Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Too much fun

I haven't posted in way too long, basically because I've been way too busy... possibly even having way too much fun.
First an update on Cocoa Tree that is thretening to outgrow my bathroom already. It has bloomed several times already, but I have yet to have any luck at all with polinating it. This could be one of two problems, 1) the tree is too young... 2) the tree is not self compatible. Ultimately it comes down too, if I actually want to see this tree grow pods that have cocoa beans in them, my best bet is to get a second tree. Of course I'll have to renovate my bathroom first to make more room, and go through all the hassle of importing it from Florida, then building the lilttle greenhouse around it to climatize it.. etc etc etc... sounds like fun.
Work got insane for a few weeks. I had two huge animation projects due at roughly the same time. I have to say they are probably the best most detailed projects I've done to date, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to say anything more about them as I had to sign a confidentiallity agreement on both of them. Hopefully the various annoucements happen soon, so I can actually post samples of the work to our website, for other potential clients to see.
At the same time as I was busily trying to wrap up those projects, we were also working on a little home improvement project. Darrell's Dad came out for a visit and before he showed up, we had to get our spare room all painted and cleaned up. Luckily he's not a super fussy person so the fact that we didn't get all the molding finished in time didn't really bother him. Darrell's Mom is coming out in November and my Mom is coming out at Christmas time so the push is on to get the downstairs basement done, as well as finishing everything that didn't get finished in that bedroom. We found a really nice grey ceramic tile to go in the downstairs bathroom last night, and it was actually on sale to boot. When we got it home I got curious and started laying it out on the Kitchen floors and it looked so good with the stainless steel appliances that we made a second trip to the Kent store for more. It's funny how one job leads into the next when it comes to home renos. I'm actually really excited to roll up my sleeves and get tiling this weekend. I'm a bit of a wierdo that way.... I actually find painting a room to be fun and relaxing. It actually gives me a real high, when I go through with my putting knife and some drywall compound filling in all the little nicks and nail holes, and bumps... then sanding it all down.... putting on that first coat of paint... getting the finishing coat on.... putting up the moulding..... and at the end the room is fresh and clean and new feeling. Gotta say... it's a nice feeling.
You might say... wow that was a lot of stuff going on all at once, and it was, but.... it wasn't all. On top of all that I was busy reheasing with Opera New Brunswick for their production of Tosca, that played while Darrell's dad was here. I had originally opted out of auditions for the Chorus for the show, because they were rehearsing in the early spring and over the summer, and I had just come off two consecutive shows, a move, and a huge work load... and wanted to take the summer to just relax and enjoy our new house. A few weeks before Tosca opened though my buddy Bertis (who produced the show) called me up and asked if I would be willing to be a super. He said all I basically had to do was walk on and walk off which sounded pretty easy so I said sure. Turns out the supers played the guards and there was quite a bit more to do than just walk on and walk off.... but it was a really great experience. All the principles... the director etc were all professionals who had been flown out from various places across the country, and the set was brought up from New York... it was a huge huge show, and got rave reviews... and I not only got to be part of it... I actually had to be on stage more than the chorus, and I only had to put in three weeks of rehearsal time. Super Fun.
During rehearsals for Tosca there were auditions for Christmas Carol, and we are just getting underway with rehearsals for that now. I have two parts in it and am also head of teh sound crew. Well so far the crew is me, since I'm building sound effects etc and don't really need an actual crew. But when we get to show time I will need someone to run the sound board, or I will have to do some very creative and well timed running between the audience and the stage.
So there you have it.... I'm having way too much fun.