How is it Thursday night already?!

The week has flown by. Sometimes it feels like all we do is rush. I’ve got to work in the office, rehearse, work around the house. Jeanne has to teach, plan her teaching, work around the house, grade homework nightly. The kids have homework, play rehearsal, music lessons and dance class. (We agreed to let the kids try whatever we could afford and make time for, it’s their choice, we don’t push them into any activities. Still, they won’t be allowed to add more anytime soon!)

Our lives are fairly typical, I think, for a normal busy family… That’s what amazes me! Those schedules are crazy! And those don’t count normal stuff like family get-togethers, buying birthday presents, kid sleepovers or going to get your license plates renewed (which I just did… 8 days past expiration – whoops!)

Ah well… As long as we’re determined to make some Quality Family Time every few days, I think we’ll be okay!

And by “okay” I mean happy, but sleepy!

Had a great meeting with the creators of our World Premiere piece coming up in May. Very excited about the project, and couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to be working on it.

Also prepped for tomorrows rehearsal of our current show and prepped for auditions of our 4th show, Panache.

All of this was great, but the day got even more greaterer once I got home! (yes, more greaterer!)

My 8 year-old unveiled some flyers he’d made that were all about his newest idea: The Healthy Heart Club. The Club, which he hopes to start next week, will be for folks who want to come over and take walks, work out, play with the dog, or do anything like that which will be good exercise for their heart.

His plan is to post flyers all over town, and have this happen every Saturday. At our house. Cuz, y’know, people should be healthy.

Sweetest. Boy. Ever.

We discussed the pros and cons of his plan, and came to a compromise.

Then the whole family had a dance party.

Life is good.

Chris Purchis took this great photo of Leaving Iowa during our photo shoot…

Leaving Iowa first preview went well last night. Some moments to work with the cast, a couple with the tech, but that’s what previews are for so I’m happy about that.

Overall, I think the show is very pretty, very funny, and in another week when we hit the official opening it will be in really fine shape.

One of the local reviewers likes to come on First Preview. Although it’s not normally done we don’t complain – he’s a nice guy who also usually writes very favorable reviews, including the “4 out of 4” review posted this morning on the Michigan Entertainment website, which you can see right here! Some nice quotes, including “I will say right up front that you want to get your tickets to this show RIGHT NOW” and “Hop in the car and ride along in that back seat, you will be glad you did.”

It’s funny – this show is a very family oriented show, focusing a lot on the family dynamics of car trips, young siblings fighting, and the relationship between father and son. Where I am right now in MY life, both being a son AND having a young son, there are some scenes in the show that just wipe me out! In the repetition of rehearsals I’d almost gotten ‘immune’ to some of those moments, but last night watching it with an audience.. they really hit home. Listening to people laughing, and then listening to a lot of them sniffling and getting emotional when the moments hit… well, it’s a beautiful thing.

A nice reminder of A) Why I do what I do and B) Why I like to go home to my family after I do what I do!

We’ve all heard the “Joe Six-Pack” line coming from Sarah Palin and the Republicans, AND from some Democrats.

Here, by copperwise, is a wonderfully written response to it: Take a minute and check it out. It’s definitely worth the read.

Starting Previews tonight, and I’m really looking forward to them. I think this show, as fine as it’s been going, will grow leaps and bounds with an audience over the next week. The actors will get a chance to rep the show, find the rhythms, and really live in the play.

I love this part! 🙂

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.
– e e cummings

This quote came in useful today, as I’m simply exhausted!

Miscellaneous thoughts:

Took my daughter to her orthodontist appointment. A) When did my kids get old enough to be preparing for braces, and B) Good Lord, who’s paying for those?

Previews start this week – we’ll be ready, and we’ve got work to do. That’s an okay place to be – I LOVE previews, and can’t wait to see how audiences respond!

The Detroit Tigers have finished their season, and Thank God. It was pleading to be put out of its misery. Last place in the division. Man, what a disappointment.

Speaking of baseball… even though the Tigers were horrible, the MLB season end was (is) pretty exciting. Lots of down to the wire division battles – in fact, the White Sox and Twins finished in a TIE for our division, which means a one-game tie-breaker to decide the division champ! That’s an exciting thing – very, very fun!

Finally getting sleepy – thinking I might be able to sleep through the night tonight. Thank goodness, tomorrow is going to be a busy day!

Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.
– Daniel H. Burnham

I can’t remember if I’ve ever posted this quote… but I like reading it, so I’m posting it again.

What every man needs, regardless of his job of the kind of work he is doing, is a vision of what his place is and may be. He needs an objective and a purpose. He need a feeling and a belief that he has some worthwhile thing to do. What this is no one can tell him. It must be his own creations. Its success will be measured by the nature of his vision, what he has done to equip himself, and how well he has performed along the lines of its development. – Joseph M. Dodge

Things I’m looking forward to this week…
Cueing lights and sound for Leaving Iowa
Rehearsing during the day this week
Seeing Well at MSU, directed by my friend Lynn
Seeing Permanent Collection at Boarshead, starring my friend Dana
Going with my family to a Tiger’s game on Friday night (yes, the team sucks, but I love going)
Having our “10 out of 12” Tech day on Saturday – putting everything together is like Christmas for directors!

I could survive for 1 minute, 3 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

I had Jeanne take the test right after me… she lasted 35 seconds. *laughing* We’ve decided I’ll hold off the Jurassic Attack and let her run away with the kids.