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taz_39**Disclaimer** The views and opinions expressed in this post are my own, and do not reflect the views or opinions of my employer. DO NOT RESHARE ANY PART OF THIS POST WITHOUT PERMISSION. Thank you.
This post covers Wednesday and Thursday.
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WEDNESDAY
Woke up feeling wrecked. I slept well, but my throat is sore...hoping that's from an hour of straight talking during the masterclass plus lots of talking with my brother and his fiancee's family, and not me getting sick. Plus it was just a long day! I was up from 5am to midnight.
Coffee and breakfast had me feeling better. Called the post office and waited on hold to try and find a package that they're refusing to deliver. USPS has done this to me multiple times and I can't stand it. If they don't want to deliver it or don't have time, I wish they'd just set the package for pickup. Made no headway at all on getting it delivered, but found out where the package is being held so will go in person tomorrow to try and rescue it. Just how I wanted to spend my morning.
Worked on Foodie Finds, and gifted myself an hour of watching Owl House.
Walked to the theater a bit early to wash out my tenor slide before the matinee (it's been smelling tarnish-y.)
At this show, the entirety of Disney Theatrical Group (DTG) was in the audience. EIGHTY people!!
Fortunately we had a wonderful show, the sold-out crowd was hyped, and overall it was just lovely.
Between shows I went back to the hotel as usual. I've gotten an offer to do a clinic at my alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, while the show's in Pittsburgh, so I sent off that information to the host and then ate dinner.
Back at the theater we found that DTG had loved the show and had left us a zillion cupcakes to show appreciation!
(photo stolen from our Stage Management team when they announced the cupcake deluge in the group chat.)
This is in addition to the huge pile of cupcakes that we received for Lunar New Year!
Cupcakes for days! I took one and will work it into my nutrition planning for tomorrow :p
The evening show was mostly-good but something went wrong with the Transformation scene. We had to do a Plan B show (we essentially do a shorter/reduced Transformation.) We still have a substitute on keyboards while Connor (Key 1) is out on vacation, and this was his first time playing the Plan B. Josh, our assistant MD and Key 2, happened to be conducting tonight, and this was HIS first time conducting the Plan B as well! They both did an incredible job!! This is why they get the big bucks!
Finally, I had a friend in the audience! Mike, who I went to college with and who is now a local French horn player and teacher. Between ourselves we didn't really make time to connect (well, he reached out but I was so freaking inundated that I declined his offer to hang out) but we chatted a bit at the stage door after the show. I hope he and his friend had a good time despite the, uh...."Disney Magic" that happened! Lol!
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THURSDAY
I woke up several times feeling like my throat was dry as the desert, so I guess that sore throat is scheming to become a throat infection. Not surprised at all. I have been stressed, it has been very cold and dry, I've been playing more shows than usual and talking a LOT more than usual. I feel very tired and under the weather, but otherwise not sick which is why I think it's likely not a virus.
That said, I decided to bow out of attending the company-sponsored tour of Philly's African American History Museum :( I'm disappointed, but there is still so much going on this weekend and I have got to prioritize whatever health I have for upcoming shows and family visits.
And THAT said, I still had to bundle up, march myself down to the T-line at 9am, ride across the river, and show up at USPS in person to negotiate for the release of my package, which they've held hostage for three days under pretense of "Package wasn't delivered because the business was closed."
It's a hotel. It's literally NEVER closed.
The good news is, the ladies working the desk were incredibly helpful. And while I'm annoyed at having to basically handle delivery of my package myself, I was still smiling and pleasant because whatever happened isn't THEIR fault. So we were all chill as they looked up my tracking and disappeared into the back...FOR 20 MINUTES. It wasn't that busy so I chatted with other postal workers while I waited and texted with Jameson. He's got THREE overnights with Disney corporate this week and is being run even more ragged than me. But he is hanging in there and still enjoying the work.
Finally, the ladies appeared again holding my package! My heroines! I thanked them profusely and ran away hugging my box. Rode the subway back, but decided to exit one stop early so I could walk through City Hall Courtyard and see if the Dublin Portal had been un-frozen yet. It was!!
I was too shy to keep filming, and it was just as well because right after I stopped those little kids started doing the "6-7" hand sign, eew :p
But it was so adorable and fun to see people of all kinds stopping to interact. Those workers in the first part of my little clip were waving and giving thumbs up as they walked by. An elderly couple stood next to me for a bit and did some jumping jacks, which both kids and adults in Dublin imitated. It was about 10am here, so 3pm their time. And it looks like our weather is similar! Seeing these lovely interactions made me feel warm inside :)
Back at the hotel I opened my box. It's candles from Bittersweet Candle Co., which quickly became my Favorite Candles Ever after I discovered the Chai candle in Schenectady. After the one I bought finally burned down I missed it terribly, so ordered another one plus the Coffee Shop scent. These will last for months and I can store them in my trunk. The packaging was beautiful...there were even dried flowers in the packing peanuts! And they sent a sample candle, a book of matches, a sticker, and a piece of candy.
This is someone working from home to make these. If you've ever had a Swan Creek candle, these are very similar and imo, better. I'll probably keep buying them for as long as they're available.
A little time to hydrate and rest, then a walk to meet an online friend for lunch!
ratphooey arranged for us to meet at Ray's Cafe & Tea House, an absolutely adorable family-owned coffee shop in Chinatown. They do siphon coffee there and have HUGE siphons! It smelled delicious inside. I would have loved coffee but one of the joys of getting older has been suffering consequences of too much caffeine in the evening. So instead we shared a dumpling sampler and a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup.
The dumpling flavors are white = pork and napa cabbage; yellow = pork and leeks; green = veggie; brown = fried curry.
My favorite were the pork/napa, the pork/leek and veggie are tied, and I found the curry dumpling a little dry but the flavor was awesome.
Everything was absolutely amazing (and made in-house by people who very clearly love what they do!) The soup especially was incredibly flavorful, you could tell that the beef had been braised in there for hours if not days, and the flavor was complex and rich. It reminded me, in fact, of THIS SOUP that I got to enjoy at Three Fold Noodles in Arkansas in 2023.
As we ate we chatted and learned about each other as this was our first time meeting in person. At first I had trouble remembering who she WAS on LiveJournal because she prefers to read rather than post (I totally get that!) but finally remembered, haha. I learned that she works in large-scale building design. Her company (if I understood correctly) designs hospitals and stadiums. This is actually fascinating, but I will look into it more on my own because we only touched on our jobs and then moved on to other topics like politics (such as they are, uuuugh) what's going on in our lives, and things that we enjoy or have in common. To be honest, I have been so stressed this week that I was worried another social interaction might push me over the edge. Butratphooey was relaxed, and so I felt relaxed and calm and happy to be there :)
At one point the owner came over to greet us and make sure we were enjoying the food. I wanted to rave like a maniac about how good everything was but didn't want to come across as a nut job! Just know that I immediately shared pictures of the food to our tour Foodie group to encourage others to stop in, and that if I lived here I'd be eating here once a week.ratphooey has been coming here since she was a child, and I am JEALOUS of that!
This was a really wonderful lunch, and I love to meet online friends in person!! The opportunity that technology has given us, to connect and meet and embrace each other, is such a privilege that we get to enjoy living at this point in human history. We got our leftovers packed up, walked to the nearest street corner, and hugged and parted ways. I believe she'll be coming to our Sunday show, yay!!
On the way back to the hotel I swung into CVS for distilled water for my kettle and band-aids because somehow I'm out. Then I remembered MOMs Organic Market was close and popped in there for sliced turkey and hand lotion. I might have found a new favorite hand lotion to boot: it's "spicy chai" scented and I LOVE how it smells! Maybe I'll actually start moisturizing regularly if it's this stuff!
Wow...retrieving my lovely scented candles, finding a new favorite hand lotion, waving to people in Dublin, eating incredible homemade food with a new friend...Thursday was actually really lovely :)
At the hotel I put everything away, packed snacks for tonight's intermission...and shut off the lights and got into bed. I read for a little bit, and managed to nap for maybe 45 minutes. Then later on dinner and walking to the theater as usual. For the sake of getting to bed before midnight tonight, I'm going to post early tonight and write about the evening show in the next post. Fingers crossed that it's just a normal Thursday night show!
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Friday: NOTHING!!! Well, one show at night but I'm reserving this day for personal recovery. Laundry and resting.
Saturday: My sister Raven gets in around 10am, we'll probably get lunch. I have two shows, we'll hang out between 'em.
Sunday: My sister Kate and fam (and ratphooey!) will be here for the show. Family and I will get brunch. Packing up for the bus ride(?) to Pittsburgh.
This post covers Wednesday and Thursday.
--- --- --- --- --- ---
WEDNESDAY
Woke up feeling wrecked. I slept well, but my throat is sore...hoping that's from an hour of straight talking during the masterclass plus lots of talking with my brother and his fiancee's family, and not me getting sick. Plus it was just a long day! I was up from 5am to midnight.
Coffee and breakfast had me feeling better. Called the post office and waited on hold to try and find a package that they're refusing to deliver. USPS has done this to me multiple times and I can't stand it. If they don't want to deliver it or don't have time, I wish they'd just set the package for pickup. Made no headway at all on getting it delivered, but found out where the package is being held so will go in person tomorrow to try and rescue it. Just how I wanted to spend my morning.
Worked on Foodie Finds, and gifted myself an hour of watching Owl House.
Walked to the theater a bit early to wash out my tenor slide before the matinee (it's been smelling tarnish-y.)
At this show, the entirety of Disney Theatrical Group (DTG) was in the audience. EIGHTY people!!
Fortunately we had a wonderful show, the sold-out crowd was hyped, and overall it was just lovely.
Between shows I went back to the hotel as usual. I've gotten an offer to do a clinic at my alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, while the show's in Pittsburgh, so I sent off that information to the host and then ate dinner.
Back at the theater we found that DTG had loved the show and had left us a zillion cupcakes to show appreciation!
(photo stolen from our Stage Management team when they announced the cupcake deluge in the group chat.)
This is in addition to the huge pile of cupcakes that we received for Lunar New Year!
Cupcakes for days! I took one and will work it into my nutrition planning for tomorrow :p
The evening show was mostly-good but something went wrong with the Transformation scene. We had to do a Plan B show (we essentially do a shorter/reduced Transformation.) We still have a substitute on keyboards while Connor (Key 1) is out on vacation, and this was his first time playing the Plan B. Josh, our assistant MD and Key 2, happened to be conducting tonight, and this was HIS first time conducting the Plan B as well! They both did an incredible job!! This is why they get the big bucks!
Finally, I had a friend in the audience! Mike, who I went to college with and who is now a local French horn player and teacher. Between ourselves we didn't really make time to connect (well, he reached out but I was so freaking inundated that I declined his offer to hang out) but we chatted a bit at the stage door after the show. I hope he and his friend had a good time despite the, uh...."Disney Magic" that happened! Lol!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY
I woke up several times feeling like my throat was dry as the desert, so I guess that sore throat is scheming to become a throat infection. Not surprised at all. I have been stressed, it has been very cold and dry, I've been playing more shows than usual and talking a LOT more than usual. I feel very tired and under the weather, but otherwise not sick which is why I think it's likely not a virus.
That said, I decided to bow out of attending the company-sponsored tour of Philly's African American History Museum :( I'm disappointed, but there is still so much going on this weekend and I have got to prioritize whatever health I have for upcoming shows and family visits.
And THAT said, I still had to bundle up, march myself down to the T-line at 9am, ride across the river, and show up at USPS in person to negotiate for the release of my package, which they've held hostage for three days under pretense of "Package wasn't delivered because the business was closed."
It's a hotel. It's literally NEVER closed.
The good news is, the ladies working the desk were incredibly helpful. And while I'm annoyed at having to basically handle delivery of my package myself, I was still smiling and pleasant because whatever happened isn't THEIR fault. So we were all chill as they looked up my tracking and disappeared into the back...FOR 20 MINUTES. It wasn't that busy so I chatted with other postal workers while I waited and texted with Jameson. He's got THREE overnights with Disney corporate this week and is being run even more ragged than me. But he is hanging in there and still enjoying the work.
Finally, the ladies appeared again holding my package! My heroines! I thanked them profusely and ran away hugging my box. Rode the subway back, but decided to exit one stop early so I could walk through City Hall Courtyard and see if the Dublin Portal had been un-frozen yet. It was!!
I was too shy to keep filming, and it was just as well because right after I stopped those little kids started doing the "6-7" hand sign, eew :p
But it was so adorable and fun to see people of all kinds stopping to interact. Those workers in the first part of my little clip were waving and giving thumbs up as they walked by. An elderly couple stood next to me for a bit and did some jumping jacks, which both kids and adults in Dublin imitated. It was about 10am here, so 3pm their time. And it looks like our weather is similar! Seeing these lovely interactions made me feel warm inside :)
Back at the hotel I opened my box. It's candles from Bittersweet Candle Co., which quickly became my Favorite Candles Ever after I discovered the Chai candle in Schenectady. After the one I bought finally burned down I missed it terribly, so ordered another one plus the Coffee Shop scent. These will last for months and I can store them in my trunk. The packaging was beautiful...there were even dried flowers in the packing peanuts! And they sent a sample candle, a book of matches, a sticker, and a piece of candy.
This is someone working from home to make these. If you've ever had a Swan Creek candle, these are very similar and imo, better. I'll probably keep buying them for as long as they're available.
A little time to hydrate and rest, then a walk to meet an online friend for lunch!
ratphooey arranged for us to meet at Ray's Cafe & Tea House, an absolutely adorable family-owned coffee shop in Chinatown. They do siphon coffee there and have HUGE siphons! It smelled delicious inside. I would have loved coffee but one of the joys of getting older has been suffering consequences of too much caffeine in the evening. So instead we shared a dumpling sampler and a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup. The dumpling flavors are white = pork and napa cabbage; yellow = pork and leeks; green = veggie; brown = fried curry.
My favorite were the pork/napa, the pork/leek and veggie are tied, and I found the curry dumpling a little dry but the flavor was awesome.
Everything was absolutely amazing (and made in-house by people who very clearly love what they do!) The soup especially was incredibly flavorful, you could tell that the beef had been braised in there for hours if not days, and the flavor was complex and rich. It reminded me, in fact, of THIS SOUP that I got to enjoy at Three Fold Noodles in Arkansas in 2023.
As we ate we chatted and learned about each other as this was our first time meeting in person. At first I had trouble remembering who she WAS on LiveJournal because she prefers to read rather than post (I totally get that!) but finally remembered, haha. I learned that she works in large-scale building design. Her company (if I understood correctly) designs hospitals and stadiums. This is actually fascinating, but I will look into it more on my own because we only touched on our jobs and then moved on to other topics like politics (such as they are, uuuugh) what's going on in our lives, and things that we enjoy or have in common. To be honest, I have been so stressed this week that I was worried another social interaction might push me over the edge. But
ratphooey was relaxed, and so I felt relaxed and calm and happy to be there :) At one point the owner came over to greet us and make sure we were enjoying the food. I wanted to rave like a maniac about how good everything was but didn't want to come across as a nut job! Just know that I immediately shared pictures of the food to our tour Foodie group to encourage others to stop in, and that if I lived here I'd be eating here once a week.
ratphooey has been coming here since she was a child, and I am JEALOUS of that! This was a really wonderful lunch, and I love to meet online friends in person!! The opportunity that technology has given us, to connect and meet and embrace each other, is such a privilege that we get to enjoy living at this point in human history. We got our leftovers packed up, walked to the nearest street corner, and hugged and parted ways. I believe she'll be coming to our Sunday show, yay!!
On the way back to the hotel I swung into CVS for distilled water for my kettle and band-aids because somehow I'm out. Then I remembered MOMs Organic Market was close and popped in there for sliced turkey and hand lotion. I might have found a new favorite hand lotion to boot: it's "spicy chai" scented and I LOVE how it smells! Maybe I'll actually start moisturizing regularly if it's this stuff!
Wow...retrieving my lovely scented candles, finding a new favorite hand lotion, waving to people in Dublin, eating incredible homemade food with a new friend...Thursday was actually really lovely :)
At the hotel I put everything away, packed snacks for tonight's intermission...and shut off the lights and got into bed. I read for a little bit, and managed to nap for maybe 45 minutes. Then later on dinner and walking to the theater as usual. For the sake of getting to bed before midnight tonight, I'm going to post early tonight and write about the evening show in the next post. Fingers crossed that it's just a normal Thursday night show!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday: NOTHING!!! Well, one show at night but I'm reserving this day for personal recovery. Laundry and resting.
Saturday: My sister Raven gets in around 10am, we'll probably get lunch. I have two shows, we'll hang out between 'em.
Sunday: My sister Kate and fam (and ratphooey!) will be here for the show. Family and I will get brunch. Packing up for the bus ride(?) to Pittsburgh.
