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SmashingGrandpas
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Name: Jennifer
Country: Christmas Island
Gender: Female
Interests: Acting. Singing. Children. Love. Reading. Movies. Michael Jackson. The Simpsons. Prince. Stephen King. Jones Soda. Clerks Cartoons. The Critic. The Big Lebowski. Troll II. Manos: The Hands of Fate. Animals. Thrift Stores. The Color Red. Best Friends. Being in College. Writing. Smiling. Laughing 'til my sides split.
Expertise: I have a doctorate in Funk and Ridiculousness.
Occupation: Artist
Industry: Entertainment
Message: message me
AIM:  SmashingGrandpas
Member Since:
1/27/2002
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| It's been quite a while, but a bit has been going on, so I can surely blog about it.
Firstly, Happy Chanukah! Tonight was the first of the Festival of Lights, and I celebrated with Andrew's fam and lots-o-latkes.
Secondly, I'm feeling more at home in my home these days than I'd felt all the previous year. This isn't because I was uncomfortable in my house, but rather because I felt like it looked too transitional and college-y. Not my rooms--my rooms are great, and very warm. But the bathroom and kitchen, definitely, as this would tend to be a transitional place: it's a share, and once you're more well-off, maybe you get your own one-room or studio, etc. So most of the dishware and furniture (and some spices) are hand-me-downs from people who didn't want to bother with moving their stuff. However, as a poor, working actor, I fully intend on staying in my beloved goldmine of a house until I'm a kept woman, and that means I have a definite problem feeling warm and cozy in a kitchen that has no window treatments!
That said, at some point a month or two ago, I decided to bite the bullet and get cost-friendly pieces to completely personalize this house. After all, I live with two men, what do they care? With a trip or two to Ikea & Target, my house is warm and glowing and *perfect.* The bathroom has transformed from the awkward abyss it was into a smooth blue grotto, with two new shower curtains (replacing the one eternally-mildewy one that I scrubbed to no avail), a new chrome shelving system for the overload of LUSH, and a pretty balloon curtain to cover those horrific blinds (there is little that irks me more than the site of venetian blinds). It's too bad I have no 'before' pictures, but I will surely have 'after' ones. Add three pretty blue towels in along with a standing hamper, and I have my bathroom paradise. It couldn't be more perfect.  I am quiiiiite pleased.
Next to be attacked was the kitchen, which isn't *entirely* done, but I'm very satisfied. We'd had a gross, very dorm-ish circular grey table that really didn't jive with the shape of the room and just darkened everything, and it was too small to seat more than two people comfortably. It took a while, but I realized that that was the keystone to the 'togetherness' of the kitchen, so Andrew and I hit Ikea and got a beautiful, long, blonde wood table and chucked the old one. Immediate wonderfulness! It brightened everything and just looked much sleeker, could seat 3 comfortably, and could also fit the toaster oven....biiiig plus. Hook that up with a few placemats and a vase of fresh flowers, and the kitchen is perfect! Again, no 'before,' but an 'after' is on the way. SUPER added bonus: I have holiday-ed up the kitchen as well, with a winter bouquet and little snippets of pine on the windowsills, hanging cranberry clusters, and a decked-out mini tree in the corner. It looks beautiful, and, MOST importantly, feels beautiful and snuggly.
More home than ever, and just in time for the holidays. 
The Grandmistress of 'Design on a Dime,'
~Jen.~
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| Oh boy, I'm in trouble with my parents when it goes this long without a post. There's no real reason for it, either; every time I could sit down and write, something else becomes compelling, like playing with the bunny.
Well, since I last dropped in, I was wrangled into doing another show--this time alongside Andrew in a slew of one-acts! Being that it was the first time we've ever really worked alongside each other, it was a fun experience. Had our material been better, we would have loved it even more, but we made what we had the best it could possibly be (which was still pretty darn good). Ms. J and Mrs. Zanette even came, which was a huge surprise (and the definite highlight of my day)!
This week has been really sleepy and lax; I am basically done with the PT job I'd been doing while I was teaching in Newark, because they are starting to restrict my flexibility (which I really need). That leaves me temping, which works better for me anyway. However, last week was mostly spent in meetings with an agency who is looking to add me on, so this week is mainly recharging my battery. I'll most likely need to go in for more meetings either tomorrow or over the weekend, but we'll see.
"The Little Mermaid" is just wonderful, it's going so well and we're having a ball! We have this weekend off, which is nice, and then we're running hammer and tong until the end of the year.
I will try to keep updates coming...
The Grandmistress of Holiday Hubbub,
~Jen.~
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| Oh lord, it's been a while. I should technically be in bed now, but I just barely missed that tiny window between my crash and my second wind, so here we are!
I don't even know where to start--Kingy and I went to Atlantic City 2 weeks ago...then Carrie & Francesco got married, and it was *glorious*!...my parents just celebrated their 30th anniversary...and the festival opened and closed with some pretty great shows. I got my first theatre review, which basically took the show as a whole:
"The final play, The Mexican Cleaning Lady or How I Almost Offended the Dalai Lama,
is the most absurd play of the night and also my favorite. An agency
representing the Dalai Lama is trying to exploit his name in some way
but a nerdy employee has inadvertently insulted him. The Jewish woman
who runs the agency wants him to apologize. When the Mexican cleaning
lady arrives we realize that the Dalai Lama is not who he seems to be.
Playwright Leslie Bramm creates some very interesting abstractions with
his stereotypical characters. The story is bizarre and funny with
chucks of truth and sarcasm flying around. This is the only play of the
night that really transcends all the categories of bad. The cast is
great."
Now that that's over and done with, I've (so far) just got "The Little Mermaid" in rehearsals for the next few weeks, and after that we run for months! There MAY be a tour, however, through October & November, but...we shall see. I'm meeting with the playwright in 9 hours (eesh).
I'm basically just trying to catch up with myself. Today was my first 'me' day in a while, and I really need at least one per week. I caught up on all my phone calls, appointments, cleaning...the e-mail is still a forest to hack through, but hopefully that's a conquest for tomorrow.
Busy as it is, though, I'm keeping quite content and have been working steadily, which is a nice salve for an aching bank account.
I'll try to keep posted on new exciting stuff!
The Grandmistress of Biz-nazz,
~Jen.~
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| You know you've been remiss when your parents scold you! Lots-o-news...so, my new show just opened last week, the festival, and it's going well. The BIG news is that I just got my first paid show, which I'm over the moon about. It's also coincidentally my longest run ever (2.5 months), so yay! I found that out over a week ago.
Otherwise, I've actually been just working theatre, so now that my wallet's looking sparse, it's probably time to temp up again as much as possible to, you know, continue to live.
But more good news! Let's see..Kingy and I spent last Thursday in Atlantic City, which was freakin' awesome. We had a super-fun road trip and, well, she gambled a little--I would have, but slot machines are no longer slot machines, they're 'minimum 5-dollar' machines, and I really do NOT have money to gamble with now, so I just watched her. Just as fun.
But the best news: Cesco & Carrie were married on the beach on Saturday, the most lovely day I have ever ever seen in my life. It was a wonderful group of people whom I love dearly, and we all had so much fun! FABULOUS day, and so fantastic for them.
Okay, I need to stop this, because I'm incredibly disjunct right now and am only updating for the sake of it (and to please Mom & Dad ).
The Grandmistress of Buzziness,
~Jen.~
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