So yesterday I crept in to work, still all nervous about seeing the Big Boss, but he was reasonably nice to me all day, and I was able to act fairly competent by being able to quickly and efficiently answer all of the questions he asked me. Phew!

I learned some of my lines that I am supposed to know for rehearsal today, but not all of them. I got four pages about down, and figure that I'll learn the rest soon. Hell, I'm never off-book on the off-book date, but I'm usually pretty set the rehearsal after that. I usually figure that the off-book date is just a suggestion, anyway.

I finished the olive drab scarf, at last, that Debbie paid me for I don't know how long ago, and started the leaf green one either for Matty or D.W. I love this! My scarves are sweeping the nation! Or, at least they are sweeping my immediate circle of acquaintances.

The show went absolutely kick-ass well for me last night, though everyone else felt that they weren't laughing enough. Perhaps they were so exhausted from laughing at me that they couldn't get it up for the rest of the cast. Poor things.

I got a laugh on a line that I never expected to get a laugh on, because the timing is a little off in the lines. I'm talking with Ellen, the newscaster, and here is the exchange:

ME
You should have shot the sniveling
little wretch.

ELLEN
Have we met?

ME
Yes, I'm Caryn Lefty and you violated
my civil rights this morning!

ELLEN
I violate a lot of people's civil rights. Now
tell me, what do you think of the big vote?

ME
O, I'm just kidding you, I don't care about
my civil rights, I ain't one of them!

Now, the problem with this is that because she changed the subject, asking "What do you think about the big vote," it doesn't flow smoothly to my "I don't care about my civil rights" line, and it's never right to get a laugh. But last night, I was the audience's darling, and they laughed at that.

And Kevin was there! But he wasn't the only one laughing at that line, I want to make clear. He is a great audience, though. He gave me a smack on the head for not telling him about my directing You Can Look a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't have his number.

After the show was the party at Connor's house, which everyone was going to go to, but it ended up that nobody went to, which I thought was kind of stinky.

Connor was our little lighting infant, and he was very sweet and dear, and if he's giving a party during our run, we should bloody well go to it! I hate parties, and I went! Fortunately, it wasn't just for us, friends of himself and his roommates were invited, too. Thank goodness. There is nothing sadder to me than a party to which no-one comes, and the host is sitting there surrounded by food and drinks and balloons and party games and no-one is there.

Mark and I had talked about going together, it was his idea that we go together, he brought it up several times, but did he go? Not only did he not go, but he snuck away after the show like a weasel instead of telling me that he had changed his mind like a man. Fucker.

Ellen and I were the only two that went, and we had a swell time. I actually really enjoyed hanging out and talking to Ellen all night. I've known her for years, but I found out all kinds of things about her that I didn't know--she's a different person than I thought she was. Not worse or better, and I'm not saying that she was pretending to be someone else to me all this time, nor that I thought she was shallow, it's just that her depths are different depths than I thought they were.

And it turns out that she reads this journal! Hi, Ellen! She found out about it from Chris (hands up everyone who remembers Chris) about a million years ago. I wonder who else I know who reads this without my knowledge? C'mon, say hi!

We talked about Mark for awhile, because you have to talk about boys. She said that it was very clear that Mark likes me, that you can see how he changes when I am around, and how he gravitates towards me, and the whole bringing me food thing. It's nice that she thinks so, because sometimes I think I'm completely misreading every signal.

Anyway, there weren't a million people there, and no food (we were starving), but we had fun and got really high. Katie was going to come later, but she ended up not, which I'm glad, because I'm not crazy either about the idea of her wandering around Brooklyn in the middle of the night, following my directions (a recipe for disaster), or seeing me smoke pot.

Maybe I'm a hypocrite, but I don't particularly want to smoke pot in front of my kid.

I started this list earlier in the week, but didn't go to work on Thursday and I don't think there was anybody new on Friday, so it's not complete, but I think that it's an interesting little slice of NY.

Performers at the Times Square Station this week:

Monday: The Dianetics people set up tables offering free stress tests. Somehow, I have the vague feeling that in the middle of the Times Square subway station, it certainly is possible that every single person they test will not only be stressed, but can only be helped with Scientology. What do you reckon? The oldest busker in captivity plays a Casio with little dolls around him dancing to the music. He looks as though he can't possibly be playing, that it must be a recording, but once you see his hands, they race up and down the keyboard like lightning.

Tuesday: That guy who has been imitating Michael Jackson dancing to "Billie Jean" at that Motown TV Special for the past twenty years or so. It must be nice to have an act that lasts, but honestly, the Michael Jackson imitations just might be rapidly approaching their sell-by date.

Wednesday: A violinist before the turnstiles. Quite good, nice clear tone. Those damn Dianetic loonies with their stress tests. It's snowing, it's March what do you think people might be a little stressed? Thank God for the healing power of Dianetics! A classical guitarist playing, I think, "Somewhere My Love", but frilled up so much, it is hard to tell. On the platform itself, a skinny white guy with a guitar singing "This Magic Moment" in a thin, folky tenor.

Today's horoscope:
You've decided to spend some time with your checkbook. Good. Once it's balanced, however, you might also want to do a bit of shopping. Go ahead. You'll easily find what you want -- for a price you can tolerate.

One year ago today:
The guy next to me just asked me how to spell "throw up". You don't get this kind of fun at home! I hope my computer never gets fixed!!

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Last Updated Fri 22 April 17:07:09 2005