Write much?

I'm not sure if there's worth in writing here anymore, but I guess I thought for those not on facebook or following the Artsopolis world, I'd enter a few updates.

Who would have thought 5 years ago even that I would be writing as much as I am? Between the weekly blog, esavers, newsletters, and various social media for work and writing, editing, adapting plays, I hardly have time in the day left to recount the important life things I've done. I like this writing, more than I thought I would, and am starting to get some recognition, which, while not important to me personally, is comsmic validation in a way.

My 2nd full length play According to Angel is nearly complete and I think I'm pretty happy with it. It's not as smart (yet) as I was hoping, but it should ammuse and engage and certainly it celebrates art. With a good cast it should inspire some conversation and elicit some laughter and that's the best we can hope for. It goes up in January (so...about the time I write next).

I finally got a chance to go to Africa. My 6th continent visit this past April tested my strength being away from the cats (shut up it's harder than you think) for 3 1/2 week, tested my patience with 2 33+ hour plane rides, ewwww, and got me away from email, work, myiphone, and things familiar.

I never got sick of the outline of the trees and the

sounds at night. The landscapes were excellent. Between South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia I think Zambia was the most exciting/surprising. Would have liked to spend more time doing activities and seeing animals there. Stars in Namibia were amazing. The camping in the Okavanga Delta was highlighted by a thunderstorm that pretty much blew me away. Stellencosch wine tasting was decadent! And Botswana was someewhere I would have liked to see less rushed. All in all a good trip. Next on the list is Central America. Poor guatemala is being hit by hurricanes and volcanos, and I think next year if i can find a good time to take another month off I'll get my tropical jungle fix.


Artsopolis is good. New office is a blessing and a curse. I have an orange wall and that is a plus in my book. Some days I wonder how I get paid to do some of my favorite things, on others it definately a job and I wonder when I win the lottery would I still continue to be the Princess. My co-workers are friends and people I care about and respect for the most part and that is somewhat priceless. There is laughter and freedom to make joke and vent to each other and that makes for as healthy a work environment as you can hope for. Rare. We deal with some "corporate" aspect, but we are employeed and make a difference and I just hope we can make it through this economy and some seemingly never ending transistions and continue to grow into the ideas we have had for so long.

3-legged wonder cats are great and I continue to do some volunteer work for the rescue group when time allows. Paxton is such a complex needy creature and Lincoln is so wild and amusing. Both are absolute treasures and comforts. Makes coming home, home. The Jeep rocks. Still going strong after almost 11 years now. He's naked (top down) for the nexxt several months and although I walk just about everywhere these days, it's like a fieldtrip everytime I visit the parents or go to Petsmart.

The world can be an upsetting place. I tend to flit between getting angry at people, politics, tragedy and unfairness ...and just be thankful for everything that I do have with the time that I have left. I've done and seen amazing things this planet has to offer. I'm almost arrested in my developement at this point. Crawl back in the womb and ignore, blissful in an non-meddling alternate reality or fight, lead, educate, change the world. Every day it's different. Tomorrow, we will see. I remain happy by default at al the good that there is.

Wow...

I'm doing so much writing for work I hardly have time to keep up with a regular blog... I'll post the year in recap in a few weeks, but until then...the highlights are:

1) Still alive
2) Still employed at Artsopolis as The Princess
3) Current foster cat is a 16 lb giant ragdoll named RAZZ
4) Paxton and Lincoln still the cutest 3 legged kitties ever
5) It's cold for the first time in YEARS here in California.
6) Going to Africa for 4 weeks in April 2010
7) Family all healthy and happy.
8) Single. What's new. =]

To be continued....

Takoda the Spaz Vs Lincoln (Cat formerly known as Spaz)

Gotta love when you think your cat is a spaz and you get him a foster cat so he won't bug your other cat quite so much with his constant need to play and you realize that an extra leg has a lot of potential for additional spaz and you actually have it pretty good. Takoda...won't. Stop. Moving.... but he's cute!

Procrastination...

I'm at that point in the week, day, part of the job, where I just am set on NOT doing what I need to do. What I absolutely must get done! To the point where I might even spell check this I don't want to do my work so bad. Well, probalby not, no sense in getting hysterical about it. Most of my blogging and creative thought is now going into Artsopolis, not much "personal" life to speak of/scream to the world, that isn't already on FACEBOOK. =] How weird. Facebok that is. Liscense to be nosey and a total smart ass. I don't know why I didn't think of it really. Bygones. I'd blow all my genius invention money on travel, animals, and friends/family anyway, it'd make them happy, but it wouldn't solve the wars or save the planet. C'est la vie.

Loving the rain, and also the sun, like me, it just refuses to be one thing. No decisions here. Weather is definately WHETHER this month. Not loving the fact that I am 33, nearly 34 and I don't have a proper matress or a city that respect the "quiet time" between the ours of 2am and 5am..this is about the only time I will actually sleep...so it would be great city of San Jose if you could not jackhammer whatever the hell you are "fixing" during these hours. I don't see anything leaking, on fire, or sinking, so whatever it is can probably wait until the ancient windows in my place get replaced with somthing thicker than saranwrap, or I move next door to the GLOBE...my DREAM apartment! You can watch the lightrail and bus go by...and not HEAR them...ahhhh...silence...and THEN... a matress instead of my couch-a-bed... a huge, new, perfect for me, matress with yummy sheets and squishy sleep in pillows. Then I bet I won't be going in to work on the weekends. This is my domestic dream. The international dream is getting closer and closer as well. I'll not better the end of Feb, but Africa in October is looking more and more possible. Work incentive plan, keeping ON budget, good health for me, car and kitties, tax rebate and theatre work all contributing to me getting a vacation finally...to a warm, animal, creative bed of vacay. =]

All in all though very long hours have brought me to the brink, I haven't lost my spark, and in fact I think it's pushed me to have more of one! The harder I work, the harder I think I make myself play. I'm seeing plenty of theatre, writing a little, decluttering, and seeing lots of friends I haven't seen in a while. My nephew is flippin' cuter every day, and I'm getting what I need done. And even things I don't need done. Like standing in for an actress who's father passes away for a musical. I know...read it again. A musical. It was totally random, maybe it was the 3 glasses of pinot I had had before checking my email on Friday night, but I ended up with about 2 hours of looking over a script and running the scenes and then I was on stage. Hilarious. Fan-friggin-tastic cast. TOTALLY out of my league. Like, entirely. Their voices were pretty much flawless, so it was a HUGE relief, there was a script in my hand and NO singing. I thought I was signing up for the comic bit part. No one said anything about being a vamp. But me being me, that was what made it even more hilarious. It definately came off unsexy which made the reactions from the other actors even more brilliant. Good for me to be reminded of the talent out there and to get nervous for once. Good group of folks, they should ALL be working non-stop if they aren't already. At least I had "plans" for Valentine's Day right? =]

Anyway... I have a new foster kitty to pick up soon, and I can't procrastinate ANY more....must publish esavers....Wednesdays are the days I miss a matress the most.

Pin up!

An event came through this past week to be posted on Artsopolis that I thought was totally different and fun. It involves Photography, but mostly it just sounds like a fun event if you had a bunch of silly girlfriends, money to burn, and wanted to produce some fun photos for that special man in your life... with Valentine's Day coming up and having been to a bachlorette party recently...I'll chuck this website at you for fun...

http://www.bayareapinups.blogspot.com/

Decadent. Yes.

=]

The Anatomy of a Year

Apologies for those out there, that haven't given up on the webfooted blog palace. This last month here has been wacky to say the least. Last year at this time I was recovering from the first illness I had had in years, and this year I have avoided all physical ailments, though certainly pushed the limits of the mental. Lots happened, much of which I probably have written about, so we will do the ever popular top ten 2008 list as I take a few minutes to reflect on the brisk passing of yet another year.

10. I got to to know my adorable nephew Alex in his first year of life on this planet (that we know of.) Watching my brother glow with pride at being a father (and his wife Espe too) is almost as adorable as Alex himself and a close 3rd would be seeing my parents with him. He's a JOY. Very well behaved and I am lucky to be able to witness this tremendous honor.

9. I saved, literally hours from being put down, Queen Victoria, my first of 3 cats this year to foster and my first cat fostering experience ever. I am happy to report she is doing GREAT, as is Melody in her new home (now named ShaSha) and I am hopeful Sadie, who I had for two weeks as a foster (more on her in another blog) will be adopted soon. I was so happy to not only be able to save these kitties, but also that they went to PERFECT homes. I know how much I love Paxton and Lincoln, and I can't image anyone could love a cat as much as I love them, but people do. And that is a beautiful thing. I had no idea I would take their adoptions so personally and though none of these three cats was one I wanted to adopt myself, it surprised me how much it hurt when someone didn't want them, and how touched I was when they found thier homes. Everything has a place, and it reconfirms that I will find that place too. That unconditional love karma settles in eventually and I will know it.

8. I moved downtown to San Jose. This is my first URBAN living experience, and though I will never get used to the noise and population of weirdos in such proximity, walking everywhere is awesome. The place which was inherited by my boyfriend at the time, is slowly becoming less cluttered and more reflective of me, I hope to be able to afford, and lucky enough if a unit becomes available in May or June to the new complex next door called the globe. Fingers are crossed. Regardless, this has been an overall positive experience as I feel part of a community with my "regular" market staff, baristas, and homelss vets who eat better than me when they hit me on a generous day.

7. It was a year of new things for me, so NEW is number 7. Among the most notable new, I organized a fundraiser for Maine Coon Adoptions, I had a garage sale (2 in fact) for the first time, I treated myself to a full day of spa and holistic healing treatments, went to a fashion show for the first time (2 in fact), went to a conference for work, met many of my Houston relatives, posted videos to Youtube, did wedding reception decorations, and sculpted styrofoam rocks. In the following year I hope to learn to play Banjo, cook 6 different types of food, take Bikram Yoga, complete a 26 mile bike ride, and get to Africa, my last continent aside from Antartica to visit.

6. My original play Pandemonium was completed and produced. This was a big old check mark and what made it especially awesome was my entire family was there to see it. It was a great learning experience, one that tested me on so many levels, so many times, but was a challenge that I felt I rose to and made the best of. The next step is to edit, format, shop it and try to publish it, something which may or may not happen this year. Writing again, maybe two more plays max is also certainly a possiblity.

5. My salary increased my by over 30% from the start to the finish of the year. This is great but of course I also more than doubled my rent and took over custody for the adorable Paxton and Lincon. This and I inherited about 60 % more work, not accounting for the learning curve involved with this newest promotion. All in all my new postion as Director of Local Marketing, Princess at Artsopolis is shaping up to be very challenging but stimulating in ways I have been lacking. I love to learn but I was never a huge fan of grades. This job thing is a good change all around so far in the department of intellection enhancement or rather more aptly, brain cell awakening and reassignment. And this is the year I feel I will not only be able to be debt free, but be able to travel becuase of the hard work and dedication through thick and thicker that's been put in for the last nearly 5 years. Hopefully the work will indeed PAY off. I jsut need to stay on target.

4. 2008 awarded me one of the most rewarding directing experiences I have ever had. Northside's Over the River and Through the Woods, introduced and reintroduced me to some amazing, wonderful, talented, entertaining, and just overall beautiful people, and produced a show that was touching and well received. The bonds will last. And just when I thought I was burnt and no longer any good at it, the universe gifted me a reminder that I'm on the right track, I still can learn and teach from my passions. How lucky for me.

3. Reconnection was a theme as well this year. I got to see many people I had not seen for ages. Friends from college, highschool, swimming, and theatre were in town and catching up was great. Facebook, and I HATE to admit it, has played an instrumental part in introducing me to old and new faces. Obama also seemingly inspired people to pick up the phone and shoot emails to a certain degree as well. Virul or not, at I time where I thought maybe I was alone a little too much, and talking to my cats maybe a bit too earnestly, I was reminded what great friends I have. Lucky indeed.

2. The discovery this past year that not one, but BOTH of my very oldest friends (23 years+) are pregnant and due less than two months apart is fantastic. My role as Aunt is ever increasing, and I love that growth and joy that vicariously flows from them to me is more cathartic and healing than I can probably put into words. Knowing children are being brought into this world who will be loved and raised responsibly, and that they will no doubt be solutions to the many problems that plague our planet, is a wonderful thing. I have mysteriously grown closer to Erin and Laurina as they transitioned from friend to mother. We don't question why, we just bask in the glow, and eat our tacos.

1. This year friends lost parents and we all lost loved ones, some survived cancers and surgeries, and others did not. There were unexpected layoffs and bankruptcies filed. Hearts were broken and mended, and unions were officially declared. An administration was voted out, and a new one in, dreams were accheived and hopes were dashed, but the highlight of the year for me was the understanding, and really revelation that it's the balance of all the good and not as good, and the distance left to go to acchieve maximum fulfillment that is memorable and most important. Plenty of lessons learned. Many blessings counted. Plenty of growth charted this year for Susannah thanks to everything that all happened for very clear and precise reasons. In previous years I think there was a frustration and not being able to see (or justify) the negative. This year for once it seemed crystal. And through it all, the pigtails, flipflops, yellow jeep, freckled sassy baggage still seems to dominate. I guess when you get to the end of a year and you've changed for the better without really changing, you can count that as a good one. Here's to another in the making!

Funny People out there

I'm constantly amused that there are in fact some people with a sense of humor and that I can find humor in some of the most unfunny things as well.

This weeks humor:

A bumper sticker: My Border Collie is smarter than your honor student.

And stuck in the window of my sadly taped up jeep window, a polite suggestion: Business card for Rock Riders New and used Jeep parts and Accessories. Too funny.

Off to see more plays this weekend.

Stay safe and warm!