everybody!

We finally got our internet hooked up (plus 65 channels of pretty, pretty TV), and, without wishing to sound too dramatic, I feel like we've just got indoor plumbing. Think about it. You know you can go without it, and you adjust to having to go get your water once a day, if you're lucky, but when you finally get that hot and cold tap--you realise what you've been missing.

I was watching a documentary a few days ago about women getting plastic surgery. (up until about two hours ago, our choices were fairly limited) Most of them gave the same reason, "I'm not doing it for anyone, I'm doing it to feel better about myself!" This made me think about what makes people feel good. I'm already, thanks to Susan's lectures on ageing stage-makeup, more aware of the places in my face where the lines are going to be, but most of the time I don't really care. What makes me feel better about myself, is being useful and productive--see entries below. I don't know where I got that attitude toward my self-worth from, instead of basing it on my looks. I suspect I got most of it from my parents, but then I have to wonder if maybe I didn't succumb to a LITTLE media pressure: there are a lot of stereotypical women out there who want to be just like the faces in the magazines, but then again, there are a lot of stereotypes of the fat friend who has a "great personality." And is damn smart. And you better not forget it.

So, I've been working for a large--strike that, huge international building and investment company, which will remain nameless in case I have to bitch about co workers in the future. How big, you might ask? Well, they OWN the Chrystler Building in New York, and their main offices are in Rockefeller Center. I am working in a lovely reconditioned building. From the outside it has a stately Victorian manner, on the inside it is steel and glass, based around two courtyards. I am on the eighth floor, so when I look out I can kind of see the sky, and a bunch of nasty rooftops. Ah, London. To get to work I have to pass a veritable who's who of theatre streets: Kemble Street, Garrick Street, etc. I don't exactly work FOR anyone, and I don't exactly work WITH anyone, but all the people who sit around me are friendly and helpful. I am support to six managers, so I arrange their travel, do their expenses, file their folders, book meetings, schedule their calendars, things like that. It's a little intimidating, because I've never done it before, but at the same time, once you learn it, you remember it.

I've only been there for three days, but already I feel like, "is this my life? am I really working in London?" Obviously, I don't want to do this forever--and luckily this will work out perfectly with me stage managing a show in a week's time. My goal is to live off of money I earn and try not to touch my savings. We'll see if that's possible. Of course, I've already spent my first paycheck on office clothes, but isn't that always the way things go? Right now we're in the middle of a heatwave (courtesy of Hurricane Gordon) so I can get away with no coat, but I'm going to need a new one soon. I say "need" I mean "I saw this green suede coat that cried when I walked away from it..." No place like London.

And, I have about four shows that I want to see. SEE, as opposed to SM for a change. If any of you are in London, here's my list: Eden's Empire, Amadeus, La Traviata and Caroline, or Change. The last is the musical I've been RAVING about for two years and it's going to be HERE at the NATIONAL with TONYA PINKINS who should have won that Tony, damnit. I'll be sure and tell her that when she comes out of the stage door where I'll be waiting... :)