'tis the season

look! our apartment is so Christmas-y!
and kevin is coming home early--as in, tonight. which is wonderful, but frustrating. wonderful, obviously because then he'll be home. but frustrating because now we'll miss out on two full days of his buckaroos. we'll survive.

in other news, trader joe's is fine and dandy. true, the hours are long and occasionally why-is-it-so-dark-outside early, but the people are really great. for the most part. there are always those select few who stand out: the big-ego-power-hungry-you-are-just-a-minion one. the weird, calls everyone "gurlfriend" one. and the one who will never stop talking ever, no never, no thank you, not ever. other than those few, it's fine. clearly not what i really want to be doing, but fine for now.

and now, i have to clean the apartment and go to the post office and the bank and this and that and the other thing before kevin gets back tonight. and the sink is full of dishes.

so many things.

welp. i'm home alone again. for 17 days, this time. kevin is back in kansas digging stuff up and eating at mexican restaurants and playing games. i am sitting in our bed, looking at the snow outside, needing pancakes, and completely without milk.

this is going to be a photographic list of things that we've done in the past two months, but neglected to tell you about. . . or want to tell you about again. . . or, hey look! pictures!

i'll start at the beginning:

on oct. 12th, we went sailing with my rentals.






























on the 18th, we went to an Illini game with rachel and kristen.
there was an attack. and coldness.













we got an apartment.



and a roommate.






the 25th was cousins' weekend in Eau Claire.
























we made juice.





















halloween in urbana.














a friend's photo shoot.













and now, there is snow.

hired.

we got a new bathroom floor!

a nice thing to come home to after a weekend in urbana.

there were plays and parties and monsters under beds and witches and dragons and a priest from newman hall with a big bag of coke. fun was had by all.

we are both exhausted.

and planning a party of our own. you're probably invited if you're under the age of 38. it's this saturday. if you're over the age of 38 you still might be invited.

we're gonna bust out our new little green grill.

Moving and a shaking

So many things have happened this week. Good things.

Mostly, we're mostly moved in. Most of the way.



Lets see...we saw a great one woman show by Zoe Schwarz.

We have an office boy staying with us for a while while he does a show at the Goodman Theatre. His name is Brendan.

I got offered a job. I turned it down. I got offered another job as an archaeologist, and might turn that down if I get offered another job before I start.

We bought stuff....lots of stuff...and cheap stuff...and used gift cards...and organized...and then I rolled a dresser on a hand truck from the salvation army store to our home.

Cousin's weekend this weekend. In EAU CLAIRE. With Amanda's family. Should be a good time. It's a yearly celebration of two football teams clashing. Illinois vs. Wisconsin. Should be interesting, and fun.

Amanda made really awesome chicken satay tonight, and we have started using our awesome wedding presents, thanks you!

My Uncle Curtis has a friend who refurbs bikes, and it is being shipped here currently. I can't WAIT. There's a little assembly required, which sort of scares me, but in a good way. I like knowing things and figuring things out. Which is good. It's black, and gold. And I need to name it, any suggestions? I'm thinking COBRA.

That's all for now.

CHICAGO. Is, so, great.

mr hammond, i think we're back in business

we have moved in. there are boxes everywhere, but the bed has sheets and pillows on it, there is extra toilet paper in the bathroom, pork from the wedding in the freezer, and a multitude of candles scattered throughout the living room.

kevin is currently taking a bath (not only because baths are soothing, but also because our shower doesn't work. awesome.), while i sit alone in the cold dark bedroom, candles ablaze, borrowing internet from some friendly neighbor nearby.

we went to kohl's and bed bath and beyond this evening. returning things we didn't need, getting lots of money, and then spending it again on more useful things. . . like a lamp shade. and dish-drying rack. and eco-friendly light bulbs. i'm glad we have so many candles. we'll use less energy that way, plus maybe keep this horribly insulated place a little warmer.

tomorrow night we're going to see zoe's Auntie Dorris show. if you are in the area, GO. it is only 10 dollars. so you have no excuse.

last thursday, we saw adam shalzi in Dr. Egg, which was lovely.
sometime soon we'll go see jon hill at steppenwolf.
and laura coover at remy bumppo.
then we'll see brendan marshall-rashid at the goodman.

i like being able to see people doing things.


this city feels good.

. . . and feel free to send hot chocolate, warm cookies, beef stew, a bookshelf, tasteful curtains, a fireplace, new dvds, or wool socks to:
The Readers
2426 N. Janssen 2FR
Chicago, IL 60614

thanks.

back in the basement

we're in champaign. /savoy. /urbana.

it's mildly strange. i went to the senior shakespeare class this morning. . . it partly made me miss school a ton, and partly just put Desdemona on my Play Me Someday list. i should write that list down.

i'm sitting in espresso royale, the chambana starbucks, if you will. but more indie. and less expensive. and more college-y. and less yuppie. i have probably only been here 10 times or so, seeing as i'm no coffee drinker. it kind of weirds me out, actually. i'm getting nervous that someone will see me. someone, that is, that i don't really want to see. like that kid whose name i should definitely remember, because i knew it three months ago, but if he/she said hi to me right at this moment i would probably have a hard time remembering why i know this person, let alone what his/her name is.

one of those healthy college aquaintences that, upon graduation, becomes obsolete.
ugh. gimme one of these.

annnnnnnnnd

unemployed.

one. week. left.

it's true. morning shows tuesday-friday. night shows thursday-saturday. matinee on sunday.

then. i'm done.

and then. we head home. to the urbana/champaign/savoy home. we should be there by monday night. and neither of us can wait. not that this hasn't been a good experience, because it has. it's just that it has been rather. . . long. and, on kevin's part, extremely boring. and the fact that we don't really have a home of our own to be missing has kind of made it even harder. so. we are excited to get back to the land of lincoln, to say the least.

somebody plan a party in our honor. with cupcakes, if that's not too much to ask.

eat more salad

and always
buy his dressing.







ugh. this is so depressing.

proof that it really happened.

Look At Them!

it's getting colder. . . finally.

did i mention that our fridge has been broken for over a week? because it has. many vegetables were lost. and some vegetarian corn dogs. and some orange juice. some frozen fruit and sausage were safely transported to ray & brendan's freezer, but the ricotta cheese couldn't be saved. because it's 65º in there. and for the past couple days it has smelled funny.





luckily, today this man came. and rooted around for awhile.













he even took some of the innards out.









then, a few hours later, there were people in our backyard using our hose to wash out a big white box. once it was clean, those people using our hose, brought that big white box into our house and left it there.





it was a big white ice box. and now it's becoming a big white cold ice box.










mind you, it's only a temporary ice box. until we get a brand-spanking-new-one sometime this weekend. everyone is very excited about this.




also, i made pancakes on monday.

opening!

it's official. both shows are open and running. NCSF hosted a reception for us and our families on saturday night after Much Ado.



the elvis impersonator that was serving the wine sang to me. sadly, no photo was taken. but i got a few on the way out.




a full, and mildy scary elevator.










lots of people crossing the street.
and kevin, eating a brownie.

i mean, don't misunderstand me, here

i still don't like kids. i don't.

but

performing at 10am for a random assortment of children, from what seems like 6 year olds to high schoolers, has, at times, been a really rewarding experience. hearing that one little kid laughing louder, and a little bit later, than anyone else in the audience. or learning that another whispered "Benedick!" when our Benedick came onstage alone. it's exciting. those little moments.

of course, on the other hand, there tends to be a lot more silence. huge gaping holes of silence. which can be frustrating, especially when it seems obvious that their teachers have been preparing them for this field trip for over a week..."if any of you so much as lets out a peep! let alone poke your neighbor, or chew gum, or fall asleep, or kick the seat in front of you, or put your shoes on the seats, or get peanut butter on anything, you will be in time out, or detention, or what-have-you for a week! do you hear me? a week!"

so.

then they get here and sit on their peanut-butter-free hands, praying they won't have to pee before intermission, and holding their breath until curtain call.

somebody tell the children of the world that it's ok to boo and hiss at the bad guys. life's more fun that way.

there's a first time for everything...

after a ridiculous understudy rehearsal on sunday night, came monday. a lovely free day, including a Mexican lunch,




a surf/skate boarding shop,










new flip flops,









Burn After Reading, TJ Max, and Petsmart, Kevin and i joined some other NCSFers at, that's right,






Hooters.





it was my first time. and, perhaps, my last.

photo call

the set for Much Ado.












Kevin hunting a fly.














with a kitchen knife.












Lear in rehearsal.















the set for Lear.












Lear on stage.
















dead Cordelia on stage.



this may not be a happy play, but our Graham makes it a beautiful play.

I DARE you to read this:

So, for the next installment of famous North Carolina women, we have Virginia Dare!!

Virginia was the first person of non native descent to be born on the continent of North America. There was a colony, the first and failed colony called Roanoke Island. She was born in 1587.

The colony was eventually wiped out by health problems, not surviving winter, or being killed off by Native Americans. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding the colony. Much of which is likely lost to history and time.

For an excellent description of the Roanoke Colony and its development, go here: http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/ncsites/English2.htm#Lost

The answers are trying to be solved by modern day archaeology and a foundation has been started for this just cause: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0302_040302_lostcolony.html

Now I wonder if this is where the term, I DARE you came from. Imagine that this family was "Dared" to colonize the Americas first. Also, it turns out that Double Dare was derived from colonial activities on Roanoke island in homage to the family Dare. Please see: for a funny moment. I DOUBLE DARE YOU.

somehow, someway

i got on the internet on amanda's mac on shakespeare wireless...let's hope it lasts until she gets home!

yikes.

granny smith

we're at the apple store. in durham.

mr finkleton (my computer) got sickies last week and wouldn't connect to our wireless. so we went to the rehearsal hall and tried their free wireless. but it didn't work there either. so i got nervous. i searched the apple website for store nearby, and durham turned out to be the closest. 1 hour, 15 minutes.

so here we are. of course, the second we got into the store and gave my compy to an employee it worked just fine. turns out (so we think) that i just needed to update some of the software--which i am doing right now, while i use this nice new apple-store-compy for freebies.

the apple store is a happy place.

"i've had my hand in rick schroder's mouth!"

said by Graham. our Lear, in Lear. and our Verges, in Much Ado.

he is hilarious. completely and utterly.
and he rides his scooter to rehearsal.


tonight is our Much Ado invited dress, so Kevin is coming to see it, and Graham's brilliance.

'tis the season

for college football.

















Illini football.
















i love this time of year. the smell of barbecue and beer and crunchy leaves and hot chocolate. i've been busy enough out here to keep my mind off of the starting school year over seven hundred miles away. . .















. . . but seeing that jumping, shouting, cheering orange in the stands makes me want to put on my Uni, buy some new colored pencils, and show up early to dynamics.















or get up early, find a ride to 4th & Pennsylvania, grab a beer, put a fake tat on my cheek, slip into my blue wig and emerge through the student section tunnel into the stands screaming, "JUICE!!" all the way to my seat.

Fanstatically Fantasia!

Do you remember 2004? Oh those were the days!

The death of John Kerry (politically), the rebirth of George W. Bush (insert your negative thoughts here).

It was the international year of Rice. Thanks United Nations! So glad to see that you keep up on our commemorating world food goods.

It was also a great year for exploding whales - yes that happens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_whale

But back to my point. This is also the year another exploding whale hit the scene: Fantasia.

Here's a small snippet about our 2004 American Idol, but please, don't waste your time watching the actual show.

Born in High Point, North Carolina, to Joseph & Diane Barrino. In her autobiography, Life Is Not a Fairytale, Fantasia explains that a family rumor suggests her father's family was of Cuban and Trinidadian descent, explaining the surname Barrino (a rare surname for African Americans in North Carolina).^[1]

The Barrino Family traveled and performed in the Carolinas and elsewhere in the American South and recorded the CD Miracles for a local label. Fantasia's singing style was shaped by the example of Gospel singers like Shirley Caesar and The Clark Sisters. Rhythm & Blues singers such as Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan also left a strong impact on young Fantasia.

She attended T. Wingate Andrews High School in High Point, North Carolina. After she was raped by a classmate ^[2], she was left feeling harassed and embarrassed and dropped out of high school. In a later relationship, she became pregnant at age 17, on August 8, 2001, she gave birth to her daughter, Zion Quari Barrino. She broke up with Zion's father for what she has described as physical abuse. ^[3]

--It's good to see that something great came out of High Point, other than obscenely large furniture.

I also will spend the next few days promoting the new 90210 series on CW. (Which is UPN and the WB combined). Guerilla marketing, which basically means I'm walking around talking to people about the new show and telling them to watch. If you want two hours that you will never get back, check it out on Tuesday at 8pm. TWO HOURS for the opening show. Apparently the CW is pouring all of its efforts into this one. Hoping it will save the network despite its other critically acclaimed shows such as: ....umm....

Famous Women of North Carolina That You Probably Forgot of Didn't Even Know Existed

As we start our journey of the influential women of North Carolina, I chose to spot light someone who greatly affected my life.

Without her husband, I would have never laughed at the politico humor associated with Pepsi commercials during super bowl games. I'm sure she had a large part to play in Bob marketability.

So I present to you, Elizabeth Dole.

A native of Salisbury, Dole worked for six different presidents and served as president of the American Red Cross before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002. She is also married to Bob Dole, a former senator and presidential candidate.

You can call her office in D.C. at: 202-224-6342

Or check out her very extensive and impressive career here at the U.S. Senate Profiles - collect all 100!

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/dole.htm

Highlights include working for Nixon, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and trying to ascertain the republican nomination for president in January 1999. Which was not in contention with Bob (he ran in 1996, lest we not forget). She actually paved the way for women nominees. She is credited as the first woman to have a credible shot at the job. Move over Hillary. Pay credit where credit is due.

She's up for election again in North Carolina. You can check out her campaign here:

Poor gal has had a lot of negative campaign ads ran against here in the local media.

http://www.elizabethdole.org/docs/pages/Working-for-the-People.html

Donations are accepted of course.

First time, in a long time.

Clearly. I've slacked on my half of the posting duties. I'll do my best to make up for it.

In the mean time, let me offer everyone a peace offering, with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Please watch a baby buffalo survive a pride of lions attack, as well as a brawl with a crocodile, and end up being saved by its own herd of buffalo. Wow.

High Point has got to be the low point of my year to date.

However, there is a pool...and a farmer's market. So it's not all bad.

We also ate a Salvadoran restaurant. Which was good. A lot of potatoes and cabbage, but all on tortillas and with chicken. All cooked thoroughly.

Also. For any tomato fans out there, please grow German Johnson varieties of tomatoes. They are exquisite. See here:

I'm pretty sure I heard some old farming men at the farmer's market referring to them as butthole tomatoes.

Gives a fresh take on that movie Killer Tomatoes. And could lend some deeper meaning to the movie Fried Green Tomatoes. (Sorry Fannie Flagg, but the book was better)

Which by the way, if you didn't know...Fannie Flagg is an amazing woman.

See her profile here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Flagg

or for suggestions for questions to raise at your local book club about her newest book, Can't Wait to Get To Heaven or for her own personal and delicious recipes see:

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/fannieflagg/recipes.html

Can I briefly reiterate: High Point.

I think I'm going to start my own brief segment on our blog...famous women of North Carolina. Even though Fannie Flagg isn't from North Carolina. We'll let her be our first.

It's been raining for the past two days non stop. I think its the outlier system from the recent tropical storm that passed through Florida.

Also, if you didn't know. Illinois football opens and is playing Missouri this Saturday on ESPN. #20 Illinois versus #6 Missouri. I don't watch a lot of college football, but I am going to watch this game.

In case you didn't know...Amanda and I are almost caught up on our Lost watching. Just finished season 3.

Oh. Scary. The thunder here rumbles and echoes longer than it does in Illinois. Because it is hilly? I'm not sure. We will see what the local weather man has to say.

Kevin

red peppers and peaches!

we're going to the farmers' market this morning. in 10 minutes. it's just outside of High Point and it's really big and quite impressive.

and hopefully we'll get goat cheese. because it's oh-so-good.

thanks, megan

duh.

Amanda Drinkall
c/o North Carolina Shakespeare Festival
807 W. Ward Ave.
High Point, North Carolina 27260

oh, and I'm Sitting In My Kitchen Right Now Because The Internet Man Just Left And We Have Internet For Real. which is extremely exciting.

Look! Photos of People and Things!

kevin and our new friend ray!
at the barbecue we had the first weekend we were here. it was a get-together barbecue.











on sunday night we had a surprise party for brendan! he was very surprised.

today is his real birthday.
he turned 26.










brendan and david fighting this morning.
in much ado.
with henson being very surprised while watching.

it's like living in 1847

we still don't have internet at our apartment.   hence the infrequent updates.

don't worry though, we're "getting it today."  that's what we've heard almost every day for the past two weeks.  so.  we'll see.

rehearsals are going well.  did a lot of dancing on saturday, and we're fighting today.  all for Much Ado--which is all blocked and mostly memorized for everybody...

Lear is going a little slower, no surprise, but it's still looking good.

went swimming yesterday for our day off, got a little pink, got a package from mama (which is exciting for us and welcome for all to join in), went to walgreens, and then saw Pineapple Express....which was alright, but mildly disappointing.  regardless, it got all of us excited for Tropic Thunder, which we'll see sometime in the next week or so.

that is all.

Lear-ning. . . everything.

rehearsal.

for me, rehearsal for Lear consists of much sitting and staring. and, occasionally, taking notes ot writing down blocking. some one else's blocking.

i'm understudying Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia. those are Lear's three daughters. individually, they have a lot of lines. together, they have. . . a lot of lines. so, i attend rehearsals that i take no part in, other than listening as carefully as possible to try to memorize everything that i hear.

other than that, everything is great. the people are wonderful, and our housing is awesome. the pool is warm, but not too warm, and we're hosting a pool party after rehearsal tomorrow evening.
hopefully, some of the guys are going to buy a grill, so we'll cook out and swim and get to know everyone a little better.

and here are some photos for your enjoyment.

Lear rehearsal:














a giant bureau:

and we're not in illinois!

after receiving a lovely and generous offer from the Sanborns, Kevin and i spent three hot, but relaxing, days staying in their home in Cadiz, KY.

we ate burgoo, which was wonderful.
kevin tubed in Lake Barkley (which is warm like a bathtub)


















and we played boggle. . . kevin's really smart and knows a lot of words. . . i, on the other hand, make my own words up.

now we're in North Carolina, and i'm being a real live paid actor for money.

this is our room.
we're both excited.


















we're living with eleni.
she bought a bike.














we have a pool.
kevin bought goggles.

we're married!!!...again