Irony and avoidance.

    This past week I have been on vacation with my Father in Branson where my grandparents own a vacation on home on Lake Taneycomo.  It was great in many ways, but mainly because I could get away from work, away from Chanute, and away from my life.  It's a great way to avoid things, like problems I guess.  Just take a vacation.  Well there are always certain things you can't avoid.  Like my parents seperation.  Usually I just try to avoid anything that relates to divorce, seperation, etc. when I'm with my Dad.  This can be very hard to do!  I mean, turn on the TV, or radio...and it's there.  My mother drives a silver Oldsmobile Alero, so of course I sort of cringe every time I see one on the road, and if I'm with Dad, I wonder if it automatically makes him think of Mom, because it certainly does for me.  I can't even play a Chicago song without worrying about it! lol  So despite having a relaxing and enjoyable time on the lake and in Branson with all that it provides, you just can't get away totally.  I don't want to go back to work, and after visiting Branson again my mind is telling me, "Audition to be in one of the shows down there!"  Acting is a terrible occupation to want to be in when you're already in debt. lol

     Funny story.  This happened before the vacation.  Dad and I were on our way to Topeka Saturday afternoon to meet up with my mom's parents for supper.  It was Dad's birthday.  One thing you must know if you haven't read my blogs before is that my Dad has many many traits that just annoy me.  Well, my brother Grant and I have a shared annoyance with him.  If we are on a trip in the car, my Dad will always want to stop and fill up with gas.  Even if he has well more than half a tank-full.  Sometimes he'll have 3/4's of a tank and he'll still want to pull over for gas.  "Dad!  You can drive with only a half a tank!!!"  For some reason, on our way up to Topeka, he didn't fill up the car before we left.  We hit one of the small towns you pass through on your way from Topeka and a Phillips 66 was just to our left where Dad usually wants to fill up.  I look over at the gas gauge and the needle is almost at empty.  I couldn't believe it!  "Dad, don't you want to fill up with gas?"  His reply shocked me even more.  "No, I think I can make it to the next town."  *gasp*

     We continue on, and I'm sitting there singing along to a Jack Johnson tune.  All of a sudden I hear him gasp.  "What's wrong?"  "My gas warning light just came on."  Good grief.  Right at that moment we pass a sign that says the next town is 22 miles away.  "Do you think I should turn around and get gas?"  Oh no...I absolutely hate turning around for things.  "No...I think you can make it."  So we continue on!  We probably made it 18 miles when warning chimes go off alerting us that we have no gas left!  lol  We have no clue how much longer the car will run.  5 miles?  We could see the next town up ahead, and our question was about to be answered.  The car quit, and we were just coasting down the highway with vehicles forming a line behind us.  55....45...35...the speedometer was reading.  Dad was still coasting that car at 5 mph!!  "Dad.  Get off the road now so I won't have to push you off the road!"  He starts messing with the gear shift and accidentally throws it into "Park".  GRIND GRIND GRIND.  I slapped my forehead.

     The car is stuck on the side of the road now with Dad turning the ignition switch off and on, pumping the gas pedal.  "Dad, I think we can call the police and they'll bring us a little gas."  But the town was in sight so he replied, "I guess I'll start walking."  I just sat there in the car.  "What am I supposed to do?"  "Well you can sit there or come with me."  So in 90 degree heat, with sandals on I started walking along the side of the road laughing.  He didn't think it was funny, but I couldn't control the irony of the situation.  "You never let the tank even get half empty!"  We made it to the gas station with sweat rolling down our backs.  And after filling up a borrowed gas can, we began the journey back to the car praying to the "Good Samaritan" gods that someone would give us a lift back.  Before we were even out of town, we heard a honk behind us.  It was a nice white truck with two very nice looking elderly people in it.  "Yes!  We have a ride!" I was thinking.  What happened next only made this story even more ironic.  The older gentleman looked over at us and kindly asked, "Do you know how to get to the park?" lol  Are you kidding me?  Well of course we knew where the park was.  We had passed it while walking in to town!  Here we were needing help, and in our most desperate moment, thinking relief was finally there for us, someone asks US for help!

     After all that, even Dad had to burst out laughing.  Seriously, how often does that happen???  So we proceeded down the highway on out of town back to our car.  We crossed the highway to walk against on-coming traffic, (as I learned to do in Boy Scouts), and were really starting to huff it.  I knew I was going to make it fine, but Dad was starting to grunt.  About that time, behind us we heard a pick-up truck rollin behind us.  We looked back to find a beat up, noisy, dirty truck, with a man driving who was just as dirty looking as his fine chariot.  It didn't matter to me.  He didn't even have to ask.  I didn't even hear the words out of his mouth.  "Of course we'd love a ride!  Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!"

    We walked around to the other side of the truck and as Dad opened up the door, a mountain of beer cans fell out.  I'm pretty sure the man didn't notice, but already I knew my father was nervous.  The man got out of his truck to grab something from the back.  "Can I offer ya guys a beer?"  He kindly asked as he popped a top and put the can between his legs.  "No...no...thank you." lol  Now we were scared maybe this fella couldn't even drive us the two miles to our car!  But he managed fine and even stayed to make sure our vehicle was operable.  We thanked him again and sat back in our car to drive into town.  And after pulling in next to the pump at the gas station, we realized our ironic crisis was over.

I doubt Dad will ever let the needle go beyond the 3/4 mark on the gas gauge ever again! lol

Loved, not perfect, but it's changing.

     We had two major scares before our performances of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" kicked off.  Two of our four cast members lost their voices!!  Whether it was from over-rehearsing or just not taking care of themselves, our director was forced to thing through a back up plan in case one of them still didn't have their voice.  Well luckily Jenny's voice came through and wasn't a problem at all, but Nate's was still raspy and cracking.  He pulled through though, and the performance only got better as the night went on.

      I can't wait to post pictures of the scenes!  I'm sure some will be hillarious!  Soon we will be focusing on our next production, which will be "The Sound of Music".  It'll mark the first time our community theater has repeated a performance in over 25 years.  Auditions will be in a week, and this has left me pondering whether I really want to tackle another musical after just finishing one.  I've been thinking it might be fun to run lights again.  The last time I ran lights was several years ago for "The King and I".  But I also think it would be fun to be cast as a nun!  Our director already said I probably could do it because I still have the baby face and that is the only part of me that would be seen. lol  So that is intriguing me.  But I came up with another idea today while working.

     I'm thinking it may be fun to create a radio program that focuses on all the theater performances in this area.  It would be called  "In the Director's Chair" or something of that variation, and would basically be an interview with the director of the play, and hopefully include snippets from the actual performance.  I figure this next play would be a good starter and would also be a way for me to be involved with the play without being in it.  *shrugs*  I'm thinking about it.

    In other news, I recently took a test to become a rural route mail carrier. lol  When I was a wittle, iddy, biddy, kid I used to love waiting and seeing the mail man arrive with our mail.  And at that time, it was something I thought I wanted to be. So...twenty some years later, I decided maybe I'd take a shot at it. 

    However, with the success of this recent play, many people have voiced to me that I should not be in Chanute, KS performing in community theatre.  They believe I definitely should be getting paid for entertaining.  My confidence level in my acting ability isn't that high.  I realize that it is one thing I excel at, but do I really want to pursue it as a career??? I've thought about it at one time, and went to a talent agency try-out.  I passed the try out and was invited to a convention where you performed in front of actual agents.  Somehow I did not get picked by them, to the surprise of some of the agents when I actually talked to them.  Some of them said to send some material to them and they'd see what they could do, but I didn't have much of an actual resume at that time.  And now that I do, maybe it is something I should pursue.

The Most Wanted List

     Wow!  Have I ever been busy!?!  At work, we've been driving to my grandparents house, which is a little over an hour away, to work on their kitchen.  This week we focused on the floor.  They bought Amish handscraped  hickory wood floors.  It's a very rustic look, that is for sure.  But it took us all week to get it finished.  We installed granite tops on their cabinets, which I have been very worried about.  There are some marks on the stone from using markers on them to help fabricate the stone, and they won't come off.  I'm really afraid we may have to get them some new tops.  I know that's not what my boss wants, and I certainly know my grandma wouldn't be too happy with it.  She has definitely made it known that she wants her kitchen back!

     So I've kept very busy with work, especially while doing all this in 100+ heat.  I could not believe the heat this week.  I'm normally a person that loves the heat in the summer, but it got way too hot this week.  I passed by a bank sign the other night and it read 99 at 10:00 at night!

     Only three more days till my performance of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change".  We have been working very hard at it.  And for the most part my lines are memorized. lol  I really have not had much time to memorize, so I've basically relied on the repetition at practice.  No matter what it will still be hillarious.  The performances are Thurs, Friday, and Saturday at the Country Club.  Tickets are $10 for Thursday night @ 7:30, $25 for the dinner theatre on Fri, and Sat with the meal starting at 6 and the show starting at 7:30.  If you still haven't gotten tickets...call Cindy or Emilie Fairchild @ (620) 431 - 6816!!  Tuesday is the latest you can get them!

    Soon after my performances, I will turn 27!  August the 1st.  Put it on your calendar. lol  Here's a little list of things I want for my birthday!

1.  Pay off my student loans!  Please!!  Yes, money is always a great gift.  Especially if it has a number followed by three or four zeroes. lol  I'm not kidding.

2.  A blue automatic Pontiac Solstice.  I still want that car!  My '97 Grand Am is not going to last forever!

3.  A 32+ inch HDTV would be incredibly awesome!  I'm sick of beating on my 19 in. RCA every time it starts it's high pitched squealing.  Ughhh!

4.  A grill.  Just a basic $50 charcoal grill.  Is that too much to ask?

5.  A beautiful adoring woman for a girlfriend. lol  Ok, maybe this is a little too much to ask. haha  It never hurts to ask though right?  The powers that be might actually be listening.  And no...this list is not in order of importance!  I do not treasure a grill over a girlfriend. lol  Do I have anyone in mind?  Well...they might know who they are. ;)

6.  Old vinyls!  I want the classics!  Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Doors, Doobie Brothers, etc. etc. etc. 

7.  Clothes can never be underestimated as a birthday gift.  Gift certificates to American Eagle always rock.  But Lacoste would be good too!

8.  Season tickets to watch my Kansas State Wildcats play in football and basketball.  Both would be nice, but if I had to choose, I'd have to go with basketball of course.  Bob Huggins is gonna turn us into champions!

9.  Of course a great paying job with good benefits would be a godsend. lol  I realize no one can actually give this as a birthday gift.  But it can still be on my wanted list.

10.  Maybe a rich sexy older lady living in Hawaii would love a partner. ;) lol

Musica 1979

    On August 1st, of '79...when I was brought through the tunnel and out into the bright world, the first song I may have heard was a Donna Summer song called "Bad Girls".  It was #1 on the charts at that time.  Yes, back in '79, the age of disco music was at it's peak.  The BeeGees had several number ones that year including "Tragedy".  Other disco hits of that year?  How about Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive"?  Or Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough".

    However, as with any popular music at it's peak, people were starting to backlash against disco.  The Knacks "My Sharona" was the biggest hit that year.  Rod Stewart was asking us "Do You Think I'm Sexy?".  The Eagles had a hit with "Heartache Tonight", and Styx also had "Babe" at number one.  I'm thinking that it wasn't an all too bad year for music.

     Meatloaf was singing "Bat Out of Hell".  Queen was talking about a "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".  AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", The Cars "Just What I Needed" and "Let's Go", The Police "Roxanne", Dire Straits "Sultan of Swing", and Kenny Rogers "The Gambler" were all hot.

     And lets not forget about the beginning of rap.  Sugarhill Gang's "Rappers Delight" was delighting everyone's ears!  Yes..rap was around before many of you were even born.  Can you believe it? 

Cinema 1979

    It will soon come to be that dreadful time of the year where yours truly has to look back and celebrate the number of years he has existed on the planet.  Yes, it's true, I'm getting old!  On August the 1st I'll be 27!  For curiousity's sake, lets take a look back at what was happening in the year of our Lord 1979 A.D.  For this entry I'll focus on cinema.

In the movies:

     "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" began production as well as "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" made it's debut in December becoming the 4th highest grossing movie of that year.  What was #1?  A Clint Eastwood flick where he stars as a trucker entitled "Every Which Way but Loose."  Wow.  You would've thought that there wasn't any better movies out that year.  But then you'd be wrong.  Other great movies that came out that year were:  "Alien", "Rocky II", "Amityville Horror", "The Muppet Movie", "The Deer Hunter", "Apocalypse Now", "The Jerk", "Monty Python's Life of Brian", and the James Bond movie "Moonraker."  The movie that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards that year was "Kramer vs. Kramer" starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, both of who also won best acting awards from the Academy.