Namaste

Yoga=awesome. But I doubt anyone in my class would appreciate me taking a picture in class. Therefore, this is my yoga mat (that's part of a butterfly you see there) in my Trader Joe's bag, my iPod blasting out some Weezer goodness, and part of my velour clad thigh. We're all driving home from the gym.

Upbraiding

Roving Imp rehearsal tonight. This is John P., John R., Julie, and myself rehearsing "hoedown" which is a musical game. Nifer was kind enough to take this for me. We had a really fantastic rehearsal, it was just the five of us, and we're really becoming a tight knit group. We had a few really interesting scenes with fun wordplay and memorable characters. Awesome. It's great to end the rehearsal week on such a high. I braided my hair today for the first time in like three years, it was pretty cool. I used to wear my hair like that a lot when I was a teenager, so every time I looked in the mirror I was like, "Why hello there, high school Jessica sans the angst!"

So....Hypothetically....

Hype 7 rehearsal. Tonight's practice was in Lawrence, at KU. KU always sticks us in the oddest rooms, seriously. This one was really cool because it looked exactly like the tavern from Beauty and the Beast, without the horrid animal heads on the walls and swaggering egotistical "it" guy. This is a picture of us trying out our very first longform, and Joe actually came up with the idea for the format all on his own! Too freakin' cool. This is a scene in which we were doing a reality show with five people living in a house together with thirty cats. I believe we're sitting around trying to decide who to vote out next or something to that effect. Sitting up, left to right it's me, Tiffany, Joe, Nifer, and Bryan. It ended up being really really good and tied together so well. Go Hype! On the way back to the garage Nifer and I forgot which level had the bridge to the parking garage and literally went to every floor trying to find it before realizing there was a map on the back of the elevator and on level 2 it said, "bridge to parking garage." Uh durrr! The picture of us pointing at the map was a very close second to this one. Oh! Jason and I also went out looking for houses today, and found THE ONE. It's perfect. I hope we get it! I'm so excited!

Pick a nick

Since I've been sewing my skirt the table has been a huge mess, since I haven't got anywhere to put my sewing machine. Tonight I didn't feel like clearing it off, so we had a picnic on the floor. It was pretty fun, we had veggie fajitas. Right after dinner I went to Antiprov rehearsal. It was a great rehearsal, if lower energy than usual due to all of us being sick (me and Joe are getting better, Scott is getting sicker) it was our last rehearsal just the three of us unless we win Thunderdome next week. I'm so very nervous.

Follow, follow, follow, follow...

The girls have a regular activity on Sunday evenings, so Jason and I always take the opportunity to get out and about, just the two of us. Today we went out for coffee at Scooters, then we walked around Legends for a while. I got a new pair of Chucks from the Converse store and some new jeans, which I've been needing. This is me and Jason following the yellow (yeah, it's just dark outside) brick road. And for all you guys out there, that's what it looks like if you look down while wearing a skirt...if you had girly legs like me. 'Cause I'm a girl and stuff. Um...yeah, just in case you've ever wondered. *blush*

Turkey pops

I designed a skirt a while back and I'm finally getting around to sewing it. I'm so looking forward to wearing the finished product. I'm sick right now, horrid sore throat and stuffy nose. We did a special show for The Roving Imp tonight and I spent the entire time on stage thinking, "Heh heh, she just said something. I'm supposed to respond now. Shoes!" Luckilly I've been assured I was quite funny. I'm going to go ahead and believe that, it's nice and convenient for me. I was going to post a picture from the Imp, Nifer was standing directly under the word "Imp" that's painted on the wall, and she's quite a short individual so it looked like a label and was funny, but I forgot to bring my camera to the theater. Oh well, next time.

Because I want it all

Today I went to Lawrence, had lunch with Jen and her friend whose name escapes me right now. Thai food, mmmm. After lunch I went downtown and hit Urban Outfitters and Hobbs, which is a funky local shop that reminds me a bunch of Greenwich Village. I bought a card for a friend and proceeded across the street to Starbucks. I set my "enriched flour"bag down on the counter and the girl said, "Ah, you've been to Hobbs." "Yup, sure have!" "Last time I went in there I got a charcoal bag. It even said 'do not light grill inside.' All day long people were asking me why I had charcoal and was I going to have a barbeque?" It was pretty funny. This evening Jason and I played Monopoly with the girls. I was going to post that picture, but I didn't want to explain that I got a flour bag from a shop and have people going, "Nurr?" Anyhow, it was the "Horse Lover's Edition" that Leigha got for Christmas. It's so strange playing on a Monopoly set that's brand new. Monopoly is one of those games that's supposed to have dog eared pieces and is missing Oriental Avenue. After a while I drew a card from the pile that said I won $50 and said, "Oh, crap, I drew the 'you lose' card." I don't like playing for longer than half an hour, after that it's just not fun anymore.

Get a little cap'n in you....crunch, that is....

Ever since Brianna began refusing to ride in the cart, grocery shopping with her has been a horrendous experience. So instead of doing the bi-monthly mega haul thing, I've been going at night after rehearsals and stuff. Tonight was Antiprov rehearsal, and I feel we're really starting to hit our stride and do a fantastic job. We learned a few important lessons from our show at the Roving Imp a couple weeks ago, and have applied those lessons in rehearsals. Joe H. coached us tonight, and he worked us like dogs. We ran the full show three times, twice in half the allotted time for Thunderdome, since the audience will be slowing us down with laughter, suggestions, and all those horrid things. :-D Anyhow, tonight about halfway in I got a text asking me to run to the store and grab a bag of cereal. Ah, late night grocery shopping. Sure beats taking Bri and letting her run wild through the store, though.

Shoulda, woulda...do what I wanna.

I've been taking it easy on the Roving Imp-ness lately. Partially because I've got a lot going on, and partially because I am beginning to see the first symptoms of "burnout," and I don't want to become sick of something I love so much, so the first course of action is to take a small step back and breathe. I left early from rehearsal tonight to get to music practice because Jarod's been needing my voice lately but I've been at rehearsal when they practice and I don't feel that's fair to the band. Last week Jarod asked me in advance if I wanted to sing and I leaped at the opportunity, then told him I'd take off early from improv rehearsal to practice with everyone. I'm so glad I did. I had a great "mini rehearsal" at the theater then came back to church and sang with the band. It was nice being able to just relax and sing, and I got to sing with Jenny, too, which I enjoy doing. This is Eric (guitar), Jarod (grey shirt, white sleeves), Jenny (chick), my Jason (holding bass) and Mike (back turned) in between songs when I went to get a quick drink. Eric was having a little trouble with the accoustic part so Jarod was helping him pick it out, Jason picking out a part on the bass, and Jenny and Mike having a conversation just for the heck of it.

Significance

Today was one of those days where everything you do feels totally deep and significant. Jason and I started looking at houses. I am in love with one that we looked at, but there's no garage and no place to put one, which is a bit of a turnoff to Jason, obviously. We'll keep looking and see what we can find, but oh....that house! I made dinner and went to H7 rehearsal. We spent a little while talking about Heath Ledger, I can't believe he's dead. Weird. We had a great rehearsal, mostly just blowing off steam, literally. Joe had this idea to start it off like Fight Club and to start our scenes with something we were angry or frustrated with at that current moment, then use that energy to turn it into something positive to use in a scene. It turned out great and loosened us all up. Way to go, Joe! Bryan brought his accordian and did some mood music. I still can't believe I know someone who can play the accordian, that is so cool. After rehearsal we went to Starbucks. We have been on this kick for a little while now, where we do fake New Yorker cartoons, and it's hillarious. We started taking the cups and saying, "Okay...this one is....two polar bears on an iceburg eating whale blubber. One says..." and then we'd read off "The way I see it" on the back of the cup. It actually ended up being really really funny. After that Nifer, Joe, Bryan and I went to a bar and had a couple drinks together and talked. It was so cool. I feel like I'm part of a family with them sometimes. It's great to feel so included. Joe wants Jason to audition sometime because he thinks Jason is a cool guy, but Jason is like, "I would be horrible at improv, besides, it's your thing." I am so lucky to have a guy who understands this is something I need in my life. He's awesome.

Suspending time, defying gravity

Our final day in Denver today. It flew by so quickly yet it feels like it's been longer than just a day and a half. Warping time and space is awesome. I should do it more often. We had a fantastic breakfast, made by Selena, and then Jason went to our friend Lee's house, while I went off with Sam for a couple hours, then we came back to Selena's and brought her Starbucks, because we're awesome people and she deserved some awesome coffee. This is Sam, Selena and I showing off our teeth. Don't we have awesome teeth? They're awesome. We hung out and talked for a few hours, then we had a terrific dinner...beenie weenies! Not your traditional slop on a cafeteria tray variety, however. This was actually quite delectable. I plan to make it for my family sometime. After dinner we packed up and went to the airport to head home. The flight was delayed and overbooked, but we made it on. Yay! I had a great trip and hope to go back soon to visit my incredible friends. I don't get out there NEARLY as much as I would love to.

Last night, about 10 minutes after my post Selena's dog threw up (no, seriously, this is important and hillarious) on the tile in the dining room, so she wiped it up with a rag. The laundry room is downstairs and they don't have a chute, so she opened the basement door and threw the rag down there....just as Jason stepped around the corner and received the vomit rag full in the face. There was cringing and laughing, but he didn't seem too horrified with the whole matter, just wiped his face off with a washcloth....until she said she had shaken the rag over the sink and not rinsed it out. "Wait, so....there WASN'T any water on the rag?" "No." (pause) "Yeah......I'm going to take a shower now." We were all laughing so hard. Poor Jason.

The other side of I-70

Okay, so we hopped a plane today, as we often do, and landed in Denver. Trust me, this is what it looks like, just indoors. ;-) (the mountains are outside, fyi.) We're staying with our awesome friends Jeff and Selena, and this is all of us gathered around a lovely game of Cranium. Mmmm...Cranium. Love it. Jeff brews his own beer so we're trying out new kinds of unique homebrews and playing games. Awesome. The kids were so cute earlier, they put on a "festival" for us, to which we had to pay the whopping sum of one penny to gain admission. The dog was free. Probably because he keeps bopping my butt with his nose. Every time I visit them, he totally does that. We used to think it was the kind of laundry detergent I use because he only does it with me, but I switched kinds. Now I just think he's evil.

Imptasticness

Roving Imp show tonight! Unfortunately John only made it 3/4 of the way into the picture. To make it up to him, his sister, Julie, is 100% in the shot next to him. :-D There's also Ryan, and of course Nifer and I, and my chin fat. Mmmm...chin fat. Good stuff. Dear Lord I'm rambling on....anyhow, after the first show I took off and came to Jenny and Jason's for some fun-ness and Guitar Hero. Jenny wore her hat whilst playing. Fun is being had. Sparkles! (Holy crap, where IS my brain????)

P.S.-I'm blogging from Jenny's to get this posting in before midnight. It's weird typing on other people's keyboards.

Girl's Night Out

Tonight was the Mothers of Preschoolers gift exchange. Jenny and I showed up at Dana's house, and we were talking for a bit. After a while nobody else showed up and Dana said, "You guys hungry? I actually haven't eaten yet." None of us had. So we went to a great Mexican place in Lansing and exchanged our gifts over killer guac. I don't know why Dana and Jenny look so confused in this picture, but I know we were all cracking up like crazy just after I snapped it. Poor Dana ended up with my gift (the awesome red beemer there), Jenny got a hat (didn't notice, did ya?) and I got a necklace and bracelet from Jenny. I ended up giving the necklace to Dana because I loved it, but it was a little tight on my neck and I can't stand things around my neck that close. I said, "Here, this will make up for the car." We had a great night and Jenny looked so cute in the hat that she wore it home.

Snow day

Leigha had a snow day today. She made full use of the opportunity. She and Mallari (yes, spelled correctly) played all day, sometimes outside, mostly inside. Somehow or other, Mallari ended up spending the night at our house...I'm not quite sure how that happened. They're still giggling up there. Oh, and FYI, I didn't tell anyone in this picture to smile, let alone full on toothy grins. My children are lovable little dorks.

Pick your moments

Yeah, I really pick the best days to fill up. Seriously.

Today has been a very odd day and I can't say that I'm sorry to see it go. Not that it was particularly bad, but...yeah. Everything was up in the air all day and things that were set in stone got changed and mixed up and whatnot. It's discombobulating.

Hypothetical star

The Interview Pidgeon is a mythical beast found in Hypothetical 7 folklore. Hype 7 has been around for like 15 years now, and when they first started out, they were based in Lawrence. Several members moved to KC and then they switched back and forth from Lawrence and Kansas City for practices. Tonight we rehearsed in KC in our usual location, a temple that's downtown, in the preschool room. There's a small alcove at the back that says, "Peace" and a bird in a cage underneath the sign. I think it's a meditation space, or as I call it, based on the fact that it's a preschool room, "creative time-out." Somewhere over the years this bird was filmed in an H7 movie. A man was being questioned by a "magazine" reporter, and said something strange, and the reporter said, "Great, now you've upset the interview pidgeon." I don't know if that's the origin of the phrase or if it was their joke back then, but we all still call it the interview pidgeon. This is Jen, Nifer (who is listening to the wise whisperings of the pidgeon, apparently) Tiffany and I posing with said Interview Pidgeon. Lookin' good there, feathered friend. We had a great rehearsal.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Happy birthday Leigha! The first birthday in the year for our family. When Leigha was born eight years ago in the small town we lived in, she was only the sixth baby of the new...well, millenium. I can't believe I have an eight year old! Her birthday consisted of a special visit from us to her school, bearing Ding Dongs, and then we took her out of school twenty minutes early so I could take her to Starbucks, just the two of us. We got home and I made her her favorite dinner (which was potato soup this year) and then I got her strawberry cake (her request) and we sang happy birthday. She opened her small mountain of presents and cards, recieving $11 in cash, $15 in gift card form, and several awesome gift items that she squealed about. Her favorites were The Daring Book for Girls (from Aunt Lynette, Leigha read the back aloud and said, "the no boys allowed guide to adventure....COOL!") and Hairspray (from us). All in all it was a pretty fantastic day for the gal, which is what we were going for.

The way things work

Leigha turns eight tomorrow. My mother-in-law drove up from Southern Missouri and took us all out to lunch to celebrate. We all went to Cheeseburger in Paradise, which is freakin' awesome. I love that place. The girls were having a tickle fight just before I snapped this picture. Nice. Leigha opened her "grandma presents" and then Sheila had to leave. On the way home, her car broke down. I really seem to spread that around, seriously. (sorry everyone!)

Antiprov, the first showing

Antiprov played at the Roving Imp tonight. We had a lot of fun and even got to have a laugh at the expense of the high schoolers that were there from the first show (which was the high school show down) they were good sports and laughed harder than anyone else. It was great. The first half was the games we made up ourselves, and the second half was a funky longform. I asked John what he thought of our set, he pause and said, "Well, I liked the second half a lot..." Great. Jason said it was a bit hard to follow. You have to know improv rules in order to "get" it, I guess. Joe Henley thought it was fantastic. It will be interesting to know what next month's audience thinks. Jen from H7 was going to see the first round of Thunderdome tonight, but it was sold out! That's fantastic! I'm sorry she didn't get to see it, but she did come out and see us play, which was great. I can't wait to hear how the first round went!

No lights, camera, action!

Hype 7 decided collectively it was about time we filmed some stuff, so we decided to go to the house we've been using as a rehearsal space and goof around with the camera, see what comes of it. Jason and the girls came and we all had pizza together. It was a huge blast. This is a shot of Jen filming one of the "ghosty" scenes, Leigha is seated with a "shroud" wrapped around her, Brianna is laying on the floor with her baby doll. Tiffany is the one in the scary bad wig that she couldn't wait to take off. By the end of the evening we had two complete short films down and I think Joe was getting annoyed at the girls, so we called it a night. Can't wait to see the edited product.

Ring ring

I haven't heard from her in a long time. She was supposed to get in this morning and she said she'd call. I'm worried that she CAN'T call. I hope she's okay.

Worst part is I didn't have much to take my mind off it today.

Happy b-day!

Roving Imp rehearsal tonight. Thank goodness, I need to forget things and shake the unhappy fog I'm in. Funny helps. Funny always helps. When I got to the theater my director's wife and son were there. Before Denise left she said, "Would you guys indulge me and sing happy birthday to my son? His birthday's tomorrow." We were only too happy to comply. And look how cute he is! How could anyone not be? The picture is Miles looking confused as we sing, and Crystal giving him a hug. 2 is such an awesome age.

I hope you have the time of your life

Tonight after H7 rehearsal I drove my previously mentioned friend to the Greyhound station. This was the last step in the "getting her out of the bad situation" plan. We got there early and had some time to kill so I took her to the Westport Coffee House, which she had never been to. We caffed up and talked before returning to the bus station, checking her in, and getting her on the bus to start her new life in another part of the country. I waited with her until her bus left at 12:50am, returning home at almost 1:30am. I am going to miss her crazy bad. Take care, dear friend of mine, I hope all goes well for you in your now bright new future. I am so proud of you.

Here be dragons

Today was just...horrid. Seriously. I had to help a friend of mine out of a really bad situation, which I was glad to do, but it was very difficult for both of us. She's going to be fine, but it's going to be a long road I think. Luckily, I had Antiprov rehearsal tonight and was able to blow off some seriously bottled up steam. Our shows are coming up and we're really starting to do some awesome stuff. We're going to do great, I think.

Use your star power!

We went to Jenny and Jason's house today to play Guitar Hero again. Jenny and I played in a "band" together and rocked so much we got an encore. Yeah, we're really that cool. While we were there Jason (not mine, Jenny's) got a call from a friend asking if Jason could drop off a fish tank at his house. Jason said yes and left, saying he'd be back soon. After a while the kids got cranky and we decided it was time to leave. We said goodbye to Jenny and left. On the road home we saw Jason's truck on the side of the road, flashing his hazards. We pulled over to see if we could help...apparently his axle is broken somehow! They managed to limp the truck home, but it's going to be a doozy of a repair job, if not a total car replacement. Major suckage. Car trouble seems to just freakin' follow me around, I swear. I'm glad he was at least able to get home, though, at least they won't have to pay a tow bill as well.

Warm and fuzzy

Roving Imp tonight. I love improv so much. We had two really solid shows tonight, too! This is a picture of John R. (director) Me, and Nifer. We were acting out a scene from a movie that has never been made, and hopefully WILL never be made. We all went out afterward and had some food and talked. We all agreed that we had great shows tonight...oh, and large audiences. Go improv! Best part of all, I feel pretty good about 97% of what I did tonight as far as scenework goes. Yay!

Easy for you to say.

They tell you to eat right and excercise. Sounds simple enough...right? Yeah...well, what they defenetely do NOT tell you is that fat free ranch tastes like a festering bowl of rat feces. Must skip the dressing next time. Yuck.

Nummable

This is my "oops, I forgot to take a picture of the INTERESTING things that happened today" picture. I eat a lot of popcorn. Yes, I'm wearing something under the robe.

This bodes well for the excitement level of this blog....

Roving Imp rehearsal tonight. It was really good. I played a character I seem to play a lot, a little girl, but I had fun with it and did some good stuff I think. We had a ton of people there tonight because Dana and Ryan showed up and we had an auditioner, and also Keith came. It was cool having so many.

Post, the first

Happy new year, happy new blog! Jason and I (couple on the left) rang in the new year at Jenny and Jason's (couple on the right). I apologize for the quality of the picture, but do you have any idea how hard it is to self-take a picture of four people?