Category Archives: Richmond

Comin’ a terrible storm…

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Well, Sandy has officially sewn herself into her leather pants, lit her cigarette, teased up her hair, and started dancing her way down the coast. I’ve dealt with hurricanes before, of course, being a VA girl, but never one nicknamed “Frankenstorm”. Which, frankly, annoys me because it’s not called “Dr. Frankenstorm’s Monster”, but that’s a whole other can of nerdy worms.

As I write this, I’m sitting in my comfy orange chair, looking out at my little patio. This is my kind of weather right now: chilly, but not freezing. Gray and gloomy and rainy, but not apocalyptic. I like cloudy days – they’re calm and soothing. I always feel refreshed after a cloudy day. It’s like everything gets quieter when the sun goes away. This weather is just crying out for me to make tea and soup and take a nap. It’s just so peaceful!

Oh. Wait. This is temporary. This is a hurricane. This is gonna get real soon.

Last year, when I was pregnant, the hurricane situation wasn’t so bad. We only lost power for about 36 hours or so, and I was at work (where they had a generator) for the majority of the day. The guy at Starbucks gave me a free latte because I looked so tired. I only missed one shower. It wasn’t exactly a rough time. Morning sickness aside, it was pretty relaxing, actually.

This year, I have a baby. This is going to be a whole new experience. The rain and wind are picking up. We’re pretty prepared, and we should be okay for a few days if we lose power. Plus, once the storm is over, we’re able to walk to a good number of places that should have supplies if need be. We could also trek to my mother’s house and several friends if we really need to. However, I’m still nervous. I worry about losing heat, about the winds  getting too high, about something happening to our cars. I worry about my friends and family. I worry about Adam having to work tonight, in the storm and dark and on the road (and, I must confess, I’m crossing my fingers that his store loses power and cancels his shift).

My hope is that everything will be far less severe than has been predicted. I just want to spend the evening reading books on my Kindle by candlelight and eating Halloween candy. So as of right now – about 2:30 PM – we’re safe and perfectly fine. Fingers crossed that this continues.

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Theatre geek says what?

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What?

No, seriously, I had the greatest night.

Not only did I get to get all dressed up and spend time with my husband, in-laws, and practically the entire Richmond theatre community (a.k.a. basically all of my friends), I got to watch people I love, admire, respect, and see as inspirations be recognized for their hard work and achievements throughout this season.

A local awards ceremony for a small city’s theatre community might not seem like much to those who are accustomed to things like the Tonys, but believe me – it matters. While I had those Broadway dreams as a kid, I soon found that what I really wanted was to help expand the local scene. It is in no way “settling”. It is cultivating. It is an exciting time to be in Richmond if you work in theatre. Our theatre culture has come so far in just my lifetime and has changed so much that I really feel we are on the cusp of something amazing. More risks are being taken. More original works are being produced. More fringe and independent companies are cropping up. People are returning to this city to continue their growth as an artist. People are coming here to do one job and loving it so much that they choose to stay.

I have always loved my hometown. Nights like this remind me why.

Congratulations to all of the winners of this years RTCC Awards. I am so proud to share this community with you.

Questions for Ethan

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Why do you spit our your pacifier if you know it will freak you out and make you scream? You’re perfectly capable of holding it, even in your sleep. What is that about? Is it a power thing?

Do you have some sort of sixth sense that connects directly to my attempts to fall asleep? Because I had just gotten into bed when you pooped a mountain. Is there a reason that couldn’t have happened when I was already up?

I just assume you’re aware of how cute your dimples are and the power you can wield with your little grins, so all I need to know is: do you plan to use that power for good or evil?

I’m pretty sure you stop crying as soon as Daddy holds you so that you can trick him into thinking he’s a baby whisperer. How close am I to the truth?

I smell pee. But I do not see pee. Did you pee or am I hallucinating?

How can you sleep in the utter chaos that is Cartwheels and Coffee, and how can I learn to do the same?

Why is there a kid wearing what looks like a bulletproof vest on the playground? I don’t actually expect you to know the answer to that one, I’m just curious.

Mommy’s little chunkster!

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First off, I’d like to say just how proud I am of Ethan for taking his shots like a champ. He had one in each thigh and only cried for a moment (he calmed down as soon as I picked him up). Good job, little Tomato!

Now on to the part where it’s totally acceptable for me to call my child fat.

Ethan has grown to 22″ and now weighs 10 lbs. 8 oz! I knew he was in a growth spurt when he downed 7 oz. of formula without batting an eye. I,  however, batted both. Several times. I would have been worried about overfeeding if he hadn’t waited six hours before taking another bottle – perhaps we’re just going to hit the 8-ounce mark early and call it good. Which I’m fine with, because it would mean he’ll probably be sleeping through the night sooner rather than later.

And now for something completely unrelated to baby.

HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING “MAD MEN”? WHY NOT?!? THIS SEASON IS ALL MANNER OF CRAZY. Spoilers below.

Between Joan finally telling Greg where to go, Lane Pryce beating the snot out of Pete Campbell, and that whole drug-induced episode on Sunday, I am left reeling. I absolutely adore the show and while this season is so far not my favorite, I can’t help loving the direction it seems to be going. And that specific direction is known as “where the hell ever it feels like”. I have no clue where we’ll be by the end of the season, and in the past I’ve had at least some theories. I love the curve balls being thrown this time around. Also, MOAR ROGER ON LSD PLZ.

And on a completely “I blog, therefore pay me” note…the Blogmakers gave me a score of 8. Send sponsorship in a little silver parachute and I’ll hook you up.

In all seriousness, I am interested in advertising for people, and if you have a business you’d like to promote, just let me know and I’ll send you the details. I’m trying to keep it as local as possible since there are so many fantastic local folks/businesses that need attention! Nothing like a little shameless shilling to get you through your day. Blame the cost of formula.

I want to start a theatre.

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I’ve wanted to do this for my entire life, but now I’m really itching to do it. I want to open a theater here in Bon Air.

I grew up in Bon Air and have always adored it. It’s a beautiful part of town that still has a lot of its charm from its days as a Victorian vacation spot. There are some great restaurants and locally-owned shops, and it’s close to just about everything. The one thing we’re missing? Live entertainment. I know we must have some somewhere over here, but it’s hard to find it. If it’s out there, I haven’t found it yet outside of the schools.

When I was in high school, a lot of my friends were interested in trying to get some professional and community theatre credits, but their parents wouldn’t let them audition. This was usually because it was just too inconvenient for them to go “all the way downtown”…but for some, it was because “downtown is too dangerous.” Okay, I’ve worked at and/or attended shows at every theater in Richmond and Petersburg at least once. I’ve never felt like I was in any kind of danger. I’m not quite sure why so many people seem to think that the moment you cross into the city limits you’re going to get mugged. It was a shame to see my very interested and talented friends be kept away from the opportunity to experience professional theatre.

While I don’t get the fear of Big Bad Downtown Richmond (don’t drunkenly stumble down dark alleys and you’ll likely be okay), I do understand the convenience issue. A lot of parents are already struggling to balance family activities, and I don’t know a single person who isn’t insanely busy these days. That’s another reason why I think this side of town could really benefit from a theater…it could open doors for a whole new crop of people and provide a more convenient location for actors and technicians who have moved to this area!

I know it’s incredibly difficult to start a theatre company. I know it will take a lot of learning and sudden business know-how on my part. I know that I certainly can’t do it on my own…but I also know that if I don’t at least try to make this happen, I will regret it! There are so many talented people living a spit away from us (seriously, Bon Air is quickly becoming the spot to where young theatre couples move and make babies happen). I know that if this happens, it could really be something special.