bullet points and follow-up

•There's an end to a story I was meant to post a while ago.

As for today I took about thirty minutes into my shift to do something that so filled me with regret I felt nauseous. I also VERY MUCH felt like an a**hole. I acted selfishly and possessively. AMAZINGLY, I worked through it in about twenty or thirty minutes' time so that the panic had ebbed and I was ready to roll with whatever the future brought.
Merciful God- The future I had to roll with came just five hours later. The customer I'd made an a** of myself to came back into the shop. I was amazed but CALM this time, and NOT possessively demanding to control the situation.

In other news, I need to sleep so this story is to be continued.
(From 26th August.)

On that "today" the store was closed. The doors were open but the pumps and all other business was shut down while the point-of-sale system was updated. So, because I couldn't have any customers, I was free to fraternize with as many regulars as I wanted to (...but not really...but I did it anyways).

Very early, I saw a regular whose new tattoo had perplexed me. I'd asked to see it a few days before, I read it; I rolled it around in my head 164 times but had no idea what-what. Almost thought it was a Christian sentiment... Then a Google search returned something absurd... So when he walked in and I convinced myself I had the right to insert myself in his day/life/personal space, I made a bee-line and fumbled, "It's been really bothering me. What does your tattoo mean??"
On recognizing me, he smiled the same warm smile (borderline smug) he shows when he's amused by my interest. (I know, I know.) He gave me a fair and full answer. At the time I heard NONE of it. I smiled and nodded while my insides screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" It all hit me, that I had skulked over to ask a silly question in an inappropriate setting. So, I felt like an asshole.

To this guy, I think it was mostly funny. (I think he's used to getting attention from women.) I thank God that he was gracious enough to answer me patiently without flinching for a second. (I did retain his answer... I just didn't hear it til hours later.)

"Cool. Thanks!" and back to work I go as he leaves. I feel SUCH an idiot. I was grateful the task resumed was stocking cigarettes so I had time to speak with God without being interrupted to speak with people.

I told Him I was sorry for my selfishness. I told Him I was sorry for interacting with an unbeliever having not the Kingdom in mind as first priority but my own gratification & self-interest. Whore.

Sigh. I gave it up. I said that the worst-case scenario was unbearable awkwardness for the forseeable future. I accepted it. The guy had been gracious with me but he was still taken aback and I had still made an unfavorable statement with my actions and body language. It was not good. But I made my bed and I would lie in it. I got over it. (I had to! Kicking myself would achieve naught.)



Later in the day, my boss asked which of the two tallboy energy drinks I was going to imbibe next. I had bought four in the morning, before the POS went offline. One was for me that day, one for another day and two for the two guys I expected at 12:36pm. I told her they were for giving away. She quickly makes a "tsk" sound and furrows her brow (the new normal response to me giving stuff away).

I just twigged that I've blogged the second portion of this story already. Ahem. The gist is that the guys (the tattooee and his counterpart) showed up on time (12:37pm) and I had the opportunity to commit a selfless gesture under the humility and humiliation that had found me that morning. My expectations were zero. I didn't milk it and I prayed that the unwarranted generousity would point only to Christ. (That's the big idea.) It wasn't perfect but after being brought so low, I was incredibly grateful for ANY opportunity to not look an ass. It was cool.

•

I'm ashamed of myself because I just watched someone get moderately beat up and didn't call the police. (Or say anything or move.)

At first I thought they were playing, then I thought the one would get away from the two but when they kept pursuing and yelling, I was frozen and a coward. Someone needed help and I didn't help them.

(If one person comments on this post or in-person how I'm not responsible and shouldn't have gotten involved, I will snap on them.)

What the fuck am I doing with my life if I can't stop a teenage girl from getting thrown onto pavement on her back while fifty other people stand by?

I heard someone else speaking with the police, giving physical descriptions and at this time the assailants returned to their group and the pursued had slipped into a building.


I wondered why I don't care about street youth. I wonder when I excused myself from the frontlines. COWARD.

I have never seen a person snap into the foetal position so quickly.

A hundred things on my mind became unimportant when I saw a savage double-kick to a girl's ribs and back. I hate this mirror that shows my selfish, afraid heart.

No more.

Sorting through boxes is toujours a weird process.

Yesterday was earmarked for sorting boxes because the nag of that being yet incomplete was growing. My Saturday was "free" and knocking one nagging thing off a list of nagging things seemed a good idea.

A. Something I did NOT like about sifting through was reading a bunch of things I'd written that showed great self-indulgence. It's not quite that but a puffing up or a quality of "I think I'm so awesome"-ness. It's pretty garbage. I had to throw some things out before I finished reading them because it was nauseating. Bah. I wanted to take solace in how many years have passed and how many Saviours* have begun transforming my life (just one, actually) since writing them but something in me was sure I'm still prone and still guilty. I've already said it once today but I'll say it again: sometimes I'm an a**hole.

B. Another thing I did not like was coming across evidence of intense idol worship.

Idol worship.

(Not that I'm now immune but wow. Obsession and adulation. Echhh.)

C. Something I have enjoyed is the mounds of things I've been able to chuck without thinking. Many things yet sit in the "undecided" pile but brother, we are making progress.
i. Also like that recycling is nearing overflow but trash remains almost empty.

D. One of the piles presently on my floor is of papers containing quotes that need to be recorded/archived. As if I have a whole PILE of those. Also have a pile of five Starbucks cards that I want to check the balances of.

Anyways, here's one that I probably won't record anywhere else.

A limmerick:

There once was a girl from West Staples
Who kept mispronouncing "Naples".
She ran on the road
And stepped on a toad
And lost all desire to rhyme.
15/06/04 ECG

*After learning a bit about Johnson and Webster last weekend, I have decided to test-drive British/Canadian spellings of words like this. I do prefer the -or suffix but I think I like being British more.

triet XXXVII

The only three LA-ish things I observed while in LA and surrounding area:

1) A woman on a train reading a script on her iPad while writing emails on her iPhone.

2) This advert in a bus shelter:

(I feel like it wouldn't work the same in many other places.)

3) Standing behind Mia Michaels in line for Starbucks in LAX.

Things that made this day stand out from most:

(1) In the morning someone accidentally spilled their drink on me (mostly my head). I wasn't bothered so I wish I had said my "it's OK" louder because I don't think he heard me and seemed to feel horrible.

(2) At work someone offered to flash me - but he meant his Casual Friday shirt that he can apparently no longer wear, as his company has discontinued Casual Friday. It's an Incredibles! t-shirt and I like it so I guess he meant he would smuggle it in some day for my benefit. That guy is ALWAYS on. Like, always has a comeback, is always ready to be silly. Always a welcome part of my day.

(3) Someone suggested we could have conjugal visits if I went to jail for fraud. (Same person that suggested Niagara Falls.) No, thank you; no, thank you; no, thank you; no, thank you; no, thank you; no, thank you; no, thank you...

:(

Stop, please.

Day Three (in Cali) was cool (though clearly not so cool that I wrote about it right away).

That said, I did just leave an eight-day lapse between posts so....who knows what anything means anymore?

Late start (awesome - it's been a while) and then went to explore a nearby city. The train station itself blew me away. It was intricate, compelling, gorgeous. I didn't realize til I alighted the train that I was in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. If I'd had no knowledge of my travel details and you told me I was in Mexico, I'd have believed you. Wow. Culture.



I was disappointed that it was not a LARGE city because I was hoping to see a bunch of things all in one area. I wasn't planning to have to sleuth things out or walk twenty, thirty minutes to downtown. (It wouldn't have bothered me normally but I walked an hour to the train station that morning and an hour the day before. And it was very hot and windless. Just tiring is all.)

Alas, after I adjusted my mindset to the situation, it was super fun. :) Just an interesting some place else to wander about in. And I like listening to Spanish (even though it drove my brain into French). It was a good lazy Sunday.

I et a burrito that forced me to say I've never had a tortilla until just then. I mean THAT is what they're supposed to taste like. Sumptuous.

Intimidated like I'd walked into someone else's family reunion, I went to the theatre after lunch. (I had hoped I'd get to go to the big screen during this trip. I'm sure some would ask why, since there are theatres where I live. It's only cos I love movies so much and watching them somewhere new IS extra fun for me. And it relaxes & energizes me like much.) Killer Elite (2011) was very good.
Really good. I would like to watch it again (and once again). Did not know it was based on true events...and I very much want to know the back story.

Stopped in a grocery mart because why not? and bought two weird things I'd never seen before. One was a white chocolate Kit Kat.



On my first day I also discovered coconut M&Ms and Taco-flavored Doritos (with package design circa 1992!). Yumderful. [How I haven't used that word before I don't know.]




Went back to the hotel earlier than planned because I was beat and the little city was shutting down. My roommate and I watched a bunch of tele and seemed to both be experiencing that point in a trip when the adrenaline had faded.

It was good. I enjoyed both my Saturday and Sunday nights that I could spend with someone who likes TV as much as I do (more than average)  was on their phone intermittently, as I was, and talked as much as I did (not much at all!). Totes chill.

Lady Antebellum sound to be not bad.

Day Two:

-The wedding was wow. Shortest ceremony I've ever witnessed (maybe 25 minutes?) and the only time I've heard a recessional with predominant banjos.

-She's great (first met her today).

-Such centrepieces and décor I have never seen. I was so inspired - creatively, artistically, photographishly, weddingly and even literarily. I won't describe; I'll just upload a million photos.

-I don't remember the last time I felt so relaxed at a wedding. I mean... I didn't think or worry about the reception where I would know two people (but one of them I met yesterday) and expected to get time with neither. I didn't care about trying to make conversation, or being quiet or trying to not be intimidating. Just went with it and had great fun. I was seated at one of the head tables with half the bridal party which was new, fun and meant I DID get to speak with the other person I knew. I laughed a lot (as hoped!).

-Met someone new that was easy to talk to. Both dads were awesome. Only one mildly awkward sex joke.

-Felt really happy to be there (as in, fully present & undistracted -- RARE for me at weddings) and honored all over again that I was invited. Trying to explain how I knew the groom was continually difficult. We met at a five-day conference three summers ago, we visited for a week later that winter, another short conference the next summer and...well that's it. I have probably not seen him for more than twenty days in my life. There is email, Facebook and instant messaging... but it was really the first 5am chat that forged some deep alliance. It's...something. I thank God for him.

-The first part of the day was wonderful. I felt like I was sleeping in late but on Mountain time it was not even 9am before a continental breakfast was being wolfed down my throat. I was more disappointed than I thought I'd be about the lack of hot food (eggs, hashies and particularly baked beans). I really wanted baked beans. I think that an advert I saw for Brown's brand baked beans just before sleeping last night led me to look forward to them all while I slumbered. Ah, well.

-Marched down a partially sidewalked and mostly undeveloped road, and then through cookie-cutter Spanish-looking (murderously expensive) house clusters, to eventually find a few shops, restos and a café in a strip mall. I tend to enjoy the everyday more than the tourist attractions so this was good for me. I like being on my own and exploring, so doing it in a foreign culture adds challenge, something like intrigue and it energizes me. It's cheap & simple and I like it.

-The (tiny sliver of) work I brought with me has not once emerged from its spot at the very bottom of my bag. I keep pushing work-related tasks, questions and emails out of my brain because I REFUSE to be the "over-worked American" I keep hearing about who takes his laptop on vacation. Anyways, what's made a difference is PLANNING for this trip to include rest and inherently giving myself permission to refrain from working, guilt-free. So, it doesn't matter. I'm not getting any work done and it doesn't matter. :)

OK, I sent two emails. But they were quick and time-sensitive.

-It was a good afternoon. I was able to journal, look stuff up, and pick up a few needed things (like nasal decongestant) and non-needed (like a USC water bottle). It was great to be in a coffee shop with no agenda or curfew... It was relaxing! How to describe??


My body is begging for sleep.

[PST]

On an occassion such as this,

I feel I should be blogging. But what to say? I have been in transit for fifteen hours and now I'm in a hotel in Irvine, CA.

The US introduced a one-dollar coin in August. Crazy. I really liked their one-dollar bill.

-I had breakfast with my sister downtown this morning. It was great (but it is surreal that a few hours later I'm 4000km away). Oh, life.

-I think my fun thing to check out in other countries is food. I knew I had a tendency to look for these things but today I kinda accepted that it's my thing.

-So far, food is MAD cheap here and that makes gladness to me.

-I totally forgot that states like Cali have such a large Hispanic population. I donno why it shocked me so.

-A taxi driver gave me his personal phone number about an hour ago.

-Watched X-men: First Class (2011) in-flight and it was great. Totes hit the spot (action, comedy, comic book, special effects, sci-fi, team protagonists, unpredictable plot, meta-plot...). I liked it. I liked it being free, too. James McAvoy is interesting and I want to see more of his stuff as well as re-watch other stuff I've seen.

-Don't have any plans for Sunday... I hope it is filled with great things.

-I haven't been thinking about the wedding too much because it will be what it will be. I'm here... Que sera sera.

[PST]

Well... I feel weird about it but I would feel even weirder if no one else felt weird about it.

Today I own my first pair of Nikes.

Didn't hit me til I was lacing them a minute ago, five minutes after purchase and four minutes into wearing. Weird. It's the unmistakable swoosh. Dang. I wonder if I'd have gone another way if I figured it out in the shop. Herm. There it is.

Anyways, I really like them. :)

Today was also the day of a VERY gross pass made at me... Ugh. My face showed my feelings about it. The eyebrows went up and an are-you-joking-right-now? scoff came out of my mouth. I don't know what I might have said if there weren't other customers present.
The comment involved a hotel room in Niagara Falls. I think I am most annoyed that he thinks I am that cheap/easy. Frig. Annoyed am I.

The third unexpectedbot was when a customer flexed his pecs at me while I was talking to him.


Yeah.


(I didn't ask or even allude to anything related. Oddly, it didn't fluster me much. I laughed incredulously and instinctively turned away because it's ridiculous... I know where the beach is, buddy. The conversation continued..he bid me to have a nice day and they were gone. So weird.)

What a day. And more day to come!

From Monday: Blogging without wifi.

At midnight I thought it was time to get up and go to work. I woke up cos this duvet must be full of complete geese, not only their down. Does it EVER retain heat.

I dozed back off happily.

At 5am, however, I was interested in murdering the world. It really needed to not be morning. Ugh. Monday!
At 5.23 I manned up and stumbled to the shower. Somehow I managed not only to catch my bus but to have breakfast and to have enough time to read and compose emails using the wifi of the public library right at the bus stop before it arrived. (I'm unable to use my phone's own 3G network right now because I maxxed out my data plan last Wednesday. Yes. I used 500MB of data in 14 days. I am a monster.)

Someone opened the bathroom door while I was changing into my work clothes. It was someone I know (from Tims) and it was a woman and I was mostly covered so I didn't really care. I actually laughed. The part that bothered me was that my adrenaliney brain made me react with, "I'm sorry!" Pretty sure I wasn't supposed to apologize.

Shift had virtually the perfect amount of work in it. I actually got a lunch break... It was crazy. It felt epic.
Only made a fool of myself twice (and those were minor incidents each...nothing lasting).
Got to see my favorite across-the-street customer a few times....he made me laugh so hard. What a blessing. :) I admire his easy-going nature and I am grateful that he gets all my jokes. Today I told him I had discovered that you can put all five vowels in this blank: l_st and make words*. I had to say it twice and when he understood he nodded slowly and carefully with a TINY, hesitant smile. I sarcastically deduced that he wasn't a logophile (lover of words) like me. I guess that's OK. We had both noticed the police officer who had walked into the Tims so as loudly as I could reasonably be, I said, "I guess I'll have to come up with something else entertaining to talk about. Like the balloon of cocaine in your stomach."
"The what?!"
"The balloon of cocaine in your stomach," I repeat flatly throwing an exaggerated glance to where the cop yet stood.
"Ahhh," he clicks in his familiar noow-I-see-where-you're-going tone. (I know that tone quite well.) "Yeah. You never know when cocaine might come in handy," he adds matter-of-factly with a shrug.
I laugh freely at the absurdity of the statment and the classy deadpan used to deliver it. Delighted that he is playing along without hesitation once again, and still coming off the high of finding a new, cool thing in English (I'm seriously a logophile), I add, "Or a balloon."
And he can't finish agreeing that, yes, "You never know when a balloon might-" before he laughs in two parts; I guess the first, hearing the super-absurd statement and second, being caught off-guard by my saying something he finds extra funny. He doubled over to laugh ...just like he did last week when I said in context, "He probably thinks all black people know one another." Oh, how I like making funny people laugh. It's a rarity!

*This is also true for p_t. S, n, h and m can all make words with each vowel (before or after) but M is the only one that can do it with Y, too! Excitement.
Another cool thing: "smile" has three anagrams. Miles, limes and slime. Last time I told that to someone (while instant messaging), their response was, "limse," and later, "esmil" and enough other combinations that I think I fell off my chair laughing. If not I at least laughed very hard.
 

Ew. What's wrong with me?

Why did I just get the urge to buy tickets to a Buffalo Bills game?? Gross... Last week I was thinking about trying to catch some tennis matches ... It makes me feel very weird.

On a related note, last Sunday just before 10am a friend asked me, "Did you just go to the store and buy two Red Bull and a power bar?" when she saw me consuming some of both. (For the record, they were on offer when you buy two and I meant to save one for whenever else.)
My answer, already half-processed, came quickly because I was incredulous with myself too, on setting foot in the 7-11. "I don't know who I am anymore!" I blurted with some weird mix of exasperation, humor, resignation and bewilderment. She kinda nodded, with smile of curiousity and leaned in, expectantly. 
I briefly explained my answer.. but then it was time to pray and begin the church service. 

It was a weird moment, walking in to the 7-11 with the wallet I have and the clothes I was wearing. I see these women (maybe they're called "professionals") come into my workplace and they often buy Red Bull. It can be accompanied by something like a pack of gum, pack of cigarettes (usually small or otherwise feminine), Special K bar of sensibleness, or maybe some preppy brand bottled water. But usually gum or a "treat" like a Mars bar. She has an ornate wallet, a deep purse, immaculate clothing and a look of perma-stress. She's the donkey to the equality-with-men-in-the-workforce carrot on the stick.

(I'm not her but I understand where she's coming from and why she does what she does - and why she drinks Red Bull.)

So, when I said, "I don't know who I am anymore!" what I meant was, "I don't like who I seem to be right now so something needs to change." 

It certainly was a moment.

I was supposed to be at the ball game this evening but the bus was stupid. Watching video highlights just now, I have never felt so left out! Friday night games are a different animal, apparently.

It's chilly outside. It's downtown and I'm inhaling second-hand smoke. And where am I??
I just came THIS close to doing what I've always said I wouldn't, which is drinking when I'm angry (or upset or sad). If service was better, I might have ordered before I had the presence of mind to leave instead.
This is NOT the start to the relaxing weekend I had in mind. I am annoyed. I did a perfect imitation of a tire deflating because of how long I held the "F" for f-bomb, knowing I would regret uttering the full word. I also know it would have felt INCREDIBLY satisfying at first if I had  yielded. Oh, well. (Aie. Even now, it's creeping close to the surface. Everything is meaningless!)

Man. My legs are really long. I just noticed this while searching through a bag on a chair.

Sigh. What is this life?

Work was kinda fun today. I managed to refrain from using my eyes possessively (thanks, HS!) and I had a few jolly good laughs. I was called a lot of things today...one of them, with decidedly sexual connotations, made me want to not condemningly ask the customer what that piece of metal was, wrapped around the fourth finger of his left hand. I let it go...but I do wonder on the concept. Such boldness.
I don't know WHAT I looked like today but I did get a higher than normal volume of comments...and even a poke in the abdomen....which was unusual and weird.
This whole week has been amazing in terms of the transformation in my heart. I have begun working on my relationship with the Holy Spirit ...my sensitivity to Him and my constantly making the choice to yield to Him. It has changed my life. I'm really amazed. I hope in the near future to be able to describe it more fully.

Last night I got the answer to the "why do you do these things?" question that keeps cropping up at work. Well, the soundbite is that material things don't matter (to me) but eternal things do. Also, I remembered that bit where Jesus says to give to all who ask, to lend without expecting repayment and to go two miles when you're asked to go one - which would be the medium answer. (The long answer, of course, is dead-easy and needs no prep. It's the word-in-edgewise response that I have been searching for because it is a fast-paced environment I work in.) It's translatable and a start. I'm very happy for it. It's the truth and it's not lofty. Thank You, Holy Spirit.

I am looking forward to Sunday morning service ...and I kind of like not being able to predict all that will happen. I am actually more excited about it than I can put into words and I like that I still have work to do yet. I particularly like that I am taking a chance AND that I made a handful of decisions without consulting or conferring with anyone. I am a HUGE fan of collaborative leadership and of everyone having a voice. However, some situations call for neither of these things. I am learning this. I'm pumped. I'm hopeful.


On reflection, I want to clarify that the "fun" part at work was not the sexual comments or the two men staring at my behind when I leaned over, but the laughs and the normal calmness of the shift. It was uneventful in some way and I even managed to not get irritated by my boss.
I was finally able to give the chocolate bar I bought last week (the butt of a long-running inside joke between three of us) to a customer who I knew would appreciate it. Last time, his compatriot bought one and ate it in front of him out at the pumps, I learned when he came in to pay. I asked why he didn't pick one up and he said it wasn't in the budget. I have been thinking that this was a TOTAL gimme and that if he asked why, I could say he has a wife and kid but I'm just me. My budget is different. Total gimme.
Took about a week but I managed to give it him without making a big deal. I've never insisted so insistently but I could see he wanted it enough for me to easily take the time to erode all barriers of social politeness that he put up. "You gotta take it," I said about five times, nudging the bar across the counter after he nudged it back twice.

It made me so happy.

It cost me $1.67 but it's a gesture. I had been asking God for the opp to do it - and for my ego to exit the equation. I wanted it to be good but it didn't need to be epic. I may never see him again (unlikely as their company is down the road and his job is to make deliveries - but I don't know the future) and I don't know his name. I don't know what comes next but neither did I know how to NOT buy the bar. Nothing about not doing it made sense to me.

It wasn't a thing. About three weeks ago I bought two drinks for two regulars who I expected to see the day my workplace's Point of Sale system was entirely offline for upgrades (no sales were made for thirteen hours that day). Before my shift began, I bought the drinks and stashed them in the fridge. It was easy to do because the drinks were relatively cheap and because I could consume them myself if the regulars didn't show. I wanted to buy other things in anticipation of other regulars coming in but I didn't WANT eight copies of the Toronto Sun or any pack of cigarettes. I couldn't do it for everyone, anyways. One thing at a time.
They walked in about five minutes after I'd pulled the cans from the fridge (they are consistent). From the door they asked me, with half-smiles and slight warmth of familiarity, "Is it all closed down?" I only waved them over to my side of the counter. (I don't like having conversations across big spaces like that, esp not in public.)
I pulled the cans out and fumbled saying that we were unable to make sales, so they could take these two, which were already paid for. One of them hands me a twenty. "I can't make change," I say without taking the bill. "I don't have a till," I add gesturing at the construction zone around me (the place was being torn apart) because they didn't get it.
Still confused the Alpha asks, "So how do I pay you?"
I wave it off (I don't want their money) and say, "Some other time."
My boss chimes in as gracefully as a bowling ball to explain how I had bought the drinks before 7am, expecting them. I cringed hard because the point was not to IMPRESS them but to give. Just to give...and freely.

They didn't get - people don't get - a gift with no expectations. I hope it bothers them until they ask. I'm not very good at this stuff yet but I'm trying.

They said "thank you" once or twice and still looked confused when they left. They paid me back last week which was weird but fine. I kinda thought they'd forget. Ah, well.


Yesterday the scary thought that I might be done blogging found me.  The girth of this post is calming my fears. Started drafting at about 18h30 and now I'm publishing at midnight. Maybe I needed a break.  Maybe I will be a binge poster.

the neighbours have a pair of rotweilers, it appears.

Friday night I was in Stratford to see "Twelfth Night".  It was great.
I was reminded again of how little I know about theatre and how much I desire to know about it.

I don't even know enough (or have enough confidence) to give specifics on what I enjoyed.  Well...let's say the art direction was incredible because they somehow had contemporary aspects that weren't cheesy or typical - like the medieval knight who pulls out a credit card. ("HA! HA! HA! They didn't have MasterCard back then!!! Hilarious!")  There were scenes where the characters were playing golf and tennis and even taking batting practice.  (I totally scoffed without thinking at the actors' batting stances and super slow/weak/ill-aimed swings. ...because I am a professional batting coach - don't you know?) The costume was so cool... some characters looked 16th century, some looked from the 1940s, one guy seriously just forgot his costume and wandered onto stage in his every day 2011 garb (so it looked). 

I am amazed and grateful that I was able to follow the story.  (I have a hard time with Shakespeare, generally.)  The musical content was unexpected but so well done!  They had some background music, some full-on performances and some embedded performances where a count or an uncle would ask for a song.  It ...yeah.  It makes me happy to see people playing & singing who can actually play & sing - not stand in for someone less pretty who can.

The comedic content was incredible.  I'm very happy to finally get some of Shakespeare's jokes.  Like.... the man was legit funny. 

There were a foursome that entered early on, for our background music, who were dressed like the Beatles.  I don't even know why but it was awesome.  The dude playing John Lennon showed up later, at a late-night party, to deliver pizza.  The laughter came in waves as people recognized the absurdity and recognized the heat-conserving bag the white suited man carried and then further recognized the absurdity.

It was funny.  It was really funny.  If you watched me watching you would have thought I was angry and/or bored but that's what I look like when I'm studying - particularly art and particularly comedy (this happened to be both so I was VERY focussed).  I didn't laugh as much as I should have because I was too busy soaking up information.  Ha.

Somewhere in the second act I decided that She's the Man (2006) had ripped off the plot from this play.  I know it happens all the time and that it's public domain so that's cool.  (I took a full course on "Shakespearean Receptions" - people ripping him off in their own context.)  I feel compelled to say I only watched She's the Man (and just this summer) because I wanted to know what Amanda Bynes was about.  I missed her on whatever Disney program she was on...and my sister talks about her sometimes..and Kelly mentioned her on "The Office" and...she's a ..it's a thing.  I wanted to know.  Turns out she's talented and funny.  Still Disney but we will give her time.
[Spoiler Alert, kinda] A few scenes later I realized that the names that Shakespeare gave to the twins, Sebastian and Viola, were the same names Dreamworks assigned.  So.... no big secret.  Last to know.  That's cool.

Maybe the thing I like the most is that people pay money to see live theatre (in 2011). And maybe this is the first time I have seen how people do that NOT because it's posh, to be a patron of the arts; to be hip or to be ironic. It seemed instead to be something entertaining (maybe even enriching) that we wanted to pay money to see on a Friday night. It was pretty cool. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Shakespeare was on to something.

triet XXXVI

(1) Interesting fact: cashiers are human beings.
It's OK to greet them or make eye-contact. You don't even have to throw your money/cards at them; you can put it in their hand.
It's all true.

(2) I feel like this is the first time I've really been tempted to shut off a ball game well before the end. It's 13-0 in the fifth inning.

(3) My new goal is to be able to move ALL my stuff in one minivan. New goal. I think it's legit. Don't know yet if I want that to include furniture (don't know what furniture I'll choose to keep!).
Love it. I am loving getting rid of so much stuff these past five days.

Ahh.

Dear Man of My Dreams,

Did I miss you again? I thought I was supposed to meet you on the B-train southbound platform at 2pm. Was I wrong?

Dang.