Got home last night to six cop cars and news vans at the mall down the street from my house -- another young Somali man shot and killed in the parking lot. Given the nature of the last week's violence, I figured it was only a matter of time before it moved to our area. Still, to have it happen this quickly... This makes three Somali-on-Somali shootings in the last week, and two homicides. My heart goes out to their community; it must be so hard to watch this happening in what has always struck me as a tightly-knit group of people sharing a traumatic immigration history.

Neighbor Charlie and I walked down to the scene to see if we could find anything out; not even the news guys on the scene knew anything at 10 last night, and a check this morning doesn't reveal any more information. I'm sure the police will make a statement later today.

As a concerned citizen who, among other things, doesn't want to be hit by a stray bullet as I drive to and from my house, I wish I knew how I could help.

Gah. I had a long-ass post here about not feeling well and this existential rant about taking care of myself, and then LJ ate it. I'll try again later.

Breathe.

The show is open, much to everyone's relief. After a second week fraught with what everyone felt was a lot of relatively unnecessary rehearsal, we had a pretty smooth opening night. Much alcohol was consumed by all, much partying was done, in celebration of finally being able to get back to normal, and not being at work for between 10 and 14 hours a day anymore. I came home, crashed around 2, and didn't stir until 3 the next afternoon. That's right: I slept for 13 hours straight. I woke up with a killer headache; the combination of too much sleep and ragweed-related sinus pressure (although thankfully no hangover to speak of...), but after some coffee and ibuprofen was feeling like a brand new person.

We've only got one show today, which means we miss the Vikings traffic, and I have a day to play catch-up. Tomorrow is the Dar Williams concert (!), and tuesday I'll have to head in early to put everything back to where it's supposed to go after the concert. This is perhaps the first time that I'm actually looking forward to one of these dumb monday events, mostly because it's a dumb monday event starring someone I really want to see. Meet one of your idols and get paid for it? Sign me up!

It means I'll miss the dojo, though, which makes me sad. I missed my girls sat. (see above), and I'm really missing going to the gym every day. I may be able to get to the Y today, though, which should help.

When you see this, quote Douglas Adams in your journal.

"Parking cars. What else would he be doing in a car park?"

Also, "Down is very nice."

Whew.

Week one down. Show mostly programmed. Equilibrium hopefully slowly returning to normal. Pretty tired.

Tomorrow is a day off, full of dojo and doctor's appointments, as my days off are wont to be. Maybe I'll make it to the bookstore. Hopefully I'll do some laundry, as I'm out of clean pants to wear.

I think I eventually got the hang of what I was doing to at least fake my way through the bulk of the cuing. By the end of day two, things were running a little smoother in Steph Land. Still, it was a 65-hour week, and I'm just as happy that it's behind me, honestly. I used to get such a rush out of tech: the excitement of a new show, a new group of people, the long hard slog with the exhilarating payoff at the end. Now, most of the time it's just another show, and I'm beginning to resent the encroachment of work on my sleeping and sanity time. I just try to keep reminding myself that at least it's not forever; another week and things will be mostly back to normal.

We said goodbye to one of our co-workers, and a dear friend, last night. She's leaving the G to start a new job at SECOA on monday. I'm gonna miss her something fierce, but she needed to do what's best for her; I won't deny that it's got me thinking that it might be nice to leave, too, someday, and strike out to try something new. Not anytime soon, mind you; we've got tuition to pay for a couple of years first. But then, who knows?

TV still broken. Silence is starting to get surreal.

Day 1 of tech down.

The skinny: I learned a lot yesterday. My designer is frustrated with my slowness. I am frustrated with my slowness. I want to jump up and down and scream "I am NOT the moving-lights girl! Give me an enormous projection rig and I'll be just fine!"

I've made new charts and tables and lists, hopefully to help me clarify my thinking process and speed up a little. With a day under my belt, it helps to at least KNOW what it is I need to help me figure out the rest. There will be more diagrams and charts &ct. forthcoming this morning. I am out of space on my table to put things. I am out of space on the floor behind me to put things. I am out of space on the bench next to me to put things. I need more space. Or longer arms.

Sitting in the house and not in my comfy chair means that I have NO back support for the 12-ish hours of programming. Last night when I got home, my back and shoulders hurt so badly that I was afraid small children on the street would start pointing and whispering "Quasimodo!" before running off in terror. 30 min. with the heating pad and a little lavender aromatherapy last night seemed to alleviate the worst of it, so I'm bringing all that crap with me to work today, and I plan to spend some quality time during the break lazing about in the warm. 

Yesterday was a 10/12. Today is a 10/12. Tomorrow will be a 10/12. That's a LOT.

My task is going well -- two solid days of cleaning, sorting, banishing to the basement (note: operation eliminate squalor in basement needs to come before it gets too cold down there...), and rearrangement, and I almost feel like I can live in my house again. It was pretty under control for most of the summer, but then august came, I went on a two-week vacation, followed by a trip to Iowa City to bring home a VERY FULL carload of stuff, plus Aaron now has all these school books and supplies laying around without homes yet. In short, the place has exploded over the last month, and I've had neither the time or the inclination to do much about it.

I'm feeling a little guilty right now, as I'm playing hooky from the dojo tonight. I really, really want to get everything done and spend some quality time cooking good meals for the next week tonight -- tech starts tomorrow morning REALLY bright and early. While exercise and cleanliness are both good for my health, sanity, and welfare, I decided that coming home to a clean and stress-free house this week (after what I'm anxious will be difficult work days) is more important toward that goal of health and sanity than the exercise would be this week. I'll try to get to the gym or do some yoga this week to make up for the skip, but I really needed those four hours tonight to finish everything up.

(Of course, the fact that it's taking me this long to clean 3 ROOMS tells me just how bad things had gotten..... not good.)

I'm off to the hinterlands (the place of no computers)! Don't screw up the world while I'm gone!

.... Especially the counting kind. They were not forthcoming last night, and now I am functioning on three hours' sleep. Insomnia and warmness of the air + sleeping boyfriend who wanted to snuggle and could not be moved kept me up well past five am, and in the end, I was only able to read myself to sleep LYING ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. Woke up at 8 to the dulcet tones of two fire trucks' worth of sirens, as the EMTs were called TO THE HOSPITAL. WHO FUCKING CALLS FIRE EMTS TO A HOSPITAL WORK SITE? AREN'T THERE SUPPOSED TO BE EMTS ALREADY THERE? ISN'T THAT THE POINT OF A HOSPITAL?

Le sigh. Two show day, and the thought of dosing on coffee to keep myself awake makes me queasy. I have a cup of tea right now, and we'll see how the day goes. I have a feeling it's going to be a rough one.

18 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

I think it might be the drinking, the swearing, the wearing of grungy clothes, and the inability to keep a clean house that tipped me over the edge.

Via inktea:

Go see the photos of me!


...Now to make the appointment for the hair chopping.

Playing with Ravelry is an ENORMOUS time sink.


And is threatening to be bad for my wallet, too. Bring on the WANT.

... ME, for suggesting that the only thing funnier than a baby pinata at a baby shower would be a FETUS pinata.

Score.

...More delicates bags for pre-washing yarn in means more time knitting and less time de-tangling.

*Smacks head*