shopping on black friday

On Black Friday, I ventured out and commenced to Commit Commerce, in order to do my part for the economy (Dear Chairman of the Fed: YOU'RE WELCOME!) among the things I bought... Oh, yeah, right. Like I'm going to broadcast that to the internets? No. I will say that I bought holiday cards - I'm not making any this year. It's just as costly as buying a box of cards and when I make cards that I like, I am less inclined to actually send them to people because I just like them too much to give away - it's like "Here you go, Merry Christmas, now gimme that card back!" Since I don't usually have a single card design in mind when I make them, they're all unique and that can be time consuming. So, yeah. I bought cards.

We also spent a whole lot of time in Champps (the extra "p" is for...) where the five thousand tvs broadcasting every variety of sporting event competed for attention with the piped in Christmas music. Arrrrghhhh. It's officially the season now and everything, I know. But it is still really really too early to subject shoppers to the latest chart teenybopper chart toppers warbling christmas songs. Do we really need another version of "Sleigh Ride"? Or "I saw mommy kissing santa claus"? Or "A Very Special Christmas" (That one makes my ears bleed, I hate it so much) or, as I heard in Old Navy "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" - lots of people can remake lots of songs, but I think this one should remain off limits. Forever and ever. Whoever you are, you ain't John Lennon, so kindly shut the hell up so I can try on this performance fleece.

I've also done a lot of shopping online, which is probably the best answer to the holiday shopping question. You can shop any day at any hour, you don't have to battle for parking, face long lines and rude people, you can sit in your pjs or whatever, and you don't have to listen to Jessica Simpson singing "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" (unless you really want to).

deck the halls...

Found this little ornament over at Cafe Press- the perfect addition to any tree, and I think the best gift any of us could have asked for this Christmas.

giving thanks

And so it's turkey day! We're having dinner here at the homestead today, and I HELPED. It's a good time for reflection, isn't it? And so, here goes, a few things that I am thankful for, on this day, the 3rd day of my 30th year: I am thankful for my family. For my mom who listens to me babble endlessly about this ailment or that ailment, and she never ever yells at me or tells me to shut up because I'm being totally ridiculous (well almost never). She shops with me, knits with me, goes to the opera with me, cooks with me, and is a great friend. For my dad, who taught me about football, the value of a good work ethic and probably my sense of humor and certainly my sense of drama. For both my parents who encourage me always to do what makes me happy. For my dear little Start & Finish who bring furry feline joy into my life every day. For my friends who I love like family, who make me laugh, who taught me how to dance dance and rock out in rock band and who are always share their old lady problems with me with the utmost of candor (usually, for some reason, in a booth at Baker's Square). "You don't even care that I'm so weird - that's AMAZING!"

I'm thankful for my job, even though it has, quite literally, given me an ulcer. I had promised myself that by the time I was 30, I would be in a job in the performing arts world and now look! It's been a year and a few months, and I'm in that very job I dreamed about having. It involves more than I ever could have expected, and it's certainly a learning experience, every single day, but I am thankful that I am a small part of this completely amazing company.

I am thankful that aside from a few issues, I am mostly healthy. I am thankful for my home and my car and the new boots I boought from Skechers the other day. I am thankful that Barack Obama won the election, and I am also thankful that Hugh Jackman won the title of "People's Sexiest Man Alive." I am thankful for good food, good friends and good music, Starbucks holiday coffee, and that I have an Old Navy, a Sarah's Pastries, an Argo Tea AND an H&M within walking distance of my office. I am thankful for artists making their art on stage - we need you now, more than ever, in hard times, to uplift us and take us away somewhere else for a while. What else?? I am thankful to Al Gore for inventing the internet (ha!) so that I can jump online on a whim and go to WebMD to see what else I may be coming down with, or to chat with my friends at TBV (9 years! Can you believe it?) I'm thankful for Patti LuPone's Les Mouches album, the song "Super Trouper" and my new K-Cup coffee machine. I am thankful that I've gotten a lot of my holiday shopping done already and won't have to go out much tomorrow (but I will anyway, because I love to shop). I'm thankful that it's not snowing and that I'm going on vacation soon...

Happy thanksgiving, everyone!

oh mickey, you're so fine...

(Last Friday)
My phone: Ring, ring! Why doncha give me a call??
Me: Hello?
Jimberly*: What are you doing tonight?
Me: Nothing.
Jimberly: Wanna go to the Niles North Variety show and watch our friend* in the faculty do a dance?
Me: But of course!!

*Name changed/withheld to protect the innocent

So off we went to Niles North, land of the free, home of the Vikings, to see the variety show. I don't remember having a variety show when we were in high school, but apparently we did. Maybe they called them "talent" shows back then?? We didn't even bring a camera, but some crazy cat in the audience DID and put this on Youtube. It kind of rocks.

if you don't vote, you can't complain, but still...

I wanted Lance & Lacey to win Dancing with the Stars last night!!!!! Boo. The finals aired on my birthday, and I was out with my friends eating awesome mashed potatoes at Johnny's. So I didn't even watch, let alone vote. I guess I can't complain, but I'm going to anyway - they weren't even top 2! And I loved Warren Sapp, loved him to death, but top 2? I think not. Whine, whine, whine... Anyway, keep on dancing with your bad self, Lance Bass. You rock. AND you should have won. So there. See ya on tour, baby*







(*Yes, I'm kidding)

moi? hard to shop for?

Dear Santa,
Only 30 more shopping days until Christmas! I have apparently gotten the reputation of being hard to shop for, and I wanted to be sure that you had plenty of ideas so I don't wake up Christmas morning with an empty stocking! So, here goes:

1. I commute, Santa baby, and it kinda sucks. Not as much as circling the globe in one night on a sleigh pulled by reindeers, but nearly almost as much. So, anything that can make my commute faster, easier, and more entertaining would be a good thing. Books, puzzles, magazines, a rocking playlist, stuff like that. Commute gear is also possible - last year I asked my family for a good pair of walking shoes for my hike from CUS to the office, and a work bag. The same things can apply this year - a good pair of sneakers to walk in (I'm an 8 as much as I sometimes pretend to be a 7.5, it's not good) and a tote that I can put all my crap in would be awesome. I also like knee socks - keep the legs warm in cold weather!

2. I have a lot of stress. Things that can help me de-stress are always welcomed. I'm kind of sensitive to scents, so be careful there. But I am not opposed to gift cards - like to go and see movies with my friends, or to my favorite stores, since I really really like to shop. I like to journal, and love those pretty books sold for these purposes. I like to knit (still no purling) and so needles or yarn or books that would teach a lefty to purl would be nice.

3. I am really, really, almost tragically, easily amused. I bought a pack of pens from Staples awhile ago (multi-colored uni-ball siglos) that promise me that their special ink helps prevent check fraud! God, how I love these pens. And stickers, and all kinds of stuff like that. Little stuff. Stupid stuff. I get almost unnaturally excited by these things.

4. I like to read - almost anything. I am trying to figure out how to learn to use the PhotoShop I just installed on my MacBook, and would love like an Idiot's Guide to PhotoShop or something like that.

5. I am strangely trapped in the 70s. Did the disco dancing give it away? Think Abba. Think DVDs. I would be Abba-solutely over the moon (hahahaha)

6. Accessories! I love shiny things, and I love bright, bold colors

7. My office is cold: I love wearing scarves and sweaters, and drinking hot beverages from my favorite Loop coffee purveyors - Argo Tea and Starbucks.

8. I have a thing for jackets and coats - not just outerwear.

9. I like to be cozy - and one can never have too many pairs of comfy pajamas.

10. One word: Fossil - Bags. Watches. Wallets. LOVE THEM.

11. Here's another word: Hunks! If it's possible, could you wrap up Mr. Butler and leave him under my tree on Christmas morning? That would be mucho appreciated. I will leave you some extra goodies in the living room - I heard once that you prefer jerky and beer over milk and cookies, and you know, whatever floats your boat, baby.
If you're really at a loss, check my amazon wishlist - it's under my yahoo email address, don't look at the AOL one, it's ancient.

Love to you & the wife,
Kristen

the world makes sense again!

UPDATE: So I just got a great email from Northlight, and all is forgiven. See what a little goodwill and decent customer service does for you??

Welcome to 30...

Age is just a number, right? I mean, RIGHT??? So, anyway, in the spirit of being young at heart, everybody turn this on, turn it up, and have a disco dancing extravaganza in my honor (yes, even if you are at work. Makes it more fun that way, yes?)

a (diasppointing) afternoon with the Edies

So, Grey Gardens. Gosh, how long have I had these tickets? How long have I been looking forward to seeing this show? What a perfect way to celebrate my 30th birthday, I thought, seeing something I really love... And the show, it must be said, was wonderful.

What I could see of it.

I had bought my tickets, and was delighted to see that I got close seats (wheeee! 2nd row! Happy birthday to me!). What they failed to mention to me, when I purchased those tickets, was that I wouldn't be able to see a damn thing during the second act, because the !@#&*$^ piano was obstructing my view any time the 2 Edies were inside the house. WHich is, like you know, pretty much the entire second act. If I leaned over to my extreme right, I could see Little Edie. But big Edie? When she came out to take her bow, I was like, who are you? Oh, right. Well, bravo, but I couldn't see you, ever. The only time I could see anything was when they were off the rotating house set, and then they never faced me anyway. The first act was okay, we saw a lot of backs, but it was fine. We attempted to try and switch seats, but the place was packed, no additional seats to be had. And the front of house manager, it has to be said, wasn't much help.

Here's the thing: I paid full price for those tickets and it never said, anywhere, I that these were obstructed view seats. Because if it had, I would not have bought them. You all know me and my ticket buying tendencies. I do not pay full price for crappy seats. So boo, Northlight, see if I ever darken your doors again. I just sent an email to the director of marketing over at northlight, inviting him to sit in those seats during the second act and see just how much of it he would be able to see. And, in case you're thinking this was just me, the people in front of me had the exact same problem, and had no prior knowledge of the obstructed view. I just went and checked on tickets.com and nada. It says nowhere that there is even a possibility of not being able to see the entire !@&^$ second act (Jerry loves my corn!! Arrgh!) from that seat for which I paid full price.

But hmm, let's get on with the show. I liked the performances. Who needs to see, right? The cast did a great job with the material, which I still think is a little uneven. Hollis Resnik was a great Big and then Little Edie, even if her accent veered from East Hampton to British sometimes. She did her songs well - "Will You" "Around the World" and "Another Winter in a Summer Town" being my favorites.

I was, as usual, the youngest person in the audience (which is saying something, seeing as I am nearly on the eve of leaving my 20s) but they seemed pretty with it. Heck, they probably all read about the Edies in the newspaper, voted for Nixon, etc etc.

The verdict?? Go and see it. I'm disappointed with my experience, but I won't say a bad word about Grey Gardens because it is certainly not the show's fault that I had crappy seats. I love the show, it's a great, tragic and funny story, it's well done, the music is gorgeous. Northlight and BJ Jones do a great job with the show and it deserves to have wide viewership outside of NYC. But a word to the wise? Call ahead when you book your tickets. I would suggest seats in the center section and back a bit, because there are a few scenes in the attic that really suck if you're in the second row all the way on the danged side.

da-da-da-da-DUM

Grey Gardens at the Northlight Theatre tomorrow afternoon! I've seen a few things there before, Master Class (with the wonderfully Callas-like Carmen Roman) and Pride & Prejudice a few years ago (when a former teacher of mine played Mr. Darcy). I'm looking forward to this one - I saw it on Broadway with Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson and I am interested to see what Northlight will do with it.

Also got tickets to see William Petersen in Dublin Carol over at Steppenwolf. I have no idea what to expect from this one, but it will be fun anyway. Here's a warning though, a lot of the December shows are already sold out, so if you have any interest at all in seeing it, buy now.

ANTMcKey!

McKey won ANTM last night! Wooo! Shout out to the chick from Lake Forest (I take back everything I've ever said about you, Lake Forest). McKey is the 2nd top model to come from the Chicago area. Who knew we were all so pretty out here? Must be something in the water or maybe it's that bracing winter air that makes us all such hearty souls...

Now, all I need to be happy is if Lance & Lacey win Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday...

a month till vacation...

Since it is officially Welcome to 30 in about 11 days (AARRRGGHHHH), I have decided to give myself a long weekend in NYC to celebrate. I. CAN'T. WAIT. To say I need a vacation is a ginormous understatement. So let's say it again: I.CAN'T. WAIT.

I have packed my weekend with shows, shows, shows - my two favorite Divas, a little Sondheim, and of course, some dancing, brought to me by one Reg Dwight... I heart ya, Elton.

TOC interview with Amy Morton

This week's issue of Time Out Chicago features an interview with Amy Morton, back in Chicago to direct William Petersen in Dublin Carol at Steppenwolf. Below is a comment from Amy about L.A. & winter... spoken like someone who has experienced many winters in the Windy City... I agree with her, actually. I too need all the shit that comes with winter, the grey,cloudy, snot freezing cold days, the snow, the shoveling and scraping, the white knuckle driving, all of the layers of clothing, heavy sweaters, parkas, boots, hats, gloves and scarves (and being me, losing hats, gloves and scarves) all of that stuff. Because otherwise, how can you really appreciate the warmth and renewal of spring and summer?
(Read the whole thing here)

TOC: You’ve done L.A. a couple of times. You’ve also said, “Hollywood holds nothing but terror for me.” Why is that?
Amy Morton: "...I also don’t get it. The sunshine every day? I’d wake up and say, “Another sunny day. Jesus, I can’t stand it.” Because you felt guilty staying inside all day. I need winter. I need all the shit that comes with winter."

"America, we have come so far..."

Last night, from the comfort of my own kitchen, I watched history being made. And yes, I colored in a map with red and blue crayons, each time a new state came in (I know! Such a geek! And I had glitter crayons, too, so that there was the subtlest hint of bling on my lovely map.) I can't describe how happy I am feeling, and how hopeful. We've finally gotten it right, America, without any chads, hanging or otherwise. I know he is one man, and we are putting a lot of hopes and dreams on his shoulders, but I feel optimistic that he can help us make things right again.

There is a lot of work to be done, and tough times to come, but for now, let's just enjoy the happy...

many happy returns?

Our little friend Rod makes a good point. Go out and vote! Yes, he is a Republican, but my vote canceled him out.

Woke up at the crack of 5:30 so I could get to the polls by 6:00. Yes, there was a line. This is a good thing - in elections past, it's been us and the election judges, and the tumbleweeds. Being Morton Grove, the election judges are mostly elderly, and so the slow pace is sort of perfect for them. Give them a crowd though and, well, they get a little confused. Our line was not moving at all, because there was much confusion.

I was the lucky number 13th voter in our precinct AND I got a sticker.

VOTE, please. If you don't vote now, you can't complain later. Well, you can, of course, but I won't listen to you.

as we hold our collective breath...

Plans are underway for the City of Chicago's election night rally for Barack Obama - I heard from a colleague that they have removed mailboxes and trash cans from the city streets. In case people want to blow them up. This is serious shit here, people.

Personally, I am getting the hell out of dodge as soon as I am done with work tomorrow - yes, it is exciting and historic, but either way it goes, there is way too much potential for mayhem, riots, etc. I'd really rather not be around for that, thanks very much. I will be watching the returns from the safety of my suburban home (or Heidi's suburban home actually) with my dry erase board (an homage to Tim Russert, naturally), my blank US maps and red and blue crayons.

seven doors

Last night, went to Prop Thtr to see the closing night performance of Seven Doors, translated from Botho Strauss's German text. It was a series of sketches, as the program called it "SNL meets Samuel Beckett." We were in the front row and got a great view of the action.

Time Out Chicago describes it like this:
"Before Timothy Spencer’s handsome, multiple-doors, Japanese-screen-style backdrop, the actors file on and off to a squeaky-jazz-meets-Berlin-techno soundtrack, shuffling moddish chairs and door frames between scenes. The vignettes themselves drop logical-extension conundrums into standard dialogue of everyday frustration: A disgruntled tenant complains to his faceless corporate landlord that another building is squatting inside his; a bodyguard-for-hire considers a society entirely structured by bodyguardism; a Cubs-like public failure is given the full Hollywood treatment. Strauss’s wry, thin-air trains of thought arise organically from each situation, bending back to Earth when just about to disintegrate."

Um, yeah. I liked it, was amused by it but felt often that it was too smart for me - like there was a deeper meaning to the words that I should be getting but wasn't. I think maybe another viewing would have been helpful, there was a lot going on in each sketch that focusing on it all would have been impossible. The language was a little bit odd as well, kind of obviously translated, the sentences were all declaimed, Shakespeare style and included clunky phrases like "the building in which I live" - it reminded me of reading philosophy and I guess it was a kind of philosophy, about the connection of people with other people.

remembrances...

Chicago lost two cultural icons this week - Gerald Arpino and the great Studs Turkel. I have fond memories of close encounters with both of these men:

Studs Terkel
It was several years ago, and I was volunteering for Lyric Opera's annual Operathon fundraiser. I think this was the first year I volunteered for it, and I was placed on the 4th floor, with the assignment of bringing guests to the radio room for their segments. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? It really wasn't. We only got a handful of guests and the rest of the time was spent staring into space. I'd had no idea what to expect, so I hadn't brought anything interesting along in my bag - no book, magazine, something to doodle on, nothing. Who would have thought I would have needed something to do? Anyway, I was sitting there, waiting for something to happen, with another volunteer who had brought a book along with her (she was considerably older than me, and not inclined to start talking to some kid, I guess) when the door opened and Mr. Studs Terkel was escorted out. He was, I believe, walking out with Ed Pashke (who had designed the poster for Sweeney Todd that year - which tells you how long ago this was! I think about 5 years ago?) Studs stopped, spotted my name badge and chatted with me about my appropriately operatic last name. He was completely charming, and it was the highlight of my afternoon.

Gerald Arpino
When I met "Mr. A" (always Mr. A for me, I could never call him "Gerry." Kind of like when I was student teaching with a teacher I'd had in eighth grade. I always called him "Mr. Daiberl" never ever "Richard" or "Dick." I just couldn't do it. Out of respect, I guess. Or perhaps a sort of reverential awe?) he was already well past his prime years of choreographing. Still in the studio and around the office though, he was a familiar figure with that dark hair, perfect dancer's posture and big coat. He had no clue who I was, of course, as he was starting to become forgetful. It was just accepted that I too was part of his company (administratively speaking) , and if I should bring him in his cup of coffee or did something to help, I was given a big smile and a fond, "Thanks, baby."

The last few times I saw him were in September. The first was at the company's free performance at Pritzker Pavilion honoring the victims of 9/11. I sat behind him, watching him as he watched his company perform two of his great works, Kettentanz and Round of Angels. Someone in the seat in front of him turned around and said "Thank you for giving these to us."

It was strange during the fall program, not to see him in his usual spot in his box, or hearing his familiar voice calling "Bravo!" to the dancers. He said once that the company had been watched over by angels - those in heaven who'd given them their start, and those on earth who helped the company through the most difficult of times. Now, he too, is one of those angels, watching over the company.