Sunday, November 28th
I hope everyone had a reasonable Thanksgiving weekend. We had a low key few days. Lunch with Tommy's family, then dinner with a group of theatre friends where there was much carousing and martinis with a continuation to a Friday dinner where leftovers were consumed and the same group kept on. We all enjoy each others company and hadn't worked together on a show for a while so it was a time to catch up, share backstage stories, play many riotous games of Apples to Apples and have a few more martinis.
I am desperately trying to get the new touring show for the Seasoned Performers, Alabama's only senior theatre group, written so it can go into rehearsal in January. I have a draft due by the 15th of December and I'm only about half done. It's about three actresses who starred in a radio drama years ago reuniting years later and reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future together. I have some good pieces worked out but am still stuck on the full formal dramatic art. If I can get a whole draft down, I can then refine it and get things worked out better.
Leaving in the morning for the usual West Virginia and Kentucky run. Just hope the snows stay out of the mountains until I get back. Have to give a talk on health care reform while I am there so I've been spending some time researching the bill. There's some good stuff in it but it doesn't go far enough so I don't see it working out properly in the long run. Everything may change with the results of the last election as well...
Been spending some time whipping the house into shape. The goal is to get everything properly put away by Christmas after three years of continuous upheaval. We're slowly getting there. Only a few boxes left and then we have to attack the garage and the storage space. There's some room there as much of the excess furniture has gone to Tommy's niece who is furnishing her first apartment.
We will be in Seattle for Christmas for a week. It will be nice to see everyone. I don't know how much vacation it will be as we are helping my parents move out of the house and into senior living. Time marches on.
Wednesday, November 3rd
I can't say I'm terribly thrilled by the outcome of yesterdays elections, but it was pretty much inevitable given the current state of politics in the US. The dems ignored their base and tried to govern from a conciliatory middle and got played by the repubs who were able to make their inaction and blocking of progress seem like the fault of the actual dem policies. Combine that with a stagnant economy and 10% unemployment and the results are pretty much a no brainer. Hopefully, the Obama administration has learned something and will get into the rough and tumble of politics rather than trying to hold itself outside. That strategy never works. I doubt there will be a wholesale repeal of anything. Obama won't sign it and it won't pass the senate. I forsee a lot of the same gridlock over the next couple of years and a continued stagnant economy. Batten down the hatches folks.
Most of the last couple of weeks has been devoted to fundraisers and good works of various stripes. Tommy and I, along with the rest of the Opera Birmingham chorus, learned six major opera chorus moments for a benefit cabaret show including Carmen's Toreador chorus, Trovatore's Anvil chorus and Nabucco's Slave chorus. It came off rather well and will be repeated in the future. If anything, there was too much good music. Tommy and I also ended up doing most of the catering as well so we get double brownie points for that one.
Monday night was the Center For Aging's inaugural 'Dancing with the Silver Stars' event using local 'celebrities' with dance pros in a format like the TV show. A good time was had by all and we made quite a lot of money and people are clamoring to be the celebrity 'contestants' for next year. This one will be a keeper. I did not dance, not being a celebrity. I was able to enjoy the food and drink instead.
This weekend, is Alzheimers of Central Alabama memory walk and Tommy and I are, again, in charge of the T shirts. I have six cartons in the car that have to be folded tonight and another five to be folded before Saturday morning sometime so they can be given out to the hordes.
Hallowe'en was a quiet affair. We were both tired on Saturday night and went to bed early. Sunday night, we had work to do around the house and no trick or treaters. We seldom have them. The benefit(?) curse(?) of living at the end of a dead end on the top of a steep hill.
Things are quieter for most of the rest of November. We have no Thanksgiving plans as of yet. I'm sure we'll do more than Swanson frozen turkey TV dinners but it's unclear what.
Upcoming travel plans.
Andy - Beckley/Princeton/Pikeville/Berea - November 29th - December 3rd
Andy and Tommy - Seattle - December 21st - December 29th
