tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-119088982012-02-16T23:43:51.013-05:00Life's too funny not to be taken seriously.Erinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-11521109519490172492007-09-22T21:10:00.000-04:002007-09-22T21:16:29.450-04:00

the walrus said, for SF to fade away.When I started this blog, I was in a very different place in my life. I had more time, and I viewed life through a different lens. I know I will miss it, and I may regret this decision the minute I click publish, but Surreptitiously Facetious isn't me anymore.Chances are I will start another blog (after a bit if a break), one that is a better reflection of

Erinnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-27133635385432599052007-09-15T17:36:00.000-04:002007-09-15T17:43:46.443-04:00

Hours spent talking with friends, sharing leftover wedding cake along with our lives. Nine hours of sleep. Finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, for the second time, completing a read-through of all seven books begun the day I finished it the first time. Lying on my hammock, looking up at the most perfect sky ever created, knowing it was creating exclusively for me out of unfathomable

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-57525611945732248062007-09-14T11:14:00.000-04:002007-09-14T12:13:21.460-04:00

I know it's been a long time, and this will probably be a long, whiny post, so I apologize in advince for anyone hoping for witty -- there's no witty today. Last Friday I found out Madeleine L'Engle died. I realize that it may seem odd to some, but for me, it was like losing a favorite grandparent. She was, and is, instrumental in my life. Even so, I have been surprised at the degree of grief

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-1366252954625164502007-09-07T19:56:00.000-04:002007-09-07T21:27:59.799-04:00

I’ve never met her. I never shook her hand, and I’ve never heard her voice. She’ll never know she changed my life.I don’t remember when I first entered her world. Was I nine? Or seven? I never remember being without her. As I grew, that world did too. She taught me to ride on a unicorn and how love can make a mitochondrion live. How love makes everything live, even Mr. Jenkins. Because

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-75986344757651870242007-09-05T21:24:00.000-04:002007-09-05T21:38:30.713-04:00

Well, sort of.The revisions are done for the most part, and we start rehearsals tomorrow. This guy gave me permission to use any of his music I want to, which is a huge weight off my mind. Tomorrow I have to assign roles to my cast, but hopefully the tears will be minimal. I really, really appreciate all the support I have received on this. Lots of people have read it, and given me great

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-47091825981730771062007-09-04T20:20:00.000-04:002007-09-04T20:36:15.680-04:00

Well, I guess technically this is writing, but I should not be writing on a blog, I should be working on the play.This is a problem.It’s not done. It’s cast, but not finished. I suppose I could call it finished, in a sense; in the sense that all the scenes are written in some form, but, in another sense….It’s not done.Every time I read it, I find more stuff that needs to change. The problem

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-11085442116114561502007-08-29T17:35:00.000-04:002007-08-29T17:43:13.068-04:00

Auditions today. Lots of fun kids, a little king frog to warm up, and then we started running scenes.My scenes.It wasn't really real before today -- I knew I had written a play, obviously, but it felt imaginary somehow; a play is not a play until it's characters come to life, borrowing breath from actors who read their lines and step into another life.Amazing.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-74205006810818464702007-08-23T09:34:00.000-04:002007-09-20T11:36:46.943-04:00

He is exceptionally smart. He’s funny, and popular, and he can rebuild an engine in a matter of hours. He plays golf, and won contests every year of high school for the furniture he built in his wood shop class.It’s a shame he will never graduate from high school.HE is one of the many victims of a bill designed, ostensibly, to improve education. Naming a law No Child Left Behind implies the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-25517086554699775402007-08-20T20:36:00.000-04:002007-08-23T10:33:17.951-04:00

After the tears are dryand the calmthe breathreturnAfter the stormemotions held in checksmiles and promisesequal partshesitationand anticipationAfter the goodbyeThis deathwith loveunfailinggives birth to beautyunspeakable.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-58306467338605601372007-08-17T23:59:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:32:09.840-04:00

It's odd. Tonight I had a house full of people. I can remember a time in my life when that idea would have filled me with an unholy terror, and the reality was unthinkable. I remember a time when I would have been crazed thinking about how they must be judging my house, and my things, and me. I remember a time when I would never have worn the tank top and cargo pants I wore tonight, and when

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-46792490409178067302007-08-16T20:49:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:32:27.385-04:00

I am turning 31 tomorrow - right now I should be writing a post reflecting on the past year, what i have learned, etc, etc, etc. I will, I promise. But not now.tomorrow night everyone I know is coming over for a birthday party, and at the moment my house is a mess, the grass needs to be mowed, and I haven't made the cake yet. Yet here I sit, watching the finale of So You Think You Can Dance,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-34848187403168921132007-08-12T19:52:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:31:53.545-04:00

The ancient Greeks imagined a group of goddesses, the muses, whose realm was art -- they inspired the artist, the composer, the poet, and the writer. Artists throughout history have spoken of the feeling that their art was speaking through them, as if an outside force used their body, or words, or voice to birth something beyond the realm of average humdrum existence. Art can take us beyond

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-7018967241642518182007-08-07T22:48:00.000-04:002007-08-07T23:01:56.588-04:00

As in, writer's block.I have been pondering it for a while, and desperation has finally driven me to it.I am writing a one-act play.I've been trying most of the summer to pick a play for this year's competition, and I have not yet found anything I like. So, as I was mulling my failure as a play-finder in the shower earlier this week, an idea came to me, fully formed, and (hopefully) reasonably

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-76418906928729904832007-07-31T09:25:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:32:56.582-04:00

That's my nephew. Dressed as Harry Potter for an event celebrating the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And the chick holding him---that's my sister, the one who drew the scar and tied the glasses on. Clearly the nerdiness is a familial trait. The kid has no chance. Good thing he's cute.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-47425782261248598082007-07-29T18:40:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:33:26.051-04:00

I'm a nerd. Such a nerd, in fact, that I have ordered a vanity license plate that says NERD GRL and I will drive it around with pride. I'm a science teacher who does theatre and records Star Trek: The Next Generation every day. I'm the nerd other nerds are ashamed of.Nothing brings out the nerd in me quite like a good show tune. Yesterday my friend Kelly and I went out to lunch and to see

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-9084175760791952972007-07-24T21:01:00.000-04:002007-08-18T18:33:48.467-04:00

When I met her, I had been 18 for about 24 hours. It surprises me that I don't remember the precise moment of our introduction, but in my defense, that day had been crazy; last minute packing, a two hour drive, hours waiting in a registration line, my parents fighting while I cried, and hauling boxes and suitcases into a tiny room, wondering where on earth I was going to fit the contents of

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-90581804660902889012007-07-15T20:15:00.000-04:002007-07-15T20:18:37.990-04:00

Just haven't been feeling bloggy lately. I'll return sometime soon, I promise.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-49504634193104855792007-07-08T22:27:00.000-04:002007-07-08T23:26:19.294-04:00

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about misogyny, and feminism, and beauty, and fashion, and fat. Not necessarily in that order. I have a lot of thoughts. This may be a series.I subscribe to Entertainment Weekly. Kind of ironic, considering I watch very little recent TV (my DVR is full of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Saved by the Bell) and rarely go to movies, but for some reason I am

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-41471448308342443042007-07-03T14:26:00.000-04:002007-07-03T15:24:30.561-04:00

For as long as I can remember, self-hatred has been a part of my life.I can remember, as a child, wanting a white tank top. My mother used that white tank top as a bribe -- if I lost ten pounds, I could have the tank top. When I was a teenager, I wanted to go to a formal dance, and my mother bought me a dress -- two sizes too small. If I could lose enough to wear the dress, I could go. I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-47120689667486389352007-07-02T20:46:00.000-04:002007-07-03T10:44:11.722-04:00

I was reading over at Shakesville (which is back up despite the hatahs, yay!) and followed a link in a Kate Harding post to this Obesity Risk Calculator. After answering all the questions, it told me that based on my lifestyle, I have a 0-20% chance of being overweight. I wonder how they would calculate the probability of me weighing in at almost 300 pounds. Since, y'know, fat is is all based

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-55348761756959270082007-06-30T20:18:00.000-04:002007-07-01T20:45:45.232-04:00

A young couple decides they want to get married. When they tell her parents, they are overjoyed at the news, and when the bride asks her mother if she can wear her wedding dress, the mother is thrilled beyond words.A few months pass, and the wedding day arrives. As the bride is walking down the aisle, her lovely petite figure a vision in the white dress, the sounds of her mother's sobs fill the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-47222218357583360552007-06-28T20:30:00.000-04:002007-06-28T20:54:31.877-04:00

...but I call it hate.A woman in Austrailia has been denied the opportunity to adopt a child because she is too fat. She and her husband are employed and stable. They have been married 13 years. They have been completely approved for the adoption process, except for one thing -- apparently the Austrailian govenrnment hates fat people.Maybe hate is too harsh a word. I'm sure there's a fabulous

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-77455958248568895772007-06-27T21:19:00.000-04:002007-06-27T23:10:17.792-04:00

Last Wednesday I had some wonderful, beautiful friends over for a bit, and they wanted to watch a particular TV show, so I agreed and we spent most of the night watching their show. I tend to be a bit of a TV snob, I don't like reality TV, and during the school year I don't watch TV much at all. But about 10 minutes in, I was completely enthralled, and actually set the DVR to record future

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-17718987342460844152007-06-21T22:54:00.001-04:002007-06-21T23:22:35.748-04:00

I am pretty new to the whole fat acceptance movement, and it has only been in the past few months that I have discovered that there are other people out there like me, people that don't think it is OK to hate other people, or themselves, based solely on one aspect of their bodies. It has been a radical, paradigm-shifting experience for me to realize that there are other people who see the sheer

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-80636570480095255922007-06-18T18:36:00.000-04:002007-06-18T18:39:23.267-04:00

I love my new house.I love my new yard.I love my new mower.The hill it is all situated on......that I hate with a fiery vengeance.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-16339890220976890532007-06-13T13:56:00.000-04:002007-06-13T23:07:44.703-04:00

The AMA and CDC have apparently decided to do the impossible -- eliminate one end of a bell curve.As any tenth grade biology student can tell you, in any population there is a natural distribution of traits. In traits that can be quantified, the traits generally follow normal distribution , more commonly known as a bell curve.My first exposure to normal distribution happened as a result of

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-36369896494619179482007-06-11T18:46:00.000-04:002007-06-13T23:08:26.181-04:00

Ask any woman is she thinks she is beautiful. I dare you. Not pretty, not attractive, not cute: beautiful.If she is honest, chances are her answer will be no, or, at best, a "yes but". Maybe a "I was when I was 16/21/25". More than likely, if her answer is honest, it will include some reference to a "need" to lose weight.According to the cliche, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-84697000657767528852007-06-08T18:37:00.000-04:002007-06-13T23:06:05.149-04:00

I think I have an obession.These are from a few weeks ago, so they are much bigger now, but you'll get the idea. They are quite a bit bigger now. I love my plants.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-49858526719895272002007-06-05T10:49:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:36:45.117-04:00

I graduated from college about a million years ago, but this time of year always makes me remember. This year has been particularly poignant since my students are graduating in the Vines Center at LU, the same giant room where I graduated all those years ago.My parents split up during my first year of college (the first week, actually), and a couple of years later my father married a woman who

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-13485250974062553892007-06-04T08:31:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:37:36.501-04:00

This has been the longest school year I can ever remember, including the second grade when I had that terrible woman who shall remain nameless. It feels like August was a million years ago, and I can't believe it has only been 8 months since I started working on Trifles, this year's competition one-act, and here I am planning for next year's plays. In the true spirit of theatre psychosis, I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-26193320186474474142007-05-29T14:17:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:42:57.102-04:00

Today was underclassmen awards day, and the first time the seniors wear their caps and gowns and practice processing in.Graduation is still 9 days away, and I am already all choked up.I am so screwed.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-22542766805503100652007-05-24T22:11:00.000-04:002007-09-20T11:41:38.771-04:00

I have a wonderful group of teachers that I meet with once a week. We go to Buffalo Wild Wings, eat boneless wings, and decompress. This week, everyone had other stuff they had to do, plus I had a small home issue involving a plumber, so we didn't get to go. Sad, but not too sad. Why?This weekend I am having my first party in the new crib.I still have a ton of stuff in boxes, and my house is

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-89232898332887558302007-05-21T20:24:00.001-04:002007-06-20T23:46:14.352-04:00

I had a blog idea in mind, something that had been rolling in my mind for months, and I was finally ready to start talking about it...but she beat me to it. And she said it better than I ever could. Click the link, go read it.My favorite parts of her post:A lot of people refer to body acceptance and the accompanying social ideology as fat acceptance. This is because, quite frankly, it’s a big

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-29401578117953051022007-05-15T10:44:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:49:49.936-04:00

So, apparently I am one of those people who only blogs once a week. I would like to say that now since school is winding down, I have more time, blah blah blah I’ll blog more, but really – probably not. In the spirit of playing catch-up, a few weeks ago (ok, like, a month ago), Candace tagged me with a Thinking Blogger Award. Cynical me knows she should be all cool and nonchalant, but

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-31392898725934284272007-05-09T22:20:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:55:38.805-04:00

Dang, I love Whose Line Is It Anyway. Hilarious, plus it gives me lots of ideas for auditions.Speaking of which, my production season is officially OVER (cue angels singing). My last production was a talent show last Monday night, and it went swimmingly except for the part when the MC misread the first prize winner's name and gave it to the wrong person. Only three tie-up-loose-endy things

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-17455732154515455112007-05-07T10:11:00.000-04:002007-05-07T12:57:43.704-04:00

I love my life. I know some may find it hard to believe, but I like being single, and I am not one whit interested in the whole dating/marriage/babies carousel. I manage to live a pretty happy life man-free, and there isn't much I can't do on my own.That said, there are times when being single really sucks.Example 1 -- The valve to my one of my outside faucets has been turned off in my

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-62694708736408331962007-05-04T10:20:00.001-04:002007-06-20T23:42:57.102-04:00

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-33897230528651421362007-05-02T11:02:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:49:49.937-04:00

...I got something vaguely resembling answers.My lovely friend Kelly graciously agreed to interview me, so without further ado, here we go!1. If you had to choose between a life with Seth Green and never singing again...what would you choose and why?Nothing like an impossible question right up front.I love Seth Green, utterly and completely. I love singing, utterly and completely.Maybe if I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-66781651917278618112007-04-28T15:34:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:50:46.036-04:00

That question, of course, being "Is there such as thing as too much cheese?"Since I don't so much cook as order and perhaps heat up (if I am really, really desperate), mealtimes on the weekends tend to be sketchy at best. During the week I eat at least two meals a day at school, during plays it is usually three. As such, I don't normally have much food in the house, and what I do have is mostly

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-70060417972889260692007-04-25T09:24:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:51:37.158-04:00

It's been a while. Every day for the past week, I have written "Update blog" on my to-do list, and every day I have sat down to look at a blank screen and tried to sort through the whirling in my mind to figure out what to say. The title of my blog means roughly "sneakily joking", but to be honest, lately I haven't felt all that funny.The shootings at Va. Tech hit me really hard. Anytime that

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-47994288869856575132007-04-16T18:41:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:51:37.158-04:00

Today in Virginia a record was broken. Not the Olympic athlete kind, or even the pie-eating-at-the-county-fair kind. This record must be measured on the scale of horrors,In bodies lying lifelessnames on a listToday the wind howls and moans outside my window,nature mourning what man has doneHeadlines proclaim "deadliest campus shooting in history"but headlines tell half-truths,As if it is already

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-56203497073596902432007-04-10T21:23:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:52:41.908-04:00

I am on spring break this week, and so far it is magnificent. Yesterday I got lots of rest, and today I cleaned and unpacked (14 boxes!), mowed grass, did laundry, had a friend over for lunch, and bought random house stuff like dish towels and adhesive hooks. Tomorrow I venture to Greensboro to visit my sister and her spawn, who is 4 weeks old and, according to pictures, has a promising future

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-48587254638300783922007-04-04T08:53:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:52:41.908-04:00

Last night I was the featured guess artist in a beauty pageant.Specifically, a drag pageant.I sang a song originally recorded by Queen.You have to love the synchronicity.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-5599803225665647092007-04-03T10:00:00.000-04:002007-04-03T10:16:42.139-04:00

When you buy a house in January, you take a certain chance that the yard will be hideous come spring. I had a pretty good idea that would not be the case with mine, but I will confess to certain amount of nervousness once things started to warm up.No nervousness was necessary. A few samples of the stuff I have in my yard...Note: Please forgive the picture quality, the light was not fabulous,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-76859016696152140542007-04-01T14:54:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:54:36.152-04:00

You know that feeling at the end of a roller coaster when you pull into the little fake station, and as much as you would love to ride again, you are thankful for the breather? Even if you go get in line again immediately, at some point you have to get off and go home, or else you will never get the tangles out of your hair. Last night was closing night of The Crucible, and I am sad to see it

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-20381503372355413812007-03-30T08:29:00.000-04:002007-06-20T23:54:36.153-04:00

Last night I sat in the back of our auditorium and remembered why all the headaches and craziness of the past 3 months have been worth it.It was amazing. My faith in the magic of the theatre has been restored.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-79562567645962117272007-03-25T21:38:00.000-04:002007-06-21T00:02:57.448-04:00

My sister hates it when I write pseudo-intellectual gibberish, but there is too much in my mind right now, and I can only hope that by writing it all out I can find some sort of meaning...Tonight I went to hear some very gifted artists play. One of them commented that he thinks that if the Bible were not the Bible that Christian bookstores would not sell it, because there is too much real life

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-53252153681170634022007-03-23T08:02:00.000-04:002007-03-23T08:04:53.858-04:00

I'm still alive -- it has been a really hard week. I don't want to talk about it on the internet, but I have some super serious personal stuff going on, and prayers for me would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-69212522782048787792007-03-15T12:39:00.000-04:002007-06-21T00:01:11.158-04:00

We open in TWO WEEKS.Don't expect to hear much from me until April.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-55175194446787705692007-03-14T20:21:00.000-04:002007-03-14T20:31:54.625-04:00

20 inches, 7 pounds 2 ounces, both my mother and father (who have not agreed on anything since 1968) both say he looks like Lauren with Marc's eyes, Luaren says he looks like a baby. All are doing well.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-38476496703375385842007-03-13T21:48:00.000-04:002007-03-13T21:49:35.801-04:00

She's in labor!My sister, that is.Updates to follow.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-61685749467256459972007-03-11T14:04:00.000-04:002007-06-21T00:09:19.105-04:00

In case you have never noticed, I am crazy. Not in the "wow, she's lots of fun" sense, or the girls gone wild sense, more in the padded-room-and-straightjacket way. Mental illness of some variety has been part of my life as long as I can remember. Depression, eating disorders, compulsion; these have been my reality for so long that peace of mind and spirit, have seemed to me an unattainable

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-70570506931569015222007-03-08T10:06:00.000-05:002007-09-20T11:47:39.286-04:00

Disclaimer: this will be a really rambly post with lots of random disconnected junk. Prepare your brains.Tuesday was the worst Crucible practice in the long and distinguished history of Crucible practices. It's not worth going into details of what went wrong, but once everyone left, I sat on the stage and cried and pondered whether I wanted to continue, and then went home and contemplated how

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-86666427612435090282007-03-06T11:15:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.798-04:00

As promised, a few pics of some of my Ikea goodies -- not many, since half the stuff is still in bags, but a few things..Try and ignore the random stuff lying around, I am still in barely-unpacked mode, plus I'm a slob.My bedroom before:And afterThe living room before:And after:

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-66209192285935317462007-03-05T08:06:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:10:32.575-04:00

In case anyone has missed it, right now my life is insane. I just moved, and I am directing a play, and I have this pesky full-time job. Nearly everything I own is in boxes, the only place in my house that has any semblance of normalcy is my living room, and I have exactly 7 outfits unpacked that I can rotate to wear to school. So, when I have a day off, of course I spend it unpacking and

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-555991243784069722007-03-02T09:27:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:05:31.171-04:00

Today I have developed a sudden and inexplicable hatred for teenagers. Usually I love my job, and I love (most) of my kids, and I have an unnatural tolerance for high school idiocy and drama, but today, not so much. Even their little voices are driving me out of my tree. I have already written one kid up today, and usually I am loathe to do that. The good news -- it's second period now, so I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-62838642111491068882007-02-28T09:44:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.799-04:00

Today, February 28, 2007, is officially my last day as a renter. It is basically a technicality, since I have been living in my new house for 12 days and moved the last few things out on Saturday. All that is left in the house now is a bit of trash, a bed frame that will be picked up this weekend and a couple of boxes that would not fit in my car this weekend as I cleaned out the last few

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-87659420951400622842007-02-25T22:24:00.000-05:002007-02-26T09:10:36.215-05:00

Not snow, but awful freezing, pelting rain, the kind that makes you cold for hours after you come inside. I usually like rain, and some of my best memories involve dancing in a warm rain. But I hate that cold, piercing stuff.Oddly enough, the rain has made me start thinking about spring. February is almost over, and spring is only weeks away. Spring means new beginnings, and it feels

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-81115400737548080112007-02-23T10:27:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.799-04:00

I have to say, I am pretty happy with the whole homeowner thing, overall. I love that I am not at all concerned with my landlord, and that in considering what sorts of things I want to do with the house, I can do whatever I want, even if it means painting the living room day-glo pink and intalling black lights.The biggest fear I had when I was considering buying was the thought of dealing with

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-71871857295507375682007-02-21T10:19:00.000-05:002007-02-21T10:24:28.082-05:00

By the time I left school yesterday, after a very difficult day and play practice, I was pretty sure I had reached my stress limit and thought I would go home, crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and try not to think too much. But since I don't currently have internet at home, I took a detour to my friend Janelle's house to check my email. Good choice. I ended up staying for a while,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-21259690317348622132007-02-20T10:31:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.799-04:00

For anyone wondering -- I am all moved, I still have some junk in my attic and garage that needs to be taken care of, but overall everything is moved, and I am starting the long process of unpacking. There is some furniture I still need, so I am soon venturing to Estate Specialists in the search, and since I have as show opening in 5 weeks, I will probably be living with the chaos for quite a

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-88005366489676518442007-02-15T08:35:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.800-04:00

It's really here. Tomorrow I will go to my title company and sign papers promising to pay back more money than I have ever seen in my life, and they will give me the key to the first real asset I have ever owned (I don't consider mid-90s cars assets. Call me crazy). In two days 25 people are coming to my house to load everything I own onto a rented truck and move it 3.6 miles to what will be,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-71909250426916029542007-02-11T22:54:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:01:11.159-04:00

It droppeth, as the gentle rain...Those are literally the only two lines of memorized text from high school that I remember. There was a Shakespeare competition that my English teacher threw me into, and I memorized Portia's monologue from The Merchant of Venice, and screwed it up royally, because I suck at memorizing. It seems pretty appropriate at the moment though, since I have decided to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-5943238418370574282007-02-10T12:19:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:08:12.800-04:00

Seven days from today I will be moving, assuming all goes according to plan. My house is packed up (mostly), the books are off the shelves, and I have boxes of stuff ready to go to whatever charity will take it. The lists have been checked off, and I am experiencing the joy of living in a cardboard city. Every time I go through any kind of major life change, I end up wallowing in nostalgia, and

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-2946948836829067502007-02-08T08:59:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:10:32.575-04:00

A few weeks ago I cut my bangs. When most people say they cut their hair, they really mean they got someone else to cut it, but in my case, I mean what I say, that I cut it, leaned over my bathroom sink, hacking away with the pair of barber's scissors that someone was foolish enough to sell me.Here's my problem-- I have had my hair cut by a lot of people, from every possible category of

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-6167040567897328512007-02-07T09:48:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:10:32.576-04:00

Yesterday I stood on the stage and watched the activity around me; the kids working on the set, cutting boards and piecing together a table for the Proctors' kitchen, the girls sitting on the edge of the stage in earnest conversation, one home from college and come to visit, the other in the last half of her senior year and facing an unknown future, the group who discovered the wonder of playing

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-43500668035717453502007-02-06T10:49:00.000-05:002007-02-06T11:07:39.127-05:00

OK, so it's cold too, but still pretty from an inside perspective.We had a 2 hour delay today, and we found out about it last night, so I got to sleep an extra 90 minutes this morning, until my dad called and woke me up. There is a possibility of snow tonight, and while I am trying not to plan on a day off, another snow day would be nice so that I can get some more packing done.On the packing

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-66743824261549939972007-02-05T08:38:00.000-05:002007-02-05T11:10:49.157-05:00

In a comment on a previous post, Candace wrote:"erin, here's a blog entry idea: why are you so drawn to Catholicism? Inquiring minds do want to know."It's a good question, so here is (hopefully) a good answer.Since I was a child, I have been drawn to different types of religious traditions. I read every book my elementary school library had on Judaism. In the fifth grade I was so fascinated by

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-5467548549813670262007-02-04T13:15:00.000-05:002007-02-04T13:23:10.460-05:00

I believe this is what is commonly called "the home stretch". I move in 13 days. And I am fine. Really.Or not.I am wigging.I have a to-do list that is a bazillion pages long, and even though I have worked very hard to stay ahead of the game, and things are very organized, I still don't know how on earth I am going to get everything done, plus direct, plus teach, and all in 13 days. My goal is

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-87083345645083201052007-02-01T15:47:00.000-05:002007-02-01T15:48:45.513-05:00

So does this make me a bad Protestant?You are a 99% traditional Catholic! Congratulations! You are more knowlegeable than most modern theologians! You have achieved mastery over the most important doctrines of the Catholic Faith! You should share your incredible understanding with others!Do You Know Your Baltimore Catechism?Make Your Own Quiz

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-28196942702555376862007-01-30T08:38:00.000-05:002007-01-30T09:44:48.304-05:00

I was reminded of this story by something I read this morning, and the memory made me chuckle, so I thought I would share...Awhile back I was shoe shopping with my friend Janelle at a store we'll call...Valueless City. This was pre-baby, and I think it was pre-hubby as well. Between she and I we had pulled five or six pairs of shoes off the shelves and had tried them on, and they were on one

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-40345697255563910422007-01-25T11:03:00.000-05:002007-01-25T18:53:08.440-05:00

Horror movies have never held much interest for me. I realize that the scary-movie genre (not to be confused with the Scary Movie series) makes millions of dollars per year, but none of that money is coming from me. I have seen a few horror movies, mostly on reruns on cable networks, and the appeal is totally lost on me.The irony, of course, is that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my favorite

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-46356139339703807252007-01-22T10:52:00.000-05:002007-01-22T11:35:47.012-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. It is good to know I am not alone in my feelings and fears about the weight phobia that is slowly evolving into a Salem-style witch hunt. Since I am currently directing The Crucible, that idea is on my mind a lot lately.Speaking of The Crucible, with the exception of all the casting drama, so far it has been a really good experience.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-56529102625082959572007-01-17T13:53:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:12:52.444-04:00

I am fat, and I am angry.Unlike most of the women I know, I am not angry at myself for being fat. I am angry at my culture that says that because I am fat, I am not an acceptable human being, that somehow I should feel compelled to apologize for my body. I am angry that a beautiful woman like Kate Winslet is more famous for being unapologetically "fat" (she's not) than for her amazing talent,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-62075096972753021322007-01-11T10:04:00.000-05:002007-01-11T10:42:52.079-05:00

Anyone who knows me at all is probably surprised by my post title. I have never, ever been into sports. There are a few I can watch without gouging my eyes out --competition cheerleading, women's volleyball, and high school wrestling, for example, but I have never been a big fan of sports, and I have been involved in quite a few conversations about how our cultural overemphasis on sports is at

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-90333452871949402792007-01-08T21:47:00.000-05:002007-01-08T21:58:23.450-05:00

For those of you who don't know her already, you should meet Flylady. She's great, particularly for the more...organizationally challenged, shall we say? She has good strategies, and great support. But...She says I should be packing 5 boxes per day. I thought that sounded like a bit much, so I decided to shoot for four boxes per day. As of today, I am officially 24 boxes behind.I have come to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-19625779257651090782007-01-07T18:23:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:13:39.415-04:00

The mission: List 100 things about yourself. No other criteria, you just have to come up with 100 things.Here we go!1. I love fast food2. I love silly tv shows3. I grew up in NC4. I spent 6 years studying Catholicism but have not converted yet5. I read the Chronicles of Narnia all the way through every year6. I have over 1000 books7. I am allergic to all animals with fur or feathers8. I have

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-27929317066359389502007-01-06T19:25:00.000-05:002007-01-06T20:27:23.497-05:00

Joy says that I only play when I can win. To be truthful, I think she got the phrase from her husband, but regardless of its origin, it is a very apt description of me. Not only do I only play when I can win, I only do what I already know. As much as I enjoy learning new things in theory, the idea of trying out new ventures has always held, for me, the same level of dread and terror that

Erinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-74888733883086789812007-01-03T09:27:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:19:49.107-05:00

There is nothing in the world to beat a teacher's schedule. Off by 3 or 3:30 every day, summers off, winter break, and the occasional snow day. Granted, the amount of work we do in the time we are working is incredible, and would leave the average executive weeping, huddled in a useless heap in the floor, but the schedule is awesome. But the mornings. Oh the mornings. 6 am is going to kill

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-83909256135034591932006-12-31T21:42:00.000-05:002006-12-31T21:43:12.500-05:00

They accepted my offer.I'm going to own a house.La la la!

Erinnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-14425571319621502992006-12-31T13:06:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:13:39.416-04:00

Today is the last day of the year. Since it is sort of traditional (if blogging can have traditions) to reflect on the year, I am going to do the same, but I thought I would put a little spin on it based on what some other bloggers I read have been doing lately. So here you go -- five things about 2006 that very few people know.1. I spent about 6 weeks seriously contemplating moving back to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-73052030982823082972006-12-29T21:13:00.000-05:002006-12-29T23:03:52.803-05:00

...but perhaps dipping in a toe.I put another offer on a house today. It is not my dream house, but it is a good one, and will be a solid investment. It's a good step on the dream house road.Some pictures for those interested...

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-17245238922633557382006-12-27T19:49:00.000-05:002007-06-21T00:14:46.253-04:00

When one decides it is time to buy a home for the first time, there are many, many useful websites to help guide you though the process. But you will very quickly learn that the websites have left out some important bits of information. The most important bit -- unless you have a LOT of money, the process is not as easy as the websites make it sound. Almost equally important is the

Erinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-40095375737028216892006-12-26T20:11:00.000-05:002006-12-26T20:41:31.415-05:00

It's been a little nutty around the Erin house for the past few days, mostly because of my computer. I love, love, love my computer. It is the first good computer I ever bought on my own, it is my first Macintosh, and it is the beginning of an Apple love affair I hope continues for a long, long time. But, the love has slowly been evolving into love-hate. The sad truth is that my beautiful,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-2394928432889159502006-12-21T17:46:00.000-05:002006-12-21T17:54:21.464-05:00

I have decided to call off the house search until January, at least. The market is drier than a freshman's throat when he is giving an oral presentation for the first time. Basically the only things in my price range are "fixer-uppers" and (dun dun dun!) doublewides.I know I am a snob, but I don't want to invest in something that is not going to appreciate, and doublewides really don't, plus I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-76031333488857071692006-12-20T11:20:00.000-05:002006-12-20T12:40:30.801-05:00

Yesterday was the last day of school until January 2. Almost two full weeks in which I never have to wake up before 6 am, never once have to try hard to remember that I am supposed to be showing love to some recalcitrant kid, and never grade a single paper.Of course, I also don't get to be hugged by happy drama kids (for anyone wondering, they mostly got over being mad at me. There are a few

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-89495558168397155392006-12-18T10:32:00.000-05:002006-12-18T10:34:58.586-05:00

The sellers pulled it off the market.I am putting this here for those of you following the story. If I write any more right now I might cry.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-84606449176371905762006-12-17T20:02:00.000-05:002006-12-17T20:31:00.296-05:00

Disclaimer: This is going to be a downer post. Don't say I didn't warn you.Despite any posturing to the contrary, in my heart I am a people pleaser, and in particular I want to please the people I love, and have invested a lot of time and energy into. Which is why the past few days have been so discouraging.I have put a lot of time and energy into the drama program at school, and even more

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-2309686292166877892006-12-16T14:38:00.000-05:002006-12-16T14:49:55.074-05:00

Everything with the house is on hold, thanks to a virus that has infected the seller's kids. They have made a counter-offer, and I plan to counter-offer theirs, but I can't do anything until the kids are better. So once again, we wait.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-5760278836435119072006-12-15T08:27:00.000-05:002006-12-15T09:31:56.746-05:00

Doing theatre is wonderful. It is fun, and creative, and among the most amazing experiences I have ever had. But it is not easy.The hard parts of theatre are well known to anyone who has ever done a play; the beginning when no one is quite comfortable yet, the days where everyone hates everyone else, the rehearsals where someone (or several someones) end up on the stage floor in tears.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-15317964788495637662006-12-14T10:47:00.000-05:002006-12-14T12:28:32.533-05:00

Today my classes are doing one of my favorite labs of the year -- the foxes and rabbits simulation. Several days of tossing and counting little disks, then graphing to see what happened. Lots of fun...for me at least. In other school news, today is the last day of Crucible auditions, and casting is going to be a nightmare. I have a LOT of talented kids, and six differnt girls who could all

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-76197401933610355752006-12-12T08:06:00.000-05:002006-12-12T08:40:06.747-05:00

Part two of yesterday's post is going to have to wait.Last night I put an offer on a house. This house. I had a whole system going for the house hunting process. There was a clipboard, and a carefully constucted 43 item checklist, and a rating system that included such descriptive terms as "good", "excellent", "poor", "meh", and the always useful "not fab". Every house I went in underwent

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-31498670393764328602006-12-11T08:29:00.000-05:002006-12-11T12:26:14.247-05:00

Have you ever spent lots of time planning for something you hope will turn out great, and then it works out to be not as much fun as you had hoped? It seems that one of the great ironies in life is that often, no matter how much we plan, things never quite turn out the way we had hoped.But sometimes they turn out much better than we ever could have planned.Yesterday I had a very busy day, and I

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-65773847521145282442006-12-09T22:33:00.000-05:002006-12-09T22:40:03.937-05:00

Thrilled - excited - nervous - happy - terrified - hopeful - fearful - confused - angry - optimistic - depressed - hopeless - overjoyed - taking a deep breath.Lather. Rinse. Repeat.I've read all the homebuying websites. No one mentioned this part.

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-48768235048512725492006-12-06T10:45:00.000-05:002006-12-06T11:25:28.793-05:00

After I had a very good meeting yesterday with my mortgage person, the house hunt is now in full swing. I've mostly fininshed all of my lists, and I have talked to my realtor, and so now it is a matter of looking at all of the options and seeing what is the best fit. Yesterday I was so excited I was about to jump out of my skin, but today I have mellowed a bit, and the reality of looking and

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-14579065283300566352006-12-03T21:20:00.000-05:002006-12-04T10:35:02.856-05:00

The housebuying process is clicking along nicely. I met with a very nice young man from Wachovia on Friday and got some encouraging news, and I have another mortgage meeting on Tuesday. I have the VHDA website nearly committed to memory. I've talked to a realtor, and there are already a couple of properties I want to look at. I am working on my lists of must-haves and nice-to-haves,

Erinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-58889250932018331962006-11-30T16:58:00.000-05:002006-11-30T17:18:48.855-05:00

My landlord is a collosal jerk. He always has been, and he got worse a few years ago. Then yesterday, he got even worse. I am not going to go into details, but at this point, calling him a jerk actually maligns the good name of jerks everywhere. But I have managed to find a way to be thankful for his unfortunate lack of heart, soul, or anything else normally associated with humanity. I'm

Erinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-58502473601859315762006-11-25T18:50:00.000-05:002006-11-25T19:19:04.679-05:00

I've decided to get rid of my dining room table and chairs. It's not as if it is a great loss, I got the table for $10 at a yard sale, and the chairs were going to be thrown away by a co-worker. I have not actually eaten at the table since...well, I don't actually remember the last time I ate at the table. The last occasion I remember was at least 5 years ago. It should come as no surprise to

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-1164251579359618532006-11-22T21:51:00.000-05:002006-11-22T22:12:59.490-05:00

Once upon a time there lived a lovely if somewhat odd young girl, and that young girl loved books. She loved books more than almost anything else in the world, and not only did she love to read them, she loved to look at them and smell them and imagine what it would be like to live in a house full of all the books she could ever imagine. Since she could not actually live in a house entirely made

Erinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11908898.post-1164079399335577652006-11-20T22:13:00.000-05:002006-11-20T22:23:19.376-05:00

Now that the one-act is officially over (hallelujah, let the heavens rejoice!), I am starting to get excited about the next play. This one is huge compared to the last one, since it is a full length opposed to a one-act, and instead of a cast of 5 I will have a cast of 21. Fortunately this time I won't have to move the set on a school bus. Gotta go now, Peter Griffin is singing about giving up

Erinnoreply@blogger.com0