Sweet Freedom-Redux

So, Matt, Ryan, and I will start the Summer off right on the Sweet Freedom yacht. Here are some favorite pictures from last Summer's adventures...

For Gary Oiler

Timeline

Tech Week.
Sorry.
This is what is on my mind.

Love Bites

Lestat closes this Sunday. Short notice, there...
Sorry, Sean.

RED NO MORE

Got my hair dyed the Lee Harvey Oswald way tonight. Here it is....

Lil' Peep

Matthew 10:29-31 - Are not two sparrows sold for one farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye note therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Earlier this week, I was at rehearsal at Signature, and on a break out in the lovely alley. I was smoking a cig, and I noticed a baby bird that was up against the wall of theatre. The bird was so small, and was so still...
I approached it, and it barely moved. It feared that it was injured, but it was merely frozen with fear. A moment later, it hopped away a few feet.
Something was wrong here...it's wings looked wet. Then I saw Momma bird fly down, chirping loudly. She would fly a few feet, then come back...almost as if to say, "Come on you stupid shit, get your wings in gear!"...sorry...no, as if to say, "come on lil squirt...you can do it!".
My heart started breaking as I watched this. You must understand...I was a bit extra emotional, after rehearsing Assassins all morning. I saw Momma fly back with food. Baby ate. The baby was hopping along fine, and it's wings didn't seem to be injured, just wet. A fledgling who had either been blown off the roof nest, or simply didn't read up on gravity before wondering what was over the edge.
One by one, other Assassins cast members started to inquire as to what I was watching on breaks...I decided to consult our resident bird expert, Donna Migliaccio.
She observed the situation, and predicted the inevitable...if the bird was still in the alley by night, it would meet it's maker-either by cat, rat, or exposure.
Hmmm.
I know all of the Darwin crap, ok....survival of the fittest, and whatever else.
I just couldn't accept that. In rehearsing this show with such a dark subject matter, I simply couldn't turn the other way and ignore this baby who had lost it's way.
Maybe if someone had tried harder to reach out to any of the subjects of this show, then what happened would not have come to be.
In all of this mess in my head, I couldn't let a baby bird die. I would try my damnedest to save it, if from nothing else but cats and rats.
Donna said that if we could get it up off of the ground a few feet, and maybe put it in a box with newspapers that it may stand a fighting chance. OK.
Back to rehearsal.
It was also Donna's birthday that day, so after rehearsal, we all had ice cream cake and sang the B-Day song. As soon as I finished my cake, I was searching for a box.
Found one. Mika, who plays Guiteau, asked me what I was doing. I informed him of the lil' peep in the alley, and my fears that it would be taken by cats, rats, or just smouched by tire or foot that trampled ignorantly down the alley. He was on the case within seconds. I spotted a City Paper, and knew that I could use that to rip up and provide warmth to the lil' peep. PS...that's what I called him in my head...Lil' Peep. I did so, and Donna, Matty, Mika, and myself went out to the alley.
Mika and I managed to wrangle it into the box, and then we found a place for the box to be wedged into some pipes that were about 4 feet off of the ground.
OK....then we waited to see if the Momma would find the baby.
We waited forever. She didn't seem to know where he was, and he wasn't cheeping on little cheep.
By the way, that movie, 10.5-the earthquake movie is on channel 4 right now, and it is fu*king dreadful.
Anyways, Donna started to fear that we had done the wrong thing, since the Momma couldn't find the baby, and would surely abandon the search before too long.
And no, folks, if you touch a bird, the mother doesn't abandon it...an old wives tale, Donna informed me...
So after almost an hour had passed after rehearsal was over with no Momma-baby connection, I enlisted a favorite Signature Technical staff friend, Andres, to help me pull a ladder out to carry the box to the top of the roof, where Momma was, and where it might be able to be helped by her again.
We lugged the beast of a ladder out to the alley and I carried the lil' peepster to the top. I gently got him out and onto the roof, said, "Good luck, lil' guy", and made my way back down.
Several minutes later, there was a Sparrow party on the roof, as several birdies seemed to be celebrating the discovery of Lil' Peep.
We all walked away, not knowing if the bird would still make it or not. We never will know. I rationalized to myself that if the bird died, it would at least be a little bit closer to God.
And what a heart warming and funny thing...there was John Hinckley, Sara Jane Moore, Charles J. Guiteau, and Lee Harvey Oswald helping to save a baby Sparrow. Hey, everybody's got a heart. Except some people.

Luv,
SGS

Tube TIme

Yeah... I know you get sick of it...I'm just a lil' bit busy with Assassins right now, so I have not that much available brain cells for the ol' bloggety...so more Tube Time will ensue...
In the meantime...here's some classic Bette Davis...1st a favorite scene of mine from "All About Eve"...also translated in Spanish...

Then a little clip from a famous appearance on the Tonight Show...

Then Bette singing in "Thank Your Lucky Stars"...

A great TCM montage of her work...

And the famous prediction of a disaster of a cocktail party...

Seatbelts fastened.
Luv,
SGS

Faust

Oh yes...Synetic Theatre... the theatre company that makes me feel fat when I watch their shows.
The show was fantastic, as Synetic's shows always are. The look, the feel, the soundtrack, the MOVEMENT...my god.
Now let us talk about the performers...As always, the ensemble of any Synetic show is a strong unit. My body hurts just watching them. They bend and twist themselves in ways that confuse my spine.
Phillip Fletcher, Andrew Zox, and Matthew McGloin-yes, recently Huck Finn at Imagination Stage, all looked luscious and the fight scenes were so smartly executed by them.
Katherine Hill, who had the generosity to help us get tickets today, had her hair braided in dreads, and never looked hotter.
Anna Lane and Dan Istrate's bathtub sex dance is so inventive in it's use of contact. It was so exciting to watch, I cannot shame it with words.
Greg Marzullo as Faust,...first of all...NONE of the men have even 1% body fat. NONE!
They all look amazing. As for the women...well...they all looked hot, but I guess I had my eyes on the guys more. Go figure.
Greg was wonderful, yet again, as always, as was the palpable and captivating Dan Istrate as Mephistopheles.
Words cheapen the show, in all truth.
Irina Tsikurishvili was also haunting as Gretchen. Ugh.
The Direction and choreography are so inventive, and a red cloth suddenly becomes a baby, and a bathtub takes "flight"...imagination always runs wild with Synetic's direction.
And the sex scenes. wow.
Full on tit, folks.
A couple of tits, actually.
Nice ones, too...(thanks Meghan and Katherine).
This weekend is closing weekend at the Rosslyn-Spectrum space, but it will then move on to the Kennedy Center from June 1st through June 18th.
I highly recommend that you see this sexy and stylishly smart piece. Yes, most will be motivated by the flesh...but I tell you...this is more than a skin show...it is breaking the bounds of theatrical convention and discovering something exciting and new. You don't see much theatre like this, folks.


G'night.
Luv,
SGS

Edith Massey Mini Documentary

A mini doco on the John Waters star...

Susan...Susan Jane...

One of my favorite educational films, edited tight to just the essentials...

Tick-Tick-BOOM!

I have had 2 disgusting experiences with parasitic organisms in the past week.
That is quite an opening statement, I know, but truth do I speak.
About a week ago, Matt called me over to the couch, where Buddha was contently laying on his back, and said..."Is this a scab?"...
I saw the mark on Buddha's armpit that he was referring to...
I remarked.."Scabs don't usually have legs..."
I pulled the tick with tweezers, and flushed it down the toilet.
It was still wriggling.
Gross.
Tonight I am on the phone with Lynn Filusch...I randomly look at my left finger...a black spot....
I go inside...the black spot has legs....
I freak.
I dig it out. I do this on the phone with Lynn...I'm sure this was better listening than whatever Howard Stern had on today...
I later am on the phone with Eleasha...I feel something in my hair after a brush with the pine tree...I pull it out, and see a tick...I throw it on the ground and kill it.
What the fuck gives?


Tick outbreak in Arlington?
Knowing several people who have had Lyme's Disease, this is a serious thing to pay attention to...
Get someone to look at every inch of your body naked before you go to sleep each night..
Not only is it fun, but healthy at the same time.
Luv,
SGS

Miss Celie!

My Miss Celie, (Eleasha Gamble) is featured in THIS STORY from DCTHEATREREVIEWS.COM about her recent appearance at an ACTCO Theatre cabaret....
And on a side note, doesn't she look gorgeous?
:)
Luv,
SGS

Extra Virgin

This past Friday night, was Extra Virgin Part 2.
Steve McWilliams yet again put on a killer show at Extra Virgin.
Providing support on vocals and guitar was again the ever talented Mike Kozemchak.
Guest singers were...
Donna Migliaccio, treating us with "Walkin' After Midnight" in her best Patsy Cline way...
Eleasha Gamble...giving us some "Georgia on my Mind"...earning her $20 from some random drunkard...

Amy McWilliams...giving us several songs, including one of my favorites, "Jackson", by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash...Steve and Amy tore this number up!
I sang "Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brother's Band, "Amie" by Pure Prarie League, and "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks.
Many Assassins cast members were present, along with other Signature staff and supporters. I also got my boss, her husband, and 2 friends (hot lesbians) to come as well!
Things that stick out like a sore thumb in my memory....
Drunks starting to dance during my songs...to see people attempt to dance to "Midnight Rider" is funny in itself....let alone fat drunks...they at one point joined a 6 person "Drunken Amoeba", as quoted by Donna Migliaccio.
A fun night, yet again, and I wish that I had put new batteries in my camera, but I didn't, so no shots of the event.


Steve's rendition of "Folsom Prison Blues" still is rocking in my head...
A fun night, and Steve McWilliams has really caught on to something new and exciting with these nights of rock-a-billy paired with an American Idol style guest singer appearance thing...the crowd loved the switch up...it was like a theatre show.
Here is to hoping for many more such nights!
Luv,
SGS

Happy Birthday, Donna!

Today is national belter holiday...AKA-Donna Migliaccio's birthday...
Happy Birthday, Mama Rose.







Luv,
SGS

Happy Mother's Day

Image of the Week

Worst Job Ever....

Music Video of the moment...

Just what I felt like at the moment...A little Annie Lennox never hurt anybody...

ASSASSINS...

Another pre-show buzz blurb on the DCist website...

Anatomy of a Mix Tape...."Tough Guy"-2000

I mentioned this tape in my first post about mix tapes, but due to the "Soundtrack of Your Life" post and the fact that I listened to this tape while walking dogs today, I had to follow up on it and reveal it's entire contents...this is one of the best mix tapes that I have ever made, I think...The attitude of the tape is very defiant and punkish...There was a ton of transition going on in my life at the time, and I guess I needed songs that voiced strong control to sing along to and empower myself...Here is the song list...
SIDE A
1) "Awful" by Hole....
"If the world is so wrong, you can break them all with one song..."
2)"Red House" by Jimi Hendrix-Just a classic sexy and sultry number...
3)"Who is Tyler Durden?"-The Dust Brothers...A few numbers that I love from "The Fight Club Soundtrack...

4)"Homework"-The Dust Brothers
5)"This is Your Life"-The Dust Brothers, featuring Brad Pitt as "Tyler Durden"
As Brad says..."We are the all singing, all dancing crap of the world"
6)"Tell Me Something Good"-Chaka Kahn..Ultimate seduction song
7)"Too Good to be True"-Lauryn Hill...Just a great song that makes me smile...
8) "Heatwave"-Martha Reeves and the Vandellas...Yet another...
9)"Connection"-Elastica...Rocking little indie rock jam...
10)"What it Takes"-Aerosmith...Another classic, and fun to sing...
11) "That Thing"-Lauryn Hill...Makes me dance in my car....
12)"Mother"-Tracy Bonham...Ultimate maternal defiance.
SIDE B
1)"If You Were My Woman"-George Michael...oh god...so sweet and sexy.
2)"Erotica"-(Sex Mix)-Madonna...Tough Bitch Madonna at her best.
3)"Are You Gonna Go My Way"-Lenny Kravitz...kick ass 70's nostalgia.
4)"Cadence to Arms"-Dropkick Murphys...a great Irish Punk band...
5)"Do or Die"-Dropkick Murphys
6)"Celebrity Skin"-Hole..."Yeah...SO glad you could make it...yeah, now you really made it...yeah, there's only US left now..."..It makes you feel as if you were about to spar off with your competition.
7)"The Wrong Way"-Sublime...Another Classic. I miss Ska music.
8)"My Baby's Got Sauce"-G Love and Special Sauce...SO sexy and smooth...
9)"Red Right Hand"=Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...Ultimate CREEPY song.
10)"Turning Japanese"-Liz Phair..Great cover...punked up by Liz.
11)"Flower"-Liz Phair...Detached sexuality at its best...monotone and numb.
12)"You Bring Me Joy"-Mary J Blige...2 songs by the Queen of R&B Soul that make me dance in my car....
13)"Be Happy"-Mary J Blige

This tape is a pretty fun listen, and has kept my walking days exciting. More Mix Tapes to come.
Happy Hump day...
Luv,
SGS

BOO

Boo has been blogging again....

Assassins

A nice pre-show buzz piece done by DCTHEATREREVIEWS on ASSASSINS...

Gay People

This in from Patrick O'Neill....
I was very moved by this...


Not sure if you heard about this. The writer of "Avenue Q" wrote this
letter to Jay Leno a couple of weeks ago after watching his show. Word got around fast and CNN interviewed him last week on the subject.
The interview only revealed that he and Jay had a half-hour phone
conversation post-email and that there wasn't much of a conclusion
other than "comedy is rough". Still, I think the letter warrants
reading. I'm very proud of him for standing up and saying something.

Subject: A letter to Jay Leno (complete letter)

April 20th, 2006


Dear Mr. Leno,


My name is Jeff Whitty. I live in New York City. I'm a playwright and
the author of Avenue Q, which is a musical currently running on
Broadway. I've been watching your show a bit, and I'd like to make an
observation:


When you think of gay people, it's funny. They're funny folks. They
wear leather. They like Judy Garland. They like disco music. They're
sort of like Stepin Fetchit as channeled by Richard Simmons.


Gay people, to you, are great material.


Mr. Leno, let me share with you my view of gay people:


When I think of gay people, I think of the gay news anchor who took a
tire iron to the head several times when he was vacationing in St.
Martin. I think of my friend who was visiting Hamburger Mary's, a gay
restaurant in Las Vegas, when a bigot threw a smoke bomb filled with
toxic chemicals into the restaurant, leaving the staff and gay
clientele coughing, puking, and running in terror. I think of visiting
my gay friends at their house in the country, sitting outside for
dinner, and hearing, within hundreds of feet of where we sat, taunting
voices yelling "Faggots." I think of hugging my boyfriend goodbye for
the day on 8th Avenue in Manhattan and being mocked and taunted by
passing high school students.


When I think of gay people, I think of suicide. I think of a countless
list of people who took their own lives because the world was so
toxically hostile to them. Because of the deathly climate of the
closet, we will never be able to count them. You think gay people are
great material. I think of a silent holocaust that continues to this
day. I think of a silent holocaust that is perpetuated by people like
you, who seek to minimize us and make fun of us and who I suspect
really, fundamentally wish we would just go away.


When I think of gay people, I think of a brave group that has made
tremendous contributions to society, in arts, letters, science,
philosophy, and politics. I think of some of the most hilarious people
I know. I think of a group that has served as a cultural guardian for
an ungrateful and ignorant America.


I think of a group of people who have undergone a brave act of
inventing themselves. Every single out-of-the-closet gay person has
had to say, "I am not part of mainstream society." Mr. Leno, that
takes bigger balls than stepping out in front of TV-watching America
every night. I daresay I suspect it takes bigger balls to come out of
the closet than anything you have ever done in your life.


I know you know gay people, Mr. Leno. Are they just jokes to you, to
be snickered at behind their backs? Despite the angry tenor of my
letter, I suspect you're a better man than that. I don't bother
writing letters to the "God Hates Fags" people, or Donald Wildmon, or
the pope. But I think you can do better. I know it's The Tonight Show,
not a White House press conference, but you reach a lot of people.


I caught your show when you had a tired mockery of Brokeback Mountain,
involving something about a horse done up in what you consider a "gay"
way. Man, that's dated. I turned the television off and felt pretty
fucking depressed. And now I understand your gay-baiting jokes have
continued.


Mr. Leno, I have a sense of humor. It's my livelihood. And being gay
has many hilarious aspects to it—none of which, I suspect, you
understand. I'm tired of people like you. When I think of gay people,
I think of centuries of suffering. I think of really, really good
people who've been gravely mistreated for a long time now.


You've got to cut it out, Jay.


Sincerely,
Jeff Whitty
New York, N.Y.

Soundtrack of your Life

This survey comes in thanks to Damon Demarco...
Here I fill in the soundtrack of my life...
Notice that I have tons of Lesbian folk...funny that...

Stephen Gregory Smith's Life in Song...


Opening credits - "Land of Canaan"-Indigo Girls

Waking up - "Strokin'"-Clarence Carter

Average day - "Who Let the Dogs Out"

First date - "Paper Bag"-Fiona Apple

Falling in love -"Someone in Love"-Bjork

Fight scene - "Throwing Stones"-Paula Cole

Breaking up - "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"-Indigo Girls, Joan Baez-(Bob Dylan Cover)

Getting back together - "We Are Together"-Indigo Girls

Secret love - "Ghost"-Indigo Girls

Mental breakdown - "God"-Tori Amos

Driving - "Drive"-Alice Ripley

Learning a lesson - "Watershed"-Indigo Girls

Deep thought - "Prince of Darkness"-Indigo Girls

Flashback - "Cool Like That"-Digable Planets

Partying - "Deeper and Deeper"-Madonna

Happy dance - "Big Time Sensuality"-Bjork

Regretting - "Leaving"-Indigo Girls

Long night alone - "Yes, Anastasia"-Tori Amos

Death scene - "Dreamland"-Matt Conner

Closing credits: "Crazy Game"-Indigo Girls

song for your mom - "If I Could"-Regina Bell

time for a montage - "Least Complicated"-Indigo Girls

for your friends - "Been Caught Stealin'"-Jane's Addiction

drunk (beginning of night) - "It's My Life"-Gwen Stefani

drunk (end of night) - "Champagne Supernova"-Oasis

wedding song - "After All"-Cher and Peter Cetera

mantra - "Fast as You Can"-Fiona Apple

Image of the Week

This in from Sean MacLaughlin's phone cam on the streets of NYC...
Thanks so much to him for keeping us abreast of all the events going on in the city that never sleeps...

Steve McWilliams and Friends at Extra Virgin-PART 2!!

Guess where I will be next Friday night?
This just in from Steve McWilliams...

Once again Steve McWilliams and Mike Kozemchak with be appearing at EXTRA VIRGIN in the small village of Shirlington On Friday MAY 12 (9-1) ( it is about 100 yards from CapCity). The food is good, the drinks are good, and the company is top notch

Lots of cool songs, some you know, some you don't (yet).

Also, We always have some guests come up to sing with us:
So far we are hoping to have the wonderful Eleasha Gamble,
the fabulous Stephen Gregory,
the stupendous Donna Migliaccio,
the overwhelming song stylings of Jonathan Watkins,
and of course the Ever Amazing Amy McWilliams (no relation to Mike).
I also hear Mark Rhea might sing, or dance, or something (Modern Dance piece?). Mark, your wife said you would.
Anybody else, just let me know what ya want to sing.


The last time we did this it was just so much fun, I hope you all can come on out and bring friends. It is really just one big party.

I am considering what I am going to sing as we speak...You all have to come out and support Steve and Mike like you did last time...I know that they appreciated it, and plus-it was such a blast!
I'll post a few reminders during the week.
Luv,
SGS

Tube Time...Rufus

In my Grey Gardens search, I found this awkward interview and then wonderful performance by Rufus Wainwright of "Grey Gardens".
Yes, Isaac Mizrahi is clearly in love with Rufus, so the questions are a little strange, and Rufus seems a little over Isaac's demeanor, but the performance is worth it.
I love this song. I think that it is simply gorgeous. Rufus says in the interview that it is a cross between "Grey Gardens" and "Death in Venice", hence the Tadzio references.
Here is the interview and performance...





And here are the haunting lyrics to this gorgeous song...

"Grey Gardens" by Rufus Wainwright

Honey I'm a roller concrete clover
Tadzio, Tadzio

Arm wrestle your mother
Simply over
Tadzio, over you

But beware my heart can be a pin
A sharp silver dragonfly
Trying to get my mansions green
After I've Grey Gardens seen

In between tonight and my tomorrows
Tadzio where have you been
In between tonight I know it's Tadzio
Tadzio don't you fight

Honey can you hear me
In between been dragging a dragonfly
Trying to get my mansions green
After I've Grey Gardens seen

Honey won't you hold me tight
Get me through Grey Gardens tonight

Tadzio, Tadzio
Tadzio, Tadzio

Trying to get my mansions green
After I've Grey Gardens seen
Honey won't you hold me tight
Get me through Grey Gardens tonight

Tadzio, Tadzio
Tadzio, Tadzio

Tube Time...Grey Gardens

I couldn't resist this....

Backstage...A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum...2003

Forum. Wowsers. So much happened during this show...
It was my last Non-Equity show, and was the first show with my hubster, Matt at Signature.
Sean MacTool played Hero, R. Scotty was a fellow Protean, Mrs. Mig played Domina.
Matty swung the Proteans, and understudied Hero. I understudied Hysterium.
The process of putting this show together was great fun. The show itself is a laugh a second romp of a show, and this was my first time of ever seeing/hearing it.
With a cast of old time regulars, mixed with much fresh blood, it was an exciting blend of personas.

I met Kara Tameika Watkins during this show. I'll never forget the first time that I knew she was cool.


Me being the horror freak that I am, I announced to the cast near the end of rehearsal one day that me, Matty, R. Scott, and Sean were going to go and see the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre after rehearsal, and anyone who wanted to come was welcome.
Silence.
Kara alone spoke up..."I'd LOVE to see it !".
I made a new friend.
She sat next to me and we barely flinched the whole time. Several times we looked at each other and rolled our eyes after some ridiculous thing happened on screen.
We got out of the movie, and she asked if I owned the original, I said, "OF COURSE!", and she said, "Good-can I come over and watch it to forget this awful version?".
I was in love.


Kara remains great friends with me to this day. She currently is in Las Vegas, playing one of the doo-wop girls in Hairspray.
During the last couple of weeks of the show, everyone started coming down with a mysterious illness that we all dubbed, "The Creeping Crud". We all started to fall like flies.


This was THE SHOW of understudies. Every understudy went on at one point or another.
Matt went on as Hero, R. Scott went on as Miles Gloriosus, Shelby Sours went on as MANY a courtesan, and in the last week, Floyd King got struck with "The Creeping Crud", and was out for almost the whole last week. Buzz Mauro was his understudy. I was Buzz's.

This all happened the week that me, Matt, and Ryan's house burnt down. PLUS, I was in 1st week of rehearsal for Allegro. Ugh.
Eric was gracious enough to let us stay with he and Norman until we got back on our feet. The following weeks were a whirlwind of confusion for us both. We didn't know where we were going, or how we were going to get there.
I have to confess, I knew my lines, knew my songs, but was somewhat nebulous on my blocking. Donna shared most of my tricky blocking scenes, and thank GOD, she threw me around the stage to where I needed to be. Luckily, the character relationship was totally appropriate for her to throw me around.


On closing night, the cast of Forum presented me and Matty with a small box full of cash that they had collected from the cast and staff.
This money gave us just enough for a first month's rent plus deposit on a new place.
I was never so grateful. I felt like George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful life".
I have bittersweet memories of this show, but all in all, it was a very special time for me and Matthew.
It was definitely a gateway to a new period in our lives.
For us, it wasn't necessarily a "Funny" thing that happened on the way to the Forum, but it was a meaningful thing, instead. It showed us who cared for us, and who our true friends were.
We will both never forget that.


Luv,
SGS

Image of the Week

Me and my ex-boyfriend, Jason.

My Life as a Zombie...

I just found these stupid photos of an old Alpha Psi Omega hayride in college, where the frat. members dressed up as different scary things to scare the hayriding children...
I was, of course, a disgusting zombie with a bullet in my forehead.
And yes, that is a ghetto 40 of Bud in my hand. Scaring children obviously took some sort of liquid inspiration that night...

Luv,
SGS

F*CK!

$15 smackers doesn't even buy a F*cking 1/2 a tank!
UGH!!!!
And the President is "looking into it". Whatever.
I know I am preaching to the choir, just had to say something.

Fear-Part 1

I think that every person has a different reaction to their fears. This is not supposed to be some shocking statement, mind you. One is either abnormally attracted to or repulsed by their fears. One either wants to know why they are so terrified, so they concentrate in the phobic element, or they want nothing to do with said object.
I guess you could say that I have several fears that follow both of these paths.
I have a definite fear of most creepy crawlies with more than 6 legs. I guess you could say the arachnid family. Centipedes, millipedes, spiders...the whole lot of them creep me out.
As a child, I used to collect them in a plastic bug observatory. I was a sadistic young child. Sometimes I would put two particularly formidable looking spiders in the observatory together, to see which one would survive. Many times they would simply be in a panic to find a way out, and wouldn't bother each other. I would get impatient and release them. Sometimes, I would find the right pair, and a battle royal would ensue.


I have no idea why this fascinated me, other than the fact that I wanted to see something that terrified me meet a terrible end. Sick, now that I think of it.
After observing spiders in my plastic observatory for awhile, I got to be less afraid of them. In fact, I grew to love them. I read every book about them. I fancied that I would become a entomologist to study them further. My obsession bled over to strange proportions. I started to take my traveling observatory to school.
I had spotted some particularly formidable specimens in the far reaches of the playground, and wanted to see if I could snag them during recess. I caught them and displayed them to my home room, half of which were appalled, (the girls), half of which were in awe (the boys). Wow. I had found a way to gain popularity...at least with the boys. (I guess I had my priorities straight-so to speak- even back then...)
Then it happened. I was allowed to put my spider jail on the window sill for the remainder of the afternoon, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Mitchell, my teacher that year.

During the 2 O'clock hour, we were cleaning the classroom (a Friday ritual). I asked to use the hall pass to go to the restroom. When I returned, I found all of my beloved spider babies dead...the murder weapon-Murphy's Oil Soap- the killer...oh, and I'll never forget this as long as I live- Lynn Cappella. She mocked me as I cried at the loss of my magnificent specimens. The teacher claimed ignorance to the whole event, but didn't punish the little bitch.
Twenty minutes prior, I had been a hero among men. Now I lay crying in a corner as they laughed at me, and Lynn Cappella's laugh echoed through the classroom.
I will never forget that day, or that cruel little girl. We grew older together, and graduated from the same high school MANY years later. I could never really look at her after that. And I never collected any more spiders. And now, I am more terrified of them than ever.
What has been the point of this essay? I'm working toward it. There are 2 more parts in this little essay series...I do have a point...hang in there.
Till then, if anyone knows Lynn Cappella, give her the bird for me.
;)
Luv,
SGS

Home again...

Well, I'm back. I started my trek home on Saturday morning, and made amazing time all the way. I fueled up on Red Bull...yes...I have ventured back to that dark vice.
I listened to my Sirius Sattelite radio the whole way. The Howard Stern Show replay made the drive seem like mere minutes, and for that, I was very thankful. So, as lesbians rode the Sybian, I drove through rural parts of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.


I stopped at Sideling Hill for my usual pee-break. Sideling Hill is a geological exhibit. They blasted through this mountain to take Interstate 68 further.
I always love stopping here. The restrooms are clean, and the view is spectacular, and it is the only place I get cell service for awhile.



I got out, went to the bathroom, and called my Mom to let her know that I was at Sideling Hill, which is the 75% way home mark. Only about an hour and a half left after that. Then I walked up the walkway that leads to the cut-through side of the mountain.


I left Sideling Hill and kept on trucking, as Robin Quivers lambasted Howard on his ridiculous germaphobia. I got in all the cigarettes that I could, as I don't smoke in front of my parents. By about the 10th, I was over it.
I passed through Cumberland, MD. This town has about a hundred churches in it, so it is always cool to look at on the drive through.
I got on Historic Route 40, "The National Road", which leads me right home.


I passed Nemacolin Woodlands, which is turning into quite the ritzy resort...actually, Harry Connick Jr. is performing there for the 4th of July!
Home was a quick and rushed thing, since I was only going to be there for about 24 hours. Dad wanted to do this, Mom wanted to do that, then my brother James and his wife, Natalie came over with their baby girl, Tessa. Then Julie-the former best friend that I last blogged about- came with her baby...Aye-Yi-yie!
Then we all watched Walk the Line.
The next day, I had breakfast with Mom and Dad, then 2 hours later we met James, Natalie, and Tessa for lunch (you eat like food will disappear tomorrow in PA), then I was on my way.
Howard Stern kept me company yet again, thankfully. I stopped at Sideling Hill again on the way back, and peed and made my calls. Here is the view looking back the other way...


I got home and Lynn Filusch was here, (she was in town for an audition), and Lynn, Matt, Eleasha, went over to Steve and Amy McWilliams' house for a cookout. On the menu was my favorite treat at their house, Buffalo Burgers!

Cooked by master grill chef, Steve McWilliams. Steve had his XM radio on the 50's channel, and we sang along/bopped to the great music all night long. Fun times...
The rest of the week thus far has been busy with rehearsal and work.
I just wanted to throw down this quick recap to let yinz know that I was still alive.
More to follow.
Luv,
SGS