Everything's Bigger in Texas!

That's especially true with their highway system. LETTT'SSS TALK ABOUT IT!!!!! They have off-ramps that go to other highways that are about 50+ feet off the ground. It's crazy. Too bad traffic here isn't any better than anywhere else.

Also, its so nice down here. Its been in the high 40s-low 50s since we got here. 80 by Friday, unfortunately when we leave, and we'll come back to freezing back in MI.

There's a store called Condoms To Go. That's just too funny.

Saw a Lotus Elise. Nice small car.

I could probably live in this state.

Random thought #5 goes here

Funk #49 rocks!

The guy I'm working with is such a tight-ass. He doesn't seem to know how to let loose. (No, this is not a gay joke, Goerg and Claudio. I know you were thinking it)

On The Road: Colorado

Well, I finally made it out to Colorado. It sucks that I'm out here for work, but I'm glad I'm out here. The scenery is beautiful, especially with the snow on the mountains. I wish it was summer time, but it was 50 degrees out today, so I'm pretty happy. What was it in Michigan today, like -5? So far we haven't made it out to Denver (and we probably won't), but where we're at is pretty nice. I'm excited to see what it's going to be like to live here.

Hope you guys are staying warm. Be back Friday night/Saturday morning.

For now, here are some pictures from my phone (wish I brought my camera) from the back windows of the store:





Goerg and Claudio: how's the video coming along?

Life on the Road

These past 3 weeks have been interesting.

The first week I was in Farmington Hills, which was good because I was able to see my parents and friends who are not readily available. But it required lots of commuting, mostly during rush hour. Rush hour pisses me off, if you remember from earlier posts. Its almost as bad as raping babies. Also, Farmington has quite a few fatties and uggos. That's not acceptable. This city is a bust, luckily I didn't have to spend much time there.

Last week I was in some small town called Ottawa. No, not in America's hat. It was a city in Illinois. I wasn't expecting much from this city, but I received a lot more. First off, there are some hotties in Ottawa, unfortunately though, they were not slutty. The ones who were not hot, were actually fun to work with. Go figure. The staff at that store was amazing and made my week feel like nothing. The guy I was opening the store with was also a riot. It was a good week.

This week is quite a different beast. Whoever's idea it was to open a store on the week of Christmas should have his nuts ripped out by Jesus. I'm going to have to drive back to MI in a fucking snow storm on Christmas Eve. What the fuck! I'm in Kildeer, IL, which is like 30 miles south of Wisconsin. It's going to take me forever to get home. I drove here to provide 1...ONE!...full day of support, the other 2 are going to be half days. Why the fuck am I here? Everything at this store is going to be false...sales, delivery times, the "help" we are giving...because the store is right in the heart of a big shopping district, and guess where everyone goes to shop? Business is going to be way slower after the holidays. They really thought this one through. What the fuck ever though, I get 4 days off starting tomorrow.

There is 2 bad things about being on the road so much. 1) I am putting a shit ton of miles on my leased car (14,000 miles in 7 months). I'm probably going to try to rent a car next time. 2) I'm away from home for too long doing some bullshit work.

There are good things though. I am able to see new cities, whether they suck or not I still get to see new places. I get to do bullshit work (meaning, 3 hours of actual work on a 8-9 hour day) and get paid for it.

When I started "righting" this post, I had a grander vision for it. But now I think that vision is lost. Oh well, I get to come home tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

I'm Not a Complete Fuck Up...yet...

So yesterday I was offered the job of franchise consultant for Jimmy Johns. I'm thrilled, but also kinda nervous. I guess that comes with the territory. I'm going from only knowing what it's like to work at a "high school job" or one to get me through college to an actual full-time job with a salary. It's gonna take some long hours with little glamor to be good at my job. I'm prepared for that. I've slacked off for way too long in my life to let this slip. This will be a good wake-up call for me to whip my ass into shape. For the last couple of months I have been a lazy fuck, now its time for me to do something with my life. This should be good.

The one thing I'm really worried about is that I have to move to a different state, most likely Kentucky, at least for the first year. After the first year, I may be moved to Denver. I hope that I'll be able to make some friends down there, or that will be one lonely year. At the same time, I'm excited to move to a different city and experience a whole new way of life...that is, if it's any different than here.

Dave, I'm sorry that I have to leave you (especially with Kiznox moving) but I just can't stay here if I have a chance to do something with my life. I don't expect to stay with this forever, but I gotta do something. Something to kick start my life into gear. Love ya bro, hopefully you don't get too lonely.

Sorry I didn't call most of you to tell you this, but like I said, I live a lazy life. Hopefully this job will change that.

Welcome to the real world, fucker!
Thanks...I guess.

I hope this is just a speed bump in my path to doing what I want and not what I'm told. But for now...I have a job! Also, I now can finally buy a new computer, probably an Apple laptop, because my computer is slowly and painfully dying. I would take her out back and shoot her behind the tool shed, but I still need her until the new baby comes along.

Work Sucks...

So I'm at work. I have no other responsibilities for the rest of the show. But I'm not allowed to go home. Why? Who fuckin knows. So I'm just gonna be chilling here for the next 45 mins or so doing nothing. I'm SO pumped for South Park tonight, because Erek is supposed to come over (and maybe spend the night ;) ) and I actually have bud. I got some from Kristin who told me that Ben is still being a little bitch about me. But he wrote me a text saying I'm allowed to go over to his place again, so the period of not speaking is over (whatever, at least now he doesn't have to be so awkward about it). Although he was not happy that I called him "bud" in my text message back. So I guess we can be friends, I just can't make it too obvious that that's ALL we are. But anyway. I should really get back on headset. PEACE OUT YO

Thanks for the guilt trip

Just kidding dude. I have been working my ass off (I am currently on my sixth straight day, which today was 12 hours, and I finish my stretch with day number seven tomorrow). I will try harder. I will say this...I could not have been more ecstatic then when I saw the Stanford beat USC yesterday!! Go Cardinal!

I am currently working on the next installment of the Weekly WYR though! Be excited!!

Set Strike

or "Why My Job is Preventing Me From Having Any Semblance of a Social Life"

So it's 2. and I just got home from work. Yep, that's two saturday nights in a row that have been ruined. Next weekend is Chicago, then I should have a weekend off before the wedding (although D+J really want me to come up for their respective bitrthdays, but I just don't think I have the time or money to do it :( ). Then shit hits the fan with Boheme. I mean, besides the boheme cast party, I literally have no opportunity to go out on a Saturday night til... December. Essentially.

Grrr.

At least I LOVE the people I work with. I should try to round up a group of them to party

I'm at Work

So work currently rules my life. in a bad way. So I'm sticking it to the man, pulling a Kiznox, and blogging at work. on a light bridge. 100 ft above the stage. or maybe 50. I'm a terrible judge of distance.

So Always Sunny in Philadelphia last night=amazing. Especially the second one. The scene with Dee climbing on fire out of the well and throwing the box of kittens? Classic television. Drawn together was pretty good as well, although I think I like that show better when I'm stoned.

Actually I know I like it better when I'm stoned. I like everything better when I'm stoned.

I found a new fun music group called Modeselektor. Thom Yorke likes them a lot. And, not surprisingly, I do too. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Audioslave self titled cd last night. Now I need to listen to the Rage album I got and the other modeselektor album - some tasks for tonight.

I want to go to a bar. Bleh. Drinking a shit ton of red wine by myself is not as fun as you might think. It's FUN! but not THAT fun

Some musings after a long ass night...

Hello Everybody!
So I haven't really taken the time to write much recently because I've been so busy. I just got off of work... after 5am. So that was a nice ten hour day starting at 7 pm. It's a little intense. My job is kind of scary in how professional it is. I feel more driven at this job than I ever did at my desk jobs - the importance of working quickly and efficiently is so high at this job. And it's also a little scary knowing how easily people can get hurt - I fitted a gel frame (something that colors lamps on stage) incorrectly and it dropped down 50 ft narrowly missing the guy who was calling up what light it needed to go into. Now this is not a totally rare occurence, it does happen and you just yell out "heads!" and it's fine. And gel frames are metal pieces that weight probably 2 lbs. But cropping that distance can make pretty much anything dangerous... it's just weird. Not to mention frequently working 50-150 ft above the ground leaning out to try to take pieces off of lights, or whole lights off of railings. It's crazy. And again... to strike the set tonight, we had to work til 5 in the morning, and that was with probably 12 electrics people (what I work) and at least 25 stage crew people (who were in charge of demolishing the set because it was retired after this show).

I still haven't really found my place here. I feel stuck in some sort of limbo between my school world and my work world. I missed the cast party tonight obviously, and I've been trying to find people to hang out with from school, but I still don't have anyone I can just call to come over and hang out for no good reason. On the other hand, I love my work friends, but again, I never feel like I'm really "part of the crowd" enough to ask for phone numbers and such. Maybe that'll change as time goes on. Maybe it'll get worse since I'm not working Susannah (the next opera) or Boheme. Who knows.

Some thoughts on vices: I have all but given up my drinking, smoking and drug use down here. I suppose it's a good thing to save those for special occasions, but I still can't help but feel like I'm not the same anymore. Not because I don't get high, or drunk. But because those things are kind of a symbol of youth and irresponsibility (in a good way) for me now. I've said it a million times, but it's so true that "you can't go home again." I love that phrase because it works for so many different aspects of growing up. As much as I want to cling on to the "glory days" of my undergrad, I truly am becoming an adult now. I have my first major role in an opera, a relatively serious committed job, one degree under my belt working on a second, my own apartment with M.C. Escher prints on the walls and a "study" that houses my desk and piano, and soon to be a guest bed, et cetera, et cetera. That is just so weird to me. My motto has always been "I work hard and I play hard." Nowadays it's more just "I work hard." It's not necessarily a bad thing - I'm enjoying myself, and it feels good to be motivated and make new friends and all, but it's such a different feeling. Being responsible is a lot more of a change than I thought it would be - I was reasonably responsible at MSU, but nowhere near the level I am now. And with good reason - I have every chance in the world to make it big some day. I know I'm good enough. I've been told constantly by people that I have everything going for me as a singer. Especially if I can get into really good shape and just keep working the way I have been, I will probably have a career somewhere. But the closer I get to reaching that goal, the less nights I can take to just be crazy. This is why I like mushrooms (if I can avoid smoking or drinking while on them). It doesn't make any difference in how I am the next day, except that I'm a little braindead - but no sort of hangover or dry/sore throat. Good stuff.

Speaking of which, my young gay Environmental Science major that I've mentioned before on here (although not recently) is going to try to find me some for the Bassnectar concert in exchange for me buying alcohol for him. Yay!

Yes I'm definitely going to see Bassnectar. I'm taking a full weekend to visit Eric and co.in Chicago and going out to bars on Friday and the concert on Saturday. I'm stoked - I have no specific time to be back sunday, so I can really enjoy myself. Interesting fact - only in Michigan do we say "going out to the bar" any time we're going out to any and all bars in the area. Other places say "going to bars." Interesting.

So anyway, I'm going to miss church tomorrow (which is bad but necessary). I feel bad because my schedule's been so off and on for it, but that's what happens when you get busy. I'm sure Dr. P will understand - it's not like I'm hired for it or anything.

Anyway, enough typee. I'm going to fucking bed.

Stressful

So I have a music history test tomorrow... sick. If only the music from gregorian chant through late medieval times meant shit to me, or was something I cared about. Also keep your fingers crossed that my car makes it all the way to and from Michigan... why do you guys all have to live so far away anyway? ;) I can't WAIT to party on thursday night - get the gang together and such. And considering it's tuesday and I've already worked 14 hours since sunday, not including school, I could really use a break. the people at my job are always snapping and stressed out- for no good reason. The job can be a little stressful, but seriously it's not nearly as bad as they act. If you do something wrong, or if something doesn't go according to plan, it's fine! That's why we do rehearsals. You tell me, and we'll fix it. Responses like "well we move these to help you, so you shouldn't complain" are so unnecessary. Especially when your reasoning is because you have so much to get done during intermission (which is 15 minutes by the way), and I find you sitting doing nothing when I get over there two seconds later. Whatever. Not to toot my horn, but I'm a good employee and I just get stuff done when it needs to be done. And I let people know politely when I could use their assistance, and sometimes they just take it as a personal attack - I'm talking to YOU girl on stage left crew who thinks she's the shit!
End rant. I need to get to MI. Especially to get fo'd up with my good friends. :)
Cottonmouth signing out.

ps Cottonmouth is a badass nickname in its own right as well. rock