Posts
Hello internet.
It's been a while, as usual, so I'm just going to hit the big stuff as I can recall it. First order of business is, of course, my amazing girlfriend. Tabitha and I are sickeningly cute still and that doesn't look to change any time soon. We've done a few nice dates though that has slowed since I no longer have money. most of the cool stuff I've done in the past month has been with her by my side since we can't bear to be apart too long.
The Art Institute of Chicago
http://www.artic.edu/
This was a wonderful date. We went to exercise our mutual love for fine art. The impressionist exhibit was lovely though not as extensive as I would have expected which is too bad sine it was %50 of the reason for going. The gallery did not disappoint overall though. Their collection is massive and wide ranging. Their collection of tapestries was truly incredible, though not very varied. There was a lot of work from the same few artists and while they were excellent I would have liked to see more variety. We quite enjoyed their statue garden and their, in process, Chinese collection. The Egyptian artifacts and religious jewelry they had tucked into the passage between the big galleries was also quite lovely. Overall we had a grand time and got to be really cute in the vicinity of some truly great works of art.
Repo, The Genetic Opera
http://www.repo-opera.com/
This movie seems to be largely the product of blogging so I should probably have added my salmon to the run before now. That said we watched this movie a few wekks ago as part of it's first national tour. The film is trying to gain support so that Lions Gate Films will make a larger release later.
Repo is an interesting film combining a dark latex vision of the future and a goth-rock sound not unlike Evanescence. The basic premise is that in the future a organ plague will bring modern society to its knees in response a biotech company finally perfects man made organs and offers payment plans to those who cannot afford the transplants in time to save their lives. The downside is that as time goes on it becomes fashionable to attempt to overcome ones own genetics and not only perfect one's cosmetic appearance but to perfect one's internal structure as well. designer organs become the vogue The natural train for this is, of course, when you have financing options for high ticket items which are in demand there will be people who promise more than they can pay and repossession becomes an issue.
But how do you repossess an organ though, you might ask. You call the night surgeon, played by Anthony Stewart Head. He's a legal assassin with the singular task of tracking down debtors and forcefully removing the unpaid merchandise from them without anesthetic or sanitary measures. When on the job he is known as the Repo Man. This isn't just a dark gothic slasher flick though. Nor is it just a musical. It is also the story of the Repo Man's other life. His daughter, who he raised alone has a dangerous genetic blood disorder and cannot be allowed out of the house. His love for her overrules all else in his life and his devotion and desire to keep her safe are his only concerns. Throw into the mix the family running GeneCo, the company responsible for the organs and the repo man's employer, who are nothing more or less than classic operatic archetypes albeit viewed through a looking glass darkly.
It was enjoyable though I found some of the music to be noticeably sub par and many of the characters to be almost entirely superfluous. It was a fun show but I would wait to see it in a second run theater or wait until it comes out in a, no doubt extra sanguine, DVD release.
Now, of course, we in America celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday. For those unfamiliar it's the day we celebrate some people having dinner a long time ago. We celebrate by having dinner every year. Sure, you can talk about overcoming the troubles of early colonization and peace between the colonists and the natives they were soon to destroy. When you get down to it though, this is a holiday about our country's love of eating dinner.
That said, it was great. Tab and I watched the Macy's parade together and got to see the balloon hitting the NBC booth and the national rickrolling perpetrated by Cartoon Network's submission. We will be making sure to watch the NBC coverage from now on. as we mistakenly watched the CBS rubbish for about half of the parade and didn't get to see most of the floats or their performances.
After a little while with Heather we all three of us headed out to the Barrett's house for Thanksgiving dinner. The assemblage of misfits and family had a lovely time though I'm sure I don't remember half of the names thrown at me. I look forward to making their dinner a part of our tradition for the years to come. For the facebook crowd there promises to be photos coming soon.
There was something special about the "first holiday" with Tabitha. I found myself often thinking about how as the years go on I'd like us to grow as a couple. I'm so glad I got to share this first holiday with such friendly, welcoming people. That said, I get to meet the parents next weekend in a similar setting, I can only hope that I make a good impression.
Today's Gems are from Repo-
I found a really cool cache of videos on YouTube. They are from the original stage version of Repo. What makes this cool is that you can see just how far the material has come since it's inception as what looks like a pretty low budget art house piece. For most of the songs available from the original the change was very much for the better. I've chosen to give you the one song which, aside from much better orchestration, might have been better in the original.
This is a copy of the song as it appears in the film, sadly no video was available. So you get to watch the thrilling performance of the logo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT2aLJmS_48
And this is how it appeared in the stage version. I think the song is more effective as a soliloquy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saCfVhAUP0I
Sadly, my favourite song was abysmal in the original version.
Thrill to the logo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm5FBc906qY
And now see the finest father daughter confrontation scene in the film as it was without the daughter. I'm not sure if this came from the same part of the show or if it was moved but it seems a lot weaker without Shiloh in the picture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvaaAXR_vGY
I believe that's all I have at the moment, I know I missed a lot of material like Heather's performance in "I Ain't Stingy", Leslie's performance in "A House With No Walls" and my own performance in "Queen Elizabeth's Dwarf". Hopefully there will be another post next week with all theatre content. I'm only waiting so I can lump them all together as well as including Heater's performance in "The Right Answer" this weekend.
If anyone would like to come support Heather the show is at the Gorilla Tango Theatre in Bucktown.
http://www.gorillatango.com/chicago/index.htm
Saturday at six and Sunday at five. Tickets are $20 and seating is general.
-That will be all.-
Friday, November 28, 2008
Monday, November 03, 2008
Cabbages and Kings
Get yourself something to drink because I've got one or two things to say and since no one's making you read this I feel no reason I should be brief. For those of you who read regularly or who care enough to read what is to follow, thank you.
That being out of the way let me take care of the business first. I have a new cell phone number. My old plan did not allow me to call Tabitha enough so I have made that last step out of the house and got myself my own cell plan. The old number will still get you through to me for a little while as I'm not sure how long it will be before my folks decide they don't want the plan anymore. However, it may cease to get you in contact with me in a timely manner soon when I get tired of carrying two phones with me all over the place.
Ansel's New Cell Number- 7738963975
Consider yourself informed.
The Halloween party was a smash. The attendance was good and we had a generally brilliant time. I was pleased with the caliber of everyone's costumes until leaving college and seeing people's costumes out and about in the city on Friday I didn't really realize how blessed I am to be friends with artistic people. some of my favourite offerings included "guitar hero" Rachel Wells, "Frank Einstein" Shane and most amusing of all, sexy Lincoln by Fara. They win for clever costume. For cultural references who could ask for more than 1/3 of the crew of Serenity? Katie Chin as River Tamm, Tabitha as Zoe and myself as Wash, as well as Katie K's Pikachu, Derrik's Voldemort and Faith's Death. Most convincing reproduction goes to Heather as Giselle from "Enchanted" and Josh as Hellboy. Let's be fair, Josh already looked like Hellboy so it was all a matter of horns and red makeup. Heather's reproduction of the dress from the film is a titanic feat not to be rivaled.
As some of you may have noticed I am no longer employed at the Corner Bakery. Now that I am honest with myself I was not truly happy with the job. I was tolerating it and letting it mistreat me. Something I told myself I would not do after ACCR. I was little more than a glorified delivery boy. Knowing that I made more money than anyone else outside of management which was not even beginning to be as much as I deserve or need also did not bode well for advancement. As if that were not enough I was not being given enough hours so my paycheck, which should have been twice what I was making at ACCR was hardly better by $100. That being said I did enjoy the experience of working with the colourful people of the Corner Bakery. I was picking up a little Spanish as I went and slowly making the kitchen my own.
I find it hard to be worried though. Being with Tabitha has made me start looking to the future. It has made me think of many things about myself and how I see the world. Tabs and I largely agree on most things. Seeing my own needs and desires reflected back to me has been enlightening. I am reminded that at this point in my life my dreams are the most important thing in the world. Moving toward those goals should be my only focus. It bears thinking then, what are those goals? When I look into the future I see a few things clearly. By the time I am thirty-five I would like to be solidly in academia involved in my studies and imparting my knowledge either though application in conservation and translation or through teaching. By the time I am sixty I would like to have found the comfortable place where I can rest for good. Preferably a cottage in England. The thing these two images have in common is that in each of them I have found love. In both scenarios I am most content because I have a hand to rest in mine and a head to rest beside my own. With those snapshots of the future in mind I have been reminded of the imperative behind my current state. Continuing to let myself be comfortable now will not help me to be comfortable then. I have to take the chances which will make me great. I need to fight for the things I'm owed and I need to protect the beauty I've found.
To that end I am slightly glad that I no longer work at the Corner Bakery. It allowed my to be pleased but it did not make me happy. I need a position which allows me to not worry about money any more. I need a job which allows me to pursue myself as well. At the bakery I was limited by the hours and the pay. I hope that my next job or jobs will allow me to change that. Allow me to make the money I need to pay for the tuition at Loyola, allow me to buy myself a bed to sleep on and a dresser to put my clothes in. To pay my Electric bill for crying out loud. At 9.00p/h I was eating and living, no more.
Things with Tabitha have been amazing in ways I cannot even begin to tell you. the level of connection we feel is like nothing I knew could be possible. I say this only because I cannot do otherwise. She makes me so happy I cannot contain it within myself. I look forward to continuing to tell you all about this relationship for a long time into the future. We've gone on a couple "dates" now which are only differentiated from every other day by our having specifically designated them as such and making the effort to get into the city. A day does not go by without us touching base and every day we try to see each other if there is any time at all. Luckily, there tends to be time hidden away in the mundane tasks of life.
I suppose in retrospect I may have overestimated the length of this post. I had a lot to say when I started and I suppose in the need it wasn't as hard to express as I had anticipated. Tabitha and I have something special and I look forward to exploring that connection I've said it and I feel good for having done so.
Today's Gem of the Internet- For those of you with cats here is a gem first shown to me by Katie Stauffer a few months ago and brought back to my attention by the Breos
Simon's Cat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s13dLaTIHSg
Also Check out the other two videos posted by this artist. Cat Man Do and Let Me In! I nearly died laughing.
That being out of the way let me take care of the business first. I have a new cell phone number. My old plan did not allow me to call Tabitha enough so I have made that last step out of the house and got myself my own cell plan. The old number will still get you through to me for a little while as I'm not sure how long it will be before my folks decide they don't want the plan anymore. However, it may cease to get you in contact with me in a timely manner soon when I get tired of carrying two phones with me all over the place.
Ansel's New Cell Number- 7738963975
Consider yourself informed.
The Halloween party was a smash. The attendance was good and we had a generally brilliant time. I was pleased with the caliber of everyone's costumes until leaving college and seeing people's costumes out and about in the city on Friday I didn't really realize how blessed I am to be friends with artistic people. some of my favourite offerings included "guitar hero" Rachel Wells, "Frank Einstein" Shane and most amusing of all, sexy Lincoln by Fara. They win for clever costume. For cultural references who could ask for more than 1/3 of the crew of Serenity? Katie Chin as River Tamm, Tabitha as Zoe and myself as Wash, as well as Katie K's Pikachu, Derrik's Voldemort and Faith's Death. Most convincing reproduction goes to Heather as Giselle from "Enchanted" and Josh as Hellboy. Let's be fair, Josh already looked like Hellboy so it was all a matter of horns and red makeup. Heather's reproduction of the dress from the film is a titanic feat not to be rivaled.
As some of you may have noticed I am no longer employed at the Corner Bakery. Now that I am honest with myself I was not truly happy with the job. I was tolerating it and letting it mistreat me. Something I told myself I would not do after ACCR. I was little more than a glorified delivery boy. Knowing that I made more money than anyone else outside of management which was not even beginning to be as much as I deserve or need also did not bode well for advancement. As if that were not enough I was not being given enough hours so my paycheck, which should have been twice what I was making at ACCR was hardly better by $100. That being said I did enjoy the experience of working with the colourful people of the Corner Bakery. I was picking up a little Spanish as I went and slowly making the kitchen my own.
I find it hard to be worried though. Being with Tabitha has made me start looking to the future. It has made me think of many things about myself and how I see the world. Tabs and I largely agree on most things. Seeing my own needs and desires reflected back to me has been enlightening. I am reminded that at this point in my life my dreams are the most important thing in the world. Moving toward those goals should be my only focus. It bears thinking then, what are those goals? When I look into the future I see a few things clearly. By the time I am thirty-five I would like to be solidly in academia involved in my studies and imparting my knowledge either though application in conservation and translation or through teaching. By the time I am sixty I would like to have found the comfortable place where I can rest for good. Preferably a cottage in England. The thing these two images have in common is that in each of them I have found love. In both scenarios I am most content because I have a hand to rest in mine and a head to rest beside my own. With those snapshots of the future in mind I have been reminded of the imperative behind my current state. Continuing to let myself be comfortable now will not help me to be comfortable then. I have to take the chances which will make me great. I need to fight for the things I'm owed and I need to protect the beauty I've found.
To that end I am slightly glad that I no longer work at the Corner Bakery. It allowed my to be pleased but it did not make me happy. I need a position which allows me to not worry about money any more. I need a job which allows me to pursue myself as well. At the bakery I was limited by the hours and the pay. I hope that my next job or jobs will allow me to change that. Allow me to make the money I need to pay for the tuition at Loyola, allow me to buy myself a bed to sleep on and a dresser to put my clothes in. To pay my Electric bill for crying out loud. At 9.00p/h I was eating and living, no more.
Things with Tabitha have been amazing in ways I cannot even begin to tell you. the level of connection we feel is like nothing I knew could be possible. I say this only because I cannot do otherwise. She makes me so happy I cannot contain it within myself. I look forward to continuing to tell you all about this relationship for a long time into the future. We've gone on a couple "dates" now which are only differentiated from every other day by our having specifically designated them as such and making the effort to get into the city. A day does not go by without us touching base and every day we try to see each other if there is any time at all. Luckily, there tends to be time hidden away in the mundane tasks of life.
I suppose in retrospect I may have overestimated the length of this post. I had a lot to say when I started and I suppose in the need it wasn't as hard to express as I had anticipated. Tabitha and I have something special and I look forward to exploring that connection I've said it and I feel good for having done so.
Today's Gem of the Internet- For those of you with cats here is a gem first shown to me by Katie Stauffer a few months ago and brought back to my attention by the Breos
Simon's Cat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s13dLaTIHSg
Also Check out the other two videos posted by this artist. Cat Man Do and Let Me In! I nearly died laughing.
Monday, October 20, 2008
I can has girlfriend!
So, as amazing as things were last week they have only gotten better since. All checks are checked. For those not on the facebook the news is out. Tabitha and I are now an item. A few weeks ago we just clicked and it's been inevitable ever since.
I've known Tabitha for a few years now since we both work at Bristol and for all of those years we have been friends. With my move to the street cast this season I began to see more of her and we got to know each other better than before. Post season we continued to hang out since we live really close to each other here in the city.
We work together really well and so far our friends have been thoroughly thrilled to hear the news. I thought you might too, oh my readers. No more sad posts in which the only thing missing from my life is a woman. No more assertions that I've lost. You were all right. To everyone who said I'd find the perfect woman some day and we'd be incredibly happy I say, well played. You were right. I did find an amazing woman with eyes I can get lost in and a beautiful soul, a woman I want to be near all day.
Thank you all for believing.
Since I still have some time before bed I figure maybe the other things bear mentioning.
+ dating, I covered this one already but could not resist crowing again. Tabitha is incredible!
+ employed, work is going well. Business has been picking up this week and the customers are starting to ask for me by name when they call.
+ eating food, regular paychecks begin this week meaning I'm no longer as poor as I have gotten used to.
+ roof over my head. Yep, haven't kicked me out yet.
+ place to sleep. I kinda live in a bouncy castle as I have not gotten myself a proper bed yet.
+ modern conveniences, my room mates practically came with attachments.
+ time with friends, having a weekly D&D game ensures that I see at least some people once a week but I am pleased to say that more often than not my laundry is not done on time because my friends came up with something awesome to do. Like going out to Dim Sum in Chinatown or singing karaoke at a hole in the wall bar. Living with two good friends doesn't hurt either.
+ acting- "Cripslam" charity gig at the Biograph Theatre November 23rd. Entertainment for a good cause.
+ reading good books, I don't know what made me mention this one last time but it's true. Finished "The Magician's Guild" really good read and am now working on "Cryptonomicon", "Odd Fish and Englishmen", Moonclaw" and "A Real Boy". I also have a small stack of comic books which need reading, not the least of which are a couple of Batman comics lent to me by the lovely miss Tabitha.
+ maintaining homeostasis, core temperature still roughly 98.6 and all functions and organs working well.
+ metabolizing sugars, still going strong. The enzymes are running on all cylinders.
I also promised updates on a few other things. For one the Halloween party.
The date is set for the thirty-first at 8:00 pm. Drawn heroes is the theme and we are encouraging compliance though, of course, not enforcing it since that would take like work and stuff. You can check out the facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=33495095806
The Bow tie went smashingly, as did the rest of the tux. It went well with the incredible elegance of a certain teal dress I might mention. The wedding was beautiful. It's always good to see people happy but the smiles and emotions flying about at weddings make me wish I played organ, just so I could go to more of them. Doc and Keith have been perfect from the day they met. At this point most people assumed they were married already so the wedding may have come as something of a surprise to some. I wish them years of bliss and know that if I want to be happy in my life it's a good job I have such models to base my efforts off of.
Julia has made the decision to move to the city finally and I got to help her go apartment hunting for the one day she had with us. She is now the proud lesee of an apartment in Logan Square which means she will be quite close to casa del nerd. It's good to know she'll be able to come hang out again. Now, just to pull the rest of my college friends into my gravity. Twaffle, Scott anyone else not doing anything right now, I'm looking at you.
Well, laundry is done. I hope that finally blogging will assuage some and having a girlfriend will excite others (special prize to those in both categories if you can name the graph most commonly used to express your situation). I look forward to your comments and promise that I will try to keep up more closely.
I've known Tabitha for a few years now since we both work at Bristol and for all of those years we have been friends. With my move to the street cast this season I began to see more of her and we got to know each other better than before. Post season we continued to hang out since we live really close to each other here in the city.
We work together really well and so far our friends have been thoroughly thrilled to hear the news. I thought you might too, oh my readers. No more sad posts in which the only thing missing from my life is a woman. No more assertions that I've lost. You were all right. To everyone who said I'd find the perfect woman some day and we'd be incredibly happy I say, well played. You were right. I did find an amazing woman with eyes I can get lost in and a beautiful soul, a woman I want to be near all day.
Thank you all for believing.
Since I still have some time before bed I figure maybe the other things bear mentioning.
+ dating, I covered this one already but could not resist crowing again. Tabitha is incredible!
+ employed, work is going well. Business has been picking up this week and the customers are starting to ask for me by name when they call.
+ eating food, regular paychecks begin this week meaning I'm no longer as poor as I have gotten used to.
+ roof over my head. Yep, haven't kicked me out yet.
+ place to sleep. I kinda live in a bouncy castle as I have not gotten myself a proper bed yet.
+ modern conveniences, my room mates practically came with attachments.
+ time with friends, having a weekly D&D game ensures that I see at least some people once a week but I am pleased to say that more often than not my laundry is not done on time because my friends came up with something awesome to do. Like going out to Dim Sum in Chinatown or singing karaoke at a hole in the wall bar. Living with two good friends doesn't hurt either.
+ acting- "Cripslam" charity gig at the Biograph Theatre November 23rd. Entertainment for a good cause.
+ reading good books, I don't know what made me mention this one last time but it's true. Finished "The Magician's Guild" really good read and am now working on "Cryptonomicon", "Odd Fish and Englishmen", Moonclaw" and "A Real Boy". I also have a small stack of comic books which need reading, not the least of which are a couple of Batman comics lent to me by the lovely miss Tabitha.
+ maintaining homeostasis, core temperature still roughly 98.6 and all functions and organs working well.
+ metabolizing sugars, still going strong. The enzymes are running on all cylinders.
I also promised updates on a few other things. For one the Halloween party.
The date is set for the thirty-first at 8:00 pm. Drawn heroes is the theme and we are encouraging compliance though, of course, not enforcing it since that would take like work and stuff. You can check out the facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=33495095806
The Bow tie went smashingly, as did the rest of the tux. It went well with the incredible elegance of a certain teal dress I might mention. The wedding was beautiful. It's always good to see people happy but the smiles and emotions flying about at weddings make me wish I played organ, just so I could go to more of them. Doc and Keith have been perfect from the day they met. At this point most people assumed they were married already so the wedding may have come as something of a surprise to some. I wish them years of bliss and know that if I want to be happy in my life it's a good job I have such models to base my efforts off of.
Julia has made the decision to move to the city finally and I got to help her go apartment hunting for the one day she had with us. She is now the proud lesee of an apartment in Logan Square which means she will be quite close to casa del nerd. It's good to know she'll be able to come hang out again. Now, just to pull the rest of my college friends into my gravity. Twaffle, Scott anyone else not doing anything right now, I'm looking at you.
Well, laundry is done. I hope that finally blogging will assuage some and having a girlfriend will excite others (special prize to those in both categories if you can name the graph most commonly used to express your situation). I look forward to your comments and promise that I will try to keep up more closely.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Say it like Dr. Venture- "I feel freaking amazing!"
Things are pretty much awesome right now. Work has been great, though I wish I had more hours. I'm getting the hang of things enough that I'm starting on working out ways to make myself indispensable. The way I see it our store needs a catering guru and I aim to fill the position.
In other news the Halloween party is looking good. We've had some good response and I'm looking forward to finishing off my Dr. Orpheus costume for this year though I may have to call it a miss on the cloak.
In other fashion news I am now the proud owner of a burgundy bowler thanks to Josh who got it free from work. I think it looks rather dashing. I have also invested in a tuxedo and bow tie for the upcoming wedding. I know I'll be overdressed but I wanted an excuse to get myself into a tux again. Ragstock had a bunch of ex-rentals so I found one which fit and was in good shape. The thirty dollars were well worth it. It's at the cleaners now, of course, being pressed and otherwise rehabilitated. As for the bow tie, who doesn't need a good bow tie. I searched all over town with Shane for a proper tie-it-yourself bow tie and may have secured for myself the only one in the metropolitan area. Attempts to tie the thing are coming right along. I've got the knot down, now just to make it look pretty every time.
The wedding promises to be quite an event. It's so nice that I get to be there for Doc and Keith's special day but it's also an amazing experience to see people I haven't seen since the close of faire. Things have changed in many lives and I'm excited to see where they've gone.
So, for the happy life checklist:
Employed: check
Eating properly: check
Place to live: check
Time with friends: check
Reading good books: check
Dating: probably approaching the vicinity of checkdom.
Acting: no check, must find auditions.
All in all I think I'm doing pretty well. I will, of course, keep you all updated as things progress.
In other news the Halloween party is looking good. We've had some good response and I'm looking forward to finishing off my Dr. Orpheus costume for this year though I may have to call it a miss on the cloak.
In other fashion news I am now the proud owner of a burgundy bowler thanks to Josh who got it free from work. I think it looks rather dashing. I have also invested in a tuxedo and bow tie for the upcoming wedding. I know I'll be overdressed but I wanted an excuse to get myself into a tux again. Ragstock had a bunch of ex-rentals so I found one which fit and was in good shape. The thirty dollars were well worth it. It's at the cleaners now, of course, being pressed and otherwise rehabilitated. As for the bow tie, who doesn't need a good bow tie. I searched all over town with Shane for a proper tie-it-yourself bow tie and may have secured for myself the only one in the metropolitan area. Attempts to tie the thing are coming right along. I've got the knot down, now just to make it look pretty every time.
The wedding promises to be quite an event. It's so nice that I get to be there for Doc and Keith's special day but it's also an amazing experience to see people I haven't seen since the close of faire. Things have changed in many lives and I'm excited to see where they've gone.
So, for the happy life checklist:
Employed: check
Eating properly: check
Place to live: check
Time with friends: check
Reading good books: check
Dating: probably approaching the vicinity of checkdom.
Acting: no check, must find auditions.
All in all I think I'm doing pretty well. I will, of course, keep you all updated as things progress.
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