Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Dress Rehearsal ... for Life?

Let me tell you about the keynote to my day, which was actually very near the beginning of my day, which is when blood sugar is low and hope is high and everyone is in the right mood (on a Wednesday) to receive all manner of news, especially of the 'doom & gloom' variety.

My boss's boss, the man who controls the purse-strings (or at least pleads for the money from the people who have the purse), called me out of the lab and told me that my last day on the contract would be November 30th. Which was a few days earlier than I had been told previously. Which means that I'm now in a mad scramble to find work. Right before Christmas.

This does not sit well with the CFO, as we have numerous plans for completing the basement and getting the kids in college and a myriad of other goals which require monies which we don't have.

On the good side of things, there are companies hiring around here and I have lots of contacts with people in various industries, so it is highly likely I'll find something soon.

On the other hand, I hate looking for work.

:::

The Fall Play had it's Dress Rehearsal tonight, and I was the only parent in the auditorium. This surprised me. I would've thought many parents would take the opportunity to come out and see the kids and take pictures because there aren't a million other people crowding the stage and everyone is more relaxed than during a regular performance and Dress Rehearsals can be so funny! because something always goes wrong and it's not a big deal and everyone can laugh about it.

Mary did an amazing job with her scene. She had her dialogue and blocking down, and it was funny and poignant all at the same time, and the fact that I'm her #1 fan had nothing to do with it. And she was so cute in her costume! Which was really nothing more than a warm winter outfit: hat, coat, gloves, scarf, boots. The kind of outfit we're going to be seeing a lot very soon around here.

The entire play was done well, given the hiccups that normally occur during a Dress Rehearsal -- like loud noises offstage during quiet moments onstage, long pauses when lines are not as well memorized as one would like, slightly missed lighting and/or sound cues, and occasional loss of focus by the actors. But it was highly enjoyable. Even if I had to watch my daughter getting kissed by some guy onstage! She took it all in stride, of course. She's practically a professional.

:::

There's this nurse where I got to get my allergy shot who is an expert on giving shots. She's such an expert that you don't even feel it when the needle goes in. (Of course, you can feel it when the allergen cocktail starts to swell inside your arm before it starts getting absorbed by your system, but that can't be helped.) I love it when she gives me my shot. Getting a shot from her is like getting a lollipop from the dentist.

But this other lady - whoo, boy! She's a killer. When she takes the needle in her hand, it's wincing time. Because she jabs the needle in hard, and I swear she twists it around a few times searching for just the right angle before she pushes the plunger and injects the poison beneath my skin. After she's done with my arm, it feels like Bluto has just hit me with brass knuckles.

So guess which nurse was on duty this week? Let me give you a hint: I was desperately looking around for a can of spinach while sitting in the waiting room...

It didn't help that this last injection gave me a bit more of a reaction than normal, either. I had been feeling quite fine up til the point when I went in for the shot, and immediately afterward, it felt like a cold had flew up my nose and settled in for a long winter's nap. Itching, sinus pressure, sneezing, drippiness, aching. It felt awful for a couple days, and today my arm is still sore!

I'm hoping all the effects will be gone tomorrow so I can finally get some good sleep.

:::

Tomorrow is Opening Night, and the play goes through Saturday. I'm planning on being at every performance because I'm a theater geek, and this is my last kid in school, and I'm going to make the most of the opportunity to hang out in the auditorium with Dave the Sound Guy and Mel the Director Guy and all the other Theater Geeks because I've never gotten over the bug I picked up in High School and secretly hope that some producer from New York will spot me in the audience and say, Hey! You look like an actor, how about helping out with a Broadway show? To which I'd modestly say, When do I start?

Not really. I have too many responsibilities here, and, besides, I can't remember the lyrics to The Happy Birthday Song, much less the lyrics to A Little Night Music (although I can do Hotel California and Bohemian Rhapsody quite well, thank you!). And my prop- and set-building skills still leave a lot to be desired.

But one can always dream...

1 comment:

virginia said...

so sorry about the contract running out. Wish you the best in finding another one. I know you can do it but also know the frustration of being out in the cold. I remember the day I saw your dad's resignation letter on the console of the van. I wondered what was he thinking but it worked out for the best. We will be praying for a great deal to come into your lap. Love you all. Mom