How Does One Dress for This Weather?

Got up super-early so I could get to the set of The Muppets by my 7 a.m. call time, and even though I knew what I'd be wearing today (I play a server in Rowlf's Tavern, when they use me), I happened to look at the weather on my phone just to see what the temp was in that hour.

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Think about that statement, kids. Ten years ago, no one would ever have made that statement: "I looked at my phone to check the weather". Right? Technology = Weird.

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Ennyhoo, I'm glad I knew how to dress today, because if I'd gotten up with no plans for the day, or with slightly later plans that involved an early drive, How The Heck Would I Have Dressed?

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Just in case anyone's concerned that I've "disclosed" something I'm not supposed to, my first episode as a server in the bar has already aired, so you've probably already seen me (I know I did), and you probably already know that Rowlf has a bar and I serve there. No NDA breakage. Thanks for your concern. :)

Glasses vs. Contacts

I've been wearing corrective lenses for distance ever since I was licensed to drive, thirty-*cough* years ago. I wore glasses for a year or two in high school, and at some point in college, I discovered disposable contacts. Wore those for a very long time. And you can take that statement any way you like, and you'd probably have an accurate assessment of how I wore contacts.

Discovered the possibility of natural vision correction once I was living in and working in and loving Los Angeles (Hollyweird or La-La-Land). Took the contacts off and started wearing glasses again. Worked on correcting my vision. Made some headway; felt really good about my vision overall, and ordered new glasses online through Stephanie's referral. Ordered new glasses for Stephen, too, after we got his eyes examined and discovered for the first time in his life that he NEEDED glasses for distance.

FIFTH FOURTH PHOTO:These are one of the first two pair I got through Stephanie's referral.
Yes, I can see you, but only because I'm looking at you from UNDER the frames.

Detoured our lives to North Carolina and quit making progress in the vision correction arena. Continued to wear only glasses, not contacts. Made it back to Cali and got a job that offered vision insurance. Used the insurance to get a contact lens exam and a supply of contacts. Never picked up the contacts, because they messed up the Rx for awhile, and whenever I would wear the trial pair, my eyes would hurt or itch or get all dried out or something. Kept wearing glasses.

FOURTH THIRD PIC: the newest pair, with the stronger
distance Rx and transition to shade. A nice perk, and if only they fit 
better (and I could still look at close stuff from beneath the frames),
I might love 'em more. They certainly are "cute".

Got a new pair of glasses via Holly's referral. Didn't love 'em, but couldn't return them. Have found days to make do with them. Main reason for not loving the new glasses is that they don't sit properly on my nose, and I can't read or do other "close work" from beneath the frames, so I find myself constantly pulling them lower on my nose so I can do the close work ABOVE the frames, or propping them on top of my head for long periods of time rather than just removing them from my face.

PHOTO THE FIRST:I can't see you.
I'm wearing my contacts, and you're too close.

... cut to yesterday, when I was on the set of a show set in the future. Couldn't wear any of my glasses; couldn't see without 'em. Took the trial pair of contacts with me <just in case> and discovered that was a good call. Forgot to take a pair of drugstore "readers" with me, so even though the contacts went on easily and were never irritating, I couldn't see anything or anyone within two feet of my face. Couldn't focus, I should say. I could see things and people that close, but everything was out of focus.

SECOND SNAP: I could see you if I were looking
THROUGH these lenses, but then you'd just see the glare
of the camera flash. No bueno. Also no bueno is the fact that
I look like an Old. Lady. with these damn things on!

Got in VERY LATE (or would you call getting to bed at 1 a.m. early?) and decided to sleep in the lenses. Got up this morning, showered, got ready for work, and decided to keep the contacts on the eyeballs. Took a pair of drugstore readers with me. Also had a pair of dollar store sunglasses with me. Had to figure out which secondary lenses to have on the nose through most of the day while driving the tour carts. Discovered that I felt closer to the ground all day while wearing the contacts. Got hit on numerous times by strange men, with the compliments all relating to my "beautiful eyes".

Was wearing readers to post this, but now that I've taken these photos, I've removed the contacts again. It's just too much. I do not want a repeat of today, at least not on the tour carts. I may be able to transition to contacts for set work, as long as I remember a pair of readers. But for guiding tours? There just aren't enough pockets, and I can't keep the fingerprints off the secondary lenses!

YES, I had to update this page, because I realized that I can't count when I can't see. :/

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In other news, I've been re-growing celery in a small dish in the kitchen. Stephen calls it "Groot". I told him he needs to call it "Croot" (since it's celery, and not a Guardian of the Galaxy).

Christopher Columbus made me stay home today.

Also, my bank is closed and I won't get any mail.

What an ass-hat he was!

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Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day, everyone!

So I got to be on set again yesterday

I was booked as two "different" characters, hotel guest and member of the golfing party, although I'm really not sure why they needed a golfing party for the scene. But then again, I didn't get to read the script, since I just had to look like a golfer. So whatevs.

I had to get up at 4:30 in the morning (yes, once again seeing Dawn's Tramp Stamp) so I could get to the studio in time for my 6 a.m. call time, so there was no way I was eating breakfast at home.

This was breakfast on set. Black beans and a chicken/potato mix in salsa verde. Tasty. Hearty.
NOT what I have ever had for breakfast before!

 Then we did a little work, shooting a scene or two, and then they allowed us to go back to Craft Services for a "snack". This was not meant to be LUNCH, people! We'll make you go buy your lunch somewhere else off the premises, when we break for lunch! This is to be a SNACK! (Yeah, right).

By the time I made it through the line, there was one chicken kabob left, so I took it, along with some delicious curry chicken salad, fantastic hummus, a great stuffed grape leaf, very green giant unpitted olive, and jasmine rice. YUM. I shared the kabob with another bg player, who I'd seen look over the selections available and declined to get anything.

 After our one-hour "walkaway" lunch, we came back and changed our clothes a few times so we could go show up on camera. I did not take a pic of me in my second outfit, because it's just basic stuff - camisole top and straight skirt. Although I would have liked to take home the great shoes I had to borrow from wardrobe. Strappy Calvin Klein stiletto sandal in a metallic tone; not quite silver, gold, or copper, but very cool looking, with wide straps for comfort (or at least it seemed that they were more comfortable because of the straps). No, I didn't even snap a pic of the shoes. :/

No, I am NOT a golfer, although I play one on t.v.

By the evening snack break, I was not at all hungry for anything. So when I ventured over to Crafty to see what I'd missed out on, all that was left was some not-very-creamy beef stroganoff (and I HATE mushrooms) and some veggies and tofu in some kind of tomato-based broth (and I'm AFRAID of tofu). The dish that had once held turkey lasagna looked as though it had been scraped clean with hungry fingers. That's what I would have had, had I been hungry for anything. 

Good thing I wasn't hungry.

In the end, it was a long, fairly fun day, with a little B.S. thrown in. I made it home in time to eat some of Stephen's good beef-n-veggie soup, and we watched a little telly while consuming wine-n-chocolate. Yesterday's work will bring a fat paycheck, and I have recovered from my lack of sleep by now, thankfully. Nothing booked for today, so I'm just chillin'; gonna run some errands in a bit and then prep for my early day back at Warner Bros. tomorrow!

Well, it IS October already.

... and I've had so little to say this past month.

Let's see, what have I been doing? Yeah, um...

• guiding tours at Warner Bros. (and loving it)
• doing a little bit of background acting (and, well, being happy to do it, at least, but certainly not loving it, but there is always room for "loving it" opportunities)
• hanging out with the cats and Jenn and Dave (and their great rugrat Brendan)
• trying to find time to hang out with Stephanie and Jen (succeeding by way of phone and text conversations)
• having occasionally bizarre dreams
• keeping clothing, dishes, and the apartment clean (enough)
• getting the car washed (yay!)
• attending the world premiere of the last film I worked on as a Script Supervisor (FUN!)
• catching up on all those things in the television DVR and consuming wine-n-chocolate
• teaching Stephen a little ballroom dance (yay!)
• commemorating the 6-year anniversary of my wedding to Stephen (we went to Taco Bell, because we really know how to par-tay!)

Here's what I haven't been doing:

• fighting my allergies (hallelujah)
• blogging (duh)
• selling anything on ebay (yay)
• writing the "Great American Novel" (what? did you think I was?)
• suffering from any depressive episodes (seriously, YAY)
• celebrating the arrival of pumpkin everything at the grocery store (seriously? already? why-oh-why do they think we need everything flavored with pumpkin pie spice?)
• preparing myself for the impending Sadiversary. I just don't do that in advance. Each one will arrive soon enough, and I'll cope as I'm able.

What have YOU been doing in the past month? Or NOT doing?

Hard-hitting (?) questions for Brian Wilson

"When some loud braggart tries to put me down and says his school is great,

"I tell him right away, 'Now what's the matter, buddy, ain't you heard of my school? It's number one in the state.' (Hey hey take it away, let's call it a fight)

"So be true to your school now (Rah rah rah rah sis boom bah), just like you're true to your girl or guy."

Isn't the "loud braggart" just doing exactly what you're instructing, Brian? Isn't he just being true to his school? How is he trying to put YOU down by saying that his school is great?

And by claiming that YOUR school is "number one in the state", doesn't that actually make YOU the braggart, Brian? Hmm? And what's with calling this conversation a fight, hmm?

I'm calling you out, Brian. I think you're an instigator. I think you're the reason we have violence in our schools. Shame on you.

*** Of course, if you read me or know me at all, you should hopefully understand that I am merely ruminating on the song that was playing in my head upon awaking this morning. I don't REALLY believe Brian Wilson, nor his lyrics, are the root of violence in our schools. Movies like West Side Story are the root of violence in our schools. Obviously. Sheesh.

er, um... is this thing on?

Hey there. Uh, sorry, kids. I took what looks like an unannounced holiday or vacay or stay-cay or sabbatical or sumthin'. I apologize profusely.

What have I been up to in the last coupla weeks, you ask?

Let's see, there's my gig at Warner Bros. Studio Tours Hollywood. There were a coupla days on the set of "2 Broke Girls". There was grocery shopping and a bit of swimming or walking in the pool and laundry and paying bills and feeding the cats and watching the boob tube.

Honestly, I haven't had a whole heckuvalot to say because I haven't, um, done a heckuvalot.

I did get new glasses. I don't love 'em, but I ordered 'em online from China and I can't seem to return 'em. :/