Hello!
Well, we're open for season five. We opened just over a week ago and we've had a pretty good first week. The shows have been great and the crowds friendly.
It's raining today so we're unsure if this will help our house tonight or if everyone will flee the island. I don't think we've had a Saturday that hasn't been cold and rainy. Well, maybe last Saturday but that was the ONLY one.
I feel like we're settling into our summer groove. Remembering all the tasks and duties that we have when ImprovAcadia is open. It's funny the things you forget - like printing out the staff schedules. I just forgot to do it. It's been tough finding staff this year. I guess the whole island is experiencing a staff shortage. Part of this is due to the fact that the majority of work visas were denied so many businesses that rely on foreign workers were brought up short. We finally found our part time bartender and another waitress but it looked real hinky for a while.
We've been trying some new improv games this year. That's been fun to try out new stuff. I hope to add some more new games as the season progresses based on the casts' particular talents.
We add our fourth actor (with me, it's a cast o' five) next week and I'm looking forward to it. The addition of the fourth actor means we add more shows to our schedule. Next week, marks our slowly mounting climb to the height of the season. By the fourth of July, we'll be doing 2 shows a night Monday through Saturday with one show on Sunday.
So far it doesn't seem that the gas prices have affected us (knock on wood) and we're hoping that trend continues. We've been having some odd audiences though. I think people are in pretty good moods considering EVERYTHING. However, you can always tell when we're stressed as a country and we are. Still I think people are grateful to have a chance to get away and to laugh a bit. We are finding that lots of our audiences are from Maine so....we could finally get access to that elusive Maine audience. They can't get away from us so we'll just suck them in like a blackhole of comedy. Or some other more friendly image...uh, we're draw them in like a moth to a flame. No. How about? We'll attract them like teenage girls to the mall. Perfect.
I'm still knitting on that rug. I'm half way down which means I've knit 30 ft of rug. That's right, I have another 30 to go. Then I have to put in cotton cording, sew it shut, coil it and then sew it into a circular shape. I'm thinking about knitting some socks or a sweater but first I have to finish this rug.
Okay, I'm off to do laundry and go to the grocery store. EXCITING!
More later...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Two Weeks
We're a little over two weeks from opening. Things have gone crazy here....it's like we woke up and said, "Oh, right. We have stuff to do. Let's do it!" So we are...
I'm kniting a rug with all my odd's and end's o' yarn. The completed length is 60 feet and then you coil it into a circular rug. Bam!
It's hot, sunny and springy here.
This is short but so am I.
~Jen
P.S. Rance's favorite color is Hot Blue.
I'm kniting a rug with all my odd's and end's o' yarn. The completed length is 60 feet and then you coil it into a circular rug. Bam!
It's hot, sunny and springy here.
This is short but so am I.
~Jen
P.S. Rance's favorite color is Hot Blue.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
One month to go..
Hi,
Well, we're one month away from opening for our fifth season. We haven't really started working on opening the physical space but we've been working on casting our season. We've got almost the whole cast in place. Now everyone is busy figuring out how they're going to travel up to the northeastern most corner of their country.
We've been working on getting the house ready. Progress on this has been slow. I've been doing some reorganzing but haven't really gotten into the heavy cleaning. I will, oh I will! Beware dust and (what I hope is) dirt! Murphy's oil soap is coming your way!
We're also working on hiring our waitstaff for the summer. I think we're almost done with that. Most of our staff is returning from last year and we have maybe one new addition. This is good news - former staff = easy to get open.
I got new glasses with the sunglass clip-on's. They were a little weird at first. The lenses are bigger than I'm used to and it's a new prescription. It felt a bit like I was in a fishbowl. Now I'm used to them. What? How do they look? Awesome!
For anyone who doesn't know, I'm a knitter. I knit. I purl. I frog. I decrease. I make one. I K2tog. I yo. I kftb. Oh, yeah! Anyway, I went through my yarn stash. Uh, I have a lot of yarn. Full skeins/hanks and many odds and ends. I need to decrease my yarnage. This will be a project for this summer. What will I make? Hmmm. Maybe a poncho...
I've been doing a lot of work in our yard. Raking, weeding, rebuilding little rock borders and planting stuff. I've planted marigolds, wildflowers (I know - they're wild but planted - more like, poserflowers! Oh, I got those flowers in the face!), lillies and lupines. Turns out that I like doing yard work. I thought I hated it. No, I like it. I think you could even say that I enjoy it.
If you have any questions about anything, post them in my comments and I'll answer them.
Serious.
Jen
Well, we're one month away from opening for our fifth season. We haven't really started working on opening the physical space but we've been working on casting our season. We've got almost the whole cast in place. Now everyone is busy figuring out how they're going to travel up to the northeastern most corner of their country.
We've been working on getting the house ready. Progress on this has been slow. I've been doing some reorganzing but haven't really gotten into the heavy cleaning. I will, oh I will! Beware dust and (what I hope is) dirt! Murphy's oil soap is coming your way!
We're also working on hiring our waitstaff for the summer. I think we're almost done with that. Most of our staff is returning from last year and we have maybe one new addition. This is good news - former staff = easy to get open.
I got new glasses with the sunglass clip-on's. They were a little weird at first. The lenses are bigger than I'm used to and it's a new prescription. It felt a bit like I was in a fishbowl. Now I'm used to them. What? How do they look? Awesome!
For anyone who doesn't know, I'm a knitter. I knit. I purl. I frog. I decrease. I make one. I K2tog. I yo. I kftb. Oh, yeah! Anyway, I went through my yarn stash. Uh, I have a lot of yarn. Full skeins/hanks and many odds and ends. I need to decrease my yarnage. This will be a project for this summer. What will I make? Hmmm. Maybe a poncho...
I've been doing a lot of work in our yard. Raking, weeding, rebuilding little rock borders and planting stuff. I've planted marigolds, wildflowers (I know - they're wild but planted - more like, poserflowers! Oh, I got those flowers in the face!), lillies and lupines. Turns out that I like doing yard work. I thought I hated it. No, I like it. I think you could even say that I enjoy it.
If you have any questions about anything, post them in my comments and I'll answer them.
Serious.
Jen
Monday, April 14, 2008
Wow, that snuck up...
So here it is Monday. I meant to write this blog entry yesterday but I forgot so now I'm writing it.
We teach an improv class at COA (College of the Atlantic) on Monday and Thursday afternoons. We've just started our third week and the class is great. We're really focusing on long form improv with this group. Last time we taught at COA we focused more on short form work.
Why the change in focus?
We just wanted to teach a class on long form improv. Yeah. We're going to end the class with two groups who will both create their own original opening and perform a long form for an audience of their peers.
I've been on a big healthcare kick. Since getting back on March 30th, I've seen my doctor, been to the eye doctor and I have an appointment to see my dentist. I keep meaning to be more proactive about my health but I always put it off. Not this year! I'm going to go and pick out new glasses tomorrow - my eyes aren't that much worse but my prescription has changed. Besides I want some of those glass with the magnetic sunglass clip-on's.
Larrance's birthday is in one week - mark it in your calendars!
We haven't really started working on the theater yet but I am almost done with casting for the season. I really only have Sept. and Oct. to finish. Whoo-hoo!
Oh, we trapped a chipmunk in our house on Saturday. It was adorable but way overstepped its bounds. So we live trapped and took it to the other side of the Union River! Take that rodentia!
Jen
P.S. I don't hate chipmunks like I do squirrels.
P.P.S. I don't hate Maine squirrels the way I do Chicago squirrels.
P.P.P.S. Chicago squirrels beware my wrath!
We teach an improv class at COA (College of the Atlantic) on Monday and Thursday afternoons. We've just started our third week and the class is great. We're really focusing on long form improv with this group. Last time we taught at COA we focused more on short form work.
Why the change in focus?
We just wanted to teach a class on long form improv. Yeah. We're going to end the class with two groups who will both create their own original opening and perform a long form for an audience of their peers.
I've been on a big healthcare kick. Since getting back on March 30th, I've seen my doctor, been to the eye doctor and I have an appointment to see my dentist. I keep meaning to be more proactive about my health but I always put it off. Not this year! I'm going to go and pick out new glasses tomorrow - my eyes aren't that much worse but my prescription has changed. Besides I want some of those glass with the magnetic sunglass clip-on's.
Larrance's birthday is in one week - mark it in your calendars!
We haven't really started working on the theater yet but I am almost done with casting for the season. I really only have Sept. and Oct. to finish. Whoo-hoo!
Oh, we trapped a chipmunk in our house on Saturday. It was adorable but way overstepped its bounds. So we live trapped and took it to the other side of the Union River! Take that rodentia!
Jen
P.S. I don't hate chipmunks like I do squirrels.
P.P.S. I don't hate Maine squirrels the way I do Chicago squirrels.
P.P.P.S. Chicago squirrels beware my wrath!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Yeah...uh-huh
Well we're back in Ellsworth, ME. We've settled back into the house for the most part and we've started teaching our improv course at College of the Atlantic.
I was looking at my blog from last year and I realized that I really did a piss poor job of keeping up this year. I was thinking about why. I think part of it was that it wasn't all new. Also I was with a very social group this time around so I was spending less time blogging.
But now I have all these photos that haven't been seen....I need to sort them out but then I'll post some. I know what you're saying, "You said that last time and I came back but nothing had changed. You can't change!" I'm here to tell you - Sweetcheeks, this time it will be different. I promise, sweetcheeks! I'll post some photos and I'll get a job. Just give me another chance! Sweetcheeks, please!
Yes, I'm asking you not to break up with my blog.
I know last year I said I wanted to blog about the season and I do. I'm thinking I should set up a publish day....so how about Mondays. There will be a new post every Monday and maybe some bonus posts!
So, what do you say, sweetcheeks?
~Jen
I was looking at my blog from last year and I realized that I really did a piss poor job of keeping up this year. I was thinking about why. I think part of it was that it wasn't all new. Also I was with a very social group this time around so I was spending less time blogging.
But now I have all these photos that haven't been seen....I need to sort them out but then I'll post some. I know what you're saying, "You said that last time and I came back but nothing had changed. You can't change!" I'm here to tell you - Sweetcheeks, this time it will be different. I promise, sweetcheeks! I'll post some photos and I'll get a job. Just give me another chance! Sweetcheeks, please!
Yes, I'm asking you not to break up with my blog.
I know last year I said I wanted to blog about the season and I do. I'm thinking I should set up a publish day....so how about Mondays. There will be a new post every Monday and maybe some bonus posts!
So, what do you say, sweetcheeks?
~Jen
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
What have I been doing?
Well, not blogging obviously. Bad Jen!
I have a lot to write about and some photos to post.
Like I said, we had a great visit with my Mom and her husband, Ray. They were on for a five day cruise and we went to Tulum with them. Tulum is an anicent Mayan city right on the coast of Mexico - close to Playa del Carmen. It is a beautiful site - lots of intact structures and a picturesque beach. My Mom had her knee replaced two years ago and it was amazing to watch her climb all over the ruins.
On Grand Cayman, Ray went golfing with our castmate, Mike Shreeman. They had a great time golfing on a course designed by Jack Nicklaus. They saw lots of blue iguanas.
At one point, Ray lost his ball and he went into the brush to find it. When he moved back a branch, he was confronted with a snake in the tree. Undaunted, he continued to look for his ball until he saw a second snake on the ground. It occurred to him that it might just be better to take the penalty and use a new ball.
While they we're golfing, Larrance and I took my Mom for her first ever swimming/snorkeling in the ocean--experience. We went to West Cemetery Bay which is one of our favorite spots on Grand Cayman. I took my Mom out right away. It was hard for her to trust the ocean - she thought she was going to sink. Then, to couple that with the foreign experience of breathing while your face is under water was all a bit too much for her. So we paddled around a bit and then got out to lay on the beach. I could tell that she was thinking it all over and suddenly she was ready to try again. So out we went and this time she got it! We swam around the closer, smaller reef and we saw all kinds of fish - Surgeon Fish, Tangs, Sargent Majors, Palmettos, Goat Fish, French Grunts and a couple of Squirrel fish.
After that Larrance and I swam out about 100 yards to the larger reef. We saw a spotted eel, a spiny lobster and hundreds upon hundreds of other fish including a bunch of cow fish. It was a great day.
The whole cruise was so much fun and it was a pleasure to have them on board.
Since then we've been taking it easy on adventures in the ports but we have had a few....here are some highlights:
Barbados - We went to a club called the Blue Monkey on Payne's Bay. Payne's Bay is known for having sea turtles around on a regular basis. From the beach to the site of the turtles was about 100 yards and it was filled with boats and jet ski's. Several guys tried to sell us a ride out to the turtles but we said "no thank you!"
Andy and I went first and for the first time in a long time I had a horrible anxiety attack in the water. The water was very choppy and close into the shore the visibility was awful. As Deanna said, it felt like we were in a sensory deprivation tank. Andy stayed with me and talked me through my attack - he was very sweet. Then we made it out to the turtles but there was only one! I was a little bummed thinking all my work was for nothing. Then 3 more appeared - two Green Turtles and two Loggerheads. We also saw two huge Honeycomb Cowfish and a weird thing called a Flying Gurnard. The swim back was just as hard but this time I was with Larrance so I felt very safe.
Dominican Republic - We went whale watching yesterday with Kim Beddall. Kim said that the Bay of Samana is like a singles nightclub for whales.The ocean was super rough yesterday. Luckily, I'd been told to get on the top level of the ship because downstairs was puketown. The ship was rocking so violently that every single person down there got sick - the rest of us on the top were fine. We saw one humpback whale which was very active. The whale breached, tail breached and tail slapped.
Later back on the cruise ship when we were pulling away from port, we saw like seven humpbacks in the distance. They were all breaching and tail slapping. I guess, like any good nightclub, things don't really start happening until nightfalls.
On the Ship - we've now been changed back to Crew. This is a good thing. Instead of being on the passenger list and being guests in crew areas, now we're crew again.
I'll put another update with photos up on Sunday. Sorry to my loyal readers - I hope you're still reading!
xox,
Jen
I have a lot to write about and some photos to post.
Like I said, we had a great visit with my Mom and her husband, Ray. They were on for a five day cruise and we went to Tulum with them. Tulum is an anicent Mayan city right on the coast of Mexico - close to Playa del Carmen. It is a beautiful site - lots of intact structures and a picturesque beach. My Mom had her knee replaced two years ago and it was amazing to watch her climb all over the ruins.
On Grand Cayman, Ray went golfing with our castmate, Mike Shreeman. They had a great time golfing on a course designed by Jack Nicklaus. They saw lots of blue iguanas.
At one point, Ray lost his ball and he went into the brush to find it. When he moved back a branch, he was confronted with a snake in the tree. Undaunted, he continued to look for his ball until he saw a second snake on the ground. It occurred to him that it might just be better to take the penalty and use a new ball.
While they we're golfing, Larrance and I took my Mom for her first ever swimming/snorkeling in the ocean--experience. We went to West Cemetery Bay which is one of our favorite spots on Grand Cayman. I took my Mom out right away. It was hard for her to trust the ocean - she thought she was going to sink. Then, to couple that with the foreign experience of breathing while your face is under water was all a bit too much for her. So we paddled around a bit and then got out to lay on the beach. I could tell that she was thinking it all over and suddenly she was ready to try again. So out we went and this time she got it! We swam around the closer, smaller reef and we saw all kinds of fish - Surgeon Fish, Tangs, Sargent Majors, Palmettos, Goat Fish, French Grunts and a couple of Squirrel fish.
After that Larrance and I swam out about 100 yards to the larger reef. We saw a spotted eel, a spiny lobster and hundreds upon hundreds of other fish including a bunch of cow fish. It was a great day.
The whole cruise was so much fun and it was a pleasure to have them on board.
Since then we've been taking it easy on adventures in the ports but we have had a few....here are some highlights:
Barbados - We went to a club called the Blue Monkey on Payne's Bay. Payne's Bay is known for having sea turtles around on a regular basis. From the beach to the site of the turtles was about 100 yards and it was filled with boats and jet ski's. Several guys tried to sell us a ride out to the turtles but we said "no thank you!"
Andy and I went first and for the first time in a long time I had a horrible anxiety attack in the water. The water was very choppy and close into the shore the visibility was awful. As Deanna said, it felt like we were in a sensory deprivation tank. Andy stayed with me and talked me through my attack - he was very sweet. Then we made it out to the turtles but there was only one! I was a little bummed thinking all my work was for nothing. Then 3 more appeared - two Green Turtles and two Loggerheads. We also saw two huge Honeycomb Cowfish and a weird thing called a Flying Gurnard. The swim back was just as hard but this time I was with Larrance so I felt very safe.
Dominican Republic - We went whale watching yesterday with Kim Beddall. Kim said that the Bay of Samana is like a singles nightclub for whales.The ocean was super rough yesterday. Luckily, I'd been told to get on the top level of the ship because downstairs was puketown. The ship was rocking so violently that every single person down there got sick - the rest of us on the top were fine. We saw one humpback whale which was very active. The whale breached, tail breached and tail slapped.
Later back on the cruise ship when we were pulling away from port, we saw like seven humpbacks in the distance. They were all breaching and tail slapping. I guess, like any good nightclub, things don't really start happening until nightfalls.
On the Ship - we've now been changed back to Crew. This is a good thing. Instead of being on the passenger list and being guests in crew areas, now we're crew again.
I'll put another update with photos up on Sunday. Sorry to my loyal readers - I hope you're still reading!
xox,
Jen
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What's going on?
~Caught at Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua
Hi!
I'm still writing up an entry for my visit with my Mom and her husband as well as this last nine day cruise.
A few highlights....
While my Mom and Ray were on board, we visited Tulum. Tulum is an ancient Mayan city right on the ocean. It rained that day but we still had a great time exploring Tulum.
On Grand Cayman, Ray went golfing with Mike on a course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Or however you spell his name.... They had a great time golfing, seeing Blue Iguanas, snakes and the ocean.
Mom went snorkeling at West Cemetary Bay with Larrance and me. She'd never swam in the ocean let alone snorkeled. The first time out was a bit rough but by her second time she was a'snorkeling! After that, Larrance and I swam way out to a huge beautiful reef. We saw a spotted eel and a spiny lobster as well as thousands of fish...it was wonderful.
I will write more about our adventures later but here are some photos for right now!
Mom & Ray get comfortable on the NCL Jewel..
We had fancy drinks...
Then off to Mexico and the ruins
Tulum!
Grand Cayman!
xo,
Jen & Larrance
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