New Year's Post
New Year's Post
It was not the best of times, it was not the worst of times. But the good times were very, very good.
I’ve spent Christmas and New Year alone because my family went to the States for the holidays. I don’t get these holidays off, so I couldn’t go. It has been good for my kid, as he got to play in the snow and see his grandparents. I’m kind of sad, but the cat and I are taking care of each other. I don’t think I want to do this again, though.
And now, my year in review.
The Barrowman
2009 will always be the year that I first saw John Barrowman. I never thought it would happen. I’m always on the wrong continent. As far as traveling to see him - well, let’s just say that my dear husband is less than impressed with my deep and abiding interest in another man, even if that man is several time zones away, happily partnered, oh, and gay. So I had no hope of spending the time and money that would be involved in getting to the UK to see The Barrowman.
And then my darling husband surprised me with tickets to see JB at the Royal Albert Hall. Wow. So off I went, meeting my sister kadairk there. And he was brilliant. I cried a lot and haunted the stage door, where I also saw the Parents Barrowman and the adorable Scott Gill.
While I was there, I went on down to the Playhouse Theatre, said fuck it, and bought tickets to see John in La Cage - including the seat, C-1. I told my family we’d be going after I’d bought the tickets.
If you’ve read my La Cage entries, you know the rest. (If you haven’t, they’re here: La Cage aux Folles...or...John Barrowman Signed My Kid and La Cage aux Folles Part 2…or…John Barrowman Kissed My Hand)
But wait! There’s more!
I went to the Paul O’Grady taping on 23 September. It was fun, although it was over very quickly, especially considering the wait to get in. The reaction of the people in the audience who didn’t immediately realize that was JB in the red dress made me LOL, as did watching John (pretend to?) stick his tongue in Paul’s ear, which meant they had to re-shoot the promo.
Then, although I’m slightly ashamed to admit it, we went back to the stage door the day before we left London - when we were not seeing the show. (Naughty.) My kid talked to JB (who said, “I thought you had gone home?” LOL) again and got a picture taken with Simon Burke. Both of them were absolutely wonderful with him. I also managed to find John’s new book, I Am What I Am, which I’d been looking for all week. He was kind enough to sign and personalize two copies: one for me, and one for my bff alba17.
But that’s not all!
In October and November, John sat in for Elaine Paige on BBC Radio 2. Without telling anybody, I sent an email about my kid, which JB read on his final show. He remembered my son, and dedicated the last song to him! The kid’s reaction was priceless.
I wish we could go to panto, but it’s not going to happen. I was planning to go next year, but with the shorter run that’s scheduled for Glasgow, I don’t think we’ll be able to make it then, either. Maybe 2011 will be the Year of Panto for us.
Other (i.e., non-JB) events of 2009
I hung out with alba17 a few times during the summer. We commiserated about COE, and she turned me on to Being Human. For the record, she makes coffee that Ianto would definitely approve of. While I was visiting her, we also met up with blue_fjords, taffimai, adjovi and amand-r in DC and had a fantastic time. I hope I can see you all again some day.
Speaking of amazing writers…I am not. I barely wrote anything except work sheets and lesson plans last year. Unfortunately, I don’t really see that changing. I have too much going on in my life that takes up so much of my time. When I do have free time, I end up reading. Or sleeping. Sleeping is good. However, I am going to attempt something that I’ve never done before in the writing realm. Watch this space.
Non-fannish stuff
My job kind of sucks. Quick word of advice: Do not move to a new country to work for a start-up university. There will be tears. I should have gone to Qatar, which was my first choice, and where I had a good offer. Maybe next time. If I were here alone, I would quit and move on. However, I don’t want to pull my kid out of the very good school he’s in if I don’t have to, so I will tough it out for at least another year.
The kid is also taking dance (musical theater, of course), and is somewhat disgruntled by the fact that he is the only boy in his class. We keep pointing out the clear advantages of the situation, but I don’t think he has grasped them just yet.
He sang “The Best of Times” (a cappella, because I can’t play piano for shit and the backing/karaoke tracks are too long) in his school’s talent show. The parents were impressed, although the other kids were more into the Disney and pop songs the other singers did. My kid - who loves JB, Danny Boys, and Tony Bennett - has a long road ahead of him, I’m afraid.
He also sang it for my cousin, who is a voice teacher in Venice and was in Atlanta auditioning prospective students. He and his partner have apparently fallen in love with my kid, the whole family is invited to Venice, and my son is invited to come train after his voice breaks. We are so there.
What else? Oh, I will get my PhD apps going in the next few months. I have procrastinated (can one get a PhD in procrastination?) for so long, primarily because I can’t focus my research topic enough to write a decent proposal, which is mostly because I haven’t been reading professionally for a while, so I’m kind of starting from scratch. Plus, every time I read something interesting, I get a new research idea. I know it’s just a proposal, and I should just write something, as everyone will expect it to change. If I can get them in and get accepted and make a choice and come up with the money, I may be in the UK for the summer. If not, it’ll be the following year, at which point I may go ahead and go for a full-time studentship and post-grad penury, rather than paying for 100% of a part-time course. And being close to 100 years old by the time I finish.
Oh, yeah. This year marks my 20th wedding anniversary. Unfuckingbelievable. We should celebrate or something.
If you got through all that teal deer, I commend and thank you.
Have a great 2010.
It was not the best of times, it was not the worst of times. But the good times were very, very good.
I’ve spent Christmas and New Year alone because my family went to the States for the holidays. I don’t get these holidays off, so I couldn’t go. It has been good for my kid, as he got to play in the snow and see his grandparents. I’m kind of sad, but the cat and I are taking care of each other. I don’t think I want to do this again, though.
And now, my year in review.
The Barrowman
2009 will always be the year that I first saw John Barrowman. I never thought it would happen. I’m always on the wrong continent. As far as traveling to see him - well, let’s just say that my dear husband is less than impressed with my deep and abiding interest in another man, even if that man is several time zones away, happily partnered, oh, and gay. So I had no hope of spending the time and money that would be involved in getting to the UK to see The Barrowman.
And then my darling husband surprised me with tickets to see JB at the Royal Albert Hall. Wow. So off I went, meeting my sister kadairk there. And he was brilliant. I cried a lot and haunted the stage door, where I also saw the Parents Barrowman and the adorable Scott Gill.
While I was there, I went on down to the Playhouse Theatre, said fuck it, and bought tickets to see John in La Cage - including the seat, C-1. I told my family we’d be going after I’d bought the tickets.
If you’ve read my La Cage entries, you know the rest. (If you haven’t, they’re here: La Cage aux Folles...or...John Barrowman Signed My Kid and La Cage aux Folles Part 2…or…John Barrowman Kissed My Hand)
But wait! There’s more!
I went to the Paul O’Grady taping on 23 September. It was fun, although it was over very quickly, especially considering the wait to get in. The reaction of the people in the audience who didn’t immediately realize that was JB in the red dress made me LOL, as did watching John (pretend to?) stick his tongue in Paul’s ear, which meant they had to re-shoot the promo.
Then, although I’m slightly ashamed to admit it, we went back to the stage door the day before we left London - when we were not seeing the show. (Naughty.) My kid talked to JB (who said, “I thought you had gone home?” LOL) again and got a picture taken with Simon Burke. Both of them were absolutely wonderful with him. I also managed to find John’s new book, I Am What I Am, which I’d been looking for all week. He was kind enough to sign and personalize two copies: one for me, and one for my bff alba17.
But that’s not all!
In October and November, John sat in for Elaine Paige on BBC Radio 2. Without telling anybody, I sent an email about my kid, which JB read on his final show. He remembered my son, and dedicated the last song to him! The kid’s reaction was priceless.
I wish we could go to panto, but it’s not going to happen. I was planning to go next year, but with the shorter run that’s scheduled for Glasgow, I don’t think we’ll be able to make it then, either. Maybe 2011 will be the Year of Panto for us.
Other (i.e., non-JB) events of 2009
I hung out with alba17 a few times during the summer. We commiserated about COE, and she turned me on to Being Human. For the record, she makes coffee that Ianto would definitely approve of. While I was visiting her, we also met up with blue_fjords, taffimai, adjovi and amand-r in DC and had a fantastic time. I hope I can see you all again some day.
Speaking of amazing writers…I am not. I barely wrote anything except work sheets and lesson plans last year. Unfortunately, I don’t really see that changing. I have too much going on in my life that takes up so much of my time. When I do have free time, I end up reading. Or sleeping. Sleeping is good. However, I am going to attempt something that I’ve never done before in the writing realm. Watch this space.
Non-fannish stuff
My job kind of sucks. Quick word of advice: Do not move to a new country to work for a start-up university. There will be tears. I should have gone to Qatar, which was my first choice, and where I had a good offer. Maybe next time. If I were here alone, I would quit and move on. However, I don’t want to pull my kid out of the very good school he’s in if I don’t have to, so I will tough it out for at least another year.
The kid is also taking dance (musical theater, of course), and is somewhat disgruntled by the fact that he is the only boy in his class. We keep pointing out the clear advantages of the situation, but I don’t think he has grasped them just yet.
He sang “The Best of Times” (a cappella, because I can’t play piano for shit and the backing/karaoke tracks are too long) in his school’s talent show. The parents were impressed, although the other kids were more into the Disney and pop songs the other singers did. My kid - who loves JB, Danny Boys, and Tony Bennett - has a long road ahead of him, I’m afraid.
He also sang it for my cousin, who is a voice teacher in Venice and was in Atlanta auditioning prospective students. He and his partner have apparently fallen in love with my kid, the whole family is invited to Venice, and my son is invited to come train after his voice breaks. We are so there.
What else? Oh, I will get my PhD apps going in the next few months. I have procrastinated (can one get a PhD in procrastination?) for so long, primarily because I can’t focus my research topic enough to write a decent proposal, which is mostly because I haven’t been reading professionally for a while, so I’m kind of starting from scratch. Plus, every time I read something interesting, I get a new research idea. I know it’s just a proposal, and I should just write something, as everyone will expect it to change. If I can get them in and get accepted and make a choice and come up with the money, I may be in the UK for the summer. If not, it’ll be the following year, at which point I may go ahead and go for a full-time studentship and post-grad penury, rather than paying for 100% of a part-time course. And being close to 100 years old by the time I finish.
Oh, yeah. This year marks my 20th wedding anniversary. Unfuckingbelievable. We should celebrate or something.
If you got through all that teal deer, I commend and thank you.
Have a great 2010.