Careening towards autumn
I can't believe it is now fall. I feel like I blinked and I missed summer. Wow.
I just realized, while looking up numbers for a couple things, that I never did report here how things went with my play reading a few weeks ago (I know I put something on Facebook, and probably thought I had something here. oops!) At any rate things went very, very well. I think 14 people came, including three who just listened (including my mom and lil sis) and gave me great feedback afterwards. It was just SO cool to actually hear my words coming from other actors. All in all, everyone really seemed to like it. The constructive critiques they had are all fixable things. The biggest problem is it is way. way. too. long. Especially the first act, which was... I think one hour, 42 minutes? Give or take? I have it written down somewhere but yeah- that needs cut by about half. The second act isn't as bad- just over an hour- but that could stand some snipping as well. I have some good ideas how to scale things down, though. Haven't had a chance to touch my play since, but I have good notes and once things settle down I look forward to tackling it again. I'd love to have a staged reading done within the next year.
In Operation Purge House news- this is coming along well. This weekend, I conquered the attic. WOOHOOOOO!!! Yep, for all intents and purposes the attic is done. I need to re-reorganize and rebox the stuff I want to keep, I need to finish selling off a few things and I may have missed an odd or end, but the lion's share of the work is DONE. *happydance* That was the biggest single task for me in getting my house ready to sell. I have five large garbage bags and a box of trash, and two large garbage bags and two small boxes for Goodwill.
Now, the only things that remain are waiting for my roommates to get their stuff out of the house and sell off my remaining items. I also need to contact a charity (I have a couple in mind) to donate furniture and appliances I no longer want. I'm giving myself a three (hopefully four) day weekend next weekend to make one final push so I can get my house listed and on the market by the end of next weekend.
My aunt and uncle have done a tremendous job on the outside of the house. Truly, they have gone above and beyond what I could have asked. They even cleaned out my garage- something I planned to do myself this weekend. Wow. I love my family.
It's really hit me though. I'm selling my house. I try not to think about it too much, because even now as I type this I tear up. This is going to be so hard. I wish I didn't have to do this, but barring a miracle I have no choice. Change is excruciatingly hard.
Another bit of sad news. My mouse, Nicodemus, passed away sometime last week, not sure when exactly. I had him for a little more than a year but still... he looked a bit rough around the edges but not terminal last I had seen him. Geez. I miss my little mousie and fish. Pragmatically, it will make moving a lot easier, but still.
In happier news, I have another new experience to report. While cleaning out my desk last week, I stumbled across a restaurant gift card I forgot I had. So, I treated myself to a late lunch after a day of errands. I treated myself to a glass of wine with that lunch- the first time I've ever done that in my life. It also might be the first time I had white wine (I can't recall the name of it for the life of me, all I know is it was very good).
So, I believe that brings me up to 28 new experiences.
Also, have another book to add...
The Book Mouse's Book Report
36. The Making of Major League, by Jonathan Knight. This fun, fast read goes behind the scenes of the baseball movie "Major League." It includes interviews with several of the actors, the director and others involved with the movie and has pictures from promotion stops and even a few pages of the script (including deleted material). Now, I have a confession to make: I've never actually seen this movie (yeah, I'm probably one of maybe a dozen Cleveland-area residents older than 21 who hasn't). I really want to though, after reading this collection of anecdotes and memories. If the movie is half as fun and engaging as the book was, I will enjoy it. There are many sections where I laughed out loud; I can imagine those who have actually seen the movie and know more about what happened in front of the camera will get even more out of the hilarity. "Major League," of course, is a fictionalized story of the Cleveland Indians, who are the underdogs of the professional baseball world (a case of art imitating life). However, they go on to win the division title, despite the nefarious efforts of the team's new owner. The book includes an introduction from Charlie Sheen.
Currently reading- Ida B. Wells: The Light of Truth, edited by Mia Bay.
I just realized, while looking up numbers for a couple things, that I never did report here how things went with my play reading a few weeks ago (I know I put something on Facebook, and probably thought I had something here. oops!) At any rate things went very, very well. I think 14 people came, including three who just listened (including my mom and lil sis) and gave me great feedback afterwards. It was just SO cool to actually hear my words coming from other actors. All in all, everyone really seemed to like it. The constructive critiques they had are all fixable things. The biggest problem is it is way. way. too. long. Especially the first act, which was... I think one hour, 42 minutes? Give or take? I have it written down somewhere but yeah- that needs cut by about half. The second act isn't as bad- just over an hour- but that could stand some snipping as well. I have some good ideas how to scale things down, though. Haven't had a chance to touch my play since, but I have good notes and once things settle down I look forward to tackling it again. I'd love to have a staged reading done within the next year.
In Operation Purge House news- this is coming along well. This weekend, I conquered the attic. WOOHOOOOO!!! Yep, for all intents and purposes the attic is done. I need to re-reorganize and rebox the stuff I want to keep, I need to finish selling off a few things and I may have missed an odd or end, but the lion's share of the work is DONE. *happydance* That was the biggest single task for me in getting my house ready to sell. I have five large garbage bags and a box of trash, and two large garbage bags and two small boxes for Goodwill.
Now, the only things that remain are waiting for my roommates to get their stuff out of the house and sell off my remaining items. I also need to contact a charity (I have a couple in mind) to donate furniture and appliances I no longer want. I'm giving myself a three (hopefully four) day weekend next weekend to make one final push so I can get my house listed and on the market by the end of next weekend.
My aunt and uncle have done a tremendous job on the outside of the house. Truly, they have gone above and beyond what I could have asked. They even cleaned out my garage- something I planned to do myself this weekend. Wow. I love my family.
It's really hit me though. I'm selling my house. I try not to think about it too much, because even now as I type this I tear up. This is going to be so hard. I wish I didn't have to do this, but barring a miracle I have no choice. Change is excruciatingly hard.
Another bit of sad news. My mouse, Nicodemus, passed away sometime last week, not sure when exactly. I had him for a little more than a year but still... he looked a bit rough around the edges but not terminal last I had seen him. Geez. I miss my little mousie and fish. Pragmatically, it will make moving a lot easier, but still.
In happier news, I have another new experience to report. While cleaning out my desk last week, I stumbled across a restaurant gift card I forgot I had. So, I treated myself to a late lunch after a day of errands. I treated myself to a glass of wine with that lunch- the first time I've ever done that in my life. It also might be the first time I had white wine (I can't recall the name of it for the life of me, all I know is it was very good).
So, I believe that brings me up to 28 new experiences.
Also, have another book to add...
The Book Mouse's Book Report
36. The Making of Major League, by Jonathan Knight. This fun, fast read goes behind the scenes of the baseball movie "Major League." It includes interviews with several of the actors, the director and others involved with the movie and has pictures from promotion stops and even a few pages of the script (including deleted material). Now, I have a confession to make: I've never actually seen this movie (yeah, I'm probably one of maybe a dozen Cleveland-area residents older than 21 who hasn't). I really want to though, after reading this collection of anecdotes and memories. If the movie is half as fun and engaging as the book was, I will enjoy it. There are many sections where I laughed out loud; I can imagine those who have actually seen the movie and know more about what happened in front of the camera will get even more out of the hilarity. "Major League," of course, is a fictionalized story of the Cleveland Indians, who are the underdogs of the professional baseball world (a case of art imitating life). However, they go on to win the division title, despite the nefarious efforts of the team's new owner. The book includes an introduction from Charlie Sheen.
Currently reading- Ida B. Wells: The Light of Truth, edited by Mia Bay.