What Happens to the Shoes?!!

Thank you for your Service

My friend Candice posted this on her blog, and I think it's a great idea. I just sent a card -- now it's your turn!

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.

This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank yous.

A Tale of Two Computers, part 2

above from left: the old PC, the new Mac, and the subsequently returned Netbook

Continued from A Tale of Two Computers, part 1

I bought a new computer! It's a Mac and it's so shiny and runs so fast! I'm still getting used to the differences, and I haven't yet bought the iWord/iWork software that's supposed to be just like MicroSoft word, but I think I'm going to keep this one (wow. How's that for a run-on sentence?) And I configured the internet on it all by myself (next stop, setting up a Wireless network so I can log on from anywhere in the house).

Technically, my newest computer is #3, but I'm fond of the old title. Unless I have to work from home, I have officially retired the old PC. I am grateful I was able to backup everything on it before the USB ports went kaput. Our IT person at work needs to do a bit of research to figure out how to set up the SVN before I can work from home on the new machine.

When I bought the old PC, it was the most money I'd ever spent on one item at one time. I felt so grown-up and nervous and excited. It felt the same way when I bought the Mac. It was more money than I originally wanted to spend, but I don't regret the purchase. I am happy with my choice.

New toys are fun!

Communication Skills

I need to be a bit more realistic and firm and re-learn how to say "No." I used to be fairly good at it, but I've become timid, and I'm not being clear and I'm not being heard. As I read the segment below, I can see exactly what I'm doing wrong as the sender and why I'm not getting what I want. Sometimes I wish the receiver could just read my mind and appreciate and understand my point of view!

Communication is a circle, not a one-way street. You hear people say in life, "but I told him!" as if telling at somebody were sufficient. If he hasn't received what you've told him, there is no communication. It takes two to communicate: the sender and the receiver. The receiver has to acknowledge the message by sending a reply back to the sender, thus completing the circle before a communication has taken place.

This imposes a constant obligation on the part of the sender to (1) make sure his message is clear and (2) check that the receiver has received it. And an obligation on the part of the receiver to (1) make sure he's heard the message and is able to duplicate it and (2) let the sender know he's received the message. Without the process of duplication there is no communication.

Communication's not easy. We all tend to be lazy, thinking, "Well, I said it and it's his fault if he doesn't get it." Every time we think that, the communication fails. It's hard work communicating. Particularly because we must constantly play both roles, the sender and the receiver. Many of us prefer to play only one role, convinced we're not up to the schizophrenic activity of being two. But two we must be if communication is to take place...

Think of it as a circle; what you send out, you must get back. Until the circle is completed, you can't go onto the next step in the communication process.

Let us call each act of communication a cycle. When the circle is not completed, people get stuck in that particular cycle. Either they go over it again and again, or they close up; either way they are not open to hearing the next cycle of communication. If the sender goes blithely on, he has left the receiver behind; he's now talking to himself. Soon he'll blame the receiver for not listening; or the receiver will say, "I don't know what you're talking about," and hostility will result. A collision, head on, because communication has not taken place.

Worse, there may be no overt declaration from either the sender or the receiver that the communication has broken down, and each will assume he has understood. On the basis of misunderstanding, they will plunge ahead into further and further difficulties, blames, misconceptions -- all of which will inevitably lead to hostility...

Ask yourself: Am I sending out and getting back feelings, or am I just talking?

From "Guidepost #7: Communication and Competition" in Audition by Michael Shurtleff

Six Down, Six to Go

We are officially halfway through the run of Sleeping Beauty. How scary is that? Six performances down already! It's been fun so far. It doesn't hurt that I love my wise but giddy role, my talented and hilarious co-stars (and that this is a reunion for a group of us who haven't performed together in at least 10 years), the gorgeous Shakespearean costumes, the perfect music, the silly instruments I pretend to play, how tall most of the boys in the cast are as opposed to how short most of the girls are, the little girls who come wearing princess gowns and tiaras, the fight scene that from backstage sounds like a video game, the way I hold my wand, etc, etc... I especially love the way we banded together to teach a new actress the part of the Queen when our Queen got the flu opening week. I am really glad I am a part of this play!

I must say, it was a little scary performing last Friday after not rehearsing or performing for nearly a week. Really, it was fine; we all remembered most of our lines and our blocking and were able to pick up lines for each other when something was missed. The original Queen came back and did a great job in spite of missing the last week of rehearsal. Our three-year old Rose kind of gave her an odd look 'cause she was expecting her mom (the other Queen) but since she knows me and the other fairies we were able to cover the awkwardness. That adorable little girl steals the whole show!

My fairyness is a little trying sometimes. Mostly because I cannot get used to the wings attached to the back of my costume. I think they have it out for me. They have caught on the set more than once, though only once during an actual performance. Also, my two good-fairy counterparts and I have matching false eyelashes with jewels on them. The are uncomfortable, but we look gorgeous if I say so myself!

And then there is my wand, which I have managed to drop during two performances so far. So much for it being an extension of my hand! At least the first drop was during the middle of a jovial scene, so even though it was obviously a mistake and my friends poked fun at me later at least it didn't detract from the scene in a negative way. The second time I dropped it was on Friday the 13th just before the finale. After the Prince killed the dragon, the stage went black to give all of us time to get onstage and pretend that Princess Rose and her loved ones had been asleep the whole time. I tripped on my way to my position atop a platform... and dropped my wand. There was a loud sound as the wooden wand hit the wooden stage floor. Before I could stop myself, I whispered "Crap!" loud enough that everyone onstage and a friend in the tech booth heard it. Then my wand rolled off the platform and bounced on the stage below. This all took place in the dark with peaceful music playing in the background. I was supremely annoyed at myself (especially for the "Crap!"), but I was more worried someone would trip on the wand and fall. Fortunately, when the lights came up I saw it was out of the way. Unfortunately I couldn't conveniently retrieve it, so I finished the show without the wand. I felt pretty dumb.

Ah well, as far as I'm concerned that's the worst that can happen and all the rest of the performances will be pure awesome. In fact, I know they will be, because I am in charge of how well I perform, and I say all the rest of the performances will be pure awesome!

I do wish that we had a space where all of the actors could be together backstage. Once the house is open and during intermission we lock ourselves away in our dressing rooms so as not to destroy the illusion that we are magical fairy tale characters. I fortunately like the girls in my dressing room very much. However, I feel like I never see the boys. Even onstage we don't interact a whole lot. I look forward to going out as a cast after and in between shows so I can get to know them -- hopefully sometime soon we'll actually get all of the actors together as a group. Sure we had time to bond during rehearsals, but as I said I like everyone as a group and am glad for any chance to hang out.

It's a darling play! If you're going to come, you'd better book soon! (For ticket and box office info, click here.) We've been selling out and everyone seems to be enjoying it. I love performing in this show and I'm glad I still have six shows left. It will be over far too soon.

True Friends

Inigo: That Vizzini, he can fuss.

Fezzik: Fuss.. fuss... I think he like to scream at us!

Inigo: Probably he means no harm.

Fezzik: He's very, very short on charm.

Inigo: You have a great gift for rhyme.

Fezzik: Yes, yes, some of the time.

Vizzini: Enough of that.

Inigo: Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?

Fezzik: If there are, we all be dead.

Vizzini: No more rhymes now -- I mean it!

Fezzik: Does anybody want a peanut?

Vizzini: Gah!

I love this scene from The Princess Bride, because Inigo knows that Fezzik loves to rhyme and goes out of his way to give Fezzik the chance. It's such a little thing, but you can just tell it makes Fezzik happy. Inigo just wants to make an otherwise depressing job more fun for his friend.

Everybody deserves to have at least one friend who really understands her and loves her for who she is. Someone who makes a point of learning the little things that make her tick. As a wise person once said, "Love is in the details." I wholeheartedly agree.

I am fortunate to have many such friends. Friends who will encourage me to wear a tiara, and sing along to whatever song is playing in the car, and remember I like the chocolate and peanut butter combination, and listen to my stories that don't go anywhere, and quote lines with me from movies like, say, the Princess Bride even though we've all quoted the best lines a zillion times.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to pray for me, send me a text, read my blog, or even just think about me once in awhile. I am grateful for your love and support, and hope that I can be a friend worthy of you. I am very, very blessed!

xoxoxox,
Megan