Things I Learned in Georgia

I just got back from vacation in Georgia (in your neck of the woods, Glenn) to visit my brother and his family. Georgia would never be my first choice if I had to pick an exciting vacation spot, but it was so wonderful to see my brother, whom I haven't seen since Christmas.



THINGS I LEARNED WHILE IN GEORGIA

1. Fire ants should not be provoked. I had never really heard of fire ants before my latest trip to GA, but I was intrigued when my six-year-old nephew told me to stay away from the little brown hills of dirt in their yard. Of course when I hear the word "don't" I usually try to do it, so I ran over a few of the ants' homes with various tires (a bike, the stroller) and was amazed at the fury of the ants. I still didn't really buy the story that they will surround your feet and sting you. Unfortunately, one solitary ant decided my foot would be the perfect place to bite and I spent the next few days feeling like a needle was in my foot. I guess I should have listened.

2. McCain is playing a good game. While at the airport, I ran into a gift shop to get some drinks before our flight and I was bombarded with the press conference coverage of John McCain announcing his vice president pick. Even with my contacts in, I still squinted at the screen expecting to see Romney's name. I was shocked when I saw "Sarah" and instantly felt a pang of anger.

"He picked a woman!?" I stated/kind of asked to the woman behind the counter who had been watching. She just smiled.

"Obama didn't pick Hillary and McCain picked a woman?" I asked, as if I was talking to a CNN legal analyst.

"Weird, huh?" she answered as she rang up my apple juice.

"I can't friggin' believe it!" I repeated as I walked back to our gate.

As a general aside, I was extremely disappointed when Hillary didn't get the nomination and I was even further devastated when she wasn't offered the VP position. I cried like a baby when I watched her video and speech from the DNC convention. It was a dream that came to an end. I will certainly not vote for McCain just because he picked someone with ovaries, but I was somewhat embarrassed that he had the balls to pick a woman. Well, I was impressed, too.

3. I am not going to fly US Air again. They charge you for your checked bags and they charge you $2 for a lousy can of soda on the plane. Do they really think anyone would notice two extra dollars tacked on to their plane fare? As someone who gets really excited (a little too excited one could argue) when I see the beverage cart coming ever-so-slowly down the aisle, I need the beverage cart. Being stuck in a big metal box in the sky makes everything consumed taste much better. For the record, we flew Delta to ATL and they gave free drinks AND peanuts. Kelly was happy.

4. I really like Pennsylvania.

5. Humidity really, really blows. I'd pay Jennifer Aniston $100 dollars to stand in Olympic Park for ten minutes on a hot August day. Then let's see how straight her hair stays.

6. When Coke is free, you don't really want to drink too much of it. Now charge me $2.49 for it and I'll drink it like a...well, like I usually do.

7. Did I mention I really like Pennsylvania?

Speaking of Vaginas...

While driving on the George Washington Bridge the other night, I looked over to see the city skyline. It reminded me of a time in my life when I wanted to be on the stage. The NYC skyline always has that effect on me--it epitomizes theatre to me. When I was in high school, I dreamed of going to New York University. (I was coming off the high of attending Nationals for dramatics.) I imagined myself walking down the streets of New York like I had so many times as a kid with my aunt and uncle who lived on Lexington. Unfortunately, my dad informed me that he couldn't afford to send me to NYU. My dreams of attending a school in the city faded as practicality set in, although I did start my freshman year at Penn State as a theatre major. I would change it to Comparative Literature before deciding on the generic English major because of some well-worded brochure for the English department. I could go in many directions with that kind of degree. Besides, who really makes a living as an actor?

Other than being involved in some theatre during college and making it to callbacks for an off-Broadway production locally a few years ago, I haven't done a thing in the theatre. So the other night I decided that I would get involved again, even if just to volunteer as an usher or something like that. It came on the heels of my dad's suggestion to get involved again. We went for dinner in town a few weeks ago and as we passed a local theatre, my dad said, "You should do something like that again. You were good."

Sure, my dad is biased, but I honestly had thought the same thing myself. Just because I haven't done it in a while doesn't mean I can't, right? So I pointed my browser at that local theatre's web page. I was so excited when I saw an OPEN AUDITIONS link. I clicked on it and it was calling for women to participate in The Vagina Monologues.

"Holy shit!" I said out loud as the feminist actor in me leapt out of my head and pranced on the couch. I can't be sure, but I think she was spouting some lines from Taming of the Shrew as well.

I suddenly pictured myself backstage before the show with that wonderful, alive nervousness of opening night. My dad would be proudly sitting in the front row, along with all of my friends and family. I would be on the stage again. I was so happy with the thought.

SEND AN EMAIL to be considered.

So I did.

I wrote an email professing my interest and hit SEND.

Oh my god.

There.

I did it!

I would possibly be realizing my dreams again, albeit on a small level.

Then it dawned on me. What was the date of the show?

February 9th, 2008.

As in...five months ago.

In my excitement, I guess I forgot it is 2008.

I'm an idiot.



I guess I got too excited...

Taking A Guilt Trip Down Memory Lane

When I was a kid, the 4th of July was such a fun day. I would spend the day at my grandmother's house playing with all of my cousins and at night we would light some firecrackers and catch lightning bugs. We could play for such a long time--the light of the day lasted until nearly 9pm--which was always so exciting. (How many of us even notice that as an adult?) I still love sitting in the warm summer air and watching the glow of lightening bugs...it's one of the simple joys of life.

I have a lot in my life that brings me such happiness. They're the little things that are difficult to express to someone else. I'm sure we all have things that make us smile or laugh, the you-had-to-be-there kind of inside joy that others don't understand or witness. As I sat here before, Katie came walking in from her room and came over to me. "That's Eeyore!" she said, clear as day, as she plopped an Eeyore stuffed animal on my lap. I looked at her, not realizing she knew his name nor could say it, and felt so proud. She gazed back at me with her huge eyes and just...smiled. She's growing and I'm happy about that. I am thankful she's healthy and smart and that I get to have such a source of joy in my life.

As we drove home from an enjoyable lunch at Fuddruckers today, Dan and I started talking and we recalled that just three years ago, we spent July 4th at Dan's aunt's house with all of his family. (GASP!!) We played games and actually had a good time, even though we ignored and were ignored by his sister. The situation wasn't new. (I guess we were feeling exceptionally friendly that day or something.) Unfortunately, after several hours Dan's father dramatically left the party and I learned later that he claimed that he had to leave because of the family feud. He and others complainted about that day, though in hindsight that was the last day they will ever get with us. Too bad they didn't appreciate what they had when they had it. I wonder if they ever look back on that same day and say, "Damn. I shouldn't have messed it up."

Naw.

I started singing "Memories" (the Elvis version, the one I heard WAY too many times growing up since my Mom was/is a huge Elvis fan) and we laughed.

"Memorieeeeees...pressed between the pages of my miiiiiind!"

Memory Lane is sometimes a road filled with potholes and ruts, the kind of road you wouldn't want to drive. It's the bad neighborhood that makes you say, "We don't need gas that bad. Let's keep going." Dan says his usually leads to Guiltsville. I have a lot of nice memories from my childhood.

"Memorieeeeees...sweetened through the ages just like wiiiiiiine!"

This past July 4th was fun, although it was cut slightly short because of Katie's fear of fireworks. I can't say I blame her; I never really enjoyed them myself. We spent the day at my grandmother's. Now my cousins and I are older, with jobs and spouses and kids, but I still try to see the simplicity in things.

As we arrived home, our front yard was filled with lightening bugs. I put Katie in her crib, leaving her to dream as I rushed outside. As I caught a glowing bug, I hoped that Katie's life would be as magical as the flashing lights of my childhood.