Post delayed mostly because I've spent the last couple days hoping that the fatigue, sore throat, and headaches were the result of a very long weekend and not one of our dancers getting me sick. (Luckily, that seems to be the case, as I didn't wake up with a sore throat and actually have some sort of appetite today.) Not only that, but I've been working on my Soyuz presentation for 512, which is due on Sunday, and trying to convince myself to work on my 604 term paper, which is due a week from today. I have tons and tons of information for the presentation (it was interesting reading Cold War-era documents on the craft, all the "we thinks" and "from the available intelligence it was concluded" kind of stuff as both sides tried to build their own stuff while trying to figure out what the other was up to) - all I have to do is actually make the slides and rehearse the information at this point - but very very little information for the paper, which is worrying me a little bit. I can write a paper, no problem, but not having information makes it a little difficult. I'm going to finish the presentation today, and then focus all my attention on the paper. It might be a little hard with class this weekend, but we'll see what happens. Oh, and speaking of 604, we got our midterms back last week - I got a 94! Yay! He'd originally given me a 90 on it, but we were able to successfully argue two of the questions, so it got bumped up. I *think* it was the highest grade in the class, since he congratulated me when he handed it to me, but I was just happy I passed it. I will not be sorry when that class is over - the people are cool, but the topic is boring. Plus, the final will be similar format, which makes me feel a little better about the paper maybe not being so good. We'll see.
Of course, I'm doing everything pretty much at the last minute, since I was back down in LA this past weekend. I always bring my class stuff with me with the intention of working on it down there, and then never have time to look at any of it. I got down there late Friday morning to find that John had unpacked half the stuff we'd packed up on Sunday, so I ended up repacking it and then we loaded the truck Friday afternoon. (I'm really glad organizing the truck is NOT my responsibility!) Despite some initial qualms, we did indeed fit everything into one semi, then ran some errands and hung out with Eduardo, our new production manager (loading the trucks is his headache, ha! I like him, though. I'll let John keep him. He makes me laugh) until midnight or so. John and Eduardo both got to sleep in the next day, but I was on the road by 8:15a in order to get to the theater by 9:30a. The local crew was pretty cool, although it both amuses and irritates me to no end that they always put on this jaded "oh yeah, we know how all the magic works, we had SoAndSo here/worked with SoAndSo, it's no big deal" but yet they tend to hover over all the illusions and constantly ask questions. Luckily though, a strong but polite "Thank you, but I don't need any help right now" was enough to get them to get off our backs for the most part. (I've had to pull out Bitch Mode a few times when local crews just wouldn't back off, which is irritating.) Of course, there are always things that we just can't hide, but that's why they sign confidentiality forms. Plus, the theater has this really obscure loading area setup where you have to pull the truck into an alley, unload it, then use a double ramp system to get the cases over the 6" curb on the street side and down the 18" drop to the stage floor. The only logical explanation I can think of is that when the theater was built in 1928, the building behind it didn't exist, and so trucks/wagons could actually back straight up to the door, drop a ramp, and load directly into the theater. In 2009, though, it's a pain in the butt, or, rather, back, since our stuff is REALLY heavy, and thank goodness it wasn't raining! (The thing about Watertight weighing over a ton is not an exaggeration for publicity - the thing really IS that heavy!) However, we still had everything inside by 11:30a and my crew and I had almost everything set up and ready to go by the time John and Eduardo arrived around 1:00p. The afternoon was spent on lighting (we've finally convinced John that he just needs to have his own lighting guy), and then we had the show that night. 1700 seat theater, and rumour has it that we sold about 1000 tickets, which is great. The audience had a really great energy, too, which made it awesome. Everything went really smoothly, and even a couple of the "jaded" local crew said they had really enjoyed the show. Curtain went down at 9:30p, and we were out of there by 11:30p. The girls had to get home (they live in Burbank, so it was quite a drive for them), but Eduardo, Alfonso, John, and I went out for a little bit afterwards and ended up getting home around 3:00a. The next day, John and I had a "quick lunch" that ended up with us talking for about two hours, and then I got home Sunday night and pretty much crashed for the next two days.
This show was a big deal for us because (according to John, who told me this at lunch on Sunday) it was the first time that he had EVER done a show and not had to help with loading in or out or presetting anything. He was able to come in, deal with the lights, and just perform. It was a little stressful for me, because that meant it was also the first time that I didn't have him around as a safety net just in case, but it was also fun, too. John had promised that he and I would unpack the equipment together sometime next week so that he could check my work and we could check some equipment that we'd had trouble with, which I was looking forward to, but then he called Monday and said he'd already done all of that, so now I'm a bit miffed with him. I know they're HIS toys and he can do whatever he wants with them, but that doesn't mean that I don't like playing with them, too! I hate being so far away that it's inconvenient for me to help with things like that. (Of course, the fact that John actually is a great guy and I always develop a crush on him any time I'm down there doesn't hurt, either - not that I'd ever tell him that! Out of sight, out of mind helps a lot, though!) I'm actually considering moving back down there after I go through basic and tech school - no point in moving twice - but tkd and my dojahng family are the biggest obstacles to that right now. If we get to the point where I have to go down more than 2-3 times every month for shows, then I'll probably move. (Or, if I can get a job that pays full time!) I can still do Embry-Riddle down there and finish my degree, and I can come up and do my shifts at VAFB whenever it's convenient. Anyway, it's just a thought right now!
I'm also starting a new scarf - the Card Trick Illusion Scarf - that one of my PCPA knitters sent to me Monday. I think it's pretty appropriate, and I'm indulging in some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk goodness for it. I'm going to adapt the pattern a little to just use two colors - red and black - rather than three, and will switch main colors where appropriate. I'm looking forward to it!
Alright, enough stalling, back to homework!
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