Enter, allergy season :P
Well, my allergies for the most part were OK until Memorial Day weekend, then my sinuses decided to go a bit haywire, and I had to break out the allergy OTC. I'm a bit congested even now, and my eyes have been bothering me. But - and I am knocking on wood very hard - in all, even now my allergies are nowhere near as bad as they have been the past few springs. My sinuses have been irritating but manageable with swimming, saline sprays and very occasional allergy meds. Hate allergy season but right now I'm counting my blessings.
Oh, forgot to mention something strange that happened in mid-May. It was a Sunday... maybe two Sundays before Memorial Day weekend? No longer recall precisely when. But it actually snowed. Yes, you read that right, it snowed. In mid-May. North of us, in the Cleveland area, it actually stuck. Someone I know had a picture of her little boy in a snowsuit playing in the snow. In May. That... just does not compute. That's not all. In the span of less than an hour, it clouded up, then rained, then hailed, then snowed, then rained again, then cleared up, then became cloudy, then railed, then snowed again, then rained, then snowed...might not have the precised order but you get the point. Weird weird weird weather day. I mean, I've lived here all my life. Snows in early, even mid-April are not uncommon. But I'm trying to recall if I've ever seen it snow - and that much- in May. Oh, and this is in the middle of the day. NOT at night. Cold weather and frost is not uncommon in early or mid-May, either. Indeed, the rule of thumb around here is to not plant fragile annuals before Memorial Day weekend. But snow. In mid-May. In the middle of the afternoon. That popping sound heard that day was the brains of thousands imploding.
Rehearsals have started, and so far so good. Have a good cast assembled. Nothing about scene painting yet but I imagine that talk - and action - will happen in late June. We had to relocate to the middle school while the many burnt-out lights in the high school auditorium get replaced. Lighting is a good thing to have! Also, better now than closer to production.
Looking forward to next Sunday- the Tony Awards! Now, ordinarily I don't give two hoots for award shows, but there are several of us -- my mom, my lil sis, some friends and I-- are having a Tony party so we can watch Hamilton sweep everything! Woot!
Also tried Chardonnay for the first time Friday. It's OK, for a white wine, not too strong. Still, stomach still feel irritated afterwards. Glad to get something to eat after the show. So far this makes 12 new things.
Also, finished another book. This is my 21 book for the year, and 15th of 24 challenges met for the Book Riot Read Harder challenge
21. Novel Without a Name, by Dương Thu Hương, Nina McPherson (Translator), Phan Huy Đường (Translator). A really powerful book set in Vietnam, during the final days of the Vietnam war. The story is told by Quan, a North Vietnamese soldier who joined the army at 18. Then, he was full of patriotism and ideals. Ten years later, his idealism has worn away and what he is fighting for far less clear, as he sees childhood friends killed, landscapes destroyed and people left destitute. The imagery and language is both beautiful and searing. The reader watches Quan as he tries to make a difference -- usually a futile effort-- and to understand what the purpose of the war really is. I kept thinking of Red Badge of Courage, a book I read in high school. I didn't care for the book then, but it has been on my re-read and "give another chance" list.
Currently reading: Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. This will fulfill the challenge requirement to read a book about politics. So far, loving this one but it's going to be a while before I finish. It's 800+ pages!
Oh, forgot to mention something strange that happened in mid-May. It was a Sunday... maybe two Sundays before Memorial Day weekend? No longer recall precisely when. But it actually snowed. Yes, you read that right, it snowed. In mid-May. North of us, in the Cleveland area, it actually stuck. Someone I know had a picture of her little boy in a snowsuit playing in the snow. In May. That... just does not compute. That's not all. In the span of less than an hour, it clouded up, then rained, then hailed, then snowed, then rained again, then cleared up, then became cloudy, then railed, then snowed again, then rained, then snowed...might not have the precised order but you get the point. Weird weird weird weather day. I mean, I've lived here all my life. Snows in early, even mid-April are not uncommon. But I'm trying to recall if I've ever seen it snow - and that much- in May. Oh, and this is in the middle of the day. NOT at night. Cold weather and frost is not uncommon in early or mid-May, either. Indeed, the rule of thumb around here is to not plant fragile annuals before Memorial Day weekend. But snow. In mid-May. In the middle of the afternoon. That popping sound heard that day was the brains of thousands imploding.
Rehearsals have started, and so far so good. Have a good cast assembled. Nothing about scene painting yet but I imagine that talk - and action - will happen in late June. We had to relocate to the middle school while the many burnt-out lights in the high school auditorium get replaced. Lighting is a good thing to have! Also, better now than closer to production.
Looking forward to next Sunday- the Tony Awards! Now, ordinarily I don't give two hoots for award shows, but there are several of us -- my mom, my lil sis, some friends and I-- are having a Tony party so we can watch Hamilton sweep everything! Woot!
Also tried Chardonnay for the first time Friday. It's OK, for a white wine, not too strong. Still, stomach still feel irritated afterwards. Glad to get something to eat after the show. So far this makes 12 new things.
Also, finished another book. This is my 21 book for the year, and 15th of 24 challenges met for the Book Riot Read Harder challenge
21. Novel Without a Name, by Dương Thu Hương, Nina McPherson (Translator), Phan Huy Đường (Translator). A really powerful book set in Vietnam, during the final days of the Vietnam war. The story is told by Quan, a North Vietnamese soldier who joined the army at 18. Then, he was full of patriotism and ideals. Ten years later, his idealism has worn away and what he is fighting for far less clear, as he sees childhood friends killed, landscapes destroyed and people left destitute. The imagery and language is both beautiful and searing. The reader watches Quan as he tries to make a difference -- usually a futile effort-- and to understand what the purpose of the war really is. I kept thinking of Red Badge of Courage, a book I read in high school. I didn't care for the book then, but it has been on my re-read and "give another chance" list.
Currently reading: Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. This will fulfill the challenge requirement to read a book about politics. So far, loving this one but it's going to be a while before I finish. It's 800+ pages!