I have a major update that I’ve been dieing to share with the world but I don’t want to count my eggs before they hatch. Instead I’ve decided to yell my secret into the figurative hole in the earth that is Live Journal. Please keep this on the down low until all of the Is have been doted and all of the Ts have been crossed.

As some of you know I have been taking makeup jobs with a local community theater director by the Name of TJ Dawson. My dear friends Kiana and Leah work as his Stage Manager and Assistant SM. I have gone to their shows, time and time again, and been blown away by the sharp performances and attention to detail that are so rare in the world on community theater.

Back in January the gang was doing a production of Batboy the Musical when Kiana asked me to come onboard and help TJ by applying prosthetic ears and false fangs on Bat Boy. I leaped at the chance to work with such a gifted crew but it was a very tumultuous show for me due to some family issues and I wasn’t on my A game. To my amazement when Bat Boy closed they asked me back for Side Show the Musical (Which just won critics pick in Backstage West) where I feel I am currently sharpening my theater skills and understanding what is required of me as professional makeup artist in a theater setting.

Many of my friends in the professional makeup world warned me against working in Community Theater. They told me that is would be a waist of my money and a waist of my time. Over and over again I heard people say, “Honey it will be fun but its community theater.” “Where do you think a job like this is going to take your career?” or “Stick to the paying gigs.” But I just brushed off their Sinicism because I saw a talent and pation in this crew that I had never before encountered in theater. From the Seamstress, to the sound and lighting, to the stars on the stage. They where all working at a Broadway breakneck intensity. TJ Dawson only works with the best of the best. I knew in my gut that this was not just another hometown production put on to support the local elks lodge. I felt that these where movers and shakers so I stuck with my intuition and have stayed onboard.

Last week I found out that my impressions of TJ where right. Show after show, TJ has been written up in raving reviews, sold out theaters, and extended running dates. All of his hard work has not gone unnoticed. He has been approached to Direct Bat Boy The Musical and Urine Town at the Warner Grand Theater in Los Angeles and he wants to bring his crew with him!

Here is a link to the theater...

  http://warnergrand.org/

current mood: enthralled

Hello bloggers,

It’s been forever and a day since last I logged on.  Things are well in my little word.  It looks like I’m finally going back to school full-time in the fall.  It only took me 5 years to muster up the ambition but I’m going to get me some good learnin’! Bachelors in Fine Arts here I come!

I’m thinking of going out for the girls rowing team.  I’m a bit of a water spirit and I’ve always dreamed of being on a crew.  When I told my mother she caulked her head to the side and gave me that “Oh isn’t the poor wounded bird precious. She’s trying to fly with a broken wing”, look. Then she said (with great enthusiasm may I add) “Why I think Crew would be a great Physical Education class for you to take!” Big Hug!  After 22.5 years loving this woman I have learned to read between the lines. She doesn’t think I can do it. Just because I’m an overweight, recovered smoker with weak knees doesn’t mean I can’t do it! I must simply utilize my dusty gym membership and train like Rocky Balboa until spring. I CAN DO THIS! RAWR!

Wow talking about training has made me tired.  I could blog more but I think I’m going to go drink some white wine and watch Jim Henson’s Story Teller. I’m pooped!

Smoochies,

Tanglefoot  

current mood: hopeful

Paper Cut Blows

I took up a pen

A weapon

An inky black battle cry

I wanted to fight you

To harm you

To let you harm me on the even white playing field

Paper cut blows for the ways you had wronged me

I wanted you to read it

To sweat in the heat of battle

To feel the collision of metal, black blood, and bark

To read the casualties of your campaign

I took up a pen

Poised for battle

Sharp and slobbering, hungry for human life

I looked down on the snowy arena

A battle field in winter

Smooth, silent, snow unblemished

Clean and unworthy of our malice

I sheath my sword in the desktop drawer

And left you behind in the blank

A whiteout to muffle your futile call to arms

Go home there is no battle here

I will do the same

I will wait until the snow melts and plant gardens on this page

current mood: determined

Incurable heart that beats inside of me

How strong your will to beat in spite of me

Thrusting life I’m unaware

Too tangled in my worldly prayer

When I falter you beat strong

Feeding life when mind is gone

Incurable heart that beats inside of me

You rebel and pulse in spite of me

With lovers motives I tell you stop

Still you persist when I can not

Yesterday I had a really lovely birthday.  I asked that my family keep it very low key for me.  This has been the first birthday of my life where I truly didn't want to do anything.  Honestly, I didn't even want presents. My mother informed me that I had officially become a member of "The Grown Up Birthday Club" but she still insisted that I do a little something so we had a simple dinner party at home.  Just good people, good conversation and good food.

Mom, Pop, Kyra, Steve, Tim, cousin Katie and my sister Emma where all there. It was so lovely to see all of them together!  We have such busy lives we rarely get the opportunity to enjoy each other's company without time constraints.  It was refreshing to just relax and chat without having to manage our thoughts into a little box of time. 

When Kyra, Steve and Tim arrived dinner wasn't done yet so we all congregated around the kitchen while I made French bread pizzas and Alfredo pasta.  There was so much laughter!  I truly believe that some of the best conversations of my lifetime have taken place over a hot stove.  There is something truly magical about the collaboration and comedy that goes on while cooking a meal.  There's just nothing else quite like it. 

We all sat down to dinner and inhaled the carby fatty goodness like nobodies business and then I opened my presents.  My mom must have the memory of an elephant because well over a year ago I asked her for the book "The Red Tent". I only asked her once in passing and she remembered all of this time and bought it for me.  Moms are crazy like that!  Then my Pop bought me the Special Edition DVD of "Citizen Kane" (Orson Welles was my lover in a past life) and a beautiful hand painted card of a woman sleeping in the woods while two curious and sweet looking monsters poke at her.  He said that it reminded him of me and my enchanted adventures into the woods behind Grandma's house when I was a little girl.  I love my Dad so much!  I also got a calendar by one of my favorite artists Erte, A CD of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong performing Gershwin and a CD of "Essential Journey" from Katie.  My sister showed up later after an evening out with her friends from band to give me a blue crayon thermos.  You see, she and I strongly feel that children of today are being ripped off by not having thermoses included in their lunch boxes.  It was a really personal and loving sentiment and I'm going to think of how freaking cool my sister is every time I drink from it.  MY FAMILY IS MIRACULOUSLY FANTASTIC!!

After dinner everybody retired to the living room.  My Mom brought out the most delicious Marzipan cake from the local Dutch bakery!  My Grandma used to buy me marzipan cakes on my birthday befoer she passed away. I hadn't had marzipan cake in over four years! Lordy Lordy was I in heaven! It was a sweet sugar trip down memory lane.

After cake we watched an old 1930's Russian film called Alexander Nevsky. It was a historical portrayal  of Russia battling the Germans during the middle ages.  There was so much Nazi and religious allegory it was ridiculous! My friends and I are all film geeks so we had some great conversation and some really good laughs over the film(sometimes inappropriately so according to my mother.).  My Dad had lots of interesting facts about Russian and German history, culture, and language.  His bank of knowledge never ceases to amaze me!

After the movie it was around 11pm and just about everybody went home or to bed.  Katie and Tim and I went for a good walk down to the beach and back then called it a night. It was such a peaceful and laughter filled evening. I didn't plan on doing so much but it all fell together so perfectly.  I don't think I could have asked for anything more.

current mood: grateful

So bored! *smacks head against desk*  So bored! *smacks head against desk*  I'm working as a temp in a yellow pages sales office until I start school in October.  This week's assignment, call every phone number in the dinning section and verify the addresses listed...please save me!

Things aren't all bad.  I have a computer at my desk with internet access (hence my lunch time blog). I've been pulling up random essays and news articles to study while the line rings.  I've actually accomplished quite a bit of reading. I've grown quite addicted to the essays of Teller from Pen & Teller.  I'm a approaching the end of his journals and I'm already going thru withdrawals.  My work day will be so empty without he's kindhearted observations and  sharp witticisms. His writing makes me feel all warm and squishy inside. I'm afraid I've grown a bit of a crush.  I mean...Really, what does a 36 year age difference mean in the end anyway? *TeHe*

 My other distraction of choice is a bit sneaky and a bit sick.  In a well planed and painstakingly timed tactic, I intentionally drink copious amounts of Earl Grey and Constant Comment tea with the intention of sending myself to the ladies room every fifteen minutes.  The call of nature reminds me to stretch my legs, take a breath, and let my eyes rest from the floresant sting of the office lighting.  Retreating to soft pink glow of the restroom and the polite conversation with strangers from neighboring offices is my last resort in clinging to reality...Actually come to think of it...my blater is telling me it's about that time again.  Well then I must be off. 

Tea & Sympathy,

Grace Tanglefoot

current mood: bored

Sweet Sassy Molassy! I’m having such a good summer! I think it’s been about as close to the adventurous summers of childhood as one can get when there are bills to be paid and adult responsibilities to be attended to.

This summer I have indulged in such activates as, hopping fences, climbing trees, exploring the woods at night, An outdoor screening of Marry Poppins on the big screen, McDonald’s Happy Meals and the magical marching toys inside, aimless drives down Pacific Coast Highway, Jumping from swings on “playgrounds of death”, illegally scaling elementary schools, crashing wedding receptions, Buddhist meditations, museums, antiquing, sewing and crafts, tea parties, etc., etc., etc...

Last week the fun hit critical mass when my phenomenal friend Leslie Minkler came to visit from Seattle. Just to give you a small glimpse into the incredible experience that is Leslie, she was a professional piercing artist but has recently decided to change careers.  She is currently working towards her master’s degree so that she can become a scientist.  She plans on one day finding a cure for rheumatoid arthritis.  Leslie has a plethora of spiffy body modifications and piercings including bees tattooed on her knees, cupcakes tattooed on her thumbs, and a mustache tattooed on her index finger so that when she holds her finger under her nose she has a mustache. She’s magic! Enough said!

So, Leslie came in last Wednesday and left yesterday morning. She was here for a week but we had so much fun it feels like I blinked and it was time for her to go home. We did so much fun stuff. Leslie, My cousin Katie (A.K.A. Little Box of Hate), My little Sister Emma, and my Uber amazing friend Tim (The guy I thought I was dating but then realized he was just “hanging out” with me so now he is my amazing buddy…But that’s a whole other story) and I spent all week together. We went on such adventures as, going out for questionably sanitary yet mind blowingly yummy Mexican fast food at 1:00am, dressing up as vikings and knights and having sword fights in the Super Lego Store, buying margaritas and coffee at Disney Land’s 5 star hotel and pretending to be lounging guests, numerous walks down to the beach in the middle of the night, and lots of DVD and junk foody goodness.

The best adventure by far was our excursion on Sunday. We all went to LA to see the Marvel Comics Superhero exhibit at The California Science Center. We wanted to show our superhero pride so Little Box, Emma, Tim and I, decided to wear super hero capes…but we didn’t own any so we wore towels instead. Leslie opted not to wear one. She was our rebel hero. A “Damn the man, I don’t need a cape ‘cause I’m just that bad ass!” type. We freaking rocked the science hizzouse! Everyone kept asking us questions about our powers and a group of people even asked to have their pictures taken with us. Who can blame them really? We where, after all, mighty impressive with our terry cloth costumes, stoic poses and thunderous voices. I mean, we even made whooshing noises as we ran! Whooshing noises make everything more daring! Trust me on this.

I’m so pleased with my summer and my friends that I’m practically in a state of post coytle after glow…or at least what I imagine post coytle after glow would feel like. I adore being young and weird and having friends with no shame. I treasure the people in my life that overflow with amazing ideas and endless imagination. I live for spending time with people that grab life by the horns and give it a big sloppy kiss on the mouth! Being a lonesome crime fighter is gratifying but having a super hero action team is what makes life an adventure unlike any other! Thank you one and all for rocking my Gothim city!


P.S. To all of my superhero comrades scattered across the galaxy. Although I can not be with you, due to crime fighting obligations here at home, I carry you with me always. I sleep easy knowing that you to are out there fighting crime and being shinning beacons of hope to the citizens of your fair communities, nay, The Universe. This one’s for you! *Salutes, winks, and bears a blindingly white grin as the wind billows threw my illustriously conditioned superhair*

current mood: giggly

Wednesday was my last day at the office. I am officially unemployed and living off of my credit cards. However I am also one step closer to becoming a trucker and begining my pilgrimage with Randall around the US and Canada!

 
This week shall be spent packing, organizing, and cleaning.  I have to condense everything I own into four large Tupperwares and the rest will be given to the Goodwill or tossed out.  It’s very stressfull and yet liberating.  I’ve been such a packrat all my life so I have things that date back to my early childhood but there is just not room for everything.  I must set my priorities and be ruthless. Only the truly meaningful shall survive!

Once all of the packing nonsense is over with I will be off to trucking school. I'm going to be in a boot camp situation for three weeks. 7 days a week at school by 5am every day but they'll put me up in a really nice hotel and pay for two meals a day so it's not all bad. After that three more weeks on the road with an instructor.  I'm terrified of being in closed corders with a stranger. I loath small talk with strangers and I'm going to have to make a lot of it for almost a month! But once that’s done Randall and I get our own truck and we’re are off to see the states on our grand adventure.

Once I'm in school I wont be posting on here much(as if I have been in the first place) until Randall and I have our own truck because I won’t have access to a comp but once I’m on the road I’m going to keep a live travel journal and stay in constant touch with you on Randall’s laptop.  I'll post pics and stories.  You'll be one of my only connections to friends while I'm away.

If you want to see details about my trucking company check out this link.

 www.usxpress.com

Or for details on the type of truck I’ll be driving go to this link and point your mouse on the links in the lower left-hand corner.

http://www.xpressdrivers.com/teams.html

current mood: intimidated

Today is 6.6.6. My girlfriends and I figure that a great deal of nasty business will be going down tonight. Satanists, Sick-Os and “Misunderstood” Goth pubesants around the world will claim three stupid numbers on a calendar (a calendar not even used when the bible was written may I add) as an excuse to release all their hedonistic tension on innocent bystanders.  Cat's will be sacrificed, virgins deflowered, poisoned Kool-Aid consumed and bad Hollywood horror remakes will be unleashed upon the world*Cough *Cough *The Omen *Cough *Cough*.  

To all of these heathens we say NO! Tonight as the world goes to hell in a hand basket my lovely friends and I will be having our own little party. Safely cocooned away from unclean society.  We shall share in an evening of knitting, cross stich and romantic comedy.  While the world's drinks blood and consumes flesh we shall share in tea and cakes. While Sodom and Gamora gets off we shall cast on with our 10 gauge needles of righteousness! 

current mood: satisfied