Happy New Year
Wow, I just realized I haven't posted anything here in LJ since August! Facebook is the culprit, and I've continued reading and commenting, but dare I venture that I may be becoming one of those folks who finds even a LiveJournal entry too much trouble? :-& At least I don't Twitter and have no plans to.
BUT...for my own posterity, I should at least recap what I think I will recall of 2009.
I think it was the first year that I was not involved in any way, onstage or off, in a local theatre show since...1998? At least if you don't count tryouts in December for something that doesn't begin rehearsing until January. I have missed a lot about it but also, it was "time to move on" in many, many ways, at least from the particular group I was most associated with. Let's see how the new one--SEVERAL steps down the ladder, but it's the process and the people you meet, more than the show itself, and it's a much bigger role than I've had in many years (smaller pond, bigger fish). I wish I didn't have to drive 45 mins each way to do it!
Another reason I hadn't done theatre in a long time was Chorus--I have been singing in TGMC since 2003 and becoming more and more active on the Board and committees; last year, it just all caught up to me and I had a SEVERE burnout from the whole organization, not even sure I'd make it until June when my term ran out. Most of that was due to poor organizational structure all along and that the Board was doing far too many operational things that should have been delegated, but for whatever reason, I counted down the days to June and made a vow not to even sing this season, though I broke that when we got invited to perform at the NC American Choral Directors' Association--the first "gay" chorus ever to be invited. So I joined them for that in September and took the holiday concert off, trying to maintain contact and help with other activities (I do many of the group's online marketing tasks, anyway), but it's weird how although I was glad to be FREE of that group for a few months, just two months off and I already feel like a stranger to the group. The new trick will be striking a proper balance, since I don't plan to jettison it altogether.
I also continued being on the Crape Myrtle "Court", which is like a Board, but the specifically-operational unit while there is also a governing Board (in theory, anyway...). One of our co-Chairs was a complete slackass who dragged morale down (especially the morale of the other chair!) but the Board Chair is such a wimp, he wouldn't "fire" the lazy chairs, fearing alienating the donors who are friends with him. Ah, the joys of nonprofit groups, especially in this economy, and all the ass you have to kiss along the way. Just give me databases to monitor and update and leave me out of the politicking! :) For the 3rd year in a row, they wanted me to be a co-Chair this year, and for the third year, sanity prevailed and I declined (more forcefully than ever, considering the year I was having!). This season is supposed to be my "pull back" season regarding all of these groups that were consuming my time and my sanity.
Work is "eh"; I really can't complain because I have a great boss and coworkers, not a really stressful job and can do my job well while still playing online at various points in the day. Still, "I suffer from ennui". Govt jobs can sap your soul after awhile, and with the budget woes this past year, the muckety-mucks are making decisions and policies for the quick fix without thinking of the long-term. Even in the time I've been there (I did hit my 10-year anniversary with the state this year--more vacation, yay! My first "longevity pay" bonus, yay!). But, I chose this path and it suits me, and apparently I will whine no matter where I am, so there it is. I did have a job interview for which I later found out I would definitely have gotten an offer, but I declined before the second interview. More (much more) stress, less support system, "the devil I don't know", and not that much more money. Since I've been the only paycheck for this household this year, I can't take risks right now.
Lots of reconnections with new friends (and especially reconnections with old ones) thanks to Facebook. As nosy as I always was, from the minute I first got online over a decade ago, I had found lot of folks from my past, but it is still amazing how many people I've gotten back in touch with thanks to FB's interface, groups, etc. My elementary school ha an alumni group, fer chrissakes--and they may even have a "reunion" for everyone who ever went there, next spring! I do wish I had more "real life" friends, but Randy's severe case of homebodiness puts a big damper on that. I was sorry that crankycatlady wasn't able to remain in the area after living here a year, but it wasn't in the cards. I do make friends in Crape Myrtle, etc, but again, ever getting up with them outside of whatever we primarily know each other for is a problem with a husband who "keeps me on a short leash" in many ways.
Right now on Netflix, I am watching the old series "thirtysomething", of which I never saw more than a handful of episodes back when it ran, but remembered liking it, sappiness and all. I do recall thinking (being in my mid-20s when it was on) how "grown up" the 30s seemed, and how neat it seemed it would be when I was in that "lifestyle". Now, that I'm in my 40s, it's a whole different, interesting perspective, and, naval-gazing and 80s fashion aside, it's really make me think about my own "lot", in some interesting ways. Whether this is good or bad is still up in the air. But, I'm glad I'm getting to see the series as it was iconic, and I love "Brothers and Sisters", produced by Ken Olin and with many parallels. In some ways, you can use the two shows to show "domestic" dramadies 20 years apart (though B&S gets a little over-the-top and may be heading for shark-jumping). Otherwise, I didn't get to watch nearly as many Netflix movies as I thought I would, but I want to improve that.
The dogs are doing well, everyone's health is doing great in my family (though dad thinks he has Alzheimer's simply because words and names don't come to the tip of his tongue like they used to. He is almost 85! I'm 46 an have been experiencing that for years already!) I have much to be thankful of, but all I can do is worry about various "Wolves at the Door", some which I know are coming eventually (eldercare issues), and some that will likely never surface. And then, there will be the little "surprises" that muck up things! Aargh, I need to be more appreciative of all that I have in my favor.
BUT...for my own posterity, I should at least recap what I think I will recall of 2009.
I think it was the first year that I was not involved in any way, onstage or off, in a local theatre show since...1998? At least if you don't count tryouts in December for something that doesn't begin rehearsing until January. I have missed a lot about it but also, it was "time to move on" in many, many ways, at least from the particular group I was most associated with. Let's see how the new one--SEVERAL steps down the ladder, but it's the process and the people you meet, more than the show itself, and it's a much bigger role than I've had in many years (smaller pond, bigger fish). I wish I didn't have to drive 45 mins each way to do it!
Another reason I hadn't done theatre in a long time was Chorus--I have been singing in TGMC since 2003 and becoming more and more active on the Board and committees; last year, it just all caught up to me and I had a SEVERE burnout from the whole organization, not even sure I'd make it until June when my term ran out. Most of that was due to poor organizational structure all along and that the Board was doing far too many operational things that should have been delegated, but for whatever reason, I counted down the days to June and made a vow not to even sing this season, though I broke that when we got invited to perform at the NC American Choral Directors' Association--the first "gay" chorus ever to be invited. So I joined them for that in September and took the holiday concert off, trying to maintain contact and help with other activities (I do many of the group's online marketing tasks, anyway), but it's weird how although I was glad to be FREE of that group for a few months, just two months off and I already feel like a stranger to the group. The new trick will be striking a proper balance, since I don't plan to jettison it altogether.
I also continued being on the Crape Myrtle "Court", which is like a Board, but the specifically-operational unit while there is also a governing Board (in theory, anyway...). One of our co-Chairs was a complete slackass who dragged morale down (especially the morale of the other chair!) but the Board Chair is such a wimp, he wouldn't "fire" the lazy chairs, fearing alienating the donors who are friends with him. Ah, the joys of nonprofit groups, especially in this economy, and all the ass you have to kiss along the way. Just give me databases to monitor and update and leave me out of the politicking! :) For the 3rd year in a row, they wanted me to be a co-Chair this year, and for the third year, sanity prevailed and I declined (more forcefully than ever, considering the year I was having!). This season is supposed to be my "pull back" season regarding all of these groups that were consuming my time and my sanity.
Work is "eh"; I really can't complain because I have a great boss and coworkers, not a really stressful job and can do my job well while still playing online at various points in the day. Still, "I suffer from ennui". Govt jobs can sap your soul after awhile, and with the budget woes this past year, the muckety-mucks are making decisions and policies for the quick fix without thinking of the long-term. Even in the time I've been there (I did hit my 10-year anniversary with the state this year--more vacation, yay! My first "longevity pay" bonus, yay!). But, I chose this path and it suits me, and apparently I will whine no matter where I am, so there it is. I did have a job interview for which I later found out I would definitely have gotten an offer, but I declined before the second interview. More (much more) stress, less support system, "the devil I don't know", and not that much more money. Since I've been the only paycheck for this household this year, I can't take risks right now.
Lots of reconnections with new friends (and especially reconnections with old ones) thanks to Facebook. As nosy as I always was, from the minute I first got online over a decade ago, I had found lot of folks from my past, but it is still amazing how many people I've gotten back in touch with thanks to FB's interface, groups, etc. My elementary school ha an alumni group, fer chrissakes--and they may even have a "reunion" for everyone who ever went there, next spring! I do wish I had more "real life" friends, but Randy's severe case of homebodiness puts a big damper on that. I was sorry that crankycatlady wasn't able to remain in the area after living here a year, but it wasn't in the cards. I do make friends in Crape Myrtle, etc, but again, ever getting up with them outside of whatever we primarily know each other for is a problem with a husband who "keeps me on a short leash" in many ways.
Right now on Netflix, I am watching the old series "thirtysomething", of which I never saw more than a handful of episodes back when it ran, but remembered liking it, sappiness and all. I do recall thinking (being in my mid-20s when it was on) how "grown up" the 30s seemed, and how neat it seemed it would be when I was in that "lifestyle". Now, that I'm in my 40s, it's a whole different, interesting perspective, and, naval-gazing and 80s fashion aside, it's really make me think about my own "lot", in some interesting ways. Whether this is good or bad is still up in the air. But, I'm glad I'm getting to see the series as it was iconic, and I love "Brothers and Sisters", produced by Ken Olin and with many parallels. In some ways, you can use the two shows to show "domestic" dramadies 20 years apart (though B&S gets a little over-the-top and may be heading for shark-jumping). Otherwise, I didn't get to watch nearly as many Netflix movies as I thought I would, but I want to improve that.
The dogs are doing well, everyone's health is doing great in my family (though dad thinks he has Alzheimer's simply because words and names don't come to the tip of his tongue like they used to. He is almost 85! I'm 46 an have been experiencing that for years already!) I have much to be thankful of, but all I can do is worry about various "Wolves at the Door", some which I know are coming eventually (eldercare issues), and some that will likely never surface. And then, there will be the little "surprises" that muck up things! Aargh, I need to be more appreciative of all that I have in my favor.