ANOTHER Blog?!

The marketing department at ASF asked me to write about my typical rehearsal day for the Shake It Up Times ASF Blog. Check it out!

Link to the blog's main page is here.

40 Days... an internal search

Hey Blog Buddies!!! A couple of week back (actually 20 days ago) I was at Barnes & Noble with Lynn & Jerry. We had just commented that there were exactly 40 days left till graduation. Moments later I was drooling over the various mole skin notebooks in the journal/diary section when I stumbled onto 40 Days and 40 Nights: Taking Time Out For Self-Discovery, A Guided Journal. It seemed perfect! I had 40 days left as a grad student in Alabama and this journal would give me the chance to take time to explore my inner self while in school. Hopefully I'd emerge after graduation a better person, right? Well.. that sounds great, but my last 40 days in grad school are actually pretty busy and hectic. I'm SMing a show, closed the rep season, and I'm battling the ever growing pile of Theatre History homework that I just keep putting off. Not to mention my planning a move and apartment hunting, etc. Nevertheless, I kept up with the journal for a couple of weeks. Here are my thoughts:

The book starts by asking you to choose an intention. Why are you doing the exercise? I chose "to learn more about myself". Each day includes an activity and several journal prompts to help inspire me to write. For example, Day 8 says "Open a line of communication between you and your intuition and listen witht he intent to really hear. Activity: Calm down and relax. Put your fingertips to your pulse. Find your heartbeat, release, and sit quietly. Then whisper the following words: 'What do I need to know to help me with my intention? What do I need to do or not do?' Let things percolate. Listen for your intuition- it might be a voice, a body sensation, or fleeting images. Write down whatever comes to you; it's almost like taking dication." I wrote "The image of a potted plant refused to leave my mind-- perhaps a bonzai tree." The wierd thing is- I have no patience for potted plants. I either overwater them or ignor them. Either way, a house plant has a short lifespan in my home. I don't really take pleasure in caring for a plant. So why when I asked myself "What do I need to know to learn more about myself" I saw the image of a potted plant? Maybe I'm trying to tell myself to be patient. It's all open to interpretation.
Next day 8 had two journal prompts.:

• Whose voice do you love the sound of? Why? How does it affect you?
• Write down a secret you've kept a long time. How does it feel to finaly spill it out?

These questions/instructions prompted me to write about my mother and my lack of secrets. I mean, there are a few friends who know everything about me-- really.

But that was day 8-- and even then I wasn't really doing the journal right. It gave me 3 pages to write on but I barely filled one. I'd also wait to the middle of the night, right before bed to do my journal. I never really gave it the time and attention it required. Much like a potted plant. Hmm...

But now it's day 21 and I've not picked up the book for 4 days. I don't think this is a reason to thow the book away-- I'll read thru the missed days today and see what happens. But I'm just not going to force myself into daiy devotional. I can learn more about myself outside of that structured plan I think. Thoughts?

Procrastination

I'm sitting in a dirty room with
a closet full of laundry.
Behind me is an unmade bed.
To my right, a grocery list
next to some dirty dishes.
A stack of papers from class and some
plays I need to read sit on top of the printer.

My eyes glaze over as I click
"Stumble!"

Bullet List of the Week

• I love NPR and I wish I had more time to listen to it! Moreover, I need to read more news. My god, I didn't even know Tim Russert had died until today-- I live in a theatre cave! Does anyone know of a good online news service that would keep me updated? I could just check new york times dot come or something. Hmm...
• I can't explain how excited I am about my plans after graduation. I can't wait to move to Cincinnati and start working at Ensemble! That being said, I'm already stressing out about the move and finding an apartment there. So I bought a moving planner kit. It's helpful-- but it makes me realize how much work is ahead of me.
  
• Speaking of work that's ahead of me, I'm in Theatre History procrastination hell again. But really, my final semester shouldn't be any different than the last 3, right? At this point, it's a tradition to wait till the last minute. [music from 'Fiddler' fades up] Tradition!
  
• I crave crackers & peanut butter with milk! I think I'll go get some now...
  
• [Intermission]
  
• Mmm.. that was good. BTW- If I'm not careful, the TV will eat my soul. I find myself watching some random anime.
  
• So, my graduate teaching assistant health insurance really sucks. I had strep throat in April and went to a walk in clinic and got some antibiotics. I just got a bill for $81! My health insurance didn't cover a penny of it! GRR!
• Sometimes my cat falls asleep on her back and it's adorable-- but looks oddly unnatural-- like I drugged her and posed her that way.
• That's all for now. :)
  

"What's Next" or "Mike Got a Job"

I've always had good luck on Friday the 13th. Today (or yesterday as I type this so late at night) was no exception and I have news---- I'm happy to announce that I will be the new Production Stage Manager at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati! I'm very excited about this new opportunity and thought I'd share the news with you, my friends and blog buddies. :) More to come soon-

Greg's Headshots

IMG_1640 copy
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

I had a shoot this afternoon with my friend Greg. We got some good shots- check um out. :)

Link by Link

It seems like all my friends are making web pages or blogging now-a-days. Lets look at at few of these pages link by link. (I had to go there-- that song is stuck in my head)

• Amanda has a great new site for her middle school students, Mrs. Hendrick's Mad Science Lab.
  
• Tommy has been keeping up his blog, Levity is the Sould of Wit with some great entries. Check it out!
• Jarrod recently claimed a corner of the web to market himself. Check out his classy actor site at jarrodyuskauskas.com

Budget Crisis!

No- I'm not talking about the US Economy, I'm talking about little ole me and my little ole economic state. I've never really been one for budgets. When I was younger (much younger) I used Quicken-- but I found that it just got me into trouble. It gave me a false sense of security. For example, I'd see that I have $50 left in the bank so I'd go to the ATM and take out $40 to live on till the next pay day, allowing a $10 buffer. Then my old AOL account would automatically withdraw $24.95 (or whatever it was). Suddenly I'm stuck with an overdraft charge, fees and penalties and lots of people mad at me. So- I started not balancing my checkbook and just assuming that I'm broke. This didn't really work either but luckily I soon switched to Bank of America which has a great online banking service that keeps things updated almost instantly when I use my debit card. I love Bank of America! (Maybe I can get them to sponsor my blog!) So now I just keep a close eye on my bank account online and take note of the few actual checks I write since they don't appear online instantly. For the last couple years I've had a nice little stipend for my Graduate Research Assistantship and the ability to take out student loans. The loans went for tools like this laptop, supplies, books, food, etc. Things are nice, right? Where's the problem?

I found out recently that I'm not eligible for a summer loan for some reason. This news prompted me to look at my finances. At first glance it looks like I'll be fine since I have some of my Spring semester loan left plus tax refund money, etc in the bank. But I graduate soon-- and that assistantship money is going to stop. True, I'm applying for work after college but there's no guarantee that things are going to work out as I've planned. Yesterday I realized that I've been living in a dreamland. I don't worry about how often I eat out or how much I spend on groceries because that's what the student loan money is for, right? Food is essential, so just eat. WRONG! I sat down and looked at my receipts and found out that I spend about $500 a month on food and groceries- just for myself. That's almost half my stipend. That figure opened my eyes. I sat down and made a spreadsheet of all my expenses, my income and my debt. In doing so I realized that I don't really know how much debt I have. Yes- I'm THAT stupid. So I figured out how to log into my student loan accounts online and found the exact amount of money I owe. I won't publish the number here-- but it was mind boggling.

How can I be this stupid? I LET this happen! Ok ok-- stop and breath. If I had gone to an expensive program my debt could easily have been 4 or 5 times as much-- so I just need to chill out. I'm earning a Masters Degree-- a terminal degree in my field. I'm almost 30. Truth be told I'm not that bad off. I have what is most likely an average to small debt load for where I am in life. I'm ok.

BUT-- I need to change! I need to start looking at how much I spend and on what. I need to knock that food bill down a few notches by cooking more and eating out less. And when I do eat out I should choose cheaper places or order cheaper menu items. I need to seriously regroup here and form a plan of attack. I want to live off my stipend for the next 2 months with some left over. I don't want to touch the money that's in my checking account right now because I'll need all of that to pay for a move and to help me start my life wherever I end up going after graduation. I can do this.

Cincy & Cat Meditation

I don't really have much to type about today. But I feel it's about time for a new blog- so here goes. Let's do another bullet list, shall we?

• First, I just need to aknowledge that I think my mind works in bullet points. :)
• My trip to Cincinnati was GREAT! It was so nice to see some old friends, smiling faces I haven't seen in years, and pick right back up where we left off.
• The drive up and back was nice too. I fell in love with my rented Prius-- which got an average of 44.9 miles per gallon during the trip, btw.
• The rep season is going ok. I'm training first year students to take over 2 of my 3 shows so that I can have more time for Beaux Stratagem, the grad show I'm stage managing. In training someone to do my job, I've realized how much detail is missing from my paperwork. For example, when I put "Tybalt's knife" on a prop preset list I know which one that is-- but it wouldn't be obvious to anyone else. It's been a good learning experience.
• I've started taking my meditation a little more seriously. I try to spend a few minutes each day in quiet meditation-- but Ophelia seems to hate this idea. I'll be sitting in the floor or on my bed with my legs crossed-- just sitting and breathing with my eyes closed or in a locked gaze when I feel a cold cat nose on my arm. Then she starts head butting me. Oh- and she loves my meditation beads which thinks are a cat toy worthy of attack. It's really adorable. Maybe I should make Ophelia a part of my meditation. Cat petting meditation. Hmm... it has potential.
• At this moment I have 1 month, 25 days, 18 hours, and 52 minutes till graduation.. not that I'm counting.

Hybrid!

I'm driving up to Cincinnati Ohio today to reconnect with some friends and do some job search stuff. I embark on the 8.5 hour drive right after my matinée. I decided to rent a car since mine (her name is Jane) is getting old and I don't want to put more miles on her than I have to. Jane is a '94 Ford Escort who has seen me through a lot- but bless her heart, her days are numbered. So- I went to Enterprise to rent a small car. I ended up waiting in their lobby for a long time-- I think they forgot at about me. The manager apologized (unprompted) and offered me a free upgrade- to a Toyota Prius Hybrid! SWEET! These are beautiful cars with great fuel efficiency. Operating the Prius feels like flying a space ship. No wonder one Trekie converted his (click here for more info). I have to admit, that when I first got in, I didn't know how to turn it on. The key looks more like a remote and the car has a power button to turn on. Oh my god- I think I'm in love!

Dispatch from NYC

Right now I'm sitting in a tiny hotel room on 45th Street between 5th and 6th Ave in New York City. Last night we had our showcase at New World Stages. The 2008 MFA acting class was amazing and I hope they get some great job connections and agents out of it. I stage managed the showcase-- an easy job. I just had to get the props to NYC, coordinate a few things and get the show started, call a few cues, 1 scene shift, & clean up.

So- that was yesterday. Today I had a day off in NYC! This is my first time in the city and I'm loving it! Unfortunately I'm not in town for long-- we fly out tomorrow actually. But I made the most of my time here. Here's a list of "firsts" for me:

• I SM'd a show off Broadway in NYC... well a showcase. It kinda counts.
  
• I saw a Broadway show! I was lucky enough to have friends with connections and actually got a comp too!! I saw A Chorus Line and it was AMAZING!! I laughed- I cried. It was a mile marker of my life! :)
  
• I ate at Sardi's. I looked for muppet rats under the table but sadly there were none.
  
• I went shopping at Macy's. I found a cute shirt but sadly- no Santa.
• I hung out in Greenwich Village with my friend Jerry. We ate at a little cafe, bought some books at Oscar Wilde's and had desert at Jeckyl & Hyde's. It was a great soul nurishing experience to be in the village.
• I walked by a film shoot on the streets of NY.
  
• Saw Time Square & the Empire State Building... yada yada... you know: the NY thing. :)
  

Ok.. I'm going to bed now--- more later. :)

Talky Blog #10: About Grad School...

I've made a little talky blog. While my mac compresses the file and uploads it onto youtube, I will type this little introduction. First of all, let me say that it's late- after midnight now, and I've been sick and medicated recently. That combined with the stress level and what I think was a some sort of anxiety attack last night has led me to be rather contemplative. All this and little meditation tonight led me to make this video blog. I hope you enjoy it.

Quick Bullet List

- I love Mountain Dew. There I said it.
- If another person asks "So what are you doing after graduation?" I'm going to scream. I DON'T KNOW OK?!
- I took a nap yesterday and it was amazing. I should take more naps.
- I'm in Theatre History hell.
- I'm not feeling well tonight. This press release will explain why. I'm upset... it's hard to explain... I'm anxious... like I feel there's a darkness closing in around me-- or something bad around the corner.
- That's all for now. I'm going to bed and snuggle with my cat. :)

R&J Opening!

So, we've been performing Romeo & Juliet for weeks and weeks in the mornings for school kids. But the show is finally open to the public! I thought I'd share my opening cast gift with you all. :) You see, the nurse in the play often asks for aqua vitae. Since our production is set in 2008, I joked that we should change the line to AquaFina and give her a water bottle. My opening night gifts are a play on that joke-- I gave them each a water bottle with this label:



It took a little photoshop magic to get the logo just right. I also grabbed the bar code from Google Image Search. The ingredients read "Nutrition Facts Seving Size: 1 Bottle. Amount Per Serving: Caleries 0, Total Fat 0, Sodium 0, Carbs 0, Love 100g (100% DV), Ingredients: Best wishes for a happy opening, H2O, Care & Support (Not a signifigant source of Brucine)" Cheesy I know.. but hey- it's an opening gift. :) In the end they turned out looking like this:

I shot that!

Fight director Jason Armit's new web page just went live. Why am I blogging about this? Because I shot the photo of him that's on his homepage! :) Check it out here.

More Photography!

IMG_0896 copy
Originally uploaded by The Mike Jones

Hey! So I've had a few photo shoots recently. Mainly for headshots of a few of my friends: Tommy, Angie, & Meghan. Click the picture to check um out on my flickr page. I've also updated the photography section of my website.

Ever feel different?

Homework Confession (Talky Blog)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39SejCthkOk&hl=en]

Random thoughts...

The Yay List

• I'm starving but dinner time is in 20 minutes. YAY!
  
• I got my tax refund today! YAY!
• A friend recently loaned be the Battlestar Galactica miniseries. Um... WOW. It's amazing! I'd heard it was good but I really had no idea what I was missing. It's some of the best sci fi I've ever seen, so I ordered season one from Amazon. Why am I bringing this up today? It just arrived in the mail! YAY!
• Speaking of how nerdy I am... I'm enjoying the Star Trek manga series. If you're up for some classic Trek in comic form pick up a copy! Yay!
  
• I'm finding a lot of inspiration for photographs lately. Unfortunately I have little time to play with my camera.. but still thinking about it makes me happy. Yay!

The Boo List

• My MFA program is in jeopardy. I don't even want to get into here.. but it sucks. Boo!
• I'm homesick. Boo!
• I miss my friends who aren't at ASF-- and the ones who are! I have no social life in grad school. lol Boo!
• I starting to hate theatre. (wow- that's dramatic.. but sadly honest) Boo!
  

The ?? List

• What am I doing with my life??
• What's next?
• Is this worth it?
  
• Will dinner time never get here??

NEW WEB PAGE!!

Hey! So- I just made a new web page devoted to my photography. Check it out-- at www.themikejones.com/photo.html