Trip to Detroit for Jenny and Aaron’s wedding. Via Plainfield/Chicago, Ann Arbor.

* $100 in gasoline.
* $175 not made working
* $150 spent (food, gift, alcohol, snacks and soda on the road)
* $65 in car maitenance before the long trip.
* Week away from my cat. (He’s a little wonky right now.)
* Eating more than usual. (The bane of travelers.)
* Couple of garden plants lost to the heat and lack of water.
* High volume of worry about lack of money, job and the long trip alone.

* Getting to spend time with Wende, Jerry, Jesscia, Julia, Jenny and Aaron, Michelle, Christian and Joan.
* Getting to meet Selu, Nick, Justin, Rob, Grant, Luke, Shea, John, Greg, Sarah, Ben, Susie and Phillip.
* Getting to see Alex, Jane and Mike.
* Being so incredibly happy for Jenny. Witnessing the beautiful ceremony binding her life and love to a guy I really think is good enough for her. I look forward to being Aaron’s friend.
* Getting to play fake bride.
*Feeling new opportunities. New passions. New ideas. New hope. New excitement in my life.

Priceless.

The car ride offered me a lot of time to think, which, though sometimes painful, is always good. I also listened to a whole book on CD- A James Bond Novel: A High Time To Kill. And I purused some new music also thanks to the Mid County Library. Sergio Mendes, Velvet Underground and The Who’s: Tommy.

I am SO happy that I made the trip. It never occurred to me to miss Jenny’s wedding. But I also never expected so many more wonderful moments.

Not Just 867-5309

A little ditty in honor of my college roommate Jenny who married a wonderful man on Saturday- one she met at a U2 concert in New York.

Rock & Roll – by Velvet Underground

Jenny said when she was just five years old
You know there’s nothing happening at all
Every time she puts on the radio
There was nothing goin’ down at all
Then one fine mornin’ she puts on a New York station
She couldn’t believe what she heard at all
She started dancin’ to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll
Despite all the amputations
You could just dance to a rock ‘n’ roll station
Jenny said when she was just five years old
My parents are gonna be the death of us all
Two TV sets and two Cadillac (Ford?) cars–
Ain’t gonna help us at all
Then one fine mornin’ she puts on a New York station
She don’t believe what she heard at all
She started dancin’ to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll
Despite all the computations
You could just dance to a rock ‘n ‘ roll station
And it was alright.

U of M

Right now I am sitting at the grad library at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I’ve enjoyed hanging out with one of my high school best friends, Jessica, who has only been back from the field a few months. She was living in Suriname, in South America, for over a year doing dissertation research on the howler monkey. Aka- she’s smarter than me. Some might find me gutsy for wanting to move to Mexico. Well, she lived in the jungle. No thanks. I couldn’t handle the oversized insects. I’m not generally a baby about anything other than spiders, but she once had a massive centipede crawl out of her backpack. Uh, no.

Last night we went to see Batman Begins, which I enjoyed. They had opened another of the theaters to the public to watch the final NBA game. We stuck our heads in as our movie got out and the game began. It was nuts in there at just 4 points. I can’t imagine how it went over when the game took a turn for the worse. I wasn’t much into this season at all, but what a dramatic ending. Very cool for basketball fans. I did like some of the Spurs players, but ultimately, it would have been nice to see the Pistons win probably, seeing as the Spurs have won three times now recently, right? I might be talking out my ass. Like I said, I haven’t paid much attention.

Jess and I agreed that we liked Batman Begins, despite the fact the the closed captioning was on during the whole movie, leaving a large highlighted box around the words in the darker scenes. It took all our effort not to read the captions. But it was also quite a treat to read the “grunting” during the fight scenes. And “ominous music”… but the best was “quiet romantic music” and when that scene ended “romantic theme ends”. Regardless, it was a good story.

What else can I say? We’ve wandered around Ann Arbor. Had sushi and a yummy pesto pizza. I finally saw Strictly Ballroom.

On Tuesday, I met my Nigerian friend Jerry next to the Loyola Campus north of Chicago. We walked up and down the beach and I waded in the Lake. That was awesome. Other than that, in Chicago or Plainfield rather, I just enjoyed my niece and nephew and helped highlight my sister’s hair. Nothing extravagant, but a nice break/vacation nonetheless. I know it’s not like I am taking a break from work, but being stuck in my apt can be so much worse in some ways.

Tomorrow is the Jewish/Catholic wedding I am so looking forward to in Detroit. I cannot WAIT to see my friend Julia and of course, the bride, Jenny. I only dread the 9+ hour drive back on Sunday. Ugh.

Traveling

One of my college roommates and best friends is getting married this weekend in Detroit. I left town early to visit my sister in Plainfield, south of Chicago, and then another friend in Ann Arbor. I’m hitting the road for AA in an hour or so. Good times.

Sewing and other Randoms

I sewed a skirt yesterday! I’m really excited. It’s awesome to use your hands to make something, you know? I like to create. It’s the first thing I have made with my sewing machine, which will thrill my parents who bought it for me after I took a liking to sewing during a costume design class. I didn’t even use a pattern, just took measurements from another skirt. Woohoo! I like skirts- more than shorts- and gosh knows I don’t have any extra money.

Let’s see. Recent movies include Drumline (not outstanding but entertaining), Fast and the Furious (I own and have seen many times, but watched while sewing yesterday).

More than anything, I have been reading. Hours and hours and hours. Looks like I will knock out this 1000 page book in two weeks. That might not be a lot for some (Tanya) but it represents a lot of time for me. Reading has almost been a crutch this last week. I do it when I wake up, go to sleep and every moment in between that I don’t feel like doing something else I SHOULD be doing. But living in Edward IV’s (I think he was 4th) and Richard III’s lives is just too much fun. For those who have read the Welsh trilogy by Penman, this book is more like the second one in its politics and war. Less of a love story and more fighting and treason etc. Great though, nonetheless. I was hesitant to read about English history, considering my great love for them. (This statement drips sarcasm for those who don’t know my interestes in Welsh and Irish history.) But alas, it’s a good book. I wish now that I had read this before I went to London. Seeing the Tower and going into Westminster to look at graves would be so much more interesting to me now. I am sure I will make it back to London someday though.

Thursday Theatre

Last night, I attended the Shakespeare in the Park to view The Tempest. It was phenominal. Yet again, this extraordinary acting troop has proven to me just how witty the Bard was. It’s unlike any high school production of Shakespeare you might have seen, the pathetic reading you partook in during literature class, or even some Hollywood recreation. Since I sat close enough to be spat on, I honestly felt like I was at the Globe last evening, except of course that I was sitting. Not standing, scrunched with the other poor folk on a sweating wooden floor. Anyway, thanks to Tracie’s Faire friends for saving the seat. I have made it all 4 years to the Shakespeare show and lament that I will not likely be here for it next year. What an amazing evening it was too!

Last Thursday I saw The Kiss of the Spiderwoman by Newline at the Art Loft. I was anxious to see the performance as the musical won the Tony the year it came out on Broadway. Plus, I love Newline. Love that we have a blackbox theatre in St. Louis. I did enjoy the show, but not as much as I’d hoped. I was quite surprised to stumble across an old friend who’d disappeared. He played one of the chorus, otherwise known as prisoners in this show, and a couple other small-name parts. Still, he was really quite excellent and I was proud of him. His friend, Nick played one of the lead roles and was stupendous as usual. A very good actor both emotionally and physically. It means a lot to be a physical actor. Unfortunately for the show, the other major player was not so good. His voice was good enough, I could look past the couple flat notes. But despite how well he played the flaming gay window dresser, Molina, he was just a little too “Jack” from Will and Grace. AND, he had no character development. I just didn’t believe him, his lines or his feelings. Which was a shame. But don’t forget I am a bit of a theatre snob. Overall, the performance WAS good. Kudos to Scott Miller for offering us interesting theatre in the Lou. Next season they are doing Jesus Christ Superstar, which is the only reason I have ever auditioned for Newline. I mean, I would love to act there in any show, but I wanted them to see my face before JCS auditions because the one role I want to play in my life is Mary Magdalene. Well, only because I couldn’t play Judas in the show. Or Pilate. Anyway… I won’t be here so phooey.