Never Give Up, Never Surrender

[Lady Celerity]

@MadamMeow & @Anek

Last night's rehearsal was interesting. The director added sound effects and let's just say some of them should be trashed! During one of my scenes there's supposed to be the sound of an executive using a buzzer to call his assistant (circa 1940's). The buzzer sound kept going off repeatedly during my lines and I almost thought a trap door was going to open in the stage and send me plummeting! There were several others that were very distracting and probably unnecessary and kept throwing all the actors off. It made for a very looooooonnnnng, frustrating and funny rehearsal.

26 Nov Workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 17
Iron Core Challenge day 3

Miso soup for dinner! The food emojis have disappeared! argh..!

 

[NancyTree]

You can always turn it into a 'behind the scenes' comedy version

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Last night's rehearsal was interesting. The director added sound effects and let's just say some of them should be trashed! During one of my scenes there's supposed to be the sound of an executive using a buzzer to call his assistant (circa 1940's). The buzzer sound kept going off repeatedly during my lines and I almost thought a trap door was going to open in the stage and send me plummeting! There were several others that were very distracting and probably unnecessary and kept throwing all the actors off. It made for a very looooooonnnnng, frustrating and funny rehearsal.

I have four words for your director: Dry cue-to-cue.
Seriously. Always rehearse your sound effects with technical staff only and get them nailed down as best you can before introducing them to the actors. Lighting cues too.
Sometimes you need mock sound effects during rehearsals if the fx is a cue for the actors. In which case you should be rehearsing with them all along. But the full sound design? That gets introduced to the actors at the Technical Rehearsal (full cue-to-cue). (Before which the stage manager is meant to give a speech to the actors reminding them that it's a technical rehearsal, and they're just there as props and shouldn't get frustrated about their timing being thrown off or not being able to emote properly because the SM keeps yelling "cut!" mid-scene, or whatever. The tech rehearsal is the one rehearsal that isn't about them. In my experience it helps to also bring cookies. Actors hate technical rehearsals!)

 

[Lady Celerity]

I have four words for your director: Dry cue-to-cue.
Seriously. Always rehearse your sound effects with technical staff only and get them nailed down as best you can before introducing them to the actors. Lighting cues too.
Sometimes you need mock sound effects during rehearsals if the fx is a cue for the actors. In which case you should be rehearsing with them all along. But the full sound design? That gets introduced to the actors at the Technical Rehearsal (full cue-to-cue). (Before which the stage manager is meant to give a speech to the actors reminding them that it's a technical rehearsal, and they're just there as props and shouldn't get frustrated about their timing being thrown off or not being able to emote properly because the SM keeps yelling "cut!" mid-scene, or whatever. The tech rehearsal is the one rehearsal that isn't about them. In my experience it helps to also bring cookies. Actors hate technical rehearsals!)

I agree @Laura Rainbow Dragon. The only hitch in dry cue-to-cue is that many of us are not just actors, we also help with set changes and props. We are a small community theatre group everyone pitches in with everything. Our official tech rehearsal is on Sunday and we've been warned that it will be start-stop-start and long. It's a bit nerve-wracking as they just installed new lighting and only one person knows how to use it so far. We actors haven't seen any of it yet. It's all bass-ackwards. But this is my third play with this group and somehow it all comes together when it matters. And yes, there will be plenty of cookies and snacks backstage! (And maybe a shot of something stronger when it's over!!)

 

[Lady Celerity]

Lovin' this time off! I get lots done around the house but in a leisurely way. Today I picked up an old watch that I had repaired. It belonged to my grandmother and I wanted to wear in the play as it fits the time period and my character. I like the idea of having a bit of Grandma Doris on stage with me. Other than that I've been busting out some chores and doing some Christmas shopping. It's still too soggy out to rake all the leaves (so I tell myself) but hopefully by the end of the week I can get it done.

27 Nov workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 18
Iron Core day 4

Making minestrone soup for dinner. Have a nice evening bees!

 

[Lady Celerity]

It's Thanksgiving Day in the US today and I chose to break with family tradition. I went to see Wicked and thoroughly enjoyed it! I spent 2 hours total driving + 3 hours movie. After sitting so long I really needed a workout!

28 Nov workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 19
Iron Core Challenge day 5

I am very thankful for all of you, bees! Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Lady Celerity]

This morning I did some Christmas shopping in our little downtown district. I really like to support our small businesses. Anywho, I ended up buying some very nice hiking boots for myself which I justified by:
#1. My old ones are worn out
#2. I'm going to Iceland in February and needed waterproof boots
#3. I'm helping a small business owner
#4. They were on sale!!!!

Certain family members are not playing nice today, having tried and failed to guilt me into conforming to their expectations. I refuse to play the game anymore. It feels freeing in an exciting/conflicting sort of way. Hard to explain. Sometimes I just wanna interact with my cat and forget all the humans.

29 Nov workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 20
Iron Core Challenge day 6

Have a great evening bees!
PS Pixie says hi!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Ooh! Hiking in Iceland sounds wonderful! Enjoy!

Certain family members are not playing nice today, having tried and failed to guilt me into conforming to their expectations. I refuse to play the game anymore. It feels freeing in an exciting/conflicting sort of way.

Well done!

Sometimes I just wanna interact with my cat and forget all the humans.

I get this. I like people. I love sharing a feast with my friends. But I'm thankful I get to spend the big, high-pressure, unreasonable-expectations holidays with just my dog Shelby now.

PS Pixie says hi!

Hi Pixie! You are beautiful!

 

[TopNotch]

Hi, Pixie!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Today I have been very busy. It's my last day of freedom until after our show ends Dec. 7. So I have been getting ready for a week of rehearsals/performances, a busy season at work, houseguests arriving next weekend, putting up Christmas decor, meal prep for the week, chores, etc. etc. In between all this I still managed to have a nice lunch with my daughter and catch up with her.

Can you believe it's the last day of November already????!!!!!

30 Nov workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 21
Iron Core Challenge day 7

Have a great evening bees!

 

[Syrius]

Hi Pixie!!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Briefly checking in to log a couple of days. It's been work-rehearsal-sleep-repeat. Ditto for the rest of the week. There is stomach flu going around and a couple of actors have been sick. I'm really hoping that those affected recover quickly and that no one else gets it. We've been sending home sick kids at the school too. I'm keeping up with exercises and trying to get sleep. It's been challenging to get a healthy dinner in since we basically go from work to the theatre. Last night we had smoothies!

2 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 22
Iron Core Challenge day 8

3 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 23
Iron Core Challenge day 9

Now to make some bean burritos for dinner and then our last rehearsal before a soft (dress rehearsal with limited audience) tomorrow night. Have a great evening!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Dropping in briefly to log.
We had some excitement today at school--an earthquake! It was minor where my work is located but I definitely felt it. Some did not feel anything. Our smartphone alerts went off before we actually felt it. The window blinds were moving a bit. The students were able to use their earthquake drill skills today--oddly, we had planned an earthquake drill for tomorrow. No need now!

I wasn't able to workout yesterday, however I squeezed one in today.

5 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 24
Iron Core Challenge day 10

Tonight is our opening night!! Last night we had a soft opening with a small, chosen audience. It went very well. Excited for tonight!

 

[MadamMeow]

Glad the earthquake was not bad and I wish you the best for tonight!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Break a leg!

 

[TopNotch]

Have fun!

 

[Anek]

Thinking of you!!!

 

[NancyTree]

How was the opening night?
Hopefully it stays with the one earthquake.

 

[Lady Celerity]

Life is back to 'normal' now that the show is over. We had a great run, audiences really enjoyed the story and it was a lot of fun. Needless to say, I have been busy and in between shows and out of town houseguests I wasn't able to squeeze in much working out. No more earthquakes either (at least that I felt) so that's good. I'm exhausted and a bit grumpy today but am confident that a good night's rest and getting back to a routine will take care of that.

6 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 25
Iron Core Challenge day 11

7 Dec workout:
meh. I got over 10,000 steps though!

8 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 12
Iron Core Challenge day 12
Tonight it's all about some down time and going to bed early. G'night bees!

 

[MadamMeow]

Glad all of your efforts for the production went well!

 

[Anek]

Glad it went well!!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Yesterday's workout didn't happen; I had appointments after work and got home very late. Today I'm feeling under the weather, which fits since the weather outside is dark and dreary. It may snow tonight!

11 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 27
Iron Core Challenge day 13

Now to wrap some presents so I can post them tomorrow. Have a nice evening everyone!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Hope you are feeling well again soon!

 

[MadamMeow]

Sorry it's dark & dreary & hope you feel better!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Thanks @Laura Rainbow Dragon & @MadamMeow!

I did end up with the funky flu/virus/crud that's going around. So after a few days of laying low I'm feeling marginally better, still very fatigued & achy. Thankfully, today's workout was yoga-based, just what I needed. In the meantime, life rolls on!

15 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 28
Iron Core day 14

Apparently I'm throwing two dinner parties next week; not happy about it at all. I feel overwhelmed and exhausted. I'm not a very good hostess and somehow what was supposed to be a family birthday dinner turned into something larger. And then a dinner on Christmas Eve. It's time for a talk about expectations and how others can contribute. Ah, the holidays, they do bring out the best and worst in us, n'est-ce pas?

Gonna wrap some presents now and maybe make some Darebeets Gingerbread Cookies

 

[Mamatigerj]

 

[Lady Celerity]

It was very Monday at work today. The students really don't want to be at school and neither do the staff! But there are things we must do, so I press on, looking ahead to our two week break, yay!

16 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 29
Iron Core Challenge day 15 I like this one. Simple, but effective.

Have a lovely evening bees. Pixie and I are going to chill and look at the Christmas tree. Maybe I'll watch another Christmas movie. What's your favorite? Do you have one? Do you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not??

 

[Syrius]

What's your favorite? Do you have one? Do you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not??

The Santa Clause is forever my favorite. And yes, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie.

 

[Anek]

I fully agree, Die Hard is a Christmas movie!

 

[Saffity]

Die Hard can be or not, but what people forget is that the Fellowship left on their quest on December 25 and therefore Lord of the Rings is a Christmas movie.

As for favourite, I think White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney is mine.

 

[FlowersandPetals]

I guess Die Hard is a Christmas Movie “ho ho ho, I’ve got a gun!”

Favorite movie The Santa Clause, Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special (not exactly a movie but it has Chris Pratt ) and Charlie Brown Christmas

 

[Maegaranthelas]

I watched the LotR films in cinemas around christmas with my family when they came out, so they are christmas movies to me.
And Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, of course ^^

 

[Lady Celerity]

Die Hard can be or not, but what people forget is that the Fellowship left on their quest on December 25 and therefore Lord of the Rings is a Christmas movie.

As for favourite, I think White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney is mine.

@Saffity Yay for Lord of the Rings! And I love White Christmas, I like to sing along.

 

[Lady Celerity]

The festivities have begun at work. There was some a lot of goofing off, Christmas music and candy. Surprisingly, I got a fair amount of work done. It's probably all downhill from here, but today was fun.

17 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 30, round #2
Iron Core Challenge day 16

My daughter is the latest one to get the weird flu virus that's going around, poor thing! We're gonna have some soup together. Then I've got some wrapping to do......

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

What's your favorite?

The Sound of Music. Which has nothing at all to do with Christmas. But for some reason it is a Christmas movie anyway. Anyway: I like to sing along! (Which surprises no one, I am sure.)

Do you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not??

Die Hard is explicitly a Christmas movie, yes.

My favourite holiday fare though is not a movie but an episode of a television show: Xena: Warrior Princess' "A Solstice Carol". Also "A Day in the Life" -- which has nothing at all to do with the season. But it was the first Xena episode I watched, and I watched it on December 25 the first time I stayed away from my family of origin on December 25 and consequently had a nice day on that date for the first time in my life. So it's a "Christmas movie" for me!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Congratulations on completing your second go through Soma 40+!

for your daughter.

 

[Syrius]

Congratulations on Soma!!!

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats for another round of Soma 40+!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Happy Re-Badge Day!
Healing thoughts and prayers for your daughter

Die Hard: Christmas
My personal favourite is Miracle on 34th Street.
I also like The Santa Clause, Charlie Brown Christmas, White Christmas, and The Sound of Music. ~Julie Andrews sang "My Favorite Things" on a TV Christmas special during the show's Broadway run, (Andrews did not play the role of Maria on stage before starring in the film.) forever associating it with the season.
Another not-specifically-Christmas movie i love to sing along with, because it contains one of my favourite Christmas songs: Meet Me in St. Louis.
Oh, my husband and i like to watch The Fourth Wiseman on Epiphany.

 

[CODawn]

Congratulations!

 

[TopNotch]

Congrats on round 2!

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[Anek]

Happy badge day!!

 

[Lady Celerity]

I got so engrossed in dodging snowballs that I almost forgot to log.
Today began with no internet at work. Apparently the solar relay that powers our internet went down because the batteries died due to cloud cover. Ummm...it's the mountains, folks, and it's winter....smh. These things only happen in our county. Once the sun came out, guess what? Presto! Internet again. Students were especially naughty today and it was very circus-like. Two more days, two more days......

18 Dec workout:
PT exercises
SOMA 40+ Round #3, day 1. I'm increasing my weights on this round and dropping a level just on strength training day.
Iron Core day 17

Have a nice evening bees!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Is it Friday yet? I made the Naughty list at work! It may have had to do with forging absence notes as to why some staff members couldn't come to work for the rest of the week. (I thought the presidential pardon excuse for my boss was realistic ). I also got to judge students' gingerbread houses in three grades. And received chocolate. So I guess it was a good day. Nobody wants to do any work though. One more day!

Whew! The snowball fight is time consuming but fun.

19 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ round #3, day 2
Iron Core Challenge day 18

I really want to make Darebeets Gingerbread cookies tonight. Has anyone made these?
Have a nice evening bees!

 

[neilarey]

I really want to make Darebeets Gingerbread cookies tonight. Has anyone made these?

I've been making them all month (I make new ones when they run out) and I just had one with my coffee. My two cents: don't make them too thin if you like your cookies with a bit of chew in them - or do, if you don't and also the state of your almond butter can affect how sticky the dough is. I have white almond butter and it's always runnier at the top of the jar. You can dust the dough with flour before using cookie cuter if it's too sticky. The recipe doesn't use baking powder or baking soda, they will come out the same size they went in - and the same shape

 

[Lady Celerity]

Santa came to school today! I asked him nicely and he took me off the naughty list! We were awash in baked goods, most of which I avoided, and I brought some home to share. I am so glad for some time off! Btw, I didn't really forge absence notes in case you were wondering. It was an office prank. Some of the excuses were really funny though like this one: "Vision problem--I can't see myself coming to work".

20 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ round #3, day 3
Iron Core Challenge day 19

Tonight I'm going to a bonfire supper, I hope the rain holds off until later. Have a nice evening!

 

[Lady Celerity]

Ahhhh....slept in this morning. After the cacophony of the last week it's nice to be at home. Tonight I'm hosting a bday dinner for my mom. I decided to change my stinky attitude about it and keep things simple. It's still not my thing, but it's for my mom and she deserves a celebration.

1st day of winter!!! woo hoo!

I don't know what this picture means, but it's trippy! Looks like some of the big bucks around here.

21 Dec workout:
PT exercises - 15 min
SOMA 40+ round #3, day 4
Iron Core day 20

have a lovely evening bees!

 

[NancyTree]

Congrats on Soma 40+!

 

[Lady Celerity]

@NancyTree thank you!
Well last night's dinner went pretty well despite some last-minute panicking on my part. (Why does rice take longer in the InstaPot than on the stove?????) I like to cook, and I'm a decent one, but I don't like the pressure of having lots of people over. Anyway, everyone enjoyed themselves until my poor mom was looking at her watch and starting to droop so I gently ushered everyone out so she could get some rest.

22 Dec workout:
PT exercises 15 min
SOMA 40+ day 5. whew! Feeling the weight increase today.
Iron Core Challenge day 21


I'm heading out to do some Christmas caroling in the pouring rain, should be fun. Enjoy your evening bees!