Well I sent Mavis a huge long rant-and-blab email today, complaining about everything under the blue sky, so let’s all say a big Thankya to her for taking the brunt.  So only good stuff today, because I will behave and attempt to quell my inner Kraken.

1. RtB fiend Stoney and I began our rehearsal schedule for Grease. Some of you will remember the “drama within a drama” back when the cast list was published. Well we are gratified to begin seeing that our cast selections (at least from the rehearsals we’ve had thus far) were spot on.
2. The Js arrive tomorrow night for a sleepover. It’s all part of my rock & roll fantasy to use the weekends to get work done AND have some time to spend with my preciouses. I love being Grammie.
3. Since my rant to Mavis, I feel a bit better about several things. That may spare some teenagers some hardship today. Again, we pause and thank Mavis. Selah.
4. Had a hospital test come up negative — yay!
5. Did I mention it was Finkday?

I totally forgot that yesterday was my birthday. Finkweb’s birthday, that is. And of course, in celebration, I shall have to bake something. Nah, maybe not. What I will do is thank you once again for reading and sharing your thoughts on this little forum for the last four years.

February 2008 — I had no business starting a writing adventure, since I was hip-deep in teaching, rehearsing shows, and taking night classes. Whatever possessed me to go, “I think I’ll start a blog about nothing,” I’ll never know. The conventional wisdom at that time advised against starting a blog that didn’t have a specific purpose — and I was definitely purposeless — but I’m glad I jumped in anyway, because not only am I building a portfolio of essays for some future, pie-in-the-sky hopeful writing job, I’m enjoying the somewhat daily contact with family and friends: something very important to me. (Have I told you how much I love the comment love?)

Who could ask for a better result? All this blessing from a blog about nothing.

And I have you to thank for it.

Happity birthday to us!

It’s been a fantastic five days, meeting up with old and new friends, spending some much-needed time with the Thriller, and burying myself in jazz ed work for awhile. I just dropped off the earth, and while I missed writing to you, it was fun being in another world for almost a week. It drove the point home: it’s time for a cool change. I love my students, the community where I teach, and my colleagues — but I’m ready to write, bake, travel and be Grammie.

I’m ready to dist-appear.

Do you ever get that way? Ever resent the alarm clock, the routine, the long work hours? I do. But, as always, the boo-hoo is tempered by gratitude for a great job, family and friends to love, and the basic necessities of life. I know of people who have none of that, and I feel guilty for complaining. Then again, if I put all my snark on a grid, I think I’d find that the heaviest occurrence takes place during the start of a rehearsal run — much like I’m in right now.

I’ve been asked how I cope with the schedule I keep. Ha — it’s been so much worse than now. Remember two-three years ago, when I was teaching all day, rehearsing all evening, and then going home to study and write papers? Feh. This is nothing compared to that. And I don’t really think I consciously embark on a coping strategy, either. Rather, I just do it because it has to be done, and try not to think of the dark side. Maybe that’s coping. However, don’t get me wrong: I enjoy what I do. It’s actually been the one thing in my life that I’ve stuck with for what I would call the “long haul.” Honestly, I tire of a routine pretty easily, and tend to get distracted by shiny things. It has often amazed me that I’ve been at this for 19 years straight, without jumping ship because I wanted a new challenge. Well…the old wanderlust is rearing its ugly head. Would that I could just give in and take off in a new direction, but things like mortgages, school loans, cars, home repairs, the realities of life…they have a way of spoiling the drifter’s dreams. Flag them for intentional grounding.

Speaking of the ground — I need to hit it running. *pO0f* — she’s gone. 

Where have you gone? 

Fink here, posting from the Crowne Plaza in Columbus. Up since 3:30 and ready for another long day.

On the upside, I’ve seen some cool people and things so far. Too bad some of the stuff I really want to see takes place when I’m either in a meeting or working at the booth in the exhibit hall. Why can’t I just have everything I want?

This is the first time in quite a while I’ve attended this convention without the Thriller in tow. I reveled in the solitude of my room for about an hour — then I was like, OK, what do I do now? There’s no one to talk to. So before drifting off with the light, the Nook and the glasses still on, I watched Exporting Raymond on HBO. Very interesting and funny documentary about the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond taking his show to Russian television.

So today, it’s booth work, a couple of sessions and a concert. Best go try to find some coffee, because this diesel fuel they stock in the in-room coffeemakers just isn’t cutting it.

Am I snarky this morning? Do I have a fever? I’m not feeling like myself. Perhaps I need more music geekery to brighten my mood.

Ummm…maybe not.

FO