Odds & Ends

Just sittin' here after a week of New York-in' it up without really anything to do. I think that should all change soon, though. I got a call from Lightyear Entertainment today (I interviewed with them Tuesday), and the woman said we'd work something out if I want to do PR with them. And I'm looking at ads in the Village Voice, trying to make things happen. For only $79 I, too, could be a bartender! ... At any rate, I should know my schedule pretty well by Sunday or Monday b/c I'm meeting my internship people in the park on Sunday -- wahoo, free snacks!

Moving on, today and yesterday have been pretty glorious (besides the rain). Yesterday I went to two dance classes (after not having danced for real since January) and then to Aida. Once again I teared up at the end of the first act when they sing "The Gods Love Nubia." It's just frickin' amazing. I had remembered (incorrectly) that there was some big splashy dance sequence, and there wasn't at all, just them singing their hearts out and Simone freakin' wailing. She is AMAZING. However, I finally saw Adam Pascal after not seeing him in the original cast of Rent and missing him last time I saw Aida. I got this total Christopher-Guest-as-Corky-St.-Clair-in-Guffman vibe from him. Just not as masculine as I thought he'd be. But the show was still frickin' wonderful.... Today I also went to 2 dance classes.

The highlight of the day, unarguably, was seeing Spellbound, the documentary about 8 kids competing to win the National Spelling Bee. From heartbreaking to hilarious (bear with my cheesy alliteration), the film was excellent all the way through. Especially my favorite was young Harry Altman, who you'd think had some sort of mental retardation if he weren't such a darn good speller, but then again Rainman had some genius to him... Honestly, though, it's hard to pick a favorite because some of these kids touch your heart so much, and some of them are like adults stuck in 12-year-olds' bodies. (Some are just damn annoying, I won't lie.) You know that after spending entire years of their lives studying for the national spelling bee at a rate of 8,000-words-per-day is going to cost some of them big-time in pending years of therapy. Also of note was the film's incorporation of the "local color" surrounding the kids, such as a ranchowner that hires one of the kid's Mexican father saying, "All those Mexicans aren't bad; there's a few smart ones in the batch," and the National Champ's local Hooters putting up a sign that says "Congradulations!" The only thing that left me unsatisfied with the film was the lack of a where-are-they-now section (but maybe I've just been watching too much VH1). The film focused on the 1999 National Spelling Bee, so these kids are a couple years older, and it would be interesting to see if they're still losers or if they look back and already wonder why the hell they spent that much time with words. But maybe the production team ran out of money... Regardless of that, I highly recommend seeing this film if it's playing at your local dodecaplex; it totally deserved its Oscar nod.

And finally, my advice to those acoustic guitar lovers in the crowd: Jason Mraz. He most closely resembles Dispatch, but his voice is more charming. I just got turned onto him the other night from a TV ad, and I'm really enjoying his vibe. Some of his guitar riffs remind me of the better tracks on Soul Miner's Daughter's second album, yet he also has a very Crash-era Dave sound to him. So, to sum it up (and repeat myself), if you like acoustic and melodious, check Jason Mraz. He's very enjoyable. WB-worthy, indeed!

Night, chums. :oD

Ooooh! Maybe I could work at one of the adult stores on the block!!! I'm already a Southern woman, so I'd really be a woman of the world by the end of the summer if I took a job in the erotic service industry. (That sounds sooooo bad!).

Did somebody say foreboding?

So, I'm back in NYC, and I'm already exhausted. My room isn't even decorated yet, but that is of secondary importance. I do, however, have my Queer As Folk calendar and my Sweet Home Alabama poster up, so I guess it's home enough for now. I, indeed, have 3 roommates; it's gonna be a tight squeeze, but we'll see.

Most importantly, I have realized that I truly have NOTHING to do for the next three weeks, and by damn I need to find something to do; anyone who has an idea, e-mail me. I'm thinking Blockbuster; the perk of free movie rentals is just too tempting. I could work at a clothing store, but I'd spend all the money I made in an attempt to start looking like a sophisticated lady of 21, and that's no good. And any sort of waitressing gig is totally out because I would suck with a capital 'S' at that. I'm just not made for the service economy, I think. **wistful sigh**

So, wanna hear a story?

Okay!

Today there was much drama trying to reinstate my e-mail at NYU... stuff involving NetIDs, identity-confirming questions and what not. Anyhow, short-story-long, I have to rush across town to go get my account purged so I can make a new password. I only have 20 minutes, and I'm not about to hotfoot it over there, so I'm looking for a cab, and this off duty cabbie picks me up. Lucky me, right? Well, he certainly thought so. Apparently, I have a really bright aura, and when I'm ready he will read my palm free of charge. Then, the moment he drops me off on the corner of Astor Place, some random asks me where I get my hair done. Ever the polite Southern Belle, I tell him Birmingham, and he starts talking to me. However, I wasn't havin' none of that because I had a deadline. It was so weird. Was he picking me up or trying to solicit me to go to another hair salon? I guess I'll never know...

Tragedies every day, I know

However, it has been an Alan-Cumming-eriffic day! I picked up 2 mags at the airport for the plane ride, and he was definitely in at least one of them. Entertainment Weekly, I think. (Sidenote: I don't want to work for People anymore, Entertainment Weekly is where it's at!) Anyhow, when I'm walking back from the Astor Place shenanigans, I am strolling all hot-like through the West Village, and I check to see if there are anymore copies of HX, and indeed there are -- as well as a copy of Metro, another free fagrag, and who is in both of them? My BFAC, of course! One even has a full-out article with reference to big, black dildos (or X Men 2 mutant tails that look like them) and life lessons about protecting your anus from upwardly mobile cameras... In the words of Ms. Stewart, it's a good thing.

There were some bumps and some boredom, but by damn if it didn't turn out to be a good day! I even got to watch Joey the Fat-one in nouveau Fame. Awhaw...

Now I'm gonna go read my last readings until I have to start preparing for comps. Hopefully I'll think of a brilliant job while I dream.