Christmas Blog

Christmasblog

Life is winding down a bit and everyone’s pacing towards the holidays.

I don’t really like to feel crazy at this time of year so I have decided not to. I look at some friends who are pulling their hair out and stressing about the holidays and I don’t like the way it makes them feel so I try really hard not to do that myself.

Easier said then done---I don’t have kids to buy for or even a boyfriend, etc. But I also have to deal with a huge gap in my heart that isn’t filled by someone certain loving me and having someone to spend my xmas with no matter what. That’s a luxury that I hope, when I find that man, I really really appreciate.

It’s been a lovely holiday though. Kicked off with a trip to NY with sister, mom, sister-in-law two nieces and a teenage nephew. We had a ball---lady liberty, 9-11, some dumb store, then the subway, FAO (I skipped) and Apple store that I used to go to when I worked on the cruise ship and then ice skating in central park! That’s a pleasure. Walked through the plaza and then a little tiny bistro known as “TGI Fridays”. Everyday feels like Friday! Times Square at night felt like a movie set.

NJ hotel for the night then a morning in Chinatown buying cheap purses. My favorite quote was from Ben (the teenage nephew)—“Where are all the signs and stores in a language we can’t read? Isn’t that what it’s supposed to be?” This is right after we stepped out of the Chinatown starbucks (I got my splurge drink---skinny medium hazelnut latte—I refuse to call it a grande because that’s a dumb word for medium and I like to make the workers a little pissed off).

Little Italy, even with the man in his fur extolling the virtues of his establishment, using a clearly enhanced Italian accent (I’ve seen the drill before---I watched Fabio on top chef)---was a delight. The lights strung across and my mom and I were charmed by the Monastery of His Most Precious Blood (we prefer our priests to be francisican and, if possible, cousins).

http://www.mostpreciousbloodchurch.net/

Then, the second bakery—Ferraros! They had some pipe trouble in the back, but it was awesome. I said my adieus and walked the length of Eldridge street, something I’ve been wanting to do forever. Because, that’s my last name and there’s a street with the name, as well as NY’s hottest club—THE ELDRIDGE. I want to go there one day and see if they will just let me in because of my last name. Apparently, according to my employer publication, ST*R magazine, it’s Padma’s FAVORITE place in NY. Word up! When I meet Padma, we’ll have something to talk about.

I think Jeremy “The Piv” Piven liked it there, too. Until his Mercury Overdose/Career dive. It’s a FAKE bookstore front. Clever, no?

Then, cool hipster Sunday morning walk through SoHo. Oh that light going through the fire escapes! It’s really like a movie.

And then, I remembered how close I was to the lower east side tenemant museum. I’ve been wanting to go there for YEARS. So I did, and went on the tour of “The moores” led by a recent immigrant lady from Dublin.

Oh, it was amazing. It’s like every memoir come to life, that museum. And I love to see the places I read about. That was my secret dream for a while---to open a bookstore where if you were traveling, you could get a travel book, but also, get a novel set in the place you were going. Like, going to Florence? A room with a view for you! Off to San Fran? Amy Tan, please!

Then, met up with Pat and Mary and Megan for a trump through the upper west side and burgers and beers.

Finally, back to LGA.

Man, that took way longer then I thought! NY was awesome.

The following week was boss in town, and then Minny for a work party (super fun) and then out with the Red gals to see one of our own, Allison Bills on the Second City Main Stage (she was great, of course).

Last Saturday was my friend Jim’s Gay-versarry (10 years!) and then American Girl Store. Jim and Terry have a very fancy house and always cater, so that’s super fun.

Sunday was gym, and then something.

This week was work stuff, and I’ve been exhausted from the cold and another habit I’m trying to kick (fingers crossed!) and yoga potluck last night.

Today, love actually, buckeye dipping, laundry, calendar making, putzing around.

Tonight, Lis’ bachelorette party and tomorrow is another holiday party at an old old friends.

I am happy this season, which is nice.

Happy for my friends, for my family, for my home, for my job (mostly), for my creative life (anemic at the moment) and most of all, for a bit of time to chill out and enjoy it.

Too MUCH CaffeinE@!

i had too much caffeine. It's a saturday.

tomorrow is a race very early in the morning and I am driving

Tonight is LOL

Today is too much caffeine

I am doing laundry

I am trying to find my targetreciepts

I am ignoring hte sunshine now pushing through the clouds

I am too warm because our heat kicked on

i am ignoring my typos

i am eating carrots to try to stave off eating food before amy gets here

i am wiaitng to go to target until monday when i can also go to dry cleaning

ia mshowering later today

i am going to try to watch true blood to relax

i have read many books and need to update the counter

i need to read more books or i get sad

i just finished re-reading harry potter 5, one i typically ignore when i revisit

i went to a dog outing with dori and was bored

i am planning a trip to vegas today

i am going to ny too and need to make those arrangements

i am doing laudnry

my hand smells like stinky sponge because i did dishes

work is busy but manageable

romance in life is nill and no one responds to my eharmony profile

i am lonely but mostly fine

i am hyper today

i am going home for thanksgiving

i am going to watch true blood now

i like carrots

i am going to do some more laundry

these pants are too warm for today

September 1

Happy birthday me!

Blogs are all about the person writing them---so here we go.

I am definitely the baby of my family---I like to entertain, I like to get commended for doing a good job and I like people to like me.

This year has been a delightful, frustrating and surprising year.

Might as well sum it up in a blog post/journal entry?

On the plus:

My financial life has improved significantly--mostly due to...

My new fancy job! I dress up, I travel, I take clients out to fancy places, I sell a bunch of fancy products and get to be a bit enterpreunerial (sp?)

Montgomery and Cooke grew and grew and grew this year! We hosted a show and booked the acts and performed all sorts of new material this winter. I loved loved it---even having to perform on Friday nights.

Beka and Scott's wedding! What a delightful time that was down in texas.

LA in February---what a delight! We got to go to musical theatre camp---and I totally geeked out. And I hiked a fancy la canyon with Johanna Smith, Andy and Amy! I mean, come on!

Jar jar introduce me to Hall and Oates station on Pandora. I can't get enough of it.

Amy and I are re-working the new play. I love writing with her---she really makes me laugh.

But for this summer, we declared it the summer of FAB! Sting concerts in limos! Lake house trips! 20th high school reunions! Drinks on decks! Good food, good friends and good weather.

Oh! I want to Florida in Tampa to see my mom and dad and the Canadians. We played golf, ate out and had cocktails.

Christmas was really great this year---one sibling picked me up with two kids, and the other dropped me off.

Andy was gone for spring/summer---so I had an ass ton of family visits---The Eldridge girls! Beth and Matt and Tad and Ben! Beth and Jayna and Allie! Mom and Dad! Mom and Dad came with Seth last year, too---that was super fun.

I've been swimming and sunning on the shore of Lake Michigan and am as tan as I could ever hope to be. I know, we're not supposed to want that anymore but I jumped on the tanwagon super late in life, so there.

I've been running and biking and walking, even when my job has been busy. Gotta keep that up.

I feel closer to my high school gals, my college friends, my family and Chicago pals then I felt a year ago. And for that I am very grateful.

My dad and brother stayed healthy this year---no cancer! Phew!

In the "needs improvement" section--I'd have to say the hardest thing this year was the death of my uncle. It still brings tears to my eyes...and it just happened so so fast. He was my dad's only sibling, and the last of the Eldridge clan (outside of my dad---who is just fine). He was a cheerful, optimistic, loving and highly intelligent uncle. As Kit say "He amazes me".

In a circle the wagons move, he had a lot of visitors and we all got to laugh, reminisce and enjoy our time with him so so much. As Beth says, the holidays are going to be tough this year without him---but I know he's going to enjoy hanging out with his mom and dad and maybe Mimi will stop by. He always talked about heaven so know he gets to check it out himself.

phew. Enough of that.

Work can be tough. Some early bumps in the road seem to have smoothed out so I am looking towards the future and keeping my head to the ground.

I hope that next year I get to find more time to play cards, scrabble, write more of the play, perform with Montgomery and Cooke, keep working at this job, find a bit of romance, see my family more, revisit Italia, go on hikes, figure out what to do with this condo, maybe go horseback riding and listen to the Hall and Oates station more on Pandora.

Overproduced

hi!

I went crazy with the produce this week and now it's Monday morning, and I'm faced with the repurcussions of my mass veggy and fruit stock.

I leave for Florida on Thursday (please please let there be a bit of sun) and need to eat the following:

--3 1/2 large bananas

--1 pint of blueberries

--a few strawberries

--1/2 box of arugula

--1 small bag of brussel sprouts

--2 oranges

--2 apples

A lot of fruit, yes?

I'll do it!

In more exciting news...I had the college gals over yesterday for delayed figure skating viewing.  Plus wine and bread dipped in delicious things in many different ways.  Bread dipped in spinach/artichoke dip.  Bread fried in olive oil then dipped in sundried tomato pesto.  Bread dipped in olive oil and currant vinegar and cheese.  YUMMY.

Today, I was intending to watch TV in the morning (Andy's gone!) but instead, I am up and feeling motivated (gross) so am going to go for a run (fine!).

More news coming but I'm not going to post it until it's official official.  

Oh! Go see Rush Limbaugh the Musical at Second City.  That's some funny funny shit.  And for my more conservative readers--don't worry---both sides of the aisle take a big bashing. It's politics and fun for everyone!

Things are buzzin'

At the Eldridge/Eninger household.

Going away to LA made all the difference!

Almost upon arrival, I received some GOOD news in the job department.  Stay tuned for the full info---but things are definitely looking UP UP UP. Is the economy improving?  In this condo it certainly is.

Then, I hung out with OLD OLD lovely friends my first night there---and they are a delight.  They were in LA for a good reason--and hoping to break through during pilot season.

I picked up Amy the next day and we went to the musical theatre workshop with Stephen Schwartz and OH my goodness.  It was like going to musical grad school.

One of his main points on the comedy musical he said was that you can't teach funny.  You can teach the songs, composing, etc---but you can't teach the jokes.  Good or bad, Amy and Andy and I have written the jokes.  And they are successful...for us.  Not everyone likes them but a lot of people do---so that little statement gave me so much hope.

We networked a bit, and are going to look into other musical training programs here in Chicago.

That night, mexican with an old boat friend who just is a delight.  We vacationed on the cruise with him and his brother---the 4 of us hung out a ton and had so much fun----so it was great to have a margarita with him.

Next day, picked up Andy then drove out to MALIBU seafood!  So fun---on PCH driving from Santa Monica to Malibu, then through Canyons.  That night were some musicals of IMPORTANCE (boring) but still good lessons.

Rooftop deck in Studio City with Wine and Hummus at another friend's.  He was just on the Office!  Good for him!

Thursday, Farmer's Market, then HIKING in Runyon Canyon with another Miami friend. She teaches science and puppetry and improv at a nearby university and makes puppets out of recycled industrial material.  I mean, come on!

That night, more musicals, and then late night on roof again with another friend, and a call-in from two friends who got stuck at work.

I didn't want to leave the next day...but I caught my 7am (gulp) flight without any trouble.

Outside of the TRAFFIC, I really really hearted LA.

Next up---Texas!

But first I need to go job interview.

Bye!

A nothing day

I've been having trouble sleeping. And having lots of dreams about being trapped and suffocated. 

I think my radiator is on too hot OR i'm dealing with some emotional baggage that is not allowing me to sleep.  Or, The Catcher in the Rye is TOTALLY upsetting me more then I realized.  Holden is confused and despairs of the meaning of life and his confusion is bleeding into my non-job holding, questioning the direction I'm going in life at the moment.

Fear not readers---I am doing creative stuff but today was really a nothing day. I slept in until noon.  NOON!  Then, the cable guy came.  I applied for one job.  I folded my laundry.  I emptied the dishwasher. I watched two hours of Lost.    

I did NOT learn lines.  I did NOT do the writing I was supposed to do.  And, I did NOT shower.

I am on the phone with Comcast rescheduling an appointment.

The sky is in twilight mode, and I think I am THIS close to dipping into a bit of depression behavior so I am going to leave the house momentarily.

Right after I finish this blog.

Here I go.

job. job. job!

hi!

So, it's officially unofficial.  I didn't get the job I thought I was going to get that would have started in April.

I was totally bummed last night. So bummed, that I put on my slipper socks and pj bottoms at 6 so I could be more comfy before my show.

But, then, I bitched, looked for two minutes at jobs on the internet and then decided F it!  I'm still going to LA!  I'm still going to Florida to visit my parents!  And I'm going to try to do the things I love and maybe get some money out of it.

I've never really been into corporate improv (I mean, yes, you are getting paid to do what you love but do you really LOVE those shows?) and preferred to do day job stuff.

But now, I am prepared to do anything (almost) to make some $.  And see what comes of it.

I might even *gasp* try to get a day job that I could love.

Wish me luck!

And, I'm reluctantly going to go see Avatar.  I don't know...I think I'm going to hate it.  But, it's like, you have to see it.

Do any of you have  a job that you really like?  I only know one person who really likes their job here in Chicago that's a non-acting job.  But I bet there are more!

Ohhhhhio!

Faithful readers--

I am posting at the earliest time I have ever posted.  I would like this blog to have a timestamp so I get some major credit for how early this is.

I turn down jobs because they are too early.

I sleep until I HAVE to get up, not because it's morning time.

I blame it years ago embracing a drinking late at night lifestyle that was WAY over the top for me.

It is currently 6:21 and I am almost done with breakfast, dressed, hair done and packed to go.

UGH!

But, it'll be a nice drive and if I bust my ass, I may even see the sunrise on the skyway.

I'm heading to family to drop off a shipment of calico bonnets, tomahawks and fake prairie props.

Sad as it is to say, I don't think Little House (a play I co-wrote with friends Amy and Andy) will ever see the light of day again.   There's another musical that's "official" and we believe will succeed at touring the country.  I don't think it'll ever hit broadway, because it sounds really earnest, which sounds kind of boring...but it's already having a great deal of success.

Sometimes it makes me sad---our Little House on the Parody was very fun, very loving, and a bit tongue-in-cheek.  For me, it struck the perfect tone between the sincerity of the tv show and Laura's wicked sense of humor that you can easily see in her later writing, and definitely shows up in the classic 7 original books.

But, I'm biased.

It was certainly a hit here in Chicago, and I LOVED LOVED LOVED that show.  I'm a little teary-eyed right now thinking of some of those songs and when Amy and I were packing up the props, I laughed out loud at the store shelf we fashioned for Mr. Oleson (it was a piece of plywood, attached to rope that went around his neck, with items on the plywood...a take on the cigarette girl selling method), on Doc Baker's Black Doctor Bag (a black bowling ball bag) and a ball we made (an old nerf football wrapped in burlap).  

We made all those props late one night in the basement of the old Playground theatre on Lincoln Avenue.  Amy and I were down there, rigging up some crazy outfits for Mrs Oleson out of a donated pink piece of cheap chiffon and swatting at the bats that were attacking us.

Lordy lordy, that show was fun to do with the live olde-tyme band and a full house each night.

Am I remembering it through rose-colored glasses?

Anyway, off to Ohio now to get rid of those props, to listen to hours of NPR (those poor people in Haiti) and get a quick family visit in.

O! H!

Monday at last

This week was pretty busy...but also really productive.

I opened a show on Friday night, and then slept and slept and slept on Saturday and Sunday.

And Sunday, I snapped into work horse mode and organized the SHIT out of our storage space. I'm driving home to Ohio to permanently store our Little House on the Parody props, and hoping to relocate all the Band Geeks props to a more amenable storage space.

Amy and I did it together and it felt so great to throw out a bunch of calico, neon fabric and outdated wig spray.

We did a good job of it, too.

Now, does anyone have storage we can rent from them?

Today I'm going to the gym with Dori (GYM DATE!), paying condo bills, applying for jobs and working on some new scenes.

But what I really want to do is just go watch Precious at the MOVIES!

It's bitter cold out there people. 

If you live in LA or are on a cruise, now is the time to be thankful!

Oh!  So far, all the produce from Aldi is just the same.  And I saved buckets of money.

I wonder if Aldi would sponsor this blog?

Does anyone know what's in the top tower of the Trib building on Michigan Avenue?

500 days of Summer was an excellent movie.

Andy is enjoying Coconut Milk Creamer and I am enjoying Hazelnut.

Time to go get ready for Dori.

This blog reflects my thoughts, and is not edited.

Happy week.

storm's a brewin'!!!

12 inches!  

Get your mind out of the gutter, Chicago, it's 12 inches of expected snow.

By the lake...which is near to where I live.

YIKES!  

Thankfully, I've stocked up for the storm at my new favorite store, Aldi.

I went this morning to get many items...Fit and Active, which is their generic diet brand, has lots of salty snacks.  Man, those salty snacks just really kill me.  For the most part, I eat "real" food with minimal processing...but give me a puffed rice crisp or a cheddar baked cheetos and I am one happy camper.  The other fake thing I really dig is fake sugar...sweet n' low in my coffee and then sugar-free Jello, Hot Chocolate, etc.

Otherwise, it's pretty much all real food.

Anyway, over at the Aldi, you can count on the following general items:

Veggies (fresh, frozen and canned)

Some fresh fruit (bananas, apples, oranges, grapefruit)

Salty Snacks

Snack-size candy bars

Break and bake cookie dough (I got a bargain on holiday shaped ones!)

Chicken Salad (it's really good)

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Eggs

Milk

Items I have not had good luck with:

Strawberries

Berries in general 

Yogurt

Dairy products (havarti dill is not the same as other places)

You can also expect to feel really fancy there---Aldi is where poor people shop for cheap shit---lots of ramen noodles, etc

Door ringing--must go!

Happy New Year!

Oh my, it's been a delightful holiday season.  I was home in Ohio with my famfam.  So nice to see everyone---we went to the zoo in cleveland, went to the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland and hung out.  

I deleted my pics off my memory card---or else I would prove to all of you how much fun I had.  Alas, the evidence will have to be with my words.  

For New Years, I would have happily stayed in and watch more P&P, but I did manage to get out and go to dinner at the little neighborhood tapas place (yum to the yum) and have drinks.  I rang in the New Year at Town Hall which was nice and then promptly deposited myself in a cab. I got lots of New Years hugs and smooches---all innocent but sweet nonetheless.

Here's to 2010!  A year in which I may do the following:

--Work a job

--Write  a new play

--Put up more Montgomery and Cooke stuff

--Move some stuff out of storage

--Stop being so mad at those fake Band Geeks people in NY, and get our Band Geeks out into the world

--Pack up xmas decorations

--Organize some book shelves

--Cook Julia Child recipes with friends

--Keep working out

--Travel to exciting London!  Italy!  Texas!  Florida!  Pennsylvania!

--Enjoy myself

--Fall in love?

Happy New Year friends!