It’s been a busy, fun day, albeit still had to wake up too early.

I spent most of the day in the Otherworlds Online Conference, which normally takes place in Florida. It runs this weekend and next weekend and they film and send you all the lectures and notes, which is awesome service there. I missed yesterday because I was already booked, but got to catch most of today, minus one lecture because I ran out to do theater.

I saw workshops on pagans and prayer, one about going into fairylands and what to watch out for (note to self: don’t wander into any weird fog or down fairy hills, doesn’t sound like a good idea), an talk on Norse people doing curses that actually had a reference to someone cursing the Icelandic government RIGHT NOW due to coronavirus, and another talk on curses and how to deal with them. Which I certainly heard a lot about at Pantheacon, but I kind of think this guy had a more sensible take on the subject, i.e. “not everybody is actually cursed.” Good job, sir. Folks seemed nice, though I didn’t do a whole lot of live chatting and more of text chatting.

I got a couple more Zoom Safari entries involving people showing off their various animal skulls, and a photo of fish heads on a pole.

Quotes from the day:

* “It’s an “I Showered” badge!”
* Someone told a story about their girls putting soda in the soap dispensers and drinking it to freak others out.
* “Why brush my hair, it’s Blursday.”
* “I need to eat something with a face and a family that misses it.”
* "Did I scare everyone away?"
* "Tell us more about necropants, Bill!"
* "The world's a hot mess."
* An acupuncturist said, "You can't do acupuncture long-distance" and then someone else said, “"You can stick a needle in something long distance, it's called voodoo."
* We were thanked for “rolling with us through the 'rona.”

And then the final closing ceremonies:
“We're going to do the closing.”
"From our dining room."
"It doesn't sound so mystical like that."

During their lunch break, I headed out and then over to Virtual Readers Theater to do the first half of The Importance of Being Earnest. I had signed up as an understudy, was the only one of the understudies to show up, and whoever signed up to do stage directions I guess bailed, so I got to do the stage directions.

I had not bothered to set up my computer in my bedroom with a blank wall and lighting and all that shiz because of understudying, but once I found out I was actually doing something, I briefly vamoosed and came back in my Dickens Fair outfit and bonnet, and that outfit was appreciated.

You know what’s fun about The Importance of Being Earnest, even with just reading the stage directions? There’s so much potential to read them out loud in juicy, romantic, ticked off, etc. tones. I tried to only read stage directions that the actors were unlikely to be able to act out, though occasionally I would be surprised as to who had a prop diary at the ready vs. who didn’t or who actually had food as props (good job, Algernon). Anyway, it was great fun to do that one.

Quotes on this:
"At this point it's what understudy that shows up that gets the role." -Claire
"I admire your closet very much, Jennifer." "Thanks, this is my Dickens Faire ensemble." -me and Claire. I suspect Garrett, who was Lysander and is now the reverend, has a similarly equipped costume closet. He already had a clerical outfit, anyway.
"We're at our punnicle." - I forget who, darn it.
“This is such a ridiculous show, I love it so much.” -Claire
“No one can stop us. That’s currently my rallying cry. You want to have ice cream on top of a waffle, no one can stop us.” -Claire
“Excellent stage directions, Jennifer.” -Claire

The next play is The Tempest, but after that she doesn’t know what else to do that’s on Gutenberg. Someone suggested Major Barbara. I saw that Pride and Prejudice is on it. Beyond that, to be honest, I wasn’t thrilled with the selections to know what else to suggest. I did manage to see the Doodle signup poll come out pretty quickly, so I signed up to be Miranda! I think I’m going to bust out whatever Hawaiian sarong (or some other island stuff) I may still have around the house for this one for costuming.

Somebody’s mom was having a birthday today and I mentioned >mine and how I wasn’t sure what to do about it. Claire offered to host a party and I was all, YESSSSSSSSS. Even if I can’t get anyone in California to want to go*, that would hopefully at least get SOME people. Now I just have to think of what we’d do...I’d say karaoke but that’s not something everyone is into as yet. Must think on this.

* By which I mean the theater people, as I sorta don’t think my non-theater friends would be into an online hangout night. I would invite them to one, but I don’t think this would be their fun? And some folks don’t do well in groups, i.e. Jackie. I may play the Transformation Game with Meg that day but that might be it for the online socialization otherwise.

Mom wanted to talk to me today to practice Zoom again, this time specifically on her iPad so she could get backgrounds. It was JUST like this video except it took a half hour. I mean, seriously, the same steps, the same conversation, the “I can’t hear you,” the can’t find the link, can’t find the mic, cut off Mom’s head... alllllllll of that except for the crotch flashing.

She did eventually figure out how to get herself a background and briefly show me to Roger (he’s fine), then she insisted on going on FaceTime with my iPod, then was all, “Ohhhh, could we use this to call Alicia?” Yes, Mom, that’s exactly why I told you how to use Zoom in the first place.

My therapist texted me a crazy story about some guy breaking into a store and drinking 70 bottles worth of liquor, with a comment of “Don’t ever let your mom give you crap for drinking 1 spritzer or whatever--alone or with company.” I sent her a photo of the half-drunk wine bottle I opened a week ago and she was all, “You’re such a lightweight, my dear! That’s like--what? Maybe 2 reasonable pors?” I was all, “Pours? My dear, I drink directly from the bottle in the most stereotypically drunk manner!” and then told her about how for some reason whenever I stick a stopper in this bottle, periodically it just SHOOTS OUT and pops like a gun going off. She was all, “Well, I guess the bottle does that to get your attention cause you’re not attending to it enough?”

Later, Mom was texting me about food and I told her about making corn muffins with stuff I found in the liquor cabinet, and apparently Mom found this hilarious that I have one, and Roger just looked at her like “duh, of COURSE she has a liquor cabinet.” The man does like to encourage me to drink, after all.

I tried to watch “Treasure Island” tonight, but was just not feeling it, what with all the yelling. So instead I watched the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist reunion show. I am not a fan of Skylar Astin in general (see like, all the Zoey reviews), but when he sang a slowed down version of “500 Miles?” Actually touching me, go figure. And then John Clarence Stewart broke into Being Alive... wow. Then I gave “Buyer and Cellar” (a one man show about a guy working in Barbra Streisand’s mall basement) a try. I'm amazed he memorized all of that. Anyway, he kinda makes friends with Barbra and gets fired, more or less that is any plot you'd probably have with Barbra!

Carlos is doing a lot better and the weekly podcast comes back on Wednesday. I watched today’s weekend podcast and he was back to snarking at Arne about his bad cooking again, so he at least sounded good. Huzzah.

Oh, and I got email from Linda saying she wants to do some radio play readings next weekend.... Sign me up!

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