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good old times?
come to think of it, old tom and jerry cartoons were really violent. violently awesome. i'd still watch 'em.
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it's time to party"It's time to party" came up on shuffle today. Forgot how awesomely trashy this song was. And very short. In fact, all of the songs on the entire album clock in at under 4 minutes. It reminds me that, in fact, I have not partied in a while. I also haven't blogged in a while. I think I got blogged out for a while. Going to work slowly back into it.
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vacation, all i ever wanted
was on a sorely need vacation last week. with work and the show, i had hardly any free time to do much of anything, so a week in LA and Hawaii was just what i needed. Allie coming along for the ride made it the best vacation ever.
my niece is HUGE
first thing i did was to hang out with the fam for a bit. haven't seen them since last Christmas. my niece is ginormous now. not even a year old and she's a butterball with a full head of hair. she is adorable of course, and very, very happy. not a bad baby at all. unlike the screamers on the plane over.
an LA tourist? me?
this was Allie's first trip to LA, so we spent a day being all touristy. for having grown up in LA (and maybe because of that fact), i've never gone to the Walk of Fame, or Griffith Observatory, or the Sunset Strip. unfortunately, the observatory is closed for renovations, so we did all that other stuff and went to 3rd street down in Santa Monica instead.
my hands are the size of Cary Grant's
we walked along the beach at Santa Monica pier
Allie had a college friend who lived in Beverly Hills (and i mean, like right down the street from Paul McCartney), so we went to visit her and then all headed down to the Saddle Ranch Chop House on the Sunset Strip (i rode the bull)
aloha oe
after a couple days in LA, we headed to Kauai for the rest of the week. some friends of mine were getting married at the Princeville resort at the end of the week, so we hung out mostly around Hanalei for the week.
the first thing we did was to satiate our travel hunger by going to a luau. oh, the food was so good. i haven't gorged myself like that in a long, long time. and of course, the wahinis pulled me up on stage to dance and pulled the old dress-a-guy-up-in-a-coconut-bikini gag. i'm sure plenty of random people have pictures of me with a coconut bra on.
mmm, kalua pig
the next morning (still full from the luau), we went snorkeling along the Na' Pali coast
and along the way we were fortunate enough to be visited by a pod of spinner dolphins
we also saw a couple of sea turtles, but i haven't gotten the pictures from the underwater cameras developed.
later in the week, we hiked down to Queen's Bath, which is this really cool natural swimming pool that's essentially a huge tide pool. it was an amazing sight, and pretty cool to swim around in.
still full from the luau. it was deep enough to dive in from where i was standing.
looking out to the ocean
we also went to some beaches that had caves to explore
and of course, there was the wedding. they had a beautiful outdoor wedding. it was a bit hot being out there in a suit, but not too bad all in all.
frank and elaine posing with their rings
me and allie posing with each other
after the wedding and reception at the hotel, there was an after-party at the house in which frank and elaine were staying. the house was absolutely amazing.
we chilled out in the pool most of the time (going back and forth from the sauna and the jacuzzi. money as the sun went down)
the view from the edge of the pool (and the jacuzzi).
we found a frog in the pond in front of the house
and finally the night before we were to leave, we had a nice oceanside dinner as the sun set
all in all, i'd have to say that was the best. vacation. ever. coming back to the heatwave in boston definitely sucked.
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*peeks around corner*
Is anyone still here? I'm still alive. Some highlights:
January:
Found a new karaoke joint: The Courtside pub in Cambridge.
February:
Assistant directed a production of Nine at Wellesley.
Went to Dallas for the first time for a health care conference.
Totally screwed up Valentine's Day.
March:
Nothing happened in March. Too much rehearsal.
April:
Performed in Company with MTG.
May:
Performing in Damn Yankees with Turtle Lane Playhouse. First paid gig! Six week run though... 23 performances really kills the social life.
comedy or drama?
been trying to start playwriting again. working on two different versions of the same story. comments appreciated. mebbe it will help decide which to pursue.
the body - a comedy
(PHIL and GARY enter carrying a body BAG)
PHIL
Do you think he’s tall?
GARY
Shut up.
PHIL
Have you ever seen him, you know, in person?
GARY
I said shut up. When I tell you to shut up, shut up.
PHIL
I’m just asking, you know—
GARY
(drops his half of the body) Will you shut up! No, I don’t know if he’s tall, or fat, or flies around in a fucking cape! It’s not like we sit down every Sunday and have a goddamned cup of tea. Fuck! Would you put him down already? Fuck it, I’m taking a smoke break.
PHIL
… You didn’t have to yell.
GARY
What?
PHIL
Nothing.
GARY
Every fucking year. Ten goddamned miles. You’d think they’ve put a road up by now, eh? Oh no, “can’t fuck with tradition.” My ass. It doesn’t matter how it gets there as long as it gets there, you know what I mean? (PHIL is examining the BAG.) What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
PHIL
I-I-I was just—
GARY
—I-I-I was just. Just what? J-j-just trying to look inside. Yea, that’s what I thought. Heh. Can’t blame ya though. I remember my first time. I was dying to open it. Dying. You’ll see eventually. It’s nothing special. Tell you what. I’ll let you kick him.
PHIL
Kick him?
GARY
Yea. Give’m a good boot to the head. Go on, give it shot.
PHIL
I don’t think I should…
GARY
Go on already, it’s not like he’s gonna feel anything. Go on.
(PHIL gives the BAG the weakest kick in the history of man. GARY laughs.)
GARY
Oh man. You fucking pussy. You couldn’t kick your own ass. Here, let me show you how to do it right. No, stay right there, maybe you’ll hear something break.
(GARY sets up to kick the BAG, but before he commences, the BAG starts moving. GARY and PHIL are frozen in amazement.)
J.B.
(jerking to life) Mmmm. Mmmm. (more jerking, more viciously, then rest. Slow building to a sense of elation) I’m alive. I’M ALIVE! Yeah! YEAH! FUCK YEAH! WHOO! (more general shouting, building back down. J.B. struggles to get out of the bag. Unsuccessfully) Uh. Hello? Anyone? Little help? Fuck. Where are you, ya dumb bastard? I know you’re around here somewhere. Can anyone hear me?
PHIL
(cautiously) Yea.
J.B.
Uh, I guess you can’t open these things from the inside, eh? Not really fair, dontcha think? How about you give a fella a sporting chance? You know, mango a mango.
PHIL
J.B.?
J.B.
Yea?
PHIL
It’s me, Phil! (Moves over to unzips the bag)
J.B.
Phil? Holy shit dude, Phil! Man, it’s been, like, years. Wow. I would’ve never though it’d be someone like you.
PHIL
Someone like me?
J.B.
Yea, man, I mean, you couldn’t kick your own ass if you tried. Help me out of this thing, will ya?
(PHIL helps J.B. out of the bag. J.B. dusts himself off, then kicks PHIL in the groin)
J.B.
Dude, I totally got him! Did you see that? Oh, hey, I’m J.B.
GARY
Gary. What the fuck d’you do that for?
J.B.
Fuck if I go out while I’m asleep. I figure I should least to get kick him in the nuts.
GARY
What do you mean?
J.B.
Well… He’s the guy, right? I mean, the guy.
GARY
Him? Hell no. Look at him, and ask yourself that again.
J.B.
I guess not, huh. Aww shit, Phil, man, I’m sorry. Can I get you, like, a glass of water or something?
PHIL
No thanks. I’m good. (to GARY) Is this normal, for the people to wake up like this?
GARY
I’d have to say no. (to J.B.) Didn’t they give you pills before?
J.B.
Yea. But I spit half of ‘em out. I wanted to see this guy face to face. (to PHIL) You sure you’re alright? Lemme help you up.
PHIL
Slowly. I’m fine, really. (falsetto) Ok, no I’m not, put me back down.
GARY
Great. Fucking great.
the body - a drama
ONE and TWO enter carrying a body BAG
ONE
I don't know-
TWO
-Shut up.
ONE
But what if-
TWO
-I said shut up. When I tell you to shut up, shut up.
ONE
I'm just saying-
TWO
(dropping his half of the body) -Why are you torturing yourself?
ONE
(overlapping with above, struggling to put BAG down) -Hey, hey, take it easy.
TWO
We can't change it.
(ONE doesn’t respond)
TWO
Okay then. Let's keep going. (ONE is checking on the BAG) What are you doing?
ONE
I'm... I'm just making sure he's not... (starts to unzip the BAG).
TWO
(stopping ONE) Don't. He can't feel anything.
ONE
I know, I know. You didn’t have to drop him.
TWO
The sooner you forget that he was a real person-
ONE
-Is a real person.
TWO
(THEY pick BAG up) Was. The sooner you understand that the better off you’ll be.
ONE
I don’t see how you can just put it out of your mind like that.
TWO
I don’t want to discuss it anymore. It’s the way it is. Let's get going.
ONE
(stopping after a few steps) I can't.
TWO
Look, you know- (interrupts himself, motions to set BAG down, THEY do) Look, you know the code. You grew up with it. You knew this could happen one day. We all did. So you know what we have to do. You can't keep stopping like this, we're going to be late. (ONE refuses to move) You remember, don't you? Back at the academy? Under our pledge tree. We said if one of us was chosen, we'd accept it with dignity, with honor. No matter when, no matter-
ONE
(finishing sentence) -no matter how.
TWO
C'mon, let's not make this any harder.
(TWO moves to the BAG. ONE reluctantly joins him. As THEY start to pick BAG up, BAG moves jerkily. THEY take a step back, completely frozen)
BAG
(jerking to life) Mmm. Mmm. (BAG jerks viciously, then comes to rest). No. No, no, NO, NO! Why haven't you taken me yet? WHY? I was supposed to be asleep. I was supposed to be asleep! ASLEEP! (BAG writhes, comes to rest again). Hello? Are you there? I'm over here. I'm ready. Did you hear me, I said I'm ready! CAN YOU HEAR ME?
ONE
Yes.
BAG
It's funny. You sound just like a friend of mine.
ONE
That's because I am.
BAG
Stop it. You're being cruel. Even you must understand that. Why don't you just get it over with?
ONE
But it is me. (ONE moves over to unzip the BAG)
BAG
No, no, I don't want this, I don't. No! (BAG begins screaming)
ONE
Stop it! STOP IT! (ONE opens the BAG and shakes the person inside. BAG stops screaming). It's me! Look at me! It’s me.
BAG
You? (notices TWO) And you? They had you take me? (THEY nod) Damn them. It’s supposed to be humane. How cruel of them to do this to you.
ONE
Cruel for us? Listen to yourself.
BAG
There was no choice involved in my fate. The escorts, however, are chosen at will.
TWO
They didn’t choose us. We volunteered.
BAG
I’m surprised they let (indicating ONE) him do it.
TWO
He’s very persuasive.
ONE
I couldn’t just watch you go.
TWO
Besides, they knew I was coming along. Given the situation, I think they let up a little. So what now?
ONE
We take him back.
TWO
No. You know the code.
ONE
The code! Of course I know the damned code. You heard him scream. Where was the honor and dignity in that? You heard him, dammit, don't tell me you didn't, and don't tell me you can still take him there.
TWO
Well what the hell else are we supposed to do? We can't take him back.
BAG
You promised me. Last night, we all knew it was the last time. No matter when, no matter how.
ONE
But you'll be awake.
BAG
I know. Everyone before used to be too. We're luckier now.
TWO
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
ONE
Why did it have to be you?
BAG
Don't do this again. Why did it have to be me? Why did it have to be you two taking me? Why did it have to be anybody at all? These are not things we have choice over. You know this. You never were suited to be in the academy. Always so compassionate.
TWO
You always frustrated the directors.
BAG
I can’t remember how many times you were in the silent room.
TWO
And how many times we were in there with you.
BAG
(standing up) They would get so mad at you, especially when you questioned the code.
TWO
Always asking questions.
BAG
Questions they couldn't answer. (stands up and gathers body bag) Questions no one could answer.
ONE
Where are you going?
BAG
Where do you think?
ONE
But I heard you. You don't want this.
BAG
Does it matter?
ONE
Of course it does. You have a choice.
BAG
Do I? Let’s just say I did have a choice. I could choose not to be sacrificed. What then? I couldn’t go home. I couldn’t see my family, my friends, anymore. I might as well be dead. Not to mention that there might not even be a home to go to. Have you forgotten why I’m here?
ONE
I don’t want you to go.
BAG
You mustn’t be so selfish. I’ll miss you terribly. I’ll miss everyone. But this is something I have to do.
(Sounds of large footsteps are heard)
TWO
Is that-?
(Sounds of large footsteps are heard)
BAG
You have to leave.
ONE
I’m not going.
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california dreaming
on such a winter's day indeed. it's fricking freezing back in boston mr. bigglesworth! new england gave me a warm (ha!) welcome sunday evening by being a bitch and diverting my flight to newark. mmm, newark. i overheard a guy walking by:
"look at all these people stuck here. hell, i *live* here and i don't want to be here"
so instead of getting into boston at 10pm sunday night, i got in at 12:30am monday afternoon. and, of course, the baggage carousel was broken, so it took me another hour to get the bag i checked in (packed with my christmas gifts and tamales. more on that later) and i didn't set foot in the door until 3pm. ugh, let's not do that ever again.
first stop, joshua tree
a good friend of mine from high school, ji, is a marine JAG, who works out of 29 palms (out in the desert), so i decided to take a drive out there to visit him and his wife monica (also a good friend from high school. high school sweethearts, aww).
i stayed there for a night, so that monica and i could go to the joshua tree national park in the afternoon while he was at work. after step aerobics in the morning at the base, and lunch afterward, we went to go climb some rocks...
... see some joshua trees...
... and run into the occasional coyote (they don't stay still very well)...
later that evening, the sun set, as it does every day, and often looks just like this:
man, i forgot how spoiled i was living out west :). it was clear and sunny *every* day, and the temps got up into the 80s for a couple of days. the coldest day there it probably got down to 62. and my parents were wondering why i wasn't wearing a jacket.
family time
i'm far from what you would call a practicing catholic. in fact, far from a practicing anything. yet, my family is mostly roman catholic, so while i didn't go to mass or anything, i'm still very used to the whole decorating, cooking, baking, family get-together thing. christmas has always, and will continue to be a special, but absolutely secular event for me. ok, here are the obligatory christmas pictures:
my sister and her daughter (my niece!)
alison and marcel
mom and dad mixing up the masa for our annual batch of tamales
the tamales ready to cook (they came out awesome. i brought some home)
marcel playing with his new christmas toy
a startling revelation
of the 7 or 8 people i kept in good touch with after high school:
Ji is married to Monica
Monica is married to Ji
Christian is married and living in SF... but i haven't talked to him in years.
Laura is engaged to Steven
Steven is engaged to Laura
Elaine is engaged to someone she met in college
Eric is living with his girlfriend of 1.5 years... and they have dogs.
Miyoshi is single and just finished her studies in acupuncture and herbalism... but she's two years younger than me... and the only person not in my high school graduating class.
i'm in *no* rush.
speaking of children
thankfully, none of my high school friend have any... yet. although dogs are a first step. and i know that people in my class are already having babies. i, however, got a roomba for christmas. and i'm wondering what i should name it. it's so cute, you know, vacuuming around and bumping into stuff and making little bleeps and bloops. any ideas?
hope y'all's hanachrismakwaandenominational holiday went well.
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