Hanging By a Moment on a Monday Night

So I realize that I haven't blogged in a while, but I also have not been in the best of moods lately either. Now I realize a lot of people that read my blog, blog better when they aren't in a good mood, but I'm more of the opposite.

I'm rather looking forward to One Acts this year. I am now directing one and things are going rather well with it. I am also producing them as well, which should be fun. Here is a quick summary of the shows we are doing:

“Good Business Sense” directed by Bob Prescott
(comedy, 1 male, 1 female, 1 genderless) Barth has Good Business Sense, and tonight he's making the boardroom presentation of his life: a proposal of marriage to the equally industrious Claudia. Everything is perfect -- including the ring for which his assistants shopped everywhere. But she wants flowers and violins, not charts and graphs...

"Iphigenia in Orem" directed by Christian Gage
(drama, 1m) This show is the third show of a one-act trilogy entitled Bash: Latterday Plays, written by Neil LaBute. The show is a first-person tale that takes places in a Las Vegas hotel room, where a lonely traveling businessman confides in a stranger a chilling story. The show has been controversial since its publishing, yet has been presented in sold-out theatres across New York. The show is to be taken as life, presented to the audience in all its cruelty and absurdity.

"Thinking Up a New Name for the Act" directed by Bob Schulein
(comedy, 1m, 1f, 2-9g) Pete hits on the phrase "Meat and Potatoes" as the perfect name for their vaudeville act, but Lucy doesn't like it. They get into a terrible fight, and Lucy kills Pete. A police investigation, trial and execution quickly follow. And the only words in this farcical sketch are "meat and potatoes."

“Mr. Show” directed by Brandon Javella
(comedy, 8+g) Mr. Show began in 1995 starring David Cross and Bob Odenkirk and their assembled band of starving comedians. The show quickly garnered a cult following with their irreverent and off the wall style. The satirical show survived 4 seasons and spawned a spin off movie. The piece we will be performing for one acts contains several of their best sketches including the classic "Can I Use This Chair?" sketch. If you are a fan of Monty Python, SNL, or Chappelle's Show, then you will enjoy helping out with this piece.

Should be an interesting show.

So I got an email from a really annoying kid in Rose Drama Club about his interest in my show today, and I really didn't even want to consider him for a role. But after talking to Kiki tonight I really realized that I need to give him the benefit of the doubt and at least consider him and withold judgement until after auditions. I kinda owe it to my drama club to completely have an open mind for any one that would like to try out and make decisions strictly on the audition and not to dismiss someone before I've seen what they can do now. Yeah, he may suck recently, but who knows, he may have worked ahrd and imroved by auditions and I owe it to all who try out as a director to start auditions with a clean slate. Gonna be tough. The kid really annoys me.

I think I'll end with some Lifehouse that really talks to me right now. I love Lifehouse, such a great band.

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
Chasing after you
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me now...

I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you
I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you

There's nothing else to lose
There's nothing else to find
There's nothing in the world
That can change my mind
There is nothing else

Numb on a Wednesday Night

So I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hate this. I would like to leave an audition feeling like the director has seen a good chunk of what I can do. The last time I left an audition with a pretty good feeling, was well, for Picasso back in high school. I was told they no longer needed me before they even had me read for Picasso, the part Bunny even told me she could see me as. Auditions here are a joke. Why are they run by the technical director?? The director, herself, really doesn't do squat but sit there and watch. Um, who's show is this? Well, anyway, I asked Bunny if I could read for Picasso, which Bunny who hates confrontation, of course agreed to. Although she had me read the other scene with Picasso, not the one we had seen before and could show that I can do it better than those who had done it already. I think a few of the other people who read for Picasso got his ego down for the most part, but don't seem to get him past the ego. I wanted to show all the aspects of Picasso and it can be shown so well in the scene others read for. I think I did a pretty good job with the scene I was given though. I showed an egotistical, loved by the ladies and he knows it, frantic artist, without overplaying a certain one. I pulled the room in and not a sound was heard but Danna and I. At the end they clapped with Greg saying, we're done with you as if to say, it all doesn't matter, go home. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I've been screwed lately enough with the stealing of my show and not being allowed to direct because a member of film club and someone who isn't even a student any more were directing that I don't need this as well. Maybe all this ranting is premature, but I have a horrible feeling about it.

In other news, I have lost my cell phone. If you know where it is, please let me know as I am looking frantically all over the place for it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Hmmm, so not much else to say. I think I will leave you with some Tait that just seems to fit right now.

Slipping away
Are we sleeping at the wheel and unaware now
Has the population put us in a trance now
Overtaken by the tide and washed away now
What do you say now
In a daze
Are we moving in the motion of the crowd now
Slowly losing everything we were about now
Is it time to draw a line in the sand now
And take a stand now

Somebody talk to me
Am I all alone
When are we gonna wake up
Are we numb
Is the feeling gone
Tell me what went wrong
Are we numb
Close your eyes
Let the world pass by
Now you're hypnotized
Are we numb

Moving away
From the heart of everything we tried to be now
Just stop look and tell me what you see now
We've been taken like the winds across the sea now
We've gotta break free now

Mesmerized
Desensitized
Before my eyes
I'm paralyzed

We're drifting, we're dreaming, we're floating away

So many times we just watch pass by
The tick tock of life leaving us hypnotized
Mesmerized a stun gun leaving you in a daze
Better wake up now before you find yourself slipping away
All we know
Is the feeling numb

Drive Away on a Friday Afternoon

So it's a Friday and I'm in a pretty good mood. It's been a good week. Kiki came on Tuesday, which was awesome. I finally got to show her my campus. On Wednesday the weather cooperated and was most beautiful. I think Mother Nature has finally decided to move on to Spring. ::knock on wood::

Enjoying the Gratitude. Nick introduced me to this band a couple of weeks ago and I think they are growing on me. I like their style. I've never had much time to sit down and really listen to them though, but I like them right now. He told me the new CD is as good as the new Relient K CD, which I wouldn't go that far, but still not bad.

So for Spring break, we are now looking to go to Florida. For only $300 too. Bander is working out the major details, but sounds like a great time. Right now it is me, Nick, Adam, Bander, and Jamal. Mike is still going John Kerry on us, not sure if he's going right now, but may change his mind ten times before break.

"I still would have gone to Florida, knowing what I do now, I just would have gone differently."

I am really like all of my profs right now. I think I really lucked out on the profs I have this term. Even the guy that I didn't think I was gonna like at the beginning I have started liking him lately. Should be a good term.

So the apartment hunt continues and we may have found a winner. And the winner isn't an apartment at all actually, but a house. Which is actually our cheapest option it looks. A nice 1 story house with 2 large bedrooms, a huge bathroom, a full kitchen with breakfast nook, two large living rooms, a study and a half of a unfinished basement with washer and dryer included. All this for $800 a month including utilities. Sounds like a deal to me.

Well lunchtime soon, so I will leave you with some Gratitude lyrics. Good stuff. This song rather spoke to me today. Maybe it will speak to you like me.

if you ever see her lying hurt don't just stare
please get up, get up, get up and help her
and then check her pulse and give her air
and then listen and breathe and keep checking and checking and checking
her heart

don't drive away
don't leave her this way
don't drive away again

i could never say the things that kept me up
just lay there listening to your whispering
maybe you were supposed to help me learn to love you more
help me to notice how we're
different different different and all right

don't drive away
don't leave her this way
there's not enough hours in our days
don't drive away
don't drive away
don't walk out on her again, again

Trying on a Sunday Night

So this weekend has been a pretty good one. I went home on Friday to pick up a few things that I had forgot back at home, and hung out with Amy that night. That night was a good one, if not just for the fact I know for sure I am over Amy. I think this is the first time I can say that without a doubt in my mind and total confidence. I have thought I was over her a few times before, but then I would see her, and it would all come rushing back. But this time was different. For once I could look at her and simply see a good friend of mine. It was a great feeling.

Stars and Cresent Ball was last night. We had a blast. I looked great, of course, but not as great as Sami did. We took a lot of pictures, so I'll have to try to convince Sami to out them online so you guys can see them.

After the formal, Sami and I went back to New Res to hang out and we watched my dinner theatre on DVD. It was great. And then proceeded to play Smash Bros. for a couple hours before going to IHOP, the ultimate late late night festivity. But when we got to IHOP they were packed. Apparently some Toby Keith concert was in the Haute that night and so several, and by several I mean thousands, people hit up IHOP. So we had to go to Steak 'n Shake, which is pretty good, but is definately no IHOP. Especially when you are in the mood for a nice big omalette and a stack of pancakes. Daing, that is a sweet meal you might say. After Steak 'n Shake, at the great hour of five, I was exhausted and went to bed. But boy, what a fun night.

T-minus a day and a half and counting. :-P

So I got carried away and created a Final Four Bracket Pool for those who read my blog. Even those who are in my other bracket group should join. I just think it would be fun to see how it goes for the random people who read. The name of the group is: Blog Stalkers Anonymous and the password is: rrrandom. Everyone should totally join, just for kicks.

Well, I don't have much else here, so I will leave you with some Lifehouse. Such a great band.

Could you let down your hair
Be transparent for awhile, just a little while
To see if you're human after all

Honesty is a hard attribute to find
When we all want to seem like
We've got it all figured out

Well let me be the first to say that I don't have a clue
I don't have all the answers
Ain't gonna pretend like I do

Just trying
To find my way
Trying
To find my way the best I know how

Well I haven't memorized all of the cute things to say
But I'm working on it
Maybe I'll master this art form someday
If I quote all the lines off the top of my head
Would you believe
That I fully understand all these things I've read

Well I haven't got it all figured out quite yet but
Even if it takes my whole life to get to where I need to be
And if I should fall to the bottom of the end
I'll be one step back to you, and
I'm trying to find my way

More Than Fine on a Thrusday Night

So just feeling kind of weird right now. Why is it that it seems that the only people here not excited to see me back are my fellow Rose Drama Club officers. And I'm not one to think that everyone should be so excited to see me back, although it is a great feeling, but there seems to be a rather awkwardness instead. Like a "shoot, we really weren't expecting you back.....um....hi?" kind of thing. It's really weird. Am I just being rather self centered to wish that my fellow officers would be very happy to see me back? I mean, theatre is one of my favorite parts of Rose and some random freshman that I didn't recognize was more excited to see me back than those who elected me to lead. Did they feel let down that I had to leave for a term? I would stay if I could, believe me. But I was not given that option, like Robbie was.

And I feel bad being a little bitter there too. Robbie is in the same situation as I was in for the winter, and so Greg offers him a job at Stage Logic so he could stay here. And from what I hear, paying pretty well. I would have loved that so much. But I got more of an, "oh, that sucks, I'm sorry, if there is anything we can do let me know." I didn't think a basic internship was an option. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I think my biggest fear through this all is that I am not gonna get cast in Picasso. That would piss me off more than anything. That is my favorite show without a doubt. I was gonna direct that show, but Bunny stole it from me, and then mentioned maybe now I could be in it to kind of ease the situation so I would be alright about it. And this pissed off several people because they know I cast based on ability, not how much they remind me of my kids. Which leads to my next rant.

It drives me up the wall that Bunny does not cast based on how good they would do the part or how much potential they show at auditions. It is all on how popular she is with the person. She doesn't seem to have a clue with musicals. She doesn't have the best ear for music, which isn't a big deal. I don't really either. But if I were to direct a One Act I would have whoever is in charge of the music aspect (the choir director) there for auditions and they can critique the music aspect and I'd do the acting aspect. But she casts not based on this at all. Eric Volz can get whatever part he wants and so could Alicia. They are her favorites whether they do a good job with the part or not. Now I know casting is not easy, but there is a reason you hold auditions. It seems that we would get the same result if she sent an email seeing who is interested and those who she has not had in shows before submit a photo attachment with interest. The organization of these shows do not seem to be at a high level.

I know the difficulty of a full production, having done one myself, but I also know how easy it can be to just get stuff planned before you start. I had an auditon packet before anyone came to auditions. This way people already knew what they were getting themselves into. It stated the planned time to practice as well as an intro to the show from me. Then the next page was an audition form, so we could start auditions as soon as I stated auditions would be. Why waste time on something you can get done on your own? Then the next 5-6 pages were simply the scenes I was using to audition, so people could look over it before auditions once again. Why waste time for people to look over it a couple times before they audition with it, when they could already be rather familiar with it. It also shows the people who are really interested and have put a lot of time into it already. These are people you can depend on. Then at auditions, I did have some people in mind for a couple parts, but I had several read for it to see if they had something I liked better. A couple of the people showed me that they fit the part well as well as people I had in mind for a certain part showed me they were better suited for a different one. I came to auditions with a totally open mind and was wowed by a couple actors. Is it sad that I'm beginning to think I could do it better.

Ok, done with the rant for now.

Well first few days of school have been going pretty well. I have been going to all of my classes and as far as homework goes, I have been actually a little ahead. Kind of a mice feeling. There is no better motivation than three months at home. It's like a three month sentence to a minimum security prison. Not bad enough to have horror stories, but enough try your best to make sure you don't go back.

My programming course has been rather fun so far. Right now we are working on the game Lights Out. Shouldn't be too hard of a program, a lot like the Minesweeper game we had freshman year, so probably more like a quick review of programming before diving into more advanced concepts.

Good news, the prof that I didn't care for much the first day has been a lot better the past couple of days, so that's looking up.

So I was hoping to direct a one act this spring, but apparently five directors is too many. So they gave preference to a film club director and someone who is no longer a student here preference over me. No bitterness. They offered to let me be the producer instead which I guess is better than nothing, but I have come to really love directing. Oh well. As long as I get into Picasso. Not to repeat myself, or anything, but I love it so much.

We had a meeting this morning for the Sports Information internship. I have to submit a cover letter and at least two writing samples and a letter of recommendation from someone other than my boss. I'm not sure who I would ask. Since being at Rose, he's been the guy I get my recommendations from. Eh, I'll figure something out.

Well, I should do some more homework, so I don't have to worry about it this weekend. So I'll leave ya with some Switchfoot.

When I wake in the morning
I want to blow into pieces
I want more than just ok, more than just ok
When I'm up with the sunrise
I want more than just the blue skies
I want more than just ok, more than just ok

I'm not givin' up, givin' up, not givin' up now
I'm not givin' up, givin' up, not backing down
More than fine, more than bent on getting by
More than fine, more than just ok

When I'm wet with the sunshine
I want more than just a good time
I want more than just ok, more than just ok. Ok

More than oceans away from the dawn
More than oceans away from the dawn
More than oceans away from who we are
More than oceans, more than oceans, yeah

Sing on a Monday Night

So my boss from the job back at home is retarded. She left a message on my cell phone today because she was looking over the timesheet and she noticed that I had not been at work all of last week. She wanted to know what had happened and if there was a medical problem or something. ::blink, blink:: I QUIT!!!! I gave her a two week notice, she wrote it down in my file (I saw her do it), I even called the day before my last to remind her that the next day would be my last so she could make sure she has someone to replace me the following week, and they were wondering where I was. And it even took a week for them to figure out I was gone. WTF, mate??

So today was my first day of classes. Not too bad, sounds like I'm gonna have a few good profs, but I fear my Electronic Device Modeling prof is a d-bag. It could have just been today, or maybe it was late in the day on little sleep, I dunno, but I really did not care for him today. He was even telling the class that he no longer handed out his notes because "a few retards in the term before us commented on the evaluations that it seemed like he simply read from his notes and didn't do anything else", so now we just don't have the notes to know if he does that or not. He doesn't improve his teaching from the eval, but cover his faults better. Yeah that's the kind of guy I want to learn from. Whatever. At least I still have Sherman, Mutchler and Casey. These three seem like three excellent profs. I've had Casey before and he teaches very well and you can go talk to him any time. As long as I stay organized in that class, I should be fine. Mutchler believes in a lot of doing to learn programming which I strongly agree with, as well as he will be teaching us C as well, which will come in handy for my CPE classes. Sherman is rather funny and definately knows his stuff, so I look forward to that class. I am looking forward to getting back into a rhythm again. I also have the best schedule that I think may have ever had here at Rose. I have the lightest load I've ever had with only 16 credit hours, and I even have a weekend Wednesday. Very quality. Now I just have twenty two-day weeks to get through, something much more manageable. That was one thing I liked about my job back at home. I got to work at 8 and then we had a fifteen minute break at 10, work till half hour lunch break at noon, work till break at 2:30 then get off at 4:30. I never worked more than two hours at a time, making work a lot more bearable. When you keep your mind set at only x minutes till my next break, that x minutes was never more than 120, in fact you rarely started looking at the clock again till you had been working for an hour, so now its less than an hour till your next break, instead of counting down how long you are there that day. But here at Rose, with weekend Wednesdays, my Mondays feel like Thursdays and my Tuesdays like Fridays. A lot better way to get through the week.

Well not much more here. I'll leave ya with some Jars of Clay. Great band. I love their simple acoustic melodies. Awesome lyrics.

I love the way, I love the way you carry on
You make me wanna say, you make me wanna sing another love song

Sing another love song, sing another love song
Sing another love song to you

Bury my head for the shame, you pick me up, you say I look like
you
Though it makes no sense to me, You make me believe that I could
trust someone

I walk through flame, I touch the fire, you know that I still
burn for you
Flood water rain crash down, soak the ground, still I thirst for
you
Still I thrist for you

Sing another love song, sing another love song
Though it makes no sense to me, you make me wanna sing
Make me wanna sing

Back in Black on a Sunday Afternoon

So in case I haven't already told you I got back in. Just thought I may start this post announcing my awesome news. I am excited to get this thing started again. Not much to say other than rock friggin on. More to come later.

I'll end on some rather appropriate AC/DC lyrics.

Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long I'm glad to be back [I bet you know I'm...]
Yes, I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I've been looking at the sky
'Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse 'cause I never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Abusin' every one of them and running wild

'Cause I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back, back
(Well) I'm back in black
Yes, I'm back in black

God Can You Hear Me on a Thursday Night

So I am sitting at Rose...chillin'....daing, that is a sweet Eart you might say...rooooound. Ok that was kind of random, but fun. I love that video, it never quite gets old.

So tomorrow is the day of judgement. No not the apocalypse, but close enough. I meet with the Board of Admissions and Standing to try and get back into Rose. Wish me luck and please please keep me in your prayers. I'm not sure if I can take another six months of being at home. I miss class so much as well. I miss working my brain and problem solving. I miss writing programs that do some pretty cool stuff. I miss having something to show for my efforts of the past month or so. I miss all the awesome people around all the time. I miss the most awesome Sunday night dinners--Sunday nights just aren't the same without them. I miss talks for way to long with some awesome people. I miss the routine of class, and absorbing as much information I can till my head may explode. In short, I miss Rose, everything about it.

It's been a pretty good week. Let rewind all the way to the play. My dinner theatre went very well. We got a great response from everyone who saw it. Some even told me that we should tour with it. It was such a great experience. My first full-length production. I had a most amazing cast too. These kids grew so much as actors, which was totally awesome to watch. One of the most rewarding experiences as a director, especially with such a young and inexperienced cast. There were a few screw ups as far as lines go, but that's live theatre for you. And they covered so well and stayed in character better than probably any cast I have ever been apart of. Yes, that includes both West and Rose theatre. I was just amazed at the ability they showed when it came down to it. At the end, I was actually emotionally caught up. These kids that I watched start out with such raw talents, had matured in the art so greatly. And I could depend on them so well. I seriously could not ask for a better cast. And they were so responsive to me as a director, that they were often a director's dream. I cannot express anything but pride for this cast.

So Nick and I went road tripping rather randomly these past few days. It was so much fun and so just spontaneous. First we went to Eastern to see Kiki, which was of course good times. We just hung out, got some Little Cesar's, and watched Harry Potter, since I had never seen any of them. I must say, some quality entertainment. I quite honestly don't see what the big fuss was about them. Why does my mother and so many right wing extremists hate them? It just confuses me. It's fantasy. I mean last time I looked, there were no half horse, half falcons roaming around. I dunno.

Yesterday we left Eastern and went to Chicago to see my little sister, Kasey. She has a nice little dorm, but very dirty suitemates. Wow. I have never seen a dirtier bathroom in my life. I know it's not Kasey, as I know Kasey and her cleanliness, but wow, I cannot describe how dirty that bathroom was. If you saw it and I told you it was a girl's bathroom, you would not believe me, but it's true. Besides being afriad to use the bathroom, the trip was great. We got there early and so we roamed the streets of Chicago, looking for a coffeeshop, like Starbucks or something. Amazingly enough, this was not easy to do. We finally found one and they closed at eight. Eight?! It's not like it was in the middle of six colleges (we counted them) and college students over want coffee after eight, especially if they are writing a paper. At least Java Haute is open 24 hours a day. And right on the way between Rose and our apartment next year. Hmmm, I think they may just get a little business from us next year........ Anyway, then Kasey finally got off work, so she took us up to her room, gave a tour of the place and we hung out. We watched some Boondock Saints and Jenny came over. It was some good times. Then this morning Kasey took us to lunch in between her crazy schedule of work and class. I don't know how she survives 35 hours of work a week and a full class load. Daing. Anywho, we went to this place called "Got Pizza?" which had some awesome pizza I must say. And then she had to head off to work for a while so we came back to Rose. Good times. I loved a lot fo the just driving around,and just talking with Nick. It was good times. Driving is so soothing sometimes.

Well not many deep thoughts from Bob right now, kinda way too focused on my meeting in the morning. Grrrrrrrrr. Not looking forward to it. Kind of have a bad feeling, which is not cool. I keep running over a billion and half scenarios in my head. I hate it, there's only one that I really like. Blah. Well I'll leave you with some Tait as I head to bed to get plenty of sleep before my interview with the infamous board. Peace.

I've been here before
It's hard to ignore
I'm so used to fighting
The same old wars

Oh what do you see when your looking at me
Have I taken You for granted
I can't afford this pain anymore
Won't You help me understand it

God can You hear me
I need You here tonight
I'm tired of pretending that everything's alright
And I know, I know that You hold tomorrow
But I need You here tonight

I want to feel
I need something real
I want to go closer to You
I lay down my will

Oh this human disease it's killing me
Tell me have I been left stranded
I can't ignore this pain anymore
Won't You help me understand it

Say won't You say that
You'll carry me
Carry me through the storm
Stay
Won't You stay
Till the morning comes
Morning comes
Just stay