"Friendship is constant in all other things." - Much Ado About Nothing, II.I

Hi Ladies ~

As I'm sure you all know, I've been MIA from blogging because I've been on vacation for a few days. And while I did take my laptop with me (for the purpose of watching movies during the 8-hour car ride to and from Ashland... I'm not that reliant on the internet) I was generally too busy to blog. Thanks for bearing with me.

I have to be honest and say that despite the great theatre, great food, and amazing weather in Ashland, I've had a tough time being grateful these past couple of days. (I know that sentence doesn't make a lot of sense because theatre, food, and sunshine should be plenty to be grateful for... and they are... but stay with me for a sec.) First, it's difficult for my family to spend that much time together. My dad and I get along swimmingly because we're so similar, but my mother and I don't always see eye-to-eye. She frustrates easily and needs everything to be just so, whereas I'm more of the laid-back, organized chaos, see-what-happens type. My brother doesn't handle heat well, which means he tired out easily. He's also starting the angry teenager phase, which is just peachy. And my dad was stuck being the peacekeeper. Now, I'm not saying we fought the whole trip - that wasn't the case, while it easily could have been - but the last day and a half or so was trying.

Secondly, I spent the whole week anxiously awaiting the results of my callback auditions, only to be completely disappointed. The role of Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls is TBD for now, and if I don't land the part, it's unlikely that they'll add me to the already-cast ensemble. To make matters worse, I didn't get Maureen in Rent either. The ensemble for that show is TBD as well, so I'm holding out that I get to play some homeless druggie. And/or maybe Mark's mom. That'd be pretty cool. Anyway, all of these casting disappointments made me start questioning myself - like, if I can't get into shows at a community theatre, how am I going to make it elsewhere? - which I can't start doing. I know, I know, the life of an artist is filled with more disappointments than successes.... I've lived through this several times before..... but that doesn't make it any easier. I hated that I let my anxiety and disappointments get in the way of me having a truly fab vacation.

Though... at least I was able to receive all the bad news while I was somewhere with plenty of distractions. It was certainly better than sitting at home where it's too easy to sulk. Ashland essentially forced me to be grateful and keep my mind on other things.

So. All that being said, here are some things I am/was grateful for this past week or so:

• Fantastic food in Ashland. Let me tell you, the Nances know how to eat. We are Southern, after all. And Ashland is the place to eat - there are so many wonderful restaurants, and we only sampled a few of them: The Standing Stone Brewery, Greenleaf, The Black Sheep Pub, Pasta Piatti, and Dragonfly, my personal favorite. It's a Latin-Asian fusion place with a cozy, modern interior and probably the best udon noodles I've ever tasted.
• OSF. Their premier production of a new Don Quixote on the Elizabethan stage was delightful and superbly creative, combining live actors, puppetry, and both period and modern costuming. Macbeth, performed on the more intimate indoor stage, was nothing short of astonishing. The multicultural cast didn't have a weak-link; the angular set and WW2-inspired costumes were stunning. I also thought the director's choice to use both adult actresses and little girls for the Weird Sisters was inspired - it made it seem as though the witches could take on any form they pleased. During Macbeth's "Is this a dagger I see before me?" speech, the little girls appeared and disappeared from the shadows flashing daggers in front of him. They also trailed behind Lady M like little ducks in a row during her madness scene. So haunting.
• Sunshine and fresh air.
• Clare & Sam, for offering endless support, love, and distractions while I was having such a hard time. For plotting evil deeds with me. For having a drink together long-distance. For being two of my saving graces.
• Kelli, for taking care of the house and my dogs while we were gone.
• Receiving a good deal of support and confidence from a very unexpected source.
• Extended Run, the scripted "reality show" on youtube written and directed by P. Sherman that follows the "drama" behind the scenes of the Spring Awakening Tour. It never ceases to entertain me.
• "Laminated Lists"
• Rule 12
• All the rules, for that matter. (KM, you need to send the complete list to me so I have it for archival purposes.)
• The Fug Girls, which Kelli recently turned me on to. As shallow as it is, it does make me feel a little better to read their witty dialog on celeb fashion mistakes. Plus, their writing sounds exactly like the conversations I have with you girls.
• Baking - another worthy distraction. Made banana muffins today.
• Discovering a new recipe to add to my favorites: flat bread with goat cheese, herbs, zucchini and red onion. A-frickin-mazing. And relatively easy to make.
• Taking some me-time for a lavender-chamomile bubble bath tonight.

Tomorrow starts a new week. Here's hoping it's better than this past one. No... here's to making sure it's better than this past one. I'm promising myself I'll get out of this funk one way or another.