Keeping Afloat...

Well, as always, life goes on. Katie passed on Friday, and my family has been mourning her loss. In the interim, much has gone on.
I told you all earlier that I was going to start the tanning salon job last Thursday. That got postponed till (today) Tuesday. So I will teach children, then drive straight to the tanning salon. Details to follow.
I am financially in wreckage since SPIDERWOMAN closed, and yes I have several projects upcoming, including A SMILE TO HIDE THE PAIN at Signature in June, and an upcoming cabaret there in July, I am trying to make a living on many part time jobs. This is NO living. I had hoped for employment theatrically this summer, but that has fallen through, so it's CANDLES, teaching camp, Tanning Salon, and TICKETplace for me all summer. Sleep? I'll sleep when I'm dead.
So also adding to this attempt at making what I would were I employed gainfully theatrically, I agreed to do lawn maintenance on a beloved friend's yard this coming Sunday. This was a fantastic development, as I often forget that I know what the hell I am talking about when it comes to landscaping (a career that I careered out of back in 2005). Walking through his yard and observing what needed attention with the trimmers, I was reminded what an eye I do have for lawn care and maintenance, and was actually excited to start work on it Sunday. Anyone need lawnwork? I love transforming something. Whatever the product that I am transforming is: an old piece of furniture that I refurbish, pieces of cloth and rubber into a ghoul, wax blocks into candles, whatever the clay, I love to shape it.
Can I just say that ...wow...gas is almost $4??? Food is more expensive than ever....a clear measure of that is this: I bought 2 ears of corn tonight for $1.00.
This same time last year (I always hanker for corn on the grill this time of year), I could buy 4 ears for a dollar. This is only a small indication of how your money flies out of your pockets. With a piece-meal life like mine, when you are broke one month and barely treading water the next, it gets trickier.
On a movie front, I am REALLY into mutated nature-creature films right now. Mainly from the 50's...(atomic age radiation based terror of giant crabs and spiders attacking a city)...just becuase they make me happy. I feel like this genre of horror is going to make an Eco come back soon. It is the next phase of horror now, as environmental horrors are larger than ever. Horror will go here next. You wait and see. Soon enough giant insects will ravage Washington, DC on the silver screen again.
Eco-horror has been high on my must watch lists of Netflix rentals. More on this soon.
What else?
I saw the Stephen Schwartz Project at Metro Stage, which has one week left. I enjoyed it, and while I had a few issues with staging, thought that the ALL DC CAST sang their ASSES off, and sounded amazing. Go check it out, the tickets are inexpensive.
I also reconnected with another friend tongiht, who recently installed an addition into her house, and a lap pool into her house. (hence the photo at the top of this post). We swam and had a great time tonight. We will surely be going over there more in the future.










Oh, it also has a High Def TV that you can watch as you are swimming...ahh, the life...








SO all in all, life is hand to mouth for me, as it is for most.
I am exploring cabaret themes right now, and have stumbled upon (thanks to Matt and my Mom) a funny premise that I will just say would be a TV show setting. More to come on this hatching idea.
So, in closing on this early Tuesday morning, if you need candles, lawn care, or a man to sing his ass off, call me. I'm free all summer.
;)
Love,
Stephen