Something and nothing

The sun's out.  (The heat's out at work, but at least it's bright.)  Three weeks until Christmas (so I keep hearing.)  The man across the aisle from me on the bus was loaded down with bags last night, looking at a store flier for sales.  I found something sweet about it.  I went to pay a bill before rehearsal, and kept thinking I was running late, but ended up being 20 minutes early; had the start time wrong in my head.  We have four gigs this week, though I'm only doing two: Nordic Choir Concert, and Finnish Independence Day Dinner/Dance.

Finding I had a free evening last Friday, decided to catch a bus down to Renton to check out "Ivar's Clam Lights" at Gene Coulon Park. Figured out the correct bus, though unclear on where proper stop was; missed it.  Walked back toward the lake, in the promised rain.  Followed a couple of people who looked like they knew where they were going, it got me in the general direction.  I found it in the end.  There was a choir singing, people eating clam chowder under the shelters, but no lights.  I walked out to the pier and wandered.  I have a vague memory of going to the park when I was in college in the late 80's, but only the one time, and haven't been back since.  Around 7 pm, someone made an announcement that they'd turn the lights on early (because of the rain?  Not sure, it was pouring.)  So that happened, and I wandered around for awhile looking at the lights, the way they reflected on the water, getting soaked.  Someone had lit a fire in one of the shelters, people huddled around the provided warmth, and cheeriness.  In the back of my mind I was wondering how the heck I was going to get back home (I had directions, but they didn't really make sense to me.  Perhaps if it was daylight and I could see the street signs, it would have been more clear.)

Walking out of the park, the thwack of windshield wipers of the idling cars waiting for their turn to exit keeping me company.  At the first bus stop, saw a bus heading toward the airport, jumped on it, recognizing nothing outside the windows, but knowing how to get home from there. The road outside was lightly traveled, we made good time.  Looking for food, (it was late, I hadn't really eaten) settled for a donut and a hot chocolate, the woman at the cart mistaking me for a boy.  The flavor in my mouth being of a dirty deep fat fryer.  The airport empty, save one line checking in for departures.  An announcement of a final boarding call to San Francisco.  The bustle and loneliness of travel, the suspension of time, the in-between worlds.  I walked on.

Back out in the cold and wet of the light rail station, wet footprints lead away from the platform, socks maybe, but no shoes.  Recent, but I didn't see the source.

On the train, the intercom announcing the stations had them backwards.  The young men across the aisle started to get up to leave, but we were 20 minutes from their destination, and hurtling along in between stops, at that.  Eventually, a live voice came on, announcing the actual stops, but the lateness of the hour, and the emptiness of the car, made it all disorienting.  It took two hours to get home.

Went to visit the reindeer at a garden shop on Saturday.  When the woman asked if anyone wanted to feed them, I jumped at it.  I suppose it was supposed to be for kids, but they weren't coming forward, it's not like I pushed them out of the way.  I fed it a raisin, it nosed at my hand.  Cute critters.

Spent the rest of the night baking a ham I'd originally bought for Thanksgiving, but then got invited to a friend's family dinner, so hadn't gotten around to doing anything with it.  Have never made one before; turned out well.  Made beans (from dried), and sauteed greens to eat along with it.  Felt very much like an adult; I rarely eat a fully balanced meal on a plate at home.

Sunday's rehearsal/tutorial went well.  I had earlier found an emotional substitution, but couldn't connect with it while we worked the scene.  We were both stronger on voice.  The feedback and blocking directions were helpful.  We just need to rehearse, and I need to do more character work.  Our last class/presentation is this week.