Catching up on a boring week...

So I do actually have everything unpacked, and after about ten days, Teddie decided he had moved in, too:

He spent the first week or so under the bed, although he did come out to eat and use the litterbox. He was REALLY not happy with me, though - first, we're at a new place with that smells like another kitty, with weird sounds and smells and things aren't in the right place and where ARE we?! and THEN it becomes 100+ degrees all week with no air conditioning in the apartment. Yeah, I was definitely NOT voted #1 Kitty Mama last week (although I did brush him every day and make sure he had cold water and shade in several places throughout the apt). Apparently, he's gotten over it, for the most part. I did get totally dumped for Cute Guy the other night, though. He came over Monday night after class to watch a movie, and as we were sitting on the couch, Teddie comes out, looks at me, looks at Cute Guy, looks at me again, and promptly jumps up onto Cute Guy's chest, curls up, and falls asleep. I guess I know where I stand now, geez! (Btw, if you ever get a chance to watch a BBC documentary called Shakespeare Behind Bars, I highly recommend it. It's really fascinating to see how classical theater affects even convicts.)

Anyway, other than the unfaithfulness of my cat, not much has been going on. After three or four days of The Most Boring Bind-Off Ever (aka an applied I-cord bind-off), I have the baby blanket done:

I had big hopes of getting a picture with it all layed out nicely, the colors and shape displayed to the fullest advantage...and then realized that I have absolutely no idea where my blocking pins are! I think they're the same place ether region as my oven mitt and my "I solemnly swear" t-shirt. Sigh. Plus, it's too big to fit on my blocking board. So this is just a picture of a clean, finished blanket. Baby blanket #6, I might add. No more babies for a while, okay people?

On that note, I counted up all the projects I've completed since I started knitting about four years ago now. 6 baby blankets, 3 full-sized afghans, 11 pairs of socks, 2 hedge hogs, 3 pairs of felted clogs, 1 pair of fingerless gloves, 2 pairs of mittens, 4 sweaters/shirts, 6 scarves, 2 Christmas stockings, 2 bags, and a hat, for a total of 43 FOs. Wow! On top of this are 3 more scarves, 1 more pair of socks, another sweater, and another hat (I finally started my beret for Solvang yesterday) all otn right now. I knit to keep myself sane, apparently.

I still have not gotten an official testing date for my black belt test yet, although that should come out next week. Most likely, I will be testing on Saturday, July 26th, and getting the results on Monday, July 28th, but that isn't confirmed. Yikes, only four weeks away! I'm pretty confident, though. I can do all of the PT consistently except for the pushups, which tend to hurt my elbow after the first two sets. I'll suck it up for the test, though, because I know I can. I know my form inside and out. I blew through both of my board breaks the other night after class (I'm doing a reverse side kick - my absolute favorite kick - for my kick and a palm heel strike for my hand break). I know all of the self-defenses that are taught to tkd students, thanks to Haganah and instructor class. I don't think my sparring is quite up to par, but Sir said we'd start working on it in regular adult class, so that will be good. It will be the first time in a long time that I've tested in front of a crowd, though, so I'm a little nervous about that. I am volunteering to help out with a kids' day camp at the local Y next month, though, which I think will be fun and will be a good opportunity to get used to working in front of the kids again. I don't think I'll be doing my instructor test with the black belt test, as I'm still kind of shaky on three forms, but the camp should be a good time to work with the other instructing staff and get to watch them, too!

Work is going okay - Godspell is going strong in Solvang (we need bigger houses, though, bring your friends!), The Heart's Desire will join us there soon (a beautiful show, I highly recommend it!), Ragtime opens two weeks from Saturday and is just jaw-droppingly amazing, even in the rehearsal room, and The Imaginary Invalid and Hot Mikado both start rehearsals in the next three weeks. I'm going home to Illinios next week while Desire techs in Solvang, so look forward to pics from my crazy family's Fourth of July chicken fry and the Cubs/Cards game at Busch Stadium on July 5th!

Gotta get going...got a little skit to do in Solvang tonight, and then I think Cute Guy is coming over afterwards!

Moved!

I'm all moved into the new apartment. I'm not unpacked but I am moved. Small steps. Really, I just have to unpack my books and non-daily-use toiletries (why I even still have a hair dryer and curling iron is beyond me!), and figure out how I want to lay out my living room area. While I do have a new (and much much much more comfortable and bigger) futon now, that's really the only living room furniture I have. My desk looks absolutely tiny there. I am making a list of stuff I really want to save up to get, but the start of it is:

small dining table with at least two chairs
tv cart
living room bookcase(s)
artwork for the walls

I don't have internet yet at home (hopefully tonight I can sit down and get it all straightened out), which is driving me absolutely batty of course, so I've been watching some saved TV episodes (I really really recommend getting a computer with Windows Media Center on it and hooking it up to your tv. Seriously...being able to record shows to your computer is the most convenient thing ever. I can watch them on the computer when I don't have cable access, and I can convert them to .mp4 format so I can watch them on my Walkman on the bus. It's pretty darn cool. And you can also use it as your regular media player for watching live tv/dvds/listening to music/etc.) but I haven't really been knitting much. I've been trying to get things unpacked and the minute I sit down, I tend to not get back up again. And I'm still working on binding off that baby blanket. The I-cord looks really good, but honestly, it is The Most Tedious bind off EVER! It takes for-ev-er!

Didn't make it to class on Monday (moving pretty much wiped me out), but did get to go to FIGHT for the first time in about a month last night. Small class, two new people (one lady who said she really loved it! yay!), and it wasn't a very hard class, although my elbow still really does NOT like the plank! I ended up having to take another anti-inflammatory both after class last night and this morning. Bah!

Me: Sorry I didn't make it last night...
Sir: It must have been something major for you to not come in whenever you could right now.
Me: Moving?
Sir: Ah. Yes, that would be something major.

I love my instructors!

Whoops...

To correct an error in the previous post...

Um, I apparently can't count. I said I had nine rounds left on the blanket, thinking I had one round of yellow, four rounds of pink, and four rounds of blue left. Turns out, I had five - I was almost done with the pink, not the yellow. I'm now doing an applied I-cord bind off instead of a border, and while that is going slower than molasses and I am already bored with it, it DOES look pretty good. I'm hoping to finish binding off tomorrow.

We're opening a world premiere (The Heart's Desire) tomorrow night. Our straight plays never sell very well, but they are so beautiful. I won't actually get to see this one until Sunday afternoon, although I am planning to hit up the Opening party tomorrow night after the Godspell performance!

My 13th wasn't too bad, if you discount the fact that I put in a 15+ hour day (understudy rehearsal, a KCOY publicity broadcast, and a performance) and broke a fairly major set piece tonight. Now I'm finishing off a bottle of wine that Cute Guy and I opened a couple nights ago and curling up to go to sleep. How was yours?

Moving on...

Just a quick note to let everyone know I'm alive. I've actually tried to be good and pack up my apartment more than, say, my usual two hours before I MUST move everything. Both luckily and sadly, it feels like part of this place never really got unpacked to begin with - either that or I just tend to store things in various baskets and boxes and tubs normally. Lucky in that I don't have to box up EVERYTHING in new boxes, but a little sad, because I've lived here for over two years now and the place doesn't really feel all that different now that it's packed up. Like, it's been home, but not Home. I guess I'm still in the nomadic mindset. Cute Guy asked me the other night how much longer I thought I would stay here at PCPA, and it kind of surprised me to realize that I don't really want to be here all that much longer, and Les Mis is the only show that really interests me for next year. I love working with the students and having a steady paycheck, but I'm also getting kind of bored. It's the same process with the same (admittedly great) people every show. But, on the other hand, I don't really know where else I would want to go, assuming that John's show is still not off the ground. Vegas, LA, SF, Chicago, and NY are the hotspots, of course, and all have their advantages (Chicago is much closer to family, for example) and disadvantages (mainly, it snows in Chicago and NYC, and I really have no contacts or networks in any of those cities, although I could drum up work in LA again if I wanted). I guess I'll just start keeping an eye on jobsites again and see what pops up that looks interesting. The other thing that keeps popping into my mind now is that I have friends outside of work now that I would miss very badly, and I would need to find a place where I could continue my martial arts training. But that's for the future...this move on Monday is literally to the next building over, so I don't have to think too hard about it now.

So that's that, my ramblings for the time being. Obviously, I have gotten to hang out with Cute Guy lately, which has been fun. We always seem to have something to talk about, which kind of surprises me. Quite frankly, I was expecting him to turn into the stereotypical shallow pretty boy and the attraction wouldn't last long, but it turns out that he's a pretty decent guy. Who knew? (He, of course, is leaving at the end of the summer, so I can't really let myself get too involved, but I might as well enjoy the summer fling, particularly as they happen, like, never to me!)

I have nine and a half more rounds plus whatever border I decide on to finish the blanket. My bus knitting time has kind of taken a hit since I figured out how to get my downloaded tv episodes onto my mp3 player, because it's hard to watch the little screen without holding it. I'm sure that novelty will wear off soon, though. I did all three classes on Monday and felt fine on Tuesday. Tuesday I went running for the first time in ages (we have to do a 15 minute run for testing) and my legs weren't incredibly sore Wednesday, but they were definitely talking more than usual. Apparently 2h 15m of kickboxing and tkd is much easier than 15m of running! (And I know which I'd prefer...) Next week I get to start FIGHT back up again on Tuesdays, which will be sooo nice. I might start going and watching on Saturdays, too.

And it's now much closer to my usual bedtime, so I think I could sleep now. Gotta get up for a 9:30a understudy rehearsal tomorrow, just to properly start off what is going to turn into another 15-hour workday. Joy. At least Cute Guy will be there...have a very lucky Friday the 13th!

Quick Knitting Update

Here's the current baby blanket/Solvang bus project. This was taken a few days ago, actually, and I've done a bit more work on it since. As you can see, it's currently approximately 30" in diameter, and each stripe repeat is about five inches thick, so I think I'm going to do one more full repeat (ending with a blue stripe), and then put a border of some kind on it and call it done. I haven't quite decided what kind of border yet. Probably just a plain garter stitch one, so it doesn't roll as much. Each stripe repeat is 28 rounds (12 rounds of white, then 4 rounds each of the other 4 colors), and increases 28 stitches every 6 rounds, so there's a LOT of stitches in a round at this point! It should be done soon, though!

I've also actually been working on the second sleeve of the Boatneck Bluebell sweater, too, and might actually get that done sometime in the relatively near future.

And I learned last night, you can never have too many wool sweaters for Solvang! (My SRSP served me quite well last night, it was fantastic!)

(I was able to wear my old uniform for the test, but the new blue one for the belt ceremony. It still felt pretty much like sandpaper on my neck.)

Happiness is...

...spending an absolutely gorgeous Sunday afternoon at the park playing frisbee with children, and volleyball and touch football with friends (including the guy you went out and had dinner with the night before!). Most people think the company barbecue at the beginning of summer is kind of a drag, and don't stay very long. These are the people who think that a barbecue somehow involves sitting around, chatting about work and looking pretty. I don't do that so well - why talk about work when you're not there? - and the resulting sunburn and splitting headache that accompanies it are completely worth it. They were still playing football when I forced myself (and, by guilt trip, my actors) to leave at 4:00p, so that I could get a shower in before our 5:00p rehearsal. That whole work thing is so inconvenient sometimes! We did get out of rehearal early, though, and Cute Guy, me, and a few of the cast went over to Applebees afterward to hang out for a while, so that was fun, too.

The show is going well, though, and we move to Solvang and start tech again on Tuesday. I'm testing today for my recommended black belt (a half red/half black belt) and wearing my new dobok formally for the first time. I've worked in it at home, and washed it 500 times it feels like, but it is still so bloody stiff that I'm really really nervous about testing in it. Plus, it's going to feel like hell on the sunburn. I might bring my old uniform with me, just in case he'll let me use that one instead.

Boy venting behind the cut. No idea what's really going on with me and Cute Guy right now. We've both been busy this week in rehearsal - me trying to help teach the new cast members the show, and him being a new cast member and trying to learn the show - but we did get some time off for good behaviour Saturday night, so he and I went up to the new Chili's in AG. It's small, but it's fun, and the food was really good! The place was busy (it was a Saturday night, I guess), but we were able to snag a table in the bar area, and our waitress was great. I can recommend the margaritas, too. It was cool - the two of us actually got to sit and talk about things like religion and philosophy and politics (a little, I'm not very well versed in politics, sadly) and sports (he's not a die-hard Cub fan, sadly, but he can support them). It was a really nice evening. But then when other people are around, it's like he wants people to know we're friends but anything more than that is taboo, which is a little irritating and hurtful. I totally understand and support it not showing in the rehearsal room - that space is sacred and professional. It's just irritating because there's a difference between not broadcasting a relationship and keeping it a secret. And it's a little hurtful because it makes me wonder why he doesn't want people to know we've gone out. Sigh. Boys! We'll have to talk about this soon, though. I don't do well in states of flux and uncertainty. Mrph.

Other than that, not much going on. There should be a special circle of hell reserved for those who use jackhammers outside of bedroom windows at 8:00a on a Monday morning, and I need to get laundry done before my doctor's appointment (I'll finally get my elbow looked at!) and pray my dobok softens up more before the test!

Foreign Language Lesson

I got Chinese food Sunday from this great new place in town. I made some small talk about the weekend while the cashier, a totally sweet tiny old Chinese guy, was ringing me up. He asked me if I was ready to go back to work Monday, and I just said that I had the day off. (Which is true, Mondays are my day off, national holiday or no.) He responded very sincerely with, "Ah, right. Holiday? Memorial? You will remember and cry? For the soldiers?" I almost responded with a pithy reply about being at a barbecue, but just in time I caught myself. Memorial Day. In remembrance of the soldiers who have died. I didn't have the heart to tell him most people would be spending the day tipping back beers at a barbecue. That the only crying I could forsee was any drunken domestic argument the poor cops on duty would have to deal with. That most of the country would spend the day in happiness that they did not have to work, rather than in reflection of the lives that were given so that they could have a choice in where they worked. Instead, I assured the man that I would remember the soldiers, quietly took my food, and left. Isn't it amazing how someone who is just learning a language can remind us of what our own words mean?

On Getting Beat

I've got a mat burn on the top of my left foot, a blister on the toe of the same foot, a knife burn on the inside of my upper arm that is still stinging, my entire right knee is bruised, my elbow is swollen, and I have bruises on top of bruises on my hands and forearms. And I think I finally started to get the hang of the grappling move we did a few weeks ago. In other words, class has been excellent this week! =)

Other than that, not too much news this week. Not a lot is going on. I've been working in the office in the afternoons, doing class in the evenings, and working on the baby blanket. I'm planning on spending the weekend totally cleaning and scrubbing the apartment and possibly starting to pack some stuff up. Why? Oh yeah, forgot to mention, I'm moving in three weeks! Not far, though, literally to the next building over. Chrissy is moving to Solvang to be closer to her boy, and I'm moving into her old apartment, which is bigger than mine, is upstairs, has a walk-in closet, and (most importantly) lots and lots of natural sunlight coming into the living room. I'm so excited! Sunlight! Yay! Now I just need a new couch...

No class next week, as they're closed for Memorial Day and I have rehearsals in the evenings all week. I'll do a private class on Thursday morning to go through the testing stuff I'll need for my recommended black belt test on June 2. I'll be in performances for the first few weeks of the new cycle, but I already know the form I'm going to have to do for my black belt in July, so I think it will be okay.

No More Students!

*ahem*

Sorry. I mean, "Congratulations to the Class of 2008!"

Our Conservatory students graduated today. This is the first class that I have been involved with for the full two years they are with us, and I think it has been a learning experience for all of us. It's been an amazing journey - watching these students who came in during the Fall of 2006, some of whom had never worked on a show before in their lives. Now they have not only learned the basic skills and I would be thrilled to have any of them on a crew for me, but we had one design costumes for two shows this year, one who designed props for two shows, one who got to mix a live show for the first time, and one who called her first ever very own show this week and is now going on to continue her education in stage management. I look at them now and am so proud of them and how far they have come. (I am very proud and happy for our acting students as well, but I don't have quite as active a hand in their classwork as I do for the tech students.)

Blessings on ya, kiddos. I'll see you in rehearsal!

Birthday report

Let's see...I spent my actual birthday closing a show and then sitting through two different rehearsals in the evening. However, I got a completely awesome new jewelry box from Mom and money from Dad (with explicit orders that it be spent on making strawberry jam, which I can live with). My brother says his card is in the mail, which should be good, as the two of us aren't exactly known for sending the most modest of cards to each other, so I'm curious to see what this year's is. (Think along the lines of the "Here's your present, a card from the most thoughtful wonderful, caring, good-looking, etc., sibling ever!" type greeting cards, and you'll get the picture.) Chrissy surprised me with balloons and a cake at 1/2 Hour (the time the actors are called to get into costume) before the show on Sunday, and she, Aleah, Kristin (another of our interns) and I went out and had dinner at Bamboo Garden tonight before class. (By far the best Chinese food I've had in a long time!) Chrissy also got me a pretty blue tank top and some lotion. A hug and a kiss from Cute Guy (who, to be fair, had no one to tell him it was my birthday, and even if he had, we're not really dating). All in all, it was very fun.


Quickly, in other news, the baby blanket is growing. In fact, it's getting to the Every Round Is Getting More Interminably Long Since The Last stage. Sadly, I got too distracted watching NCIS tonight, and did half a round before realizing that I was doing a knit round and should have been doing an increase round. Sigh. Get to tink that back tomorrow, yay! Still waiting on the stitch markers to send the HSS3 package. Mom got her Mother's Day package, so I can finally show off this:

Her bright green (as per request) hedgehog.

75 pushups tonight in Haganah (three sets of 25), plus two sets of 20 "up-n-downs", where you start on the floor like you're going to do a set of situps, grab your (standing off to one side) partner's hand, stand all the way to your feet (leading with the hips) and then sit back down. The rest of class was mostly defense tonight, which means we'll probably do a lot of conditioning on Thursday. Sir said yesterday that from now til testing, we'll be breaking boards every class. I'm glad, because it means I'll get to really work on that stupid jump side kick, but I'm dreading it, because it means I'll have to really work on that stupid jump side kick. And I get to go to sparring this week! Yay! I'll be testing again on June 2nd, and I really need to get my new dobok broken in. The jacket isn't too bad - I think they probably did something to it when it was silkscreened with the new logo - but the pants are so stiff they can pretty much walk by themselves. I've washed them a few times already, but I think I will have to wash them a few more in order to have them useable by testing! (And Sir has decided that I will, indeed, be allowed to test. He makes me lead, among random other forms, In Wha 2 - my current regular class form - during EVERY instructor class and always threatens to cut me from the candidate list if I mess it up. I'd just like to point out that no one else in that class has a belt rank riding on any of these forms! Nor does anyone else in regular class have to demonstrate their form in front of the entire instructing staff twice a week. If I haven't memorized this form by now, I'm screwed. Luckily, I probably could do it in my sleep, if I had to!)

I came running into the dojahng late tonight, straight from work. Normally, I have enough time to go home and change before class, but I'm helping to supervise the tech/dress rehearsals for Showcase this week, so I brought my class stuff in with me to change at the dojahng. While Sir, Mr. R, and most of the tkd or kickboxing people have seen me come in straight from work before, the FIGHT guys usually don't. Between actually having some feminine clothes on when I came in and having my toes painted (I don't usually have bare feet in Haganah, but I'd forgotten socks), I got more "You look like a GIRL!" comments from the peanut gallery tonight than ever before. It doesn't bother me, it's all in fun. I did have to take Shane down a bit harder than normal after he failed a takedown and tried the "well, you're a girl and I was being nice" excuse, though. He knows better. Lucky for him, he's cute, was just teasing, and actually is a decent guy and one of my favorite partners in class.

Speaking of Cute Guys, though, only *I* would have the dumb luck to get involved with one of the few straight guys I know who is actually busier than I am. Sigh! Someday we might get a chance to hang out again. Maybe.

A day for the important people ;-)

Murphy's Law really is the most annoying thing ever. I really wanted to send Mom a bottle of Tolosa Chardonnay, but since I had other things to send also, I didn't want to just order it and have it shipped straight from the vineyard. After realizing that I just wasn't going to get enough time to get up to the vineyard to get the wine, I gave up on the idea and just shipped the rest of the stuff. Today, I walk into the grocery store not even a block away, and about five varieties of Tolosa's wines, including the beloved Chardonnay, are on a "Now Proudly Carrying" display front and center. You'll have to come visit to get your wine again, Mama. I know it's very hard to convince you guys to come to California, so I'm not above using a bribe. Twist, twist.

I'm never sure which is more fair. That I have to give a gift to my mother on my birthday in honor of her becoming a Mother with my birth, or that she has to give me a gift on Mothers' Day, because without my birth, she would not have become a mother. Either way, I'm sure we both ended up with the better part of the bargain.

Here's to a young woman who has done things the hardest and most impulsive way possible since the day she was born, and here's to the mother who has lived through her antics these past 27 years.

I love you, Mom.

Finally...

Yes, I am alive, and I do realize that I have not posted in over a week, which makes some of you nervous. I've been kind of busy, mostly due to class, work, and trying to pretend that laundry doesn't need folding. I have been knitting, though! See:

This is the start of a baby blanket for some friends who are due over the summer. Honestly, my friends just need to slow down procreating - this is, what? My sixth baby blanket now? Anyway, this is kind of a cross between KnitPicks' Carnival Baby Blanket (pattern and link no longer available, although Ravelers can see projects here) and a circular Spiderman blanket I found online. I liked the circular chevron shape of the Spiderman blanket, but wanted something a little more baby-ish and sweet. Since they don't want to know the gender of the baby, I got to have some fun with the colors. Unfortunately, the green doesn't show up very well in the photos. I'll have to work on that. It's pretty shapeless right now on the needles, but I'm estimating that it's currently about 18" in diameter right now, maybe a little less. I'm using Bernat's CottonTots again, since I liked it so much the first time.

I also finished these, finally:

My HSS3 socks. Jaywalker pattern, in Cosmic Fiber's Ravenclaw 2nd Year colorway. This is the first time I have ever gotten Jaywalkers to size properly to my feet (which, luckily, are about the same size as my pal's), and of course, I have to give them away. The colors kind of looked better in the skein than knitted up, but yet, I still like them a lot. There's a little bit of flashing, but more in the darker v. lighter sense than actual colors flashing. I did these guys toe-up, with a picot bind-off at the cuff, because I wasn't sure how much yarn I would need, and frankly, I was not in the mood to deal with ribbing when I got to that point on the first sock. The picot is also a much looser bind-off, so I'm hoping that goes to helping fit my pal even better. I am still waiting for the stitch markers, but then I'll send the package off! (It's only about a month late at this point - I was a terrible pal this time around. I hope the package will make up for it!)

I also have one more FO, but I can't share it yet.

Let's see...other than that? Work has been fine. We're getting ready to close this weekend in Santa Maria, take two weeks off this show, then come back, do a week of pickup and put-in rehearsals, tech for 12 hours, and then start the run all over again in Solvang. While Solvang definitely has it's share of quirks and inconveniences, it will be extremely nice to be able to call a show without being doped up. I'm apparently very allergic to some dust or whatever in the booth at the Marian. It takes my body about twenty minutes to react, causing my sinuses to fill up, which then makes it difficult a.) to hear the show because my ears are clogged and b.) to breathe, because I can't breathe through my nose as there is too much junk in the way, and I can't breathe through my mouth because I have to talk almost constantly during the show. Luckily, a single dose of Claritin or equivalent will usually prevent it, if I remember to take it in advance. In that way, it's better than the outdoor allergies, which seem to involve the more stereotypical sneezing and sinus pressure, and the only stuff that seems to kick it is Benadryl, which has the unforunate tendency to knock me out. (I missed a whole evening of class due to that stupid drug last week!)

Class is going pretty well. Monday was a little rough this week for some reason. It was just hard to want to go to kickboxing in the first place, and then it felt like I just could not do anything right during either of the tkd classes. Had trouble with my board break (surprise. No, I shouldn't think that way! Bad!), could not remember forms or one-steps for anything, etc. Haganah the next night was better - I did a total of 60 pushups last night! 3 sets of 20, alternating with sets of squats. They actually did not hurt at all, and I didn't have to go on my knees for any of them! This gives me much more confidence for the physical part of my black belt test this summer. I still need to work on grappling, though. We just started doing it in regular FIGHT class, although most of the guys have been messing around with it for a while, and it is a VERY different skill and muscle set than I am used to! Tonight's classes were much better - I got partnered with a beginner in kickboxing and a much lower belt in regular tkd class, and that is always interesting. I only blanked once in the middle of a form I was leading in instructor class, too, which is a first. I DO work on the forms outside of class, of course, and am making pretty good progress on them - the only ones I really would not be completely comfortable leading through are green, purple, and brown belt forms (Songham 5, In Wah 1, and Choong Jung 1), those just won't stay in my head for some reason - but usually as soon as Sir calls my name and the form to lead, it goes straight out of my head, and I want to say "I HAVE been practicing! I DO know this! Even though it totally doesn't look like it!" I didn't feel like that tonight, though, which was awesome.

I had a realization, though. There is a group of teens/tweens in regular class that are only a few belts below me at most. A couple of them are in my belt block, the rest are in the block just behind me. They are all Leadership students, yet they are often unfocused, mildly disrespectful, disruptive, and their forms and techniques aren't strong. (Yes, Sir knows this and is cracking down hard on it, but he can't be everywhere.) I often see the ones that are my belt level and think "This is so not fair. I'm doing so much more work than they are, yet at the next testing, they're going to get the exact same reward as I am." Then it dawned on me. These guys would never be encouraged to take a FIGHT class and be missed if they didn't come. They would never be asked to help teach a kickboxing class. They would never even be allowed to take the instructor class that I feel so clumsy in. I AM being rewarded for my efforts. I'm doing more work because I've earned the right to do it. Mr. R and Sir were teasing me at the end of the night for being a walking "triple crown" - I'd worn my kickboxing t-shirt, my FIGHT pants, and of course, my tkd belt. They are the only other people in the entire school who can honestly say they are actively involved in all three styles at once. (Sir babysits while Mrs. S does kickboxing, but I know he helps her come up with new ways to torture us.) That's pretty darn good company to be in!

The weather hates me and other random things...

This time yesterday, it was 80 degrees, sunny, perfect beach weather. Today it is is 65, sunny, with a cool breeze - still a nice day, but certainly not perfect beach weather. And I really wanted to go to the beach today. Sigh. My only consolation is that I'm sure the rest of the county also figured it was perfect beach weather over the weekend, so the beach and parking was probably crowded. Oh well.

On a happier note, I do have some knitting to report, although no pics. (This is a knitting blog, isn't it?) The HSS3 socks are almost finished and ready to be sent off. Only two weeks late, sigh. I've also been working on the Boatneck Bluebell again lately. I'm about a third done with the second sleeve, so I'm hoping it will be done soon, too. I'll get pics of them both. I'm having a terrible case of startitis lately and am fighting the urge to start about twenty new projects. The preview of the Summer IK issue didn't help - I really want that Drawstring Raglan now! I might even see if I can splurge and get the actual yarn used instead of substituting anything. We'll see. I think the next actual project, though, is going to be a beret to match my fingerless gloves. I will need them in Solvang! I'll cast on for that once I finish the socks, I think. I also got the pattern for the Curve of Pursuit afghan, which I am thinking about using as a baby blanket for some friends who are due over the summer.

In real life news, the first week back at class was fantastic. I even have bruises again from knife sparring on Thursday! My muscles absolutely got tired - I am definitely not in the shape I was before rehearsals started - but I was never sore, which surprised me. I've found a brace for my elbow that I really like. It's sort of Z-shaped when laid flat, and then wraps around above and below the elbow. I've been wearing it in Haganah and kickboxing, and it seems to help in class, although my elbow still hurts at random times throughout the day. Sometimes it throbs for a while, and sometimes it just flashes a pain and goes away. I put some ice on it and/or take one of the anti-inflammatory meds. I'm not sure if it really helps or not, but it makes me think I'm doing something about it.

I also hung out with the cute guy again last week. We're both far too busy for anything right now, but he's definitely a fun guy to hang out with.

Hrm...

Normally, I can live with the clothes the Weather Pixie in the sidebar wears. Not so sure about today's, though! Yikes!

It's Good to Be Home

Man, I've missed my guys. I walk in to FIGHT for the first time in almost two months and (besides the catcalls) get:

Shane: Well, well, look who's here! Our better half!
Frank: I have died and gone to heaven - an angel is here! It's good to have you home!
Zach: It's been too long!

Sir told me I could hit them extra hard, although he gave me a squeeze later, too =) A couple of new guys started tonight and I'm pretty sure we totally confused them. Being in class felt soo good, although I could definitely feel it. Got to break in my new boxing gloves, too.

The guys all asked if I was coming back on Thursday. Three classes yesterday, FIGHT tonight, three classes tomorrow, two on Thursday. I told them if I can still walk, I'll be there. (Zach understood.) Sir's response? "You'll be there. You'll be walking. You're hardcore."

The only bad thing? My elbow hurts again =(

Yikes...

Me: So, starting next week, I should be back in Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights.
Sir: Good. We'll get you back into shape in no time in that case!

Thinking: Yikes! Was I that bad tonight in class?? I know I haven't been in for about two weeks and I haven't had a lot of conscious free time to work on any forms. I thought my current form was pretty okay, though, for only the third time through it with an instructor watching, and I'm still learning the mid- to higher color belt forms for instructor class. I was really tired by instructor class, and my balance was off, admittedly, and he's making me do that #$^% jump side kick for a break again, which he knows is my weakest break. Did I really look that bad??? Did I lose that much spending time in rehearsals? Is he now worried that I can't handle it?? He won't let me continue in instructor class if I can't keep up with all of that plus my regular curriculum. What if he thinks I won't be ready to test at all now? Ack!

Definitely working on forms over dinner tonight now, yeesh! And now I'm wondering what kind of tortures he has planned for me next week...

Sleeping

The good news is that Godspell is open and is a pretty darn cool show. The bad news is that I have been so bloody tired that I haven't done a whole heck of a lot other than sleep and clean since. (I know this question comes up every show, but who the hell decided that having understudy rehearsals AND a matinee the day after Opening was a good idea? Obviously people who have not had to work 16 hour days for the past week just to get the damn show open!)

I really really really wanted to go to knitting on Monday morning, too, but I just could not wake up. I finally got up around noon, cleaned for a bit, went up to SLO and got the final pieces of Chrissy's birthday present, and came home and crashed again. Seriously crashed - I didn't even attempt or want to attempt going to class last night. That's how freaking tired I was. For the first time in over a year, there was absolutely nothing to convince me that class that night was a good idea for anyone involved. So I didn't go. (Of course, I regret it now, but I still think it was probably the right call.)

I did get my apartment cleaned (finally) and put the fresh, new, pretty spring-colored sheets that I splurged on my bed. (I probably have more sets of sheets and comforters and quilts and general bed coverings than anyone I know. I splurge about once a year on a new set. It's a weakness, but hey, if you're going to make any room of your house gorgeous and relaxing and comfortable, it might as well be your bedroom, right?) I woke up this morning without feeling like I'd forgotten something totally important and earth-shattering on the show for the first time all week, although the songs that are constantly in my head when I wake up are really starting to get irritating.

Today was Chrissy's birthday, so we had a Wizard of OZ marathon party at her place this afternoon and then she, Aleah, and I went up to Sycamore Springs for a soak, wine, and girl talk (which translates into yet another evening of not going to class, sigh!). It was soo relaxing, though, and fun - usually we have to be all professional and whatnot when we're together at work, so it was nice to gab about boys and gossip and girly things. I'm not usually that girly, but it's nice once in a while.

Oh, and the sort-of date Saturday was okay, although I haven't really talked to him since, and have been trying not to be the pestering girl who calls afterwards. He said something about wanting to do dinner soon, but the ball's in his court now. Knowing my luck, he'll want to do something tomorrow evening, and there is NO WAY I am skipping a third night of class in a row.

Now off to bed, as I have an understudy rehearsal in the morning (you have no idea how much I absolutely detest understudy rehearsals right now!).

Psst!

Publicity photos are up! You can find them here! I'm really glad they didn't give away our surprise, though!

I CAN has...!

This post has been about a week in the making. I keep adding things to it, but was too lazy to put in pictures until this morning. The only knitting I've done lately is to get almost done with the heel on the second HSS3 sock (which is supposed to be finished and sent out by the end of next week), so if you're here for knitting content, you might want to move on...

1. ...panini! The Easter bunny brought me a new Griddler!


I used to have one of those small George Foreman electric grils, which was great. I literally used it to death, even though it was a pain to clean. This one is much bigger, can be used as a griddle, panini press, or grill, and totally dishwasher safe. I broke it in by making homemade quesadillas the other night. Yummy!!

2. ...clean clothes! The uniforms and bags haven't come in yet, but some of the new tshirts have!


Mrs. S gave me one of the new generic tshirts (the ones with all three classes listed acrosss them) because I "help teach. We think of you as staff here." and I got one of the new kickboxing shirts as part of my package payment this month. I thought that was really sweet of them. They are trying to weed out any and all ties to ATA now, including the old tshirts. They're helping that by giving the instructors and long-time students some price breaks on new gear. It's nice. And the new logo is much cooler than the ATA one:


3. ...new socks!!! The package from my HSS3 pal arrived!!!
It is awesome! The socks fit perfectly! They are so comfy! She also threw in some extra treats, including the Bellatrix socks pattern, some candy, some soap, some truly gorgeous stitch markers, and set of KnitPicks Harmony dpns!! She even threw in a couple things of dye, which I have never tried before, but sounds like a fun way to make a mess!

4. ...a date for Opening! (Sort of. Obviously no pictures of that, since it hasn't happened yet!)

There are 72 hours in a weekend. I spent 43.5 of them working. That left only 28.5 hours for things like sleeping, bathing, taking care of the kitty, talking to friends, reading blogs, etc. Needless to say, sleeping came in last on the list. We finally finished teching the show Tuesday night (another glass of wine with Chrissy was in order - the Finale is totally awesome, but very very scary to call!), ran it twice yesterday (another drink was offered by a cute guy afterwards, how could I turn that down?), are working notes this afternoon, and then we have our first paying preview audience tonight! Wow! It's going to be about two hours including intermission, which is really short for us! Chrissy is jealous - she always gets the monster three hour plus shows. I get the really short but insanely complicated shows. It works out. Godspell will be fantastic, though. I still have a couple of timing issues to work out with the call, but I don't think the LD and the director are ready to kill me yet, so that's a plus.

Have to stop by the dojahng this afternoon and drop off Sir's birthday card. Tomorrow I'll have to check in about the demo. I'm supposed to help with it on Saturday afternoon, so I really hope that the director stays true to tradition and doesn't make us work the afternoon before Opening. Still no new uniforms or bags, but kickboxing has been HUGE lately! We need the new bags to come in (and not just for me!)! We've had all of the school's bags out, plus both Bobs (the human shaped punching bags), and all of them were at least doubled or tripled up! It's great! Sir is also going to add a second instructor class during the week (I'm still not completely convinced that I was the best choice to lead the blue belt form during instructor class when that's the form I JUST started learning for regular class, but it did force me to go through the whole thing step by step), so starting next week, I'm hoping to be back up to nine classes. (It helps that the sort-of date cute guy has rehearsals of his own next week in the evenings!) Only a few days left of my exile! I still miss sparring, though.