St. Augustine St. Petersburg

Apparently, we're not off to St. Augustine, Florida for the St. Anthony's Triathlon. I've just learned that it's in St. Petersburg. I know why I made that mistake: it's clearly Stupid Girl Friday, and I'm the stupid girl.

I'll be crewing for, and cheering on, Luscious Lorna in her latest athletic endeavour. I was supposed to be doing this tri with her, but I have an injury I'm incredibly unfit I just don't want to. And I'm OK with that : )

Another cocktail, anyone?!

Somewhat Drunk Guyand Really Drunk Guy

I've been having the most relaxing time here in Atlanta with Luscious Lorna. On Wednesday, I didn't get out of my bathrobe until 9PM, and then it was only to get dressed and head out for a bite.

Yesterday, I actually got my butt out of the house, met LL for lunch, walked around part of Piedmont Park, then checked out some lovely sections of Midtown. We then enjoyed a terrific dinner with LL's really engaging and genuinely charming neighbours, which was soooo nice. I'm so glad she's got such a great feeling of community where she's living -- and they even have a block party planned for LL after she finishes her amazing Primal Quest adventure in July.

Today, I'm still in my bathrobe at 2:45pm. I love this R&R time!

Last night, I decided to venture out on my own to see what kind of trouble bars I could get into. Not too exciting, but at least I was told (repeatedly) that I was really hot by Somewhat Drunk Guy. A little ego stroking is nice, even if it's a slightly desperate, slightly inebriated fella. Cute, but drunk, he didn't seem to understand why I wouldn't want to go home with him.

Oh ya, and this was after another reallllly drunk guy came up to me at the bar while his friends were trying to pry him away and towards a cab. Really Drunk Guy moved to my side as I tried to ignore him (the best possible tactic, I figured), gesturing to me and saying very loudly to his friends that, "I can't go home just yet. This guy is reallllllly handsome and I think I need to (hiccup) talk to him a bit longer...."

After a few minutes of this nonsense, his friends more forcefully tried to remove him from the bar, and Really Drunk Guy finally made a deal with them. "Give me a second," he said. And turning to me, he slurred, "Hey buddy, do I have any chance whatsoever with you?"

Me: "I'm afraid not, tiger."

And, with that, he relented. His friends dragged him away and turned to me, mouthing, "Thank you" as a sign of their appreciation. Trust me, I was only too happy to oblige.

Gosh, I love Atlanta. Everyone just seems to be so drunk fun!

You'd think...

You'd think, by listening to me speak about my experiences lately, that my life is all doom and gloom. Last night I was telling Luscious Lorna about some of my frustrations with this touring lifestyle, the challenges I'm currently having at work, how I don't feel any kind of permanency, and how I crave a sense of belonging.

Well, if those are my biggest problems in the world, I must -- yet again -- remind myself that I'm damn lucky. I've chosen this circus path for some very compelling reasons, and I still think this was the right choice. I'm just trying to figure out how I can make it better, cuz that's what I do. I'm good at taking things and making them even better than they were before.

And I must remind myself that one of my biggest pet peeves is people who complain about their lot in life, or about how unhappy they are, without doing anything about it. Either DO something to change things, or don't complain to me about it! I might have an empathetic ear, but if you ask for my advice, I'll tell you (and I'll even work with you) to figure out ways to make positive changes. But don't play the whole "woe is me" game.

So now I must listen to my own advice.

I'm having some challenges. I'm thinking of ways to address them. But I also need to remember that, until I actually start doing those things that could address the challenges, I gotta stop complaining about 'em. Don't be a hypocrite, don't play "woe is me," and don't be a man of words without action.

First: do something to effect change.

Second: wait to see the change you've worked to create.

Third: revist, revise, and repeat as necessary.

Ongoing throughout the process: celebrate the change you effect, and, if there's no change realized as a result of your efforts, celebrate the fact that you're at least trying to do something about it in the first place.

Tip: Preferably, celebrate with peanut M&M's and a Diet Coke.

Which do you want first:the good news or the bad news?

Label Guy gave owed me this shirt! (Feb/06)

In March, I broke up with Label Guy, someone I briefly dated. That's the good news.

He was so wrapped up in labels and what to wear and who was going to see him wearing his labels and where he was going to where his labels and who he would see at that place where he was going to wear his labels that I just couldn't stand it anymore. That's the bad news.

He was very generous and giving (probably still is, although I'm sure he's bitter and angry at the world now that I dumped him). That's the good news.

In fact, Label Guy gave me all sorts of label clothing that he no longer wore and thought would look good on me. That's the bad news.

One of the things I did at the start of this Road Trip was to suck it up and return all of those clothes that I neither wanted nor needed. That's the good news.

I knew that, by doing that, I may actually have to endure see Label Guy. That's the bad news.

I love the shirt I'm wearing in this picture -- one that he gave to me shortly after starting to date. That's the good news.

But I realized that, if I had any integrity at all, returning all of the clothes that he gave me meant returning this shirt as well. That's the bad news.

And then I remembered the $50 in phone calls he racked up from my hotel room in Long Beach, thinking that they were free local calls.

I kept the shirt. And that, my friends, was the best news of that entire relationship.

Label Guy is a nice guy, but not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. He thought there were 51 states, and embarrassed himself thoroughly (and me a little bit, too) at a circus party in February, by exclaiming over and over that there were 51. Luckily Nebraska Girl set him straight, but long after my rational side raised a whole heap o' red flags.

It was nice painful while it lasted.

Understanding that he had been called a bit needy in the past, he still proceeded to tell me after only a few days (yup, only a few freakin' days!!) that he felt that I wasn't the same with him as I was at the "beginning" of our relationship. Ya, the "beginning" of our relationship -- only a few days prior!! And he told me that he wanted either "All or nothing."

Well, "nothing" it certainly was. To be true, I told him that I couldn't give him my all at that particular point, and we tried to negotiate common ground for a few more weeks, but in the end I just realized that I didn't want to give my all to him. If/when the right guy comes along, I'll find a way to give him my all. But Label Guy just wasn't that guy.

One of the things that Tower Girl, Lucky, The Hire Guy and I still laugh about was the fact that he was soooo wrapped up in his labels. In fact, when he was giving me all of his clothes -- which was extremely generous and giving and nice and based in selflessness -- he was so proud of the fact that this shirt was that label, and that these pants were that label, etc. Meanwhile, I was standing there with my fake smile, thinking, "There's no way in hell I would ever wear that. It's just not me." I tried to tell him that I travel with two three suitcases and that I wasn't really looking to acquire any new clothing. Still, he insisted and I gave in.

Anyone who knows me knows that I like wearing particular things, but that I'm more into clever sayings on t-shirts or clothes that (gasp!) fit me well, are comfortable, and (if we're talking dressier clothes) are classic. I'm most assuredly not into buying labels for the sake of the label. In fact, I don't buy clothes that have the label displayed proudly on the outside as a status symbol, cuz I just hate it.

The only label I've worn lately is the "Overweight Bag" label I put on at New Year's as a sad statement of my physical state joke. Sure, I used to be into labels, but that was back in my teens and twenties, when I was far less secure mature. In fact, these days I usually pride myself on getting bargains that I can brag about -- like the red shirt I bought at Urban Outfitters the other week. Mary, I bragged to anyone I could find that I only paid $5.00 for that gem!

Still, Label Guy's legacy lives on. Tower Girl, Lucky, The Hire Guy and I often refer to pretentious people we run across as being someone Label Guy would like to hang around. And ain't it the truth! He was all about what he was going to wear to go to the right place and be seen by the right people. Despite the fact that there was a lot of good stuff inside, he seemed to be all about how people perceived him on the outside. And that was a shame.

But knowing that he's all about how people perceive him, I just realized that he'd fit right into the impression-management-motivated, loved-for-what-you're-wearing, it's-all-about-how-people-perceive-me scene in Sydney!!

The relationship is over. But at least I got the shirt.

Head-on-pillow time

After Sunday, I hit New Orleans for a Monday night in the hedonistic capital of the Western World. I have one word for New Orleans.

HOT

Well, devastated is another word. But that will be a topic for a different post.

I even contemplated staying another night there, but wanted to get here to Atlanta to see Luscious and to rest my tired eyes and mind. So, after driving a total of 4600 km from Long Beach, I'm finally in Atlanta with Luscious Lorna. And it feels like home.

But instead of going to bed at a decent time, what have I done? Spent the past several hours fixing an annoying and mysterious formatting problem that prevented my blog from being viewed by my thousands small core of dedicated fans. Alas, the problem is no longer with us, and I've built a disaster recover plan into my routine, in the unlikely event that blogger should decided to punish me again with its formatting errors.

But it's fixed, I'm tired, and it's now head-on-pillow time.

Everything's bigger ..... and hotter

It seems like I've been driving across Texas forever. It's big and it's hot. And I'm currently in Houston, home of the Astros, the Rockets, and the Texans. But, more importantly, it's also the hometown of Destiny's Child.

But I digress.

I don't really have all that much to write about. I had a great visit in Austin with my cousin, his wife and 2-week-old son. And I hung out with Caro and her husband. Very cool, and a nice way to mark a milestone of Part A of Phase II of the Big Ol' Road Trip 2006.

And now I'm in my motel room cursing myself. I haven't taken on a new TV program for-freakin'-ever, simply because my schedule totally disallows it. So what am I doing, but watching a catch-'em-up-even-if-they-haven't-seen-a-single-episode special of Grey's Anatomy. So...despite the fact that I've heard it's an amazing show, despite the fact that my fellow SRB alumnus Sandra Oh is a star, despite the fact that it stars the irresistible Patrick Dempsey, and despite the fact that Tower Girl watches it weekly.....despite all of this, I've managed to exercise self-control and not watch it once.

Until now. And in a mere 20 minutes, I'm unsurprisingly hooked.

Curses. And I noticed a similar Lost special tomorrow night. I could catch up on all that I've missed in Season #2.....

But that would be just dumb.

The Day I Swallowed all of Hollywood

That town will never be the same again (Jan/06)

And now it's onwards and upwards....well, if you can call Ozona, Texas onwards and upwards. That's where I am tonight as I make my way towards Austin. Population 3436, Ozona's major claim to fame appears to be....well, nothing. Not that I can see from its website, anyway.

No matter, cuz I'm only here at the Ozona Best Western to sleep. I made lots of miles today and will get to Austin fairly early in the day tomorrow, which was my goal as I left Albuquerque this morning.

And after talking to Luscious Lorna this afternoon, I think we'll find an opportunity or two to take a bite out of Hollywood Atlanta next week. Although she tells me she doesn't drink anymore. Oh well, I'm happy to drink enough for the both of us!

Slow

Wouldn't you know that oil -- and corresponding gas prices -- hit an all-time high the same day that I started my 6000km road trip. What a way to begin!

The drive seems to be going slower than expected. I'll get to Austin on Saturday, but I'm just not sure at what point during the day. Hopefully early enough that I can enjoy the rest of the weekend with my cousin and my friend Caro.

Thus far, the trip has been good. Palm Springs was nice -- visiting Lucky and The Hire Guy and just relaxing a bit. The Grand Canyon was pretty spectacular, as expected. It's just hard to fathom the depth and width of that big ol' chasm. Tower Girl did a heli-tour of the Canyon when we were in Vegas 10 days ago, and maybe I should have done the same thing. Oh well, maybe next time...

I'm currently in Albuquerque, NM and will head towards the vast land of Texas this morning. Onwards to Austin, where Al Roker from the Today Show is interviewing Julia's ex, Lyle Lovatt. Not exactly interesting, but coincidental nonetheless.

The best road sign I've seen so far this trip:

Arizona State Prison
Don't pick up hitchhikers

The wireless internet at my motel is a bit slower than I would have expected from "hi-speed," but at least I could access the network, unlike last night in Williams, AZ, where it just decided that I wasn't worthy.

Big Ol' Road Trip 2006 -- Phase II

Today sees me setting off on the second phase of my Big Ol' Road Trip 2006. I'm heading towards Atlanta to visit Luscious Lorna, then up to Ottawa, our next, and only Canadian, stop on tour. The itinerary is somewhat loose, with only two dates that I'm working around: (1) on April 30, Luscious and I need to be in St. Augustine, Florida for a triathlon that we're she's competing in; (2) on May 6, I need to be in Ottawa for a sibling night out with my brother and sister. Other than those two dates, I'm as free as a bird to get to my destinations when I want to.

So here are the known (well, planned, anyway) stops on the preliminary itinerary:

• Palm Springs to meet with Lucky and The Hire Guy for a day or two, before they head to Costa Rica
• Grand Canyon, just cuz I'll pretty much be in the area and I've never seen that behemoth of a natural wonder
• Austin, Texas for a couple of days, to drink margs with my friend Caro and her hubby, and to see my cousin's brand new (born April 5) baby boy

How I get from one planned stop to the other is a little less definite as of now. From the Grand Canyon to Austin, for instance, I'm not sure which way I'll go, but it doesn't matter. It will all work out. From Austin to Atlanta, the only semi-planned stop I have is New Orleans, cuz I'd like to take a look at what things are lookin' like there. And then, of course, Atlanta will be the pit stop for the end of Part A of Phase II of the Big Ol' Road Trip 2006. I haven't seen Luscious' new house yet -- nor have I seen Luscious herself since November 2003 -- so that will be a very welcome respite. We'll head to Florida together for the triathlon, as she's offered to drive.

Heading North for Part B of Phase II of the Big Ol' Road Trip 2006, I'm thinkin' the itinerary looks something like this:

• Raleigh, NC to check out one of the tour stops later this year
• Washington, DC -- just cuz I like the place
• possibly do the DC --> Ottawa portion in one day, or possibly stop somewhere along the way....like New York to visit my friend P!

The permutations and combinations are endless. And time will tell all. What I know is that it's gonna be fun, and I'll see a bunch of places I've never seen before. Wish me luck!

Destinations: points East!

Ferklempt

I finished Tear Down at 3am. And there were some trying times -- like the point where I felt like things were totally out of control and nothing was getting accomplished, but I felt too unorganized to fix the problem.

I didn't get any pictures with Peggy, Gail, Danielle or Valerie. It just didn't happen -- it was too busy and I just seemed to be too unorganized -- but something very cool did. I've never gotten a thank you gift from my temporary staff in any of the previous six cities I've worked with the circus in. Well, make that seven cities -- my temp staff didn't get me anything in this city, either. And that's just fine, to be honest. I certainly don't expect anything, and my feeling is that I'm here to make them feel recognized (like playing Mr. Easter Bunny today), not the other way around.

So imagine my surprise when some of the "outside" temp staffers made it very clear that they enjoyed their assignments working in my tent, and made me a gift basket and awarded me the most unbelievable awared EVER!

Please congratulate the winner of the....

Mr. Personality Award

Everybody wants to be where you are!

Well, bust my buttons! And the fact that it was awarded by Danielle made it the most amazing thing of all. She wrote in the card, "You are so awesome. I've learned a lot in the short amount of time we've known each other, and I hope our paths cross again one day."

Feeling. Slightly Ferklempt.

Last time

San Diego Tear Down with the best crew ever: (from left) Lucky, Angie, me, and Tower Girl (Feb/06)

This is what it looked like last time. We had finished most some of the work tearing down in San Diego, and stopped to pose for some pics with really special people. One of them was Angie, and knowing that I wouldn't see her ever again made me very, very sad.

You know how there are these amazing people in your life who breeze in, touch you, make you laugh or cry or even (gasp!) think, help you realize something about yourself, and then disappear again? Angie was one of them. She worked for us as a temp staff usher in San Diego, and I was lucky enough to be able to the lucky recipient of her presence several times a week in my tent.

Angie wasn't one of my staff and never worked for me directly. Instead, she was one of the "outside" crew members loaned to me to help us check guests' tickets or work in the boutique during a show. Angie was one of those helpers who would show up (always on time, by the way!), and you'd immediately feel like it was going to be a great show. She was one of the standouts that I always hoped would be scheduled to work in my tent, and would always deliver the goods.

Lucky and Tower Girl were Angie's supervisors, and purposely scheduled her to work in my tent because she loved working there, and I loved having her. Nobody embodied what we want in our temp staff better than Angie -- personality plus, attention to detail, giving spirit, smile to light up the heavens. She and I had a mutual admiration goin' on, and she kept telling me how she would go home and tell her husband all about me and all sorts of crazy stuff like that. I was so happy to finally meet her husband on our second-last day in San Diego, and it was nice to see how charming and handsome he is. They clearly make a great couple.

One of the things I like about finishing up a city is this part of Tear Down -- the part that you see in this picture. This is the time when you get to pose for pictures with those special staff with whom you loved working, whom you'll miss, and whom you'll often think about in a few cities' time when their counterparts just aren't cuttin' the mustard. I can honestly tell ya, when my temp staff just aren't "getting it," I'll hear myself think, "Why can't they be like Roz and Robbie from Melbourne, LJ from Singapore, Dennis and Morris from Hong Kong, or Natalie from San Diego? They were awesome!"

Tonight, I'm sure there will be pictures taken. In fact, I've already packed my camera, cuz I've warned Peggy, Danielle and Gail from our Merch team that I want to have a proper good-bye with them on Tear Down day. And one of my very own staff, Valerie, is someone whose personality and spirit will always remain with me as an example of the kind of people we need to have working for us at circus. You can bet that I'm gonna get a picture with that girl tonight!

Amid the chaos of Tear Down, I'll manage to find the time for some special and personal moments -- you have to, or else you can't get any closure with these people, these stars. The good-byes will be brief, but the flashbulbs will flash furiously, the hugs will be held just a wee bit longer than normal, and the eye contact will be just a little bit more sincere. I know it's the last time I'll see them, and I want to make sure they know just how much they've meant to me. Because I know full well how much we -- all of us at the circus -- have meant to them.

These moments are among the most fulfilling of this whole crazy circus life. A wise woman once told me, "Never underestimate the impact you have on these people."

I try not to underestimate that impact. And I sure as heck miss Angie!

Wearin' me out

They say that two of the most stressful things on the "Really Freakin' Stressful Things" list are moving house and starting a new job. Bingo!! And this weekend is where the two of those activities bitchslap me simultaneously for the seventh time in the past year.

At the end of every city, I pack up my luggage, keep aside what I'll need for the next little while between cities, haul my suitcases to the luggage truck on-site on Saturday morning, work my ass off to finish up the run of shows, pack up my entire tent, put all of the contents in the tractor trailer truck on Sunday night, get a few hours of sleep, vacate my apartment/hotel room, and head to the next city.

And start all over.

It's like moving house and starting a new job every couple of months. And it's freakin' wearing me out.

Thank goodness for my upcoming break from April 18 through May 7, inclusive. Road trip, here I come! But first, it's moving time...

Whatever gets you through the day night

So you know I went to Vegas, right? Well, the highlights of the trip were, of course, seeing "O" on Monday night, and Ka on Tuesday night. We got a backstage tour after each show, and there was even a post-show party for us late Monday night.

There are some damn hot fellas working in our Vegas shows. It was a buffet of boys and I felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Ahhh, but when they're young and fit and cute enough to be GQ Magazine Gymnast Weekly cover models, they're not all that interested in looking at me. Still, it was great just to be invited to the window shopping extravaganza.

Yes, I lament my complete loss of fitness while I chow down on peanut M&M's and Diet Coke. But whatever gets you through the day night.

Skanks 'R Us

Skank World (March/06)

There's an unassuming little shop we ran into somewhere in LA or WeHo. Apparently you can go freakin' skank shopping! Jeepers, how much fun would that be?!

"I'd like to look at your selection of really skanky bitches. You know....some big bad ass, boyfriend stealin', cat-fightin', uh-uh oh-no-you-di'int type of ho. How much will a skank like that set me back?"

If only it were that easy.

Tear Down always is

Fuck, I'm tired.

Just got back from Vegas this morning (a lovely 6:50am shuttle departure for the airport was not fun) and have to head to work shortly. And these next five days are gonna be busy busy busy.

Tear Down always is.

Woo hoo

I made it through another week intact -- well, except for my sanity, of course -- and am ready for my two nights of sin in Sin City. We leave tomorrow afternoon, which should leave me just enough time to stay up waaaaay past my bedtime and eat a whole honkin' big bag of peanut M&M's get ready for departure.

But tonight in itself was interesting. I learned some new things, I felt appreciated, and I started thinking about some alternatives that might prove to be a little off the track of my current progression. A night spent with Lucky, the Hire Guy and Tower Girl is always a night spent among like-thinkers. They're the best folks a gal could have on tour.

Have I mentioned how much I like drinking Three Olives cherry vodka?

Have a good two days. I'm off to Vegas, baby!

Sorry, no Pub Trivia

Jolly Boy Saloon,
Old Town
San Diego
(Feb/06)

I'm a jolly boy, and this is my saloon. Please come on in for a drink or two, then stick around and play some Pub Trivia.

Wait. They didn't play Pub Trivia back in the good ol' days?

OK, then. Why not just stick around and get hammered? Bottoms up!

Let's Talk About Sex Tear Down Day

I hope Mikey can repeat the magic of three years ago. He's only six strokes off the lead going into the third round. And he just seems like such a nice guy -- verrry Canadian!

Anything is possible, so here's hoping he gets to put on another green jacket on Sunday afternoon.

There's no such thing as enjoying peace and quiet here in Long Beach this weekend. The race is in full effect, with practice sessions and celebrity races and this and that and the other thing. I awoke this morning to the drone of high performance race cars circling the circuit and driving me crazy.

Boy, am I ready for a Double Dark in Sin City. But then follows the madness of Tear Down week. Arrgghh. And to get me my temp staff stoked and ready for Tear Down day, I came up with a wee song, sung to the tune of Let's Talk About Sex by Salt 'n Pepa:

Let's talk about Tear Down day,
Let's talk about goin' away,
Let's talk about leavin' Long Beach,
And takin' time off,
'Til 8th of May

Lame? Yes. But does it get me excited about having three weeks off before Ottawa? Absolutely.

Sin City

Have I mentioned that I'm heading to Vegas on Monday? We've got our traditional final-week-in-the-city Double Dark (where there are no performances on either Monday and Tuesday or Tuesday), and all most of us circus freaks are going on a field trip to Sin City, courtesy of the company.

Well, to be specific, we're each fronting a modest fee, but the company is paying for our flights, transfers, one night in a hotel, and a ticket to "O". I've seen it once before, way back in 2000, and it's most definitely time I saw it again. And they even gave us the option of staying an extra discounted night in the hotel at our own expense (an option I'm taking, of course), so I'm gonna get a ticket to one of our other shows to round out my Vegas experience.

I'm lookin' forward to this Double Dark in a big bad way! I just have to make it through the weekend first...

The posse

Hiking Runyan Canyon in LA with (from left) Lucky, Tower Girl and The Coach (March/06)

I had read about Runyan Canyon from someone's blog and when we headed to LA a few Mondays ago, I had no idea that Lucky, our self-designated tour guide, had decided to take us there. We hadn't even consulted on the agenda, but I was happy that he had made plans to head there.

The views are pretty great from the hike. And the fact that it's basically right in the city is amazing. On a Monday afternoon, it was pretty full of folks, so I can only imagine what it's like on weekends. And I bet the scenery isn't limited to the views of LA -- yummy boys would be everywhere.

Navratilova and The Captain

No, Navratilova and The Captain aren't some retread singing group that belts out Captain and Tenille cover songs or anything. Oh, but how I do love Muskrat Love.

Martina Navratilova and William Shatner are among the celebrities racing in the Celebrity Race at the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix this weekend. The action is literally outside my door, so I'm just waiting for the practice sessions to start today in order to enjoy the drone of high performance engines going in circles.

That's it. It's a nice day outside, so I'll head out and see what's about before heading into work. I feel like wearing my leather jockstrap for an added rush.

Happy Birthday to M

I still struggle with it at times, this damn memory for dates that I've been cursed with.

It's April 6 in Australia, which means it's M's birthday. It was only about six months, we really spent comparatively little time together, and we kinda skipped the whole dating phase. Still, he made me see that there is potential for love and companionship. And I feel like I've continued to let that hope slide big-time in the three years since.

If only I knew then what I know now. If only. If I did, I'd be happier and, very possibly, on a different track. I know there's no sense wondering "what if." Still, I feel disappointment.

Happy Birthday, M. I hope your frame of mind is better than mine.

The Peak of Hong Kong

A peak day (Hong Kong, Nov/05)

I loved being in Hong Kong. And when people ask me why, I'm at a bit of a loss for words. There were many reasons, I suppose: being in a cool boutique hotel with free internet and really cool amenities; spending time with Laid Back Guy and One World Gal and their kids; being at a great waterside site that reminded me of being home in Vancouver; being able to easily get to downtown Hong Kong on a free shuttle; being in a place that is an amazing mix of East and West; having a great team of temporary staff; hitting some of the open-air markets; being in a place that was soooo much better than Singapore; and the list could go on and on.

Gosh, maybe I wasn't at a loss for words after all. Ya, cuz that ever happens. Except when I'm in a bar and someone cute is there and I'm all lookin'-at-my-toes-and-not-makin'-eye-contact kind of shy. But normally I'm never at a loss for words.

Ya, so anyway, this pic was taken by Laid Back Guy on our trip to The Peak. We took the rickity old tram up the hill at an alarmingly steep angle. Requisite picture-taking later, we hiked down the other side and virtually to the door of my hotel. It was cool. And this is a pic that captured that moment.

I miss Hong Kong. But I'll be just fine : )

Abbey

Abbey is the name of the carpet in my tent suite at work. Nurse Girl, who used to work with me, commented that the carpet looked like a cat named Abbey that she used to have. Hence, the name of the carpet was decided. And it's stuck.

Last night, I went to The Abbey for a late-night snack and beer or two. I'd read a lot about it from a couple of blogs I read, and I wanted to see it in person for myself. So after an evening in LA, I stopped off at about 10:30pm, wondering if it would be wrapping up for the night.

I guess LA doesn't wrap up as early as some other cities I've been in lately. It was still full of people, there was a great live jazz combo playing, and there was room at the bar for one more. I pulled up a barstool and just hung out for a while.

Aside from the voice of the guy sitting beside me -- the particularly nasty nasal resonace was just a bit offputting -- the experience was nice. Attractive people, a kitchen that was still open when I ordered a crab cake sandwich at 11pm, great music, and general revelry. I even saw three people from Vancouver that I recognized. Small world, huh?

Back to work today for another six-day work week. I'm tired, but buoyed by the fact that Amy and David are pregnant and getting married, Vincent has found a new calling as a youth outreach worker, Maxine is healthy and has recaptured her passion to help, and Lauren has adjusted to the recent changes to her life. Why, just last week Amy and David were at a crossroads in their relationship, so t's comforting to know how quickly life on TV can move on.

Our second-last week in Long Beach. I suppose time marches on quickly in real life, too.

Ladybug

Ladybug and me (Hong Kong, Dec/05)

I absolutely love this pic of Ladybug and me. We have this funny connection, she and I. I love her energy and sense of humour, her love of life and (of course) her sarcasm.

This particular picture was taken during our very unusual Tear Down in Hong Kong -- instead of doing everything in one night, we did most of the work on the Saturday night (we weren't allowed to work past midnight on account of the noise bylaws) and just had to load the sea containers on the Sunday morning. Ladybug and I got paired up for Sunday, and it was plenty o' fun.

We work well together and had a blast as we efficiently and effortlessly got everything ready for transport to San Diego. I was singing Culture Club songs after I took a fall ("I'll tumble for ya, I'll tumble for ya, I'll tumble for ya, I'll tumble for youuuuu...."), Ladybug was being all macho and directing me like the bitch I am, and we did our work with a sense of fun and frolic. Apparently, I got someone to take a picture with my then-new camera. I don't remember that, but here's the pic, saved for posterity.

Ladybug is great. I just got home from going out for a few drinks with a few work folks, Ladybug including. She never fails to make me laugh, and laughter is the preferred currency of my life.

We're fun together. And she likes to drink, which is important in any friendship.

Fun to hug

Maggie and me
(Perth, Aug/05)

This pic was taken at a pretty wild party with the Russians in our troupe. Definitely a night to forget remember!

The evening was fun, the behaviour debaucherous, and the hangover absolutely wretched.

Maggie was a cool gal who worked as a fly-in for the circus -- coming in to help us do Set Up and Tear Down. But in Perth, she also stayed for the entire city and worked as an usher. One of the bestest ever ushers we had!

Cool gal. Very photogenic. Fun to hug.

Call me dunce

Me and Lucky (Dec/05)

I'm trying to make the blog a bit more picture-intensive, so I'm adding some of my fave snaps for posterity.

I love this picture of Lucky and I, taken in Hong Kong. Snapped around the time of my birthday, we're actually heading into the city to celebrate the going away event of one of our colleagues. Still, I really consider the night to be my birthday celebration : )

And I love the fact that I look like a dunce. It suits me well, don't ya think?