Update

This blog entry is LONG overdue.  I think the video below sums it all up-- but I just wanted to make sure I shared all my great news with you.   Next month I'm flying to South Carolina to go into rehearsal with the world famous Radio City Rockettes.  I'll be working on the Nashville leg of the National tour of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular!  I'm even more excited because the show plays in the Grand Ole Opry House for over a month.  When I was a kid growing up in Tennessee, I dreamed of being on the Opry stage!  Now I'll be working behind it. :)

And even BIGGER news-- after the Christmas show closes, Tim and I are planning on moving to New York City!  I can't wait to base myself in the theatre capital of the world. 

Talky Blog!

OOT

I'm leavin on a jet plane!  I head to Boston in the morning for Tim's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!) and then on to Disney World Friday! YAY!!

So look for photos on facebook and twitter but no blogs (I won't have my computer with me--- shocking I know!).

Peace!

Quiz (why not)

1. What time did you get up this morning?
11am.  I need to start getting up early to train myself for Disney though!

2. How do you like your steak?
Medium-Well

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Star Trek!

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Oh... that's a hard question.  Star Trek? Family Guy? Something geeky for sure.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
With Tim.

6. What did you have for breakfast?
boiled eggs & toast

7. What is your favorite cuisine?
Italian or Southern American

8. What foods do you dislike?
I only like fish, onions, peppers in moderation

9. Favorite Place to Eat?
I always enjoy Applebees.  Does that make me generic?

10. Favorite dressing?
Ranch (Wow- I AM generic)

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?
2002 Ford Focus ZX5

12. What are your favorite clothes?
Shorts, Star Trek T-shirt, Croc Flip Flops

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
London

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?
1/2 full

15. Where would you want to retire?
Retire?  I'm afraid I don't understand.

16. Favorite time of day?
Morning, when the day is full of possibilities (and by morning I mean noon-ish)

17. Where were you born?
Maryville, TN

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Men's swimming or beach volley ball --haha

19. Who do you think will not tag you back?
I don't know

20. Person you expect to tag you back first?
It doesn't really matter

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
As these questions are riveting, I'm just so curious about anyone...

22. Bird watcher?
Haha. Not really.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night.

24. Do you have any pets?
Ophelia, a long haired Tortoise Shell Cat

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
I'm going to Boston & Disney World with Tim soon!! :)

26. What did you want to be when you were little?
A Teacher. I used to sit my stuffed animals down like students and turn my bedroom into a classroom.

27. What is your best childhood memory?
Riding my bike in the yard with my nifty Mikey Mouse wallet ID in my pocket and pretending I was him. 

28. Are you a cat or dog person?
Both

29. Are you married?
Not yet

30. Always wear your seat belt?
Yes

31. Been in a car accident?
Yes

32. Any pet peeves?
Parents who don't control their children in public

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings?
Pepperoni or ham & pineapple

34. Favorite Flower?
I'm not really sure.

35. Favorite ice cream?
Hmm... It's hard to choose. Death by Chocolate?

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Arby's or Wendy's

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
None

38. From whom did you get your last email?
Tim

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
Apple

40. Do anything spontaneous lately?
This quiz...

41. Like your job?
I love being a Stage Manager.

42. favorite veggie?
Corn

43. What was your favorite vacation?
Florida with my family as a kid.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?
Andrea

45. What are you listening to right now?
The kids upstairs jumping and thumping and making the walls rattle

46. What is your favorite color?
Purple or Red

47. How many tattoos do you have?
0

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz?
0

49. Coffee Drinker?
  Occasionally

50. Ever sing Karaoke?
Occasionally.

Cropping it down to size

With all this technology (google docs, iphone notes, word, excel) that I use to keep my life in order, sometimes I get overwhelmed.  In times like these I take out my the little pocket notebook from my bag, grab a pen and start making lists.  Once this begins I have to keep this little notebook with me at all times (even in the bathroom as you can see above).

I'm not sure why I'm blogging about this.  I guess I just wanted to talk about how when life is getting crazy and stressful a nice bullet point list can make it all seem very manageable. 

I'm entering into a transitional period over the next few weeks.  My summer job at the Opera is ending soon but I'm still in the THICK of it now.  I don't want to delve into the details here, but I'll say this of being a Super Captain: I learned a lot about myself and about human nature.  I'm also going into prep for our season the Ensemble Theatre and looking forward to getting back behind a prompt book.  But enough about work.

Next week I fly to Boston for Tim's birthday!  I'm VERY excited about this trip.  There are birthday celebrations planed, fun touristy things to do in Salem MA (yay witch history!) and I finally get to spend some time with Tim. It's been way to long.  I'm only in Boston for a couple of days and then Tim and I fly to Orlando Florida for our Disney vacation!!!  WAAAHOO!!  I'm SO EXCITED!   A real vacation with someone I love!  It's like a dream still-- I don't really believe that it's happening on some level.   I'm sure it'll sink in when I'm on the plane-- or maybe when I'm on the monorail with Tim and see the Magic Kingdom come into view for the first time-- or maybe when we meet Mickey Mouse-- or maybe when I buy my Mouseketeer Ears with "Mike" stitched on the back!!  EEEEEE!!

Then, when Tim and I get back from Disney we're going to Andrea and Scott's fabulous wedding and THEN we have our big move into the new apartment.  Well- Tim has his BIG move from Massachusetts but I'm only move 5 blocks from my current apartment.  I can't wait to post pictures of the new place once we get it all decorated and settled.  We're also planning a house warming party! :)

So-- if I can just get thru the stress of these next  few days (Carmen tech/dress, my own to do list like packing etc, prep for 33 Variations) then I get to see Tim and have a nice vacation. And THEN we get to start our living together life together in a new apartment!  :)

Life is good.

Trek Links

I read two fascinating Star Trek articles this morning. 

The first asks the question "Is Star Trek a Religion?"  This is a fascinating question (Spock joke intended).  The minister at the Unitarian Church back in Knoxville Tennessee lectured on this topic a while back.  In some ways it certainly fills the bill.  There's a believe system, a "text", and an idolized founder in Gene Rodenberry.  I'm not sure where I stand on this question. I mean-- I don't worship Gene Rodenberry or anything but would I judge someone who does harshly? It's like that episode of The Family Guy where Peter starts the Church of the Fonz. In the end we have to find faith where we can, right? I'm also reading a book Star Trek and Philosphy: The Wrath of Kant which also looks at Star Trek through scholarly eyes. Perhaps Star Trek isn't so much of a religion as it is a philosophy.  In any case, the book is worth a read-- but I warn you that it gets a little heavy.  If you're already having a "my head hurts from stress at work" kind of day, it might not be the best escape plan. 

The 2nd article I read this morning made me think of Tim. :)  You can find it over at The User's Guide to the Universe Blog and it's titled Star Trek: Fun with Time Travel.  It mainly focuses on the new JJ Abrams film and how his time travel plot fits in with accepted theories of time travel.  The idea is that the universe can branch off into different realities caused by time travel.  So when you back in the past and change things- you create a parallel universe where those changes have happened-- but your universe is unchanged.  This is different from the Back to the Future theory (or as I call it, the "Tim Approved Theory") of time travel where you can change the present by going into the past.  I can't say I agree with the blogger. He doesn't even really delve into the Back to the Future model deeming it unscientific. Pretentious much?

Aurora

I've settled on a name for my car! Meet...

Aurora

Her name has many origins. Aurora is the Latin word for dawn and the name of the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology. This is perfect! I feel like I'm the dawn of a new day in my life right now. My car is a small part of that. Aurora is also the name of the Princess in Disney's Sleeping Beauty-- one of my favorite Disney Animated Classics! As if that wasn't geeky enough there is also a starship named Aurora in a classic episode of Star Trek.

Peace!

**UPDATE**

I should add a note about Jane, my 1994 Ford Escort. I got Jane in 1999. We were together for an entire decade! She was a great car but sadly, her transmission went out... TWICE and I just don't have the money to keep her up and running. But Jane will make a difference in someone else's life soon. I'm donating her to the National Kidney Foundation! Thank you, Jane! You'll be missed. :)

Horoscope!

Wow- check out my horoscope for today.

Finally, your travel plans are set! Now the fun part begins: Shopping!
If you're asked to make a donation, buy something whose proceeds will go to a nonprofit organization, or contribute your time to a worthy cause, you'll be only too happy to do it now, and you really should. You'll be happy with what you've done and who you've helped, and you'll feel good about it for days to come. Just be sure someone who sees a soft heart -- and a bank account -- does not take advantage of you.

The crazy thing is that our plans for Disney are solidfied and and coming up soon. I'm also shopping for a car and am thinking of donating my old one to the Kidney Foundation (or another charity). Amazing right?

Talky Blog w/Tim!

Talky Blog! Mike's Star Trek Birthday

Uhura is judging me for not blogging.

It's May!

GUENEVERE:
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
Tra la! It's here!
That shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts
Merrily appear!
It's May! It's May!
That gorgeous holiday
When ev'ry maiden prays that her lad
Will be a cad!
It's mad! It's gay!
A libelous display!
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes
The lusty month of May!

Whence this fragrance wafting through the air?
What sweet feelings does its scent transmute?
Whence this perfume floating ev'rywhere?
Don't you know it's that dear forbidden fruit!
Tra la la la la! That dear forbidden fruit!
Tra la la la la!

GUENEVERE & CHORUS:
Tra la la la la [etc.]

GUENEVERE:
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That darling month when ev'ryone throws
Self-control away.
It's time to do
A wretched thing or two,
And try to make each precious day
One you'll always rue!
It's May! It's May!
The month of "yes you may,"
The time for ev'ry frivolous whim,
Proper or "im."
It's wild! It's gay!
A blot in ev'ry way.
The birds and bees with all of their vast
Amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast,
The lusty month of May.

CHORUS:
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
Tra la! It's here!
That shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts
Merrily appear.
It's May! It's May!
The month of great dismay.

GUENEVERE:
When all the world is brimming with fun,
Wholesome or "un."

GUENEVERE & CHORUS:
It's mad! It's gay!
A libelous display!
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes
The lusty month of May!

Talky Blog with Tim!

Talky Blog (with Ophelia!)

Hey! I just did a quick talky blog with Ophelia-- ok actually she bailed pretty quickly but she's there for a bit.

Topics:
- Ophelia!
- USITT
- Comic Books (Watchmen, Batman: Year One, Star Trek: The Manga)

Leaving MySpace

I canceled my MySpace account today.  (Though they said it might take 48 hours to actually disappear from the net.)  I just never used it anymore.  Every now and then I log in-- see that I'm not missing anything and log out.  No one's even written on my wall since November of last year.  So- I decided to trim away some of the fat of my Online life and get rid of MySpace.  That being said, I'm still on Facebook, Plaxo, Linkedin, Twitter... the list goes on.  I also have my own homepage and this blog.  I need to continue to trim down the list though-- I feel like I'm too spread out on the world wide web.  I think Twitter will go soon. I don't use it either. Plaxo and Linkedin both have potential. Hmm.. I wonder which one will win my favor. Only time will tell.   Facebook is still on my good side.  I've found it to be a useful online address book, a way to stay in contact with colleagues from theatres I've worked for, and it generally appeals to my voyuristic nature.  So it will stay for while I bet. :)

So-- My appologies to anyone who LOVES MySpace!  Please don't be angry with me for abandoning it.  I have not abanded you! 

Thanks. That's all for now. :) 

Kroger and The Evil Car Wash

I decided to title this video "Kroger and The Evil Car Wash" Or "Mike on coffee!!"

The Show:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=091Vm6kP1Qo&hl=en&fs=1]

Update

I'm sure I don't have anything earth shattering to report in this entry- but it's been a while since I've really written a blog entry so here goes.

Things are weird right now.  The financial crisis has finally affected me directly.  Not only is our unearned income down the theatre industry because people have less to donate- but now I'm having trouble consolidating my student loans.  I hate money. I hate thinking about it. I hate that it's a reality.  But bitching about it won't change anything.  In the end I'm still pretty damn poor.

Hmm.. maybe I'll just do a video blog....

[hours later]

Snow Day

Snow Day
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

Today was a snow day. The city declared a LEVEL 3 (it has to be in all caps) SNOW EMERGENCY. Which I learned means "All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one else should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may subject themselves to arrest"
Dramatic, isn't it? Needless to say we had to cancel rehearsal today. I hope we catch up and will be ready for opening Wednesday! In the mean time I'm going to sit back and watch some Battlestar Gallactica. :)

Photo

2Pennies
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

We totally found two pennies the other day laying on the side walk when we were coming back from dinner! This will make more sense after you come see Gem of the Ocean at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. :)

Photo

Tim 1
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

I had a quick photo session with Tim downtown. I think they turned out really nice! :)

Photo

baggage claim
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

So.. the "Photo-A-Day" concept has flown out the window. But instead of simply abandoning the project I'm going to continue to post more photographs.

I snapped this one while I was waiting on Tim at the airport. Random- I know.

Photo-A-Day

WASH
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

I'm glad that the Cincinnati Health Department is there to point out the obvious to us. :)

Photo-A-Day (just under the wire)

Closing
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

We closed Alice in Wonderland today. I snapped this photo from my desk in the booth just before starting the show. :)

Photo-A-Day

Sun Room
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

I snapped this picture of Ophelia laying in the doorway to the sun room yesterday. You can see the Christmas cards are still hanging on the door- I'd taken them down an hour later.

Photo-A-Day (?)

Mr & Mrs Claus
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

I was recently inspired by another blogger-- a professional photographer who's new project is a "Photo A Day Blog for 2009".

I'm not sure if I'll be able to post a new photo EVERY DAY-- but I do hope to post more photos in the new year. Perhaps this will give me nudge I need to take more pictures.

Today's photo is of an ornament on my parents Christmas tree. Each year I get a new ornament for my Mom-- usually something that makes me think of home or my parents. This "Mr & Mrs Claus" piece is from a few years back.