Steady improvement on all fronts has led to a lovely outlook in general. However there are a few things weighing on my mind which I will here divulge.

My money is flowing steadily out and I probably won't see any influx until next Friday at the earliest. Yikes!

Also, I'm really worried about Mary. For those who don't know, Mary is the actress who plays the Queen at Bristol. I consider her to be one of my finest teachers and I count her as a special friend. We do not keep in contact as much as I might like but it is always wonderful to see her. I hope she's feeling well soon and I wish there were something I could do to help.

The gloomy part being covered let us brush right past to the happiness, sunshine and puppies portion of our program.

The faire season has started back up and rehearsals have been awesome. I've decided to work in the street completely when I'm not doing the Devil and the Baker's Wife so this last Sunday I got to spend most of the day with the street cast which is all kinds of brilliant. As for the Devil and the Baker's Wife, things are coming right along we've started integrating more props. I really think we've made this show our own and it feels particularly good to have the levity to change things that feel clunky and adjust things to make them fit our own style. What's more I really love working with Rachel, Char and Susan. Susan has proven to be a really fun director. She's open to our ideas but isn't afraid to tell us when they aren't as awesome as they could be. It's a quality that is hard to cultivate the tendency is to either shut your actors down or let them run rampant. Char has been a treat to work with she really brings an element of play into the cast while Rachel and I tend to be a little more performative. That being said, I'm particularly enjoying the dynamic that the two of us have found.

Here's the sticky wicket. With Mary stuck in bed until her eye has healed Rachel has been tapped for the Queen understudy gig. I'm so pleased for her. It's quite the honour to come in one's rookie year not only to a stage show gig like ours but then to be placed as the queen is an incredible, rocket-like takeoff. I am amazed that I'm allowed to stand so near to someone rising s fast. On the same note, though, it means that we need a new baker's wife when Rachel is filling in for Mary. So that throws a little bit of a hitch into our getty-up. I'm looking forward to our newest cast member and I hope that it all come out alright in the wash. I can't think of a good reason for it not to.

In the world of employment I've been getting a lot of dead ends but yesterday I went in for an interview with a B2B telemarketing company which sells HR handbooks to businesses on behalf of various state chambers of commerce. It looks like a pretty good job though I'm a little put off by the fact that they refuse to allow their employees to attain full time status by putting the weekly hours cutoff at 38. Other than that it doesn't sound too bad. I'm not bugging people at home, I'm selling something legitimately useful. Also, I'm pretty sure they'll treat me fairly under the law as it would be pretty tough for them to do otherwise. They do make the handbooks. Upon arriving home from my day out (which also included mailing things and visiting the grocery store) I received a call from "Hats Plus" where I had put in an application last week. I'm supposed to show up on Friday morning ready for a full day of work. Which I suppose means I've been hired though it sounded a little tenuous. So I'm supposed to hear back from the B2B place on Thursday or Friday and I have the day at hats plus on Friday so I should have something solid by the end of the week. I'm still looking for other jobs. You know, just in case. My particular target is tea shops and bookstores. I think the reason should be obvious.

Now to the more blogg-y part of the blog. I ate lunch yesterday at the Elephant and Castle which apparently has branches all over the world. Someone mentioned that there was one in Chicago and I happened upon it. For those who aren't aware, the Elephant and Castle is a famous London landmark. So famous, in fact, that there is a tube station for it. I found this one to be enjoyable if a bit off the mark. I believe it to be nothing so much as proof that Americans still don't understand pubs. Y server, Jenny was excellent and from the looks of things the service is, in general, pretty excellent. Everyone was polite and quick. The soup tasted awesome and they have lovely tea service, even if they didn't have the proper spoons for tea (or milk for that matter). It is a bar restaurant in the fine American tradition. Not unlike a TGI Fridays. Not a pub but they tried so I give them credit there.

Today's Gem of the Internet- I don't know why but I love acoustic covers of pop songs. The more out of context the better. "Baby Got Back" seems to be one of the finest songs to cover amusingly as seen here.

This one is one of my favourites. This guy is pretty darn talented.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gW6yQZyx5w

I just found this one today. I think you will agree, it's pretty amusing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmI0GijanyM

The creme de la creme. How could I pass up something as ridiculous as this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkJdEFf_Qg4