Coffee, poetry, Martha, shamrock stickers...and everything else in between.
So, up until yesterday, this was going to be quite a depressing entry. No, not the typical “Woe Is Me” kind that appear so often on the LJ scene…but I have NOT been in the best of states for a while now. At ALL.
And then last night happened, and it made me the happiest I’ve been in a VERY long time.
The day started out hectic and sucky…but I won’t get into that. Anyway, Pat did me a huge favor, so to do a favor back, I told him I would accompany him to a mandatory poetry reading he had to attend for his class. He had been putting it off for a while and was going to fail the class if he didn’t go to one ASAP. So we got directions and drove into God Knows Where…we had NO clue where this effing place was. But we got into the town…
…and to make a very long story short, it was the most magical, quaint, serene little town EVER. Just my kind of place - reminded me a lot of Jacksonville, Oregon (right by Ashland, where my grandparents live) mixed with the towns that surround the Alisal Ranch (my favorite place in the UNIVERSE..I think better than NY. And that says a LOT.) mixed with Sierra Madre mixed with Old Town Pasadena. I really can’t even describe it. We ate at the most pristine little restaurant for dinner, which has apparently been around since the late 60s/early 70s. THEN we head over to the poetry reading across the street, at the Ugly Mug Café. Observing the people who came and went from the room was so entertaining. Pat and I were talking about how we’re a bit sick of normality: it’s becoming more and more rare to spot out interesting people in the true sense of the word, people who are quirky and independent and self-assured and REAL. Especially at UCI and in the Irvine/Newport area. These people were all of the above. And it was amazing.
I won’t get into the actual poetry reading; I’ll leave it at there were so many unique pieces brought up, one which consisted of a game of metaphorical poker. People opening up slivers of their souls onto a page and onstage for a very intimate audience…some things are just so beautiful and intriguing, no matter how simple or absurd.
THEN, we head over to Ryan’s for the Bat Boy cast party. Seriously, that was what I’d been looking forward to for the entire week. It was what was keeping me going here and not breaking down entirely, wanting to pack up and go home already. And lemme just say, it was SO MUCH FUN. I love these people with all my heart. It sounds so corny, but it’s so so true. Remember the realness, the uniqueness I spoke of earlier? So many of these people who I am honored to call good friends of mine are unlike any other people I’ve met; they know WHO they are and WHAT makes them happy. Even if they don’t entirely, they just accept the journey and don’t *try* to be anything else. Which is so damn refreshing to be around here. The party was great because although there were a lot of people, it was by no means as out of control as it could have been. Actually having space to talk to people, to laugh, to dance, to eat, to drink - it was soooo much better than those parties where a.) you don’t know half the people, b.) you’re all cramped up into a few rooms, bumping into people all the time, or c.) a combo of a and b. I don’t know, maybe I’m being overly Pollyanna-esque. But after being so down for so long, last night meant a LOT to me. I love my friends and I love that I’ve made these connections that will hopefully last a while.
Went to bed at 3:45. Woke up at 7:45. My internal clock is definitely on some sort of rhythm I DON’T understand!
I still cannot wait to be home.
And now: pictures..
Rehearsals/show pics that are LONG overdue.
By the way, here is a warning: There are an EXTREME amount of pictures. But Pat always says, POST YOUR PICTURES ON LIVEJOURNAL SO I CAN STEAL THEM.
So here, for your stealing pleasure...
Jessica and I hold our Bat Boy.
So wrong.
And now a montage of us laying all over Pat:
becky, jessica, carly, pat, tiffany, stephanie, me
We look like a litter of badly dressed puppies.
w/ garret and andrew. we're laying on the stage, but it looks like Garret is hanging upside down like a monkey :-)
left side of the picture: oh, look at the cute picture or erin and katie.
right side: huh?
ok, that's better :-)
bunnybunnybunnybunnybunny!
carly, pat, and I. I really enjoy this picture for some reason.
my little b-b-b-becky!
"Sink your fangs into my soul..."
robyn making an odd face with our incredible band...plus max.
a circle of LOVE!
Shots from backstage:
Batboy, Meredith, and Shelly...but it looks more like "Carly Nykanen as the Ghost of Christmas Past."
"So, whatcha wanna do tonight?"
"See look, I made a stew.."
After the show with Pat and Lamey McLamerson (aka jessica, who drove all the way down here with Peg to see the show!)
And now, for the...
erin, lauren (M), me, and max in the back (yet another picture which randomly contains max!)
Becky, me, and Biscus'!
Rachel Stivers, me, and Gray-Vee!
our amazing director, Peter!
I love carly...and how we are both decked out in leprechaun stickers.
my quinndalyn vananTWERP showed up, too!
I don't remember the first guy's name, Lauren (G. -- whom I formally "met" last night for the first time, which is weird because I kinda knew her and she kinda knew me. Whatev), Jess, me, Carly, Pat, and Court (who lives in Ryan's house as well)
Lauren (M)'s fine picture taking skills...I dunno, I think it's funny.
...and when she's not being a photographer, she and Mitch make a damn good dance couple (btw, I think they were slow dancing to Beyonce. oh yes.)...
...she is also the spokeswoman for TGI Friday's lunchbox-sized pina colada on-the-rocks. yes, TGI Fridays. We are extremely classy here.
fun night!!!
Some people came down to see Bat Boy that I was missing a LOT:
weird of me, cute of them. No matter -- I love that they came to support me :-)
at IHOP after the show!
Adria is also here this week, so we took her to BJs a couple nights ago:
I LOVE that last picture :-) Yeah, I know, add it to the pile.
Finally, for good measure:
...and, scene.