Two More Nights

So... it's Friday. The week of frenzy is nearly over. Two more shows, and then strike on Saturday night.

It is a happy/sad for me:
- Happy:
    - I get my life back! I can proceed to finish my project, and do my work stuff, and get my dental surgery without worrying that I will screw something up for the Baby Dolls.
    - We've done a good show. I'm happy with the work I put in, it's definitely challenged me and left me with idea for what to do next time. That's always a good place to be.
    - Crowds are getting ever bigger. Yay! So the best is yet to come (although last night was pretty great!)

- Sad:
    - Despite the stress of ramping up and sorting out who was doing what, casting wise - I've really enjoyed the last few weeks. We certainly have a collection of things I don't like. Some of them are mutable - like the minuses of the theater space we're using. Some may be here to stay. But... adding up the factors - I had a good time. And true to Lakshmi Form - I don't want to stop having a good time. :)
    - Wouldn't it be neat to be SO freaking spectacular that we had to play an extra week or so to accomodate all our raving fans? Well... maybe next show....
    - I'm kinda gonna miss seeing most of these performers nearly every day. For better or worse, by the end of a show, you feel a bit like a family - up to including love of those one or two people you don't actually *like* very much. But it all dissolves once the show is over... although, on the upside, chances are many of these faces will be seen again for the next Baby Dolls Endeavor.

A HUGE thank you goes out to all of you who came to see the show last night! I think many of us performed with super-extra energy because we knew you were there - and I think it gave the show a perk that will carry us through our last two nights. It meant a lot.

I especially enjoyed meeting jdulac's dad. A sweet older man who remembers the days of Sculley Square when he snuck in as a young lad. He told me about a dancer who could twirl each tassel INDIVIDUALLY. Yep - one is twirling, the other is hanging still. Oh Mina! We have to work on this!! And also told me of a girl who did a back bend onto her hands and then vibrated. Ah if only there was even a slight chance of me doing such a thing. Perhaps I can convince Morgan to try it... maybe teach her how to do an undulation so she can to her wacky contortion and then have her stomach ripple in an even more super-human way...

But... seeing all of you was really great! Thank you thank you thank you!

Blast from Past

Remember the friend I went looking for? I found her! She's as psyched as me that we caught up. Apparently finding me among the billions of other folks with exactly my name is challenging, while finding her incredibly unique name was fairly simple. I filled her in that "Lakshmi Amman" is alot easier to dig up.

I'm just thrilled that we found each other and that she wants to hear from me. I sure wish I could figure out time in the next 6 months to make a visit. Ann Arbor has not only two of my friends - this one and her husband, who is the one responsible for casting me in my first LARP - but also the Kelsey Museum which has a phenomenal collection of Fustat Textiles and is the home of Ruth Barnes, who dwells right next to Rosemary Crill in my heart, as textile curators who must be worshipped.

Is it weird that I worship textile curators?

ADDITION: Flushed with sucess, I have made a bolder attempt than in the past to flush out another friend of mine from college - Tex (who is really from England... go figure). His email on the only site I can find isn't working, so I boldly mailed his martial arts Sifu a very polite mail asking for him to relay my contact info to Tex. Given that the Sifu still teaches at my alum, and he has an rit.edu address - I think I may get through.

Isn't the net wonderful?

After thinking about:
- finding old college friends on the Internet
- the Baby Dolls
- an old family friend

I've combined the three and found this news clip:

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20050223/NEWS/102230035/0/News

T.J. Gioia is that old family friend. He, his wife, another couple, and my parents were the core mischief makers in an amateur theater group when I was a kid. As per usual, there were various other guest characters, but those 6 were the core of the Holliston Curtaintimers Sitcom, if you will. They've stayed friends through the years, although they now live in 4 different states and my parents are so very divorced.

It reminds me that, in fact, a performer's career is NOT over at age 30. :) Yes, I knew that - given that both of my own dearly inspiring dance teachers are both rocking performers and over 30 to boot... But... I suppose I've been a little glum today, given that my two best friends from college are either procreated or procreating and married or engaged... and I'm watching several hot young (not even legal to drink) talents blazing in the Baby Dolls...

Nice to remember that not only can you perform and be old... but that the Senior Follies in the article about is an All Senior Cast that makes a profit of $10,000 each year, from under a month of performances. Granted, the labor is all volunteer... but - well - I want to grow up to be T.J. and his wife Marianne - still going great guns and making cool theater performances when I'm over 70...

30? Phft. I scoff at you age 30. I'm not afraid of you... bring it on. I'll still be kicking ass when I'm 60. :P