The Prep for the Prep
Aug. 15th, 2022 10:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
taz_39Woke up at 8 on Friday to a slew of texts from siblings.
The half-siblings were discussing recent outbreaks of West Nile and Polio in their areas (yes, in the United States).
My contribution was, "Wait until 2050 when antibiotics stop working! Should be fun!"
The other chat was between my sister and step-sister and I, and they were sharing memories.
Today would have been our dad's birthday. He would have been 63.
Looking back on the memories that we all shared, I am sad and also grateful for that time together.
But there's no thinking about my dad at all, unfortunately, without anger.
You could have been 63 today. We didn't have to be here, and this didn't have to happen.
But there's no point crying over what-ifs and empty rooms and gifts not bought and cards not sent.
---------------------------------------------------
I sent my letter of resignation to discount court reporting.
They were fairly cool about it (I'm giving nearly a month of notice) but it feels weird and awkward every time.
I did some data entry until the site crashed, then sat around to help troubleshoot a little.
When Jameson got up I went out to ship my trombone mute off.
After that, a trip to a physical brick-and-mortar bank.
Banks are just as bad as the DMV, huge lines and long waits for no apparent reason.
I wish there were an easier way to get quarters (sometimes groceries and laundromats have them, sometimes not) or I wish we could be done with physical money already.
Speaking of, my fancy new travel credit card showed up. Maybe now I can get some points toward hotel stays or flights for Jameson and I.
Next to arrive were our silk pillowcases, to hopefully help with acne. I got us stars.
After lunch, more data entry and then the start of gathering things for tour.
Many things I'd left in the suitcases anyway.
But sorting them helps me to determine where things should go, what I still need to buy, stuff like that.
For example, I'll need to obtain travel-sized dish detergent, a sponge, and some Q-tips.
I *could* get oatmeal and ziploc bags, or might wait until I'm in Rochester. It all depends on luggage weight as I add things.
We had a walk in the evening, dinner from Publix. Nothing amazing.
--------------------------------------------------
Saturday. Breakfast. Data entry.
We decided that the pillowcases are "ok", but since they are silk they are slippery and I'm not sure Jameson will tolerate his for long.
That's ok, I won't let them go to waste. Maybe I'll even take one on the road with me.
In the afternoon Jameson went for a haircut and I went to get fish and vegetables for dinner.
Fresh Market this time, because the drive to Whole Paycheck is such a chore with theme park traffic.
I also stopped at Bath and Body Works. I hate that store, but no one else has such a variety of scents to choose from.
So once a year I brave it to get a body spray and a hand sanitizer.
This year I ended up with strawberry shortcake sanitizer, and some kind of "Midnight Amber Blah Blah" body spray.
I *think* they smell good, but it's always hard to tell in a tiny room packed with 800 scents and myself and 30 other people spraying them all over.
Back home I relaxed a little, then practiced.
When Jameson got back I did more data entry and made the mango salsa for the tilapia.
Dinner came together in a very short time. I started the Jasmine rice first, that was about 20 minutes in the rice cooker.
Tilapia is only about 6-8 minutes per filet, and the broccoli is 6 minutes to steam.
It's a very fast, easy, healthy and flavorful dinner.
The rest of the night was kind of whatever, we were both feeling a little run down so took it easy.
------------------------------------------------
Sunday. Tossed and turned all night, feeling very anxious. Jameson was rolling around beside me too.
No idea why.
While checking emails and reading posts on LJ and DW, noticed that I've been blocked from commenting or outright unfriended in a few areas.
Which, you know. Justifiable. I've done the same thing.
But it did serve to remind me to A) work on not having kneejerk reactions to things people say online, and B) if I'm the one doing the blocking/restricting, to make sure I tell the person why I'm restricting them.
This was a good opportunity for a note to self on that front, especially with Tootsie starting up again.
I can't avoid pissing people off or getting pissed off myself, but maybe being more mindful will reduce the casualties.
It was a weird day with not much to do.
I somehow did two hours of data entry without realizing that amount of time had gone by, then swept the pool deck which took only 20 minutes. Lunch was leftover fish and rice and mango.
To Publix for ingredients for meatloaf and potatoes au gratin.
We had our afternoon walk, watched an episode of Sandman, played an escape room game on Xbox and were so motivated by it that we started planning an escape room night for us and another couple that Jameson knows.
Not to brag, but Jameson and I are GREAT at escape rooms.
We make a great team because we communicate, we listen, and we have complementary puzzle-solving skills.
We have never lost a room when we've played together.
Since the pandemic we haven't gotten to enjoy an escape room, so we're really looking forward to it!
Jameson also bought us tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary, which has already started.
I noticed that Walgreens has their Halloween candy out already too.
Fall is coming fast.
----------------------------------------------------
This morning I see many of my LJ and DW friends talking about how it's getting cool in the mornings, and wearing sweaters, and kids going back to school. Oh, the jealousy! Florida is locked in summer until October. 90-degree weather for at least another month.
But today is the 15th, and a month from now (knock on wood) I will be in New York working Tootsie up again.
And hopefully wearing sweaters.
Today will be all about prep, food prep and travel prep and work prep.
I'm finishing breakfast, then I'll prep breakfast and lunch for work tomorrow.
After that it's prepping trombone music, writing out my new solos for the Entr'acte and practicing.
Then prepping the meatloaf because it's a slow-cooker recipe.
Probably the potatoes au gratin too, so they'll be done and all I'll have to do is broil them briefly before serving.
And then more prepping my luggage, sorting things into piles, taking stock of what's needed.
Starting tomorrow Jameson has rehearsals or shows every night this week, and I have discount court reporting for three days in a row.
I'm also getting a haircut this week.
On Friday I want to make the banana pudding cheesecake that Jameson has been raving about, and we won't be able to eat it until Saturday.
And on Monday I have a Zoom orientation with Tootsie.
Hopefully it's a busy but productive and good week.
The half-siblings were discussing recent outbreaks of West Nile and Polio in their areas (yes, in the United States).
My contribution was, "Wait until 2050 when antibiotics stop working! Should be fun!"
The other chat was between my sister and step-sister and I, and they were sharing memories.
Today would have been our dad's birthday. He would have been 63.
Looking back on the memories that we all shared, I am sad and also grateful for that time together.
But there's no thinking about my dad at all, unfortunately, without anger.
You could have been 63 today. We didn't have to be here, and this didn't have to happen.
But there's no point crying over what-ifs and empty rooms and gifts not bought and cards not sent.
---------------------------------------------------
I sent my letter of resignation to discount court reporting.
They were fairly cool about it (I'm giving nearly a month of notice) but it feels weird and awkward every time.
I did some data entry until the site crashed, then sat around to help troubleshoot a little.
When Jameson got up I went out to ship my trombone mute off.
After that, a trip to a physical brick-and-mortar bank.
Banks are just as bad as the DMV, huge lines and long waits for no apparent reason.
I wish there were an easier way to get quarters (sometimes groceries and laundromats have them, sometimes not) or I wish we could be done with physical money already.
Speaking of, my fancy new travel credit card showed up. Maybe now I can get some points toward hotel stays or flights for Jameson and I.
Next to arrive were our silk pillowcases, to hopefully help with acne. I got us stars.
After lunch, more data entry and then the start of gathering things for tour.
Many things I'd left in the suitcases anyway.
But sorting them helps me to determine where things should go, what I still need to buy, stuff like that.
For example, I'll need to obtain travel-sized dish detergent, a sponge, and some Q-tips.
I *could* get oatmeal and ziploc bags, or might wait until I'm in Rochester. It all depends on luggage weight as I add things.
We had a walk in the evening, dinner from Publix. Nothing amazing.
--------------------------------------------------
Saturday. Breakfast. Data entry.
We decided that the pillowcases are "ok", but since they are silk they are slippery and I'm not sure Jameson will tolerate his for long.
That's ok, I won't let them go to waste. Maybe I'll even take one on the road with me.
In the afternoon Jameson went for a haircut and I went to get fish and vegetables for dinner.
Fresh Market this time, because the drive to Whole Paycheck is such a chore with theme park traffic.
I also stopped at Bath and Body Works. I hate that store, but no one else has such a variety of scents to choose from.
So once a year I brave it to get a body spray and a hand sanitizer.
This year I ended up with strawberry shortcake sanitizer, and some kind of "Midnight Amber Blah Blah" body spray.
I *think* they smell good, but it's always hard to tell in a tiny room packed with 800 scents and myself and 30 other people spraying them all over.
Back home I relaxed a little, then practiced.
When Jameson got back I did more data entry and made the mango salsa for the tilapia.
Dinner came together in a very short time. I started the Jasmine rice first, that was about 20 minutes in the rice cooker.
Tilapia is only about 6-8 minutes per filet, and the broccoli is 6 minutes to steam.
It's a very fast, easy, healthy and flavorful dinner.
The rest of the night was kind of whatever, we were both feeling a little run down so took it easy.
------------------------------------------------
Sunday. Tossed and turned all night, feeling very anxious. Jameson was rolling around beside me too.
No idea why.
While checking emails and reading posts on LJ and DW, noticed that I've been blocked from commenting or outright unfriended in a few areas.
Which, you know. Justifiable. I've done the same thing.
But it did serve to remind me to A) work on not having kneejerk reactions to things people say online, and B) if I'm the one doing the blocking/restricting, to make sure I tell the person why I'm restricting them.
This was a good opportunity for a note to self on that front, especially with Tootsie starting up again.
I can't avoid pissing people off or getting pissed off myself, but maybe being more mindful will reduce the casualties.
It was a weird day with not much to do.
I somehow did two hours of data entry without realizing that amount of time had gone by, then swept the pool deck which took only 20 minutes. Lunch was leftover fish and rice and mango.
To Publix for ingredients for meatloaf and potatoes au gratin.
We had our afternoon walk, watched an episode of Sandman, played an escape room game on Xbox and were so motivated by it that we started planning an escape room night for us and another couple that Jameson knows.
Not to brag, but Jameson and I are GREAT at escape rooms.
We make a great team because we communicate, we listen, and we have complementary puzzle-solving skills.
We have never lost a room when we've played together.
Since the pandemic we haven't gotten to enjoy an escape room, so we're really looking forward to it!
Jameson also bought us tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary, which has already started.
I noticed that Walgreens has their Halloween candy out already too.
Fall is coming fast.
----------------------------------------------------
This morning I see many of my LJ and DW friends talking about how it's getting cool in the mornings, and wearing sweaters, and kids going back to school. Oh, the jealousy! Florida is locked in summer until October. 90-degree weather for at least another month.
But today is the 15th, and a month from now (knock on wood) I will be in New York working Tootsie up again.
And hopefully wearing sweaters.
Today will be all about prep, food prep and travel prep and work prep.
I'm finishing breakfast, then I'll prep breakfast and lunch for work tomorrow.
After that it's prepping trombone music, writing out my new solos for the Entr'acte and practicing.
Then prepping the meatloaf because it's a slow-cooker recipe.
Probably the potatoes au gratin too, so they'll be done and all I'll have to do is broil them briefly before serving.
And then more prepping my luggage, sorting things into piles, taking stock of what's needed.
Starting tomorrow Jameson has rehearsals or shows every night this week, and I have discount court reporting for three days in a row.
I'm also getting a haircut this week.
On Friday I want to make the banana pudding cheesecake that Jameson has been raving about, and we won't be able to eat it until Saturday.
And on Monday I have a Zoom orientation with Tootsie.
Hopefully it's a busy but productive and good week.
