Beware: Hidden Misogynists



So, how's it going? Quickly, as is becoming usual. Blogging is getting harder to do, it seems like I have less and less to say. But I shall fight that apathy, for your sakes, readers. Yes yes, I know, I'm ultra benevolent and martyricious (isn't that an awesome word? Yes. It is.), but you're worth it.


FIRST UP: I'm giving Jeremy the task of organising a group of people to come see my show, so get in touch with him if you're keen - leave a comment if you don't have his or my e-mail address. It's $10 cheaper if you go in a group. Spread the word, because tickets are selling pretty fast! Cheers, J!


Yesterday evening, the cast were SUPPOSED to perform at a large charity marathon event in the city. We were all a bit anxious about it, and feeling way-underprepared, and feeling that it was a really bad idea... I finally got myself psyched up about it, and ready to do it (including a duet I had), and excited about the opportunity to promote the show, when the first storm of the year (slight exaggeration for effect) hit Wellington. Considering we were performing outside in a semi-tent... bad news. So no performance.

And, annoyingly, no after-performance social gathering - the second of two such events I co-organised that have been shot down by external circumstances. So we've organised another one for this Friday night, hopefully that'll be... decent. Still, we had a big group rehearsal today, and I can definately sense that we're getting on a whole lot better than we were a few rehearsals earlier, which is nice. It would be nicer to be able to remember everyone's names.

So, busy weekend - Friday morning tea at work, Friday lunch with Dad, Friday night work drinks, Friday night life group, Saturday cafe lunch with Dave and Reubs, followed by rehearsal, followed by making dinner, followed by an all night poker game [my Fly Buys-ordered professional weight poker chips FINALLY arrived... 15 working days my BUTT!] with Dave, Dave's sister, Ed, Bjorn and Bjorn's flatmate John (I didn't win, but I staged an awesome comeback... next time we play for real money!), this morning was church (not bad, not great), followed by shopping, followed by rehearsal, followed by writing this and hopefully some e-mails, followed (finally!) by Phil's 25th (eek!) Birthday dinner.

And then a busy week: obviously work, Monday night dance class (my third week running - I'm pretty bad, but I need the practice. Beginners Jazz, if you're curious) followed by HOT FUZZ with Jeremy (looking to be a great film - by the makers of SHAUN OF THE DEAD), Tuesday/Thursday night rehearsals, Wednesday night Community Law Centre training (I'm finally getting around to doing this training, meaning I can give advice, rather than take notes - a little scary). And, hopefully, Friday night cast dinner.

Followed by two days of intensive choreography next weekend. I'm terrified. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to it. Which is kinda good, because it can't be any worse than I expect. Oo-er.

And let's not even get into how busy the next three months will be.

But I'm not complaining. I'm loving it. And not looking forward to it ending in June - although there'll still be plenty to keep me busy. It's just all law stuff.

I suppose I could keep up the dance classes...
- posted by Sam @ 4:39 PM

 
True story



Y'know, I ordered something off the flybuys website on about January 21. I was told it would take something like 15 working days to arrive. It has not arrived. That's about 30 working days later. This despite a number of e-mail complaints and reassurances that it's just because they were out of stock, you can expect it within a week, etc. etc. That bugs me. A little.

But this makes life a lot more bearable. :-)

Yes, I know that that link is entirely unrelated to my complaint, but I had to work it in here somewhere. I just did.

We're performing our Relay for Life concert in a week. That's pretty scary. Especially considering that we've practiced each song ONCE. Terrifying. Speaking of, it's surprising how I'm finding the show - quite difficult, draining, and a little stressful. That's part and parcel of doing shows while you're working, I suppose, especially as a lead. I guess I just figured it would be a lot easier.

I need to do some more practicing!
- posted by Sam @ 11:58 AM

 
The Start of Something New...

Three rehearsals in, and I'm already remembering how last year, with Beauty and the Beast, my life was subsumed and upheaved by the show. And how things that should occupy my mind or my motives - i.e. God - seem to slip away. Not through any discernable shift or omission(s), more through... an inability to multitask.

But that's not all. Ever since my trip, when things of God were not foremost in my mind due to excessive busyness and a lack of solitude, I've found it very hard to get back into the rhythm of things. My natural/instinctive baseline is introversion - it's so EASY for me to slip back into that, and what goes with it: passivity.

It's not that live is sliding me by, not quite. I mean, I'm still doing lots, and enjoying, but I'm not seeing a long-term plan, or goal. As a result, I'm not living for the future, which means living for the now (because I'd hate to live in the past), which turns into hedonism. Or egoism.

Perhaps in that way, it's like Carmi's latest blog about the (seemingly) directionless post-Uni journey - with Uni, you have a clear goal, and a clear (-ish) time frame. With life... it's so free, so laissez-faire. Too many choices, as Carmi mentioned. And many of these choices come not from within, but are imposed from without - the expectations of others, or perhaps more difficult, our expectations for ourselves based on the lives of others.

So, get a plan. Make a plan. Make a 5-year plan (by which time I'll be 30...). That's the personally empowered approach. As Carmi hinted at, a Christian (broadly speaking, there are many variations, of course) believes that there already is a plan, which will unfold regardless.

Do I believe that? Not like I used to. Not in the clear-cut sense. My belief in an interventionist God (possibly not the right term - I mean a God who actively involves himself in the little events in our lives, working them for the best) is rapidly changing. I guess I believe that 'God helps those that help themselves' more - as in, God will be there for me, no matter what path I choose. I guess that is a disillusionment borne from the many hours I spent straining for God's direction in my Dunedin years. But there's no feeling of loss there, as in, my God is no less God because of that.

Anyway, where was I? Who knows.

Rehearsals are going well. We have a mini-concert in a fortnight, for Relay for Life. I'm singing one of my duets (which we rehearsed today for the first time, and it's already sounding good). The singing on a whole is not what I expected - it's incredibly high, particularly my part. That's a challenge. We haven't started the dancing yet, but I have mixed (worried) feelings about that. Which leaves the acting, which I'm looking forward to rehearsing - tomorrow. Busy busy busy. Four rehearsals a week.

Gosh, I'm so behind on my e-mailing, too. Again.
- posted by Sam @ 3:59 PM