm supposed to be rehearsing this weekend opens on Friday and we've missed most of the tech weekend! 'FROZEN' opens this coming weekend, hopefully, and will run for the next 3 weeks. I hope I haven't forgotten all of my lines during this ordeal!

I am sore from shoveling & the beer is running out! I am cranky, restless, broke, and sick of Winter!

I do have good news to report. Dad has been located. He is stranded in Houston, TX. He will apparently be able to catch a flight in on Tuesday, and so gets to prolong his vacation by a few days. If he'd have called us on Friday maybe he'd be stuck down in Mexico still... ah, I'd love to be sitting on a beach, sucking down a margarita and soaking up the Mexican sun!