This will be a short one, as I'm on dial up at my parents. Just wanted to let everyone know that we are safe and back in the US. In OH for a day before heading on to Austin. Still haven't slept much. You can check out our travel blog @ www.whbinder.com/trip to keep tabs on what we're doing. We journal while in the car, then pull over to a motel and steal their wifi to load everything. There's pictures and a map. Bill did a really great job with the site. So check it out!

Sunday night I was thinking about how lucky I am to have such fantastic friends. I thought, "I should post about that," but I didn't. Well, I'm doing it now. Saturday morning I had a really great talk with a friend who helped me work some stuff out. Sunday night I had a really great talk with another friend and we worked some stuff out. Then, today I get flowers at work as a good luck on my trip! How great is that?!! You guys, I don't know what the heck I did to deserve you, but thanks for being a part of my life! (this goes out to all y'all)

So, everyone at work is making a big deal out of it 'cause I'm single. Bev, my old supervisor, came by and asked who they were from.

"Just a friend. Why, do you have someone in mind for me?" I asked jokingly.
"I wish I did, honey. But I don't know anyone good enough for you. You're special."

Holy cow! A. I was just kidding. B. I wasn't fishing for compliments. But seriously, she totally made my day with that comment out of the blue. See, you have to understand that Bev doesn't say stuff like that. And zha just had a post up about the importance of making someone's day on social insect. Group mind of the Universe!

By the way, I am getting zero work done, in case anyone is keeping track. :-)

I took a shower yesterday morning. I just realized the next shower I can take will be Friday afternoon. Gross. This will be the dirtiest I've been in my life. Who cares??! Anyway, Bill set up a webpage for us to update with photos and trip anecdotes. As soon as I get that info, I will post it here. I need to go to work for a few hours so I can leave early and drive for 33 hours!!! Yea!

packing, packing! one two three!

Lindsay is on her way. Hopefully she'll make it here w/out too much trouble. It's lightening like crazy here. Cassy and I are secretly hoping that we lose power and can go home early. I've been working a lot of long days to make up for leaving early last week and this week. When I get back, my schedule might change to 6-2:30. That is damn early. I have trouble enough making it here by 7.

I am SUPEREXCITED about the upcoming trip! Little sleep will be had, but I'm really pumped about hitting OH. I know we'll only be there for a day and I won't be able to see the majority of the people I want to, but it'll still be nice to see Tosh and have Marion's Pizza. Looking forward to Austin, too. It sounds like an awesome improv town.

Tonight is the first of four days for a mock trial situation (spread out over 4 months). I get to play Donna Decker, who hit Paul Perry and is being sued. Cross your fingers that my lawyer is cute!

getting close

Tonight is my last Remainders rehearsal for a while. Tomorrow I'm playing a character for a law class, then get my sister settled in. Wednesday I leave straight from work for my two week trip. At some point I need to pack and write a character analysis for a play. The drive to Toronto should be interesting. Saturday I taught two boys to drive a stick. My transmission was mad at me for the rest of the day. Tonight I teach the last. I'm really excited about performing in Toronto, and seeing people I haven't seen since PIF! Then we're hitting OH, a place I haven't been in over two years. I'm excited about seeing my folks and Tosha. I'm way excited about Cedar Point. I am a roller coaster slut, and I've never been to CP. After OH, it's on to Austin for the Out of Bounds Improv Fest. Where Chris Trew and Tommy Cannon will perform Swimprov just for me. Well, other people can watch, but in my heart of hearts I will know who it's for!

When I get back, I start rehearsals for Demons, which goes up some time in October. Plus I have 3 more days of that law class. And at some point, PIF meetings should be starting up again. Oh, and a Remainders workshop. I'm going to try to make another trip out to L.A. for surfing. Wasn't able to do that a couple of weekends ago, although I did play in the ocean. Anyway, for those of you stalking me, that's my itinerary for a while.

I have to brush my teeth and go to work now.

irony

OK, so I'm not close with my sister at all...I believe I've mentioned that in the past. Well, she's moving back to AZ. She'll be here for 2 weeks recruiting for the A&F Scottsdale store, then back to San Diego to pick up her stuff, then she and Chris will get a place together. She called today to see if she could stay at my place for those two recruiting weeks. They happen to be the exact weeks that I will be gone. How crazy is that?! She will get in Tuesday night--while I'm at ASU's Law School participating in a mock trial. I leave early Wednesday for work, then go straight to Toronto from there.

One of these days I will get to know my sister. Just not any time soon. :-/

I am oh-so-happy to have the Lost Highway soundtrack once again in my possession! I have been in a bit of a dark mood this week, and there's nothing a little NIN, Marilyn Manson, and Rammstein can't fix.

Faith leaves today for Hawaii. She will get back after I leave for Toronto. I won't see her until Sept 5 or 6.

I miss my roomie already.


Oh, and might I add: she is taking my suitcase with her. so, at least a part of me will be in hawaii. sigh...

Christina Ricci has an abnormally large forehead.

Well, I am officially in love with L.A. I mean, I've always liked it. But this weekend...there was just something that pushed me over the edge. I think going to IO twice in 2 months, talking to my friends who are out there living improv, seeing some short films others are doing, the beach...yeah, I need to be there. And I was just getting all settled into the idea of staying in PXH. 8 months ago I though I would be heading to L.A. in August at the latest. Then the whole telecommuting situation came up at my job, and I was hoping for October. Well, the telecommuting has been pushed back even more. My lease is up next June, which is probably around the time Chris and Faith will be getting married. So, I'll have to figure something out. When I was in the ocean two days ago, this vision of what my life could be like was so vivid.

The tcom looks like it will work itself out by the end of the year. I was going to drive back and forth to L.A. to take classes at IO West. But the more I think about it, the more I will want to see shows and stay longer and film small projects with my friends. I don't know...it's just...I need to be by an ocean. If I was butt broke for the rest of my life, but making shorts w/ my friends and doing improv all the time and surfing a couple days a week, I would be the happiest person. Seriously. The.Happiest. So, um, I think I'm gonna.

who knows...

To be honest, I'm a little nervous about shows this weekend. Performing for people in Casa Grande who haven't been exposed to improv--ever--is one thing. Going to another state and performing in a place that houses some of the most talented improvisers in the country is something altogether different. Bill Binder sent a particularly inspiring email this morning, and closed with this quote:

"When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself."
-Jacques Cousteau

I feel a little better.

Woohoo!!!

Today is a short work day so I can leave, pick up The Remainders, and head to Cali for some shows! Tonight @ 10 we're at IO West in the Andy Dick Box. Tomorrow night @ 11 we're at WestSide Eclectic. If you're in the neighborhood, come see us.

I'm SuperExcited!!!

and...tomorrow I will be surfing!

(i do not think it is physically (or safely) possible for me to be any happier at this moment. i am practically vomiting puppies and rainbows.)

I don't care who you are or what your nickname is, but if you have a vanity license plate, it is never a good idea for it to be "VD". That's all I'm sayin.

you know what i think is lazy?

when different states use the same city name. especially when it is the capital of one state, for cryin' out loud! ugh. that drives me crazy.

I had nightmares last night, so I didn't sleep very well. I kept waking up, going back to sleep, and picking up right where I left off. I just couldn't get away. It was about vampires. Hagrid, no comments! My POV kept switching from Angelis (yes, I know, lame) to a third party observer. It took place in this really ritzy neighborhood--actually a place I have dreamt about before. Actually, a place where other nightmares have taken place. Anyway, all of these huge houses had really nice pools, and everyone was having a pool party at night. I was going around (as Angelis) killing people. There was one party that took place during the day. I was in the pool in broad daylight, thinking, "Oh, I guess if I just stay underwater, I won't burst into flames." But I was able to get out and run into the house for cover. No one else was in it, everyone was outside. I was trapped. They started hunting me. There was something familiar about that house and that situation, and I realize now that I've had another dream that took place in the same spot. It was a serial killer who was trapped in a house, and all the neighborhood people were hunting him.

Other very vivid things I remember: Drinking blood. I remember how thick it was going down my throat. I remember not being able to get enough of it. When my POV switched to a 3rd party, I remember being really scared and running a lot. I also remember how nice the pools were.

When I finally woke up for good, I was so thirsty I couldn't stand it. I've had a lot to drink this morning, but still can't seem to quench it.

Boo. Day 2: no hot water. I'm off to the gym to get ready for work.

Words will never be able to express how much I love Faith and Chris.

They were over at her mom's house tonight, and Asha (her 4 yr-old neice) used the fireplace as her stage and sang songs she made up as Chris played guitar. They came home a few minutes ago and I said my good nights. Chris got out his guitar and the two of them then stood outside my door and made up the most wonderful song about me. It involved Buffy and charts and graphs and insurance and Cox Communications. I laughed so hard tears were running down my cheeks. I joined in the chorus with Faith and harmonized. When it was over, Chris says, "I understand why you love The Remainders so much. That was fun!"

I wonder if they will let me live with them when they get married.

today is a wasted day.

i like to be alone.

sometimes it is bad, though.

sorry

delicious juicy strawberries + brand new white pants + ashley = disaster waiting to happen.

I hope this will Shout out.


***Update:
So, the strawberries are washed out. However, I washed my swim suit skirt for the first time along with my white pants. Which are now pink. Tomorrow I must find Rit and hopefully restore the whiteness. Ugh. I am a tool.

Sitting at work, trying not to have a stroke...

The telecommuters took all the claims, which means I have nothing to do. So Bev gives me the escheatment work. Super! I love stuff like this. (I'm not being sarcastic...I get to punch numbers in and listen to my music. This is much better than filing or something equally as boring) Anyway, the task goes like this: plug number A into query. Wait 1 minute for it to pull up the claim number. Write claim number down, plug that into Genelco...etc. Well, the first one was no problem. It took about a minute in query. The second number still hadn't come up after staring at my computer screen for 8 minutes. Do you know how slowly 8 minutes can pass? I do. So I stopped the search and tried the next number. After 5 minutes, I got up and walked around and talked to people. Every once in a while, I would check back in. After 10 minutes, finally it pulled up...EVERY CLAIM NUMBER!! Then, b/c there were so many, it crashed my system. Are you KIDDING?!!

I then punched another number into query, and went to lunch. When I came back an hour later, it had finally pulled up the claim. It's taking around 15-25 minutes to pull each one up. This is what I will be doing for the next two weeks until I leave for Toronto/Dayton/Austin. AHHH!!!! Primary cause of death: cerebrovascular accident, ICD-9 436.

Crap. I discovered a Pei Wei within biking distance from my house. I forsee much low fundage in the near future.

I tried something new yesterday: I ate only when I was hungry and I went to bed when I was tired. I realized just how much nibbling I do during the day, even though I'm not hungry. Gum came in handy to quell my chewing needs. And I was in bed by 8:30. Lame? Yes. But this morning I feel great.

on a claim today théré was a chargé for "océan" at $8.90. I wondér what thé héck that was. I'd pay $8.90 for the océan!

*************

P.S. thank you, David! i now have it memorized (the little exercise above helped)

One thing atta time

I put up some new photos. Check them out.