No Surprise

It probably comes as no surprise when I say that the last post took a lot out of me. That's why I haven't posted in over a week. Now I'll try to get y'all back up to speed.

Been fighting a sinus/ear infection that has the added benefit of giving me some TMJ problems as well. No chewing gum for me for awhile. While the kids were home over spring break, I did not go to the gym once. Feels like I slid more than just a week, even though it's only that much actual time. The good news is the first time back last week I did a full-on workout with extended cardio and upper body, and I wasn't too sore afterward. I've also been keeping up with my chiro and massage, so the muscles and spine are in good shape. And my LMP has been studying reflexology, so I get to be her guinea pig. Fine by me!

Got a visit from my buddy Hans over Easter weekend. Hans and I were the first artists at Boss Game Studios back in the early 3D days (circa 1994). Remember the first Sony Playstation (aka PSX)? The Sega Saturn? The Nintendo Virtual Boy? I don't blame you if you don't remember that last one - it was on the market for about five seconds. Hans still works as an artist in the game industry, albeit in San Diego - so whenever he comes up to Seattle to visit family, we try to meet up. We're like a couple dorky kids when we get together.

Things with Tyler have been going pretty smoothly, despite a small incident today. He's really starting to show an amazing level of maturity. In fact, he took his last month's allowance that he'd saved and opened a savings account today. Wow!

Kayleigh was invited by the owner of her dance studio to join a second class during the week - the members of which will do a second performance at this year's recital. This morning as I was dropping her off at school, she wished me luck dealing with Tyler. That made me chuckle.

Kayleigh and I went to the Pacific NW Ballet production of Sleeping Beauty on Saturday night, thanks to a fellow widda in my Gilda's group. It was a lavish, beautiful performance - although at 3 hours with 3 intermissions, a tad long for the younger set. Honestly, ballet is probably my least favorite of the classical arts. There are only so many moves and so many solos I can watch before I'm making a snowflake out of my program or counting the lights on the grid. But it's hard to beat a top-notch ballet company doing their shtick to Tchaikovsky's famous score (played by one of the best orchestras in the world). The sets were fantastic, the makeup and costumes amazing. In fact, I must mention the coolest thing for me personally as a history geek: the first half is set in a 17th century fairy tale kingdom. Long hair and van dykes, cavalier jackets and floppy boots. Totally appropriate given that the origins of the written story date back to the 17th Century French folklorist Charles Perrault. Then, after Aurora falls asleep for 100 years and we meet the prince who will save her, everyone is wearing 18th Century waistcoats and tricorn hats. Very cool - "hats off", as it were, to the costume designer.

I've been getting a lot of email correspondence from the folks putting on my 20th high school reunion. Although I plan on going to California to meet up with some old friends that weekend (and will probably go to the family picnic), I have decided I am not attending the reunion dinner. Five hours of constant reminders of Sam and having to tell the story over and over just doesn't fill me with warm fuzzies.

I just finished editing a commercial for Steve Hartley's caricature business, Muggshotz. I feel like my old editing chops are starting to thaw. Also finished a second draft of Ordinary Angels, which now has a producer and a casting director. I'm putting together a scope for a documentary on the widowing process and starting a new life. There have been several widdas who have come forward to offer interviews. I think it's a promising project. Looks like I will be directing the fall show on the Twelfth Night Productions season - I've proposed A.R. Gurney's The Dining Room. Small cast, one set, limited costume changes. The ideal show for a space like Youngstown.

Other than that, the weather in Seattle has been beautiful - sunny and mid-70s with a gentle breeze. It feels like spring - it feels like rebirth. The summer schedule is filling up and the demolition on the house is supposed to start this week. Things are looking up.

Thanks for checking in!