adventures in urban homesteading. (or) the time I lost my shit.

(apologies for my language...I drop the f-bomb a lot when I'm mad)

I'm going into my 3rd winter with Chickens in town.
I could go on and on about ideas around building the perfect chicken coop- VENTILATION, basic chicken care, and about how frickin' fantastic watching those bumbling featherbutts can be... but I won't... come and ask me questions some time.
My coop is the most hobo-built-redneck creation out there. It's built out of spare pieces of wood and parts off an old rabbit cage (Norty's old cage). It's been great- located inside my shed it's been mostly preditor proof- last fall a set of raccoon prints appeared on the lower side of the coop inside the shed, but the little guy never returned.
And there was the run-in with the fox this summer that made off with 2 of my meat birds, but that was a small run out in the yard, not the coop...

Last night I went to bed early- I've done a string of day shifts, and I find that getting things done and out the door before 7am is hard work... I fell asleep by 9:30 and was sound asleep in my own bed by 10.... at midnight I heard the chickens screaming.

I fumbled around and found a house coat in the dark (because I still haven't bothered to plug the lamp back in under my bed!) and went running out... three of the girls were in the run... Darlene was screaming bloody murder...The girls are never in the run at night- unless the coop door has blown shut and locked them out. So I run into the shed... and come face to face with 4 young raccoons! one took off right away and I never saw it again... one was in the coop eating an egg, and two others climbed up ontop of the coop.

I did what any chicken farmer would do.

I grabbed my broom and started playing raccoon baseball. I whacked the heck outta them- I shoved them, I hissed at them. I yelled (several times) "you mother fuckers get out of my fucking chicken coop!'

What did they do? They took it! One just sort of rolled his eyes at me while I swung at him. Oh, I made contact- once or twice the broom was bitten. Eventually I chased them out of the shed- they ended up on the roof. I could hear them pacing above me, so I went outside and started beating them again- one climbed into the run- where the girls started pecking at him.

This is likely where someone might have called the SPCA on me, because I grabbed the wooden pole that I use to prop open the run door and took a few swings at the beastie. In frustration (because I couldn't reach the jerks on the roof) I had thrown the broom at the coons while I spat out every swear word I've ever learned, so the pole made a great replacement.

It's still on the roof (the broom I mean).

The wooden pole was heavy- I couldn't swing it at the coons on the roof, and it was only 3 feet long. So I switched to the bamboo poles from the garden, at 5 feet long they make an amazing switch... and I could reach the peak of shed roof from the ground.

For the next half hour I ran from one side to the other of the shed, whipping raccoons. I was not gentle... but they seemed to think it was a joke.... till I climbed on the roof of the run and got on the roof of the shed and tried to play raccoon golf.

Finally I'd hit them in the head often enough that the decided to (slowly) leave.
They climbed down onto the fence... where I hit them some more.
Then they climbed over the side of the fence into the neighbour's side- still hanging onto the lattice of the fence.  I spent some time jabbing them in the stomach with my bamboo pole. That pissed them off and they fell off the fence- one fell off the fence and got stuck, that was pretty much the best moment of the night... I may have been laughing manicly at that point. I only stopped when I heard myself loudly say "take that mother fuckers!"

I also realized at that point that my housecoat wasn't done up, and that I was still wearing my mouth guard.

Awesome. Thank goodness I live on a quiet street.





epilogue: I chased the coons again around 3am. No chickens were (seriously) harmed. Tonight I built a cage inside the coop to house the girls till I can do some serious repairs to the side of my delapitated old shed. Vacation/shed repairs start next Monday if anyone would care to join me.

deep down

I'm in a play that's wrapping up today.
A series of monologues called "More Work Than a Puppy".

I've tapped into an emotion (Anger) that I don't often use. Anger scares me. I've seen a lot of it around me, and in my teen years spent too much time on the receiving end to be comfortable with it. Not that anyone is ever comfortable with anger.. just that I've seen the rage and have been so terrified by it, that I fear who I'd be if I ever allowed myself to face it head on.

My character in this show loses her shit on a man... like... LOSES HER SHIT. Friends who've seen the show have come to me after and said they're a little afraid of me, that they've never seen me get mad at someone in the first place, so seeing this rage is almost too much. I have to remind them I'm acting.
Am I acting?
Does this live in me?

Pulling this from within me has felt So Good. After each show I can't stop laughing, I'm giddy, I'm ... probably ready to take on anything... I'm ... ready to lose my shit on whoever deserves it. Is that me?
And pulling this from within me has also made me so aware of each and every emotion on a ridiculous level. I'm already hypersensitive to emotions from other people, and now I'm hypersensitive to my own? This is messy.

Oh, right.

So, I just filled in an online form and had a melt down on it.
It kept showing my age as one year too old.

As a December baby, I like to hold on to the youth that year provides for as long as I can, just because my birthdate is such and such a year, does not mean that I am such and such an age.  So, I'm sitting on the couch swearing at the screen, because it's cheaped me of the last month before my birthday- and it's already embarrassing enough that I'm filling out this stupid online form... for yet another dating website... so how DARE it make me older... I can't be that age and signing up for another FRICKIN dating site!!!

Then I sit there.
On the couch.
Glaring at the computer.
And I do the math out loud ... on my fingers... for the computer, so it will know... it's being an ass.

And then I realize that I'm actually a year older than I've been saying I am for the past few months.
And I feel a little sick.
And I'm going to have to sign up on the seniors' dating site.

25 things part 2

6. I've "fake raptured" housemates as a prank.  - In university my housemates and I read the "Left Behind" series. One day I left random piles of clothing around the house for my roommates to find. These ladies put up with a lot of strange pranks (orajel on the toothbrushes!) and random quirks (the infamous "concentration whistle").

7. I trained myself to be a 7:15pm pooper while on the road with Watoto. Shows started at 6:30 or 7, so while everyone was busy watching the show/was in the show, I had a few minutes to myself for "the long call". I'm not a 7:15pm pooper any more.

8. I'd like to be a singer... For a career. Currently there's a little too much emphasis on people being "singer-songwriters". Maybe someday. Reading that thing J.Byrd posted, and some things said at last year's OCFF has pushed me think a little more about this.

9. The first time I saw the words "pubic hair" written, I totally read "public hair". Not only that, but I read it out loud to a huddled group of friends in grade 7 from a copy of "The Valley of Horses". I'd  borrowed the book from my Dad's collection, and spent the next 4 years hoping he wouldn't reread the series or remember how much sex was in it.

10. I'm really good at starting things.... not so good with follow thru.

breaking legs (a review)

My biggest worry is that someone will take offense to something I write. I worry more than a person should at the best of times. Suck it up butter cup (that's directed at me).

Some spoiler-ish things may be found here. Just go see the show. (edit: I didn't credit most of the cast and crew- I'll get that fixed later Plus, this is a blog- I don't use last names.)

Every year I get pissed off that no one gives an actual review of the show. There's this guy who sometimes writes them- and he gets really hung up on stupid things. Here goes nothing.. my first review.

Friday night I took in the opening night of

Northumberland Players production of Cabaret.

The show....

(photo credit writingwithlightstudio.com)

It was Lovely.Flashy.Sexy.Gender Bluring.Painfilled.Beautiful.Dirty.Smart.Sweet.Shocking.Sad.

NP puts on shows with a fraction of a budget, and a fraction of the pool of "talent" to draw from- but this doesn't keep them from consistently producing shows on par or better than those I'd pay to see in the big city.

Directed by Jack and Shannon, the blocking in this show was fantastic, as was Alina's choreography... those poor "Kit Kat girls" and their kick line dance... I was out of breath watching them- but they made it through and still held their poise afterwards- it was a complicated little number, I was so proud of them! The opening piece "willkommen" was a treat- and had the whole audience excited (and maybe a little uncomfortable?) about what was to come. After being in a few shows- I really appreciated why people were placed where they were on stage, and how they moved within those spaces. A few times I said to myself "oh, I like the way they look standing in that configuration".

There were also some really cute numbers that made the whole audience chuckle with glee. "Two Ladies" was one of those, it just had some smart little moves in it that the Emcee and the two Kit Kat girls pulled off really well. Another was the Telephone song, oh! The Money number was fabulous too. A nod to the kit kat boys and the rest of the company in those bigger numbers- I loved how much attention to detail there was in creating each of your characters! Good job folks! I loved watching your faces in these pieces- how your characters interacted with each other, and how each person was unique.

The Master of Ceremonies... oh Michael. You're beautiful.

He was perfectly cast in that role. I did want to punch a number of the audience members who couldn't get past the fact they weren't sure of his gender (and kept having debates about it while he was up there being magical...), but that was all part of the balance needed for the part of Emcee. Great dance moves, great expression and reactions- there was definitely the possibility that it could have turned to cheese having him in most scenes reacting to the other characters- but he kept it under control and didn't cross that line.

One of my favourite parts of the show was the love story between Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz. I wanted to run up and hug them both- they were that adorable! Jan and David did a great job of playing their blossoming love... They were so believable in the first act, that the second act seemed like they must be joking. I kept waiting for Fraulein Schneider to say the whole break off of the marriage was a sham. I think the only thing that would have made them stronger would be if Herr Schultz would "cheat" his stance a little more when talking to his bride to be. I was in the centre of the audience, and was sad for the people stage left in the audience that they were missing some of the show/ a number of really sweet facial expressions shared between the love birds. I wanted to put the two of them in my purse and take them home with me.

Fraulein Kost did what she could with what was written for her... can I admit that? No reflection on how she played- That whole story line could have been axed and not missed. (I know, the way a story is written shouldn't be part of a review) It slowed the show down a few times near the beginning- I think to improve it, I would have had the director ask to play up the whole "not getting caught" part of things a little more with her character- to have her be more playful to counter the weakness in the story line. Or maybe just played up the energy of her character? GREAT singing and dancing though! I loved watching her move.

Sally and Cliff....

hm.

I didn't get it.

Antonio and Alyssa are fantastically talented people. But I think that they weren't the right people to be cast in these roles. Perhaps younger might have been the way to go in casting? This is community theatre though- so talent wise, they may have been best fit for the roles when keeping in mind the needs of the entire cast. I love their voices, I love their acting. They're both beautiful... But something in me kept wondering how the part of Sally would have worked with someone like young Elly playing the part a little more coyly. Can coy and sass exist at the same time? I think Sally needed that... Alyssa has a very sweet innocent look about her and a very sweet singing voice (Which, I must note- she broke from in one of her last pieces- it had some serious "oomph" behind it). Antonio (while only in his 40s) played his part well, but I just couldn't accept him as a "young writer searching for inspiration". His age kept me thinking that his character was a washed out dud of a guy. His acting served well though, and his reactions to things Sally did often gave me a chuckle. As always, I couldn't get enough of his voice.

Chris as Ernst Ludwig. Sigh. Part of me feels like this is a case of "sound of music syndrome"... a great little story gets ruined by a nazi story line being fed into random places. Chris always plays the part of a creep too well. (Sorry Chris!)

The Kit Kat girls... wow... just.. wow. I know they worked hard learning those moves, learning the attitude... they totally pulled it off.

I have to add this. Three times during the intermission, three different people called me by the name of one of the girls on stage. I'm not really sure why people get us mixed up, but I'm so ok with it- Amber's wonderful- and in this show, she's a scene stealer. She OWNS the stage. She owns the people watching the stage, and her character Helga knows it.

The first act was long. I know, it was written long... but there were a few longish music vamps in there that went on (for 20 seconds or more) making it confusing for the audience as to weather or not it was break time. I don't know if that was a set change issue- or what that was. The band, and cast, did so well considering they couldn't see each other for cues- I loved the accordion and I'm pretty sure I heard a banjo. Curses to those safety regulations that require the top bannister blocking our view of the band! I enjoyed having them in sight- adding to the feeling of being in the club in their great outfits. (ps, the "bei mir bistu shein" vamp? Maybe it's written in, or maybe Susan added it, but I've always love that tune).

Adding to the length of the first act was the addition of "audience participation". A fun idea, but the transitions distracted me and broke the rhythm of the show. I couldn't help but hear murmers of "what's going on?" and people wondering if it was break time... Not something you want to hear. But, at the same time, it was cute. Epecially when the Master of Ceremonies was able to improv. I do love when the audience has a moment of discomfort thinking about what it would be like to be up on stage.

Opening night tech was a little rough. Mics not turned on, reverb left on, spot not quite ready when actors were ready... I know they were working hard back there, and there are likely things that I don't know about that caused some of the issues. When they were doing well, they did really well. Lighting was good- there were a few scenes where the lighting was really really well done- enough that I actually thought about it- which is a big thing- I don't notice things like that usually ... Kudos to the actors for working though the problems without distraction. And an even bigger kudos/congrats to the crew on getting most of them worked out by the second half of the show.

A big really treat in this show was the costuming! SO MANY COSTUMES! feathers.lace.bows.garters.skirts.flowers.sequins.bowties.scarves.headpieces.furs

I loved scene changes, waiting to see what each character would come out in next! Lisa did a FANTASTIC job.

Props too! It took everything in me not to steal one of those great suitcases... or telephones...

And finally, this has to be mentioned.

The set.

Was amazing.

(photo credit writingwithlightsudio.com)

Visually impressive (and making for some great photos).

And so smart! I loved the box/curtain/door thingys... the way they worked as the back of the club, become the boarding house and were able to be turned into a train car, and then into the boxcar at the end.. just... super smart.

There's a lot I haven't mentioned. There was a whole lot of talent on that stage. I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot the whole night.

NP, be super proud of what you've acomplished- that was a fantastic show- I'm telling everyone to go see it.

All other photos credited to the lovely Jer.

almonds - clowns

person 1 enters the room. On the floor, a table on it's side Two shoes are hanging from it by their heels. Nearby, there is a single glove, three clothes pegs and a container of almonds laying in a row on the floor. Ideas of entertainment float into focus.

Person 1 is encouraged instead to be in the space. Not to judge the items before they've been encountered. P1 is annoyed, the idea of turned up noses to old shoes is funny! A script is being formed- but P1 allows the idea to be discarded and walks to the objects to investigate.

It's painful for a few seconds. Just viewing the items. trying not to formulate. Touching them, but not trying to force an idea on the way things "should" unfold. Finally... long moments later... the glove is picked up, and pinned to the wall. P1 stares at it, shrugs, and starts to eat out of the container of almonds. P1 pauses and throws an almond at the glove, it hits the glove and falls to the floor. P1 allows a small smile to escape, and placing the container of almonds on the floor, begins to play a basketball-like game with the almonds and the glove. Each shot is missed.

P2 enters the room, and watches. Slowly P2 approaches the game. P1 has missed every shot, but doesn't seem frustrated. P2 asks what P1 is playing, and if they can play too.

P1: CATCH! throws the almond
P2: I'll try! catches easily and tosses it back to P1

the almond is thrown back and forth, till P1 takes the almond and pretends to slam dunk it into the glove... P1 goes for the dunk, and with the other hand, opens the glove up wide and places the almond inside.

P1: TOUCHDOWNS!

P2: again!

P1: tosses the almond, catches, and pumps her fists in the air... we're really good. Champions!

We could win a trophy!

p2: how would you look if you won a trophy?

P1: places hands on hips and sticks out their chest, head held high.

How would you look?

P2: strikes a pose. Here, let me try! Pass it to me!

the almond is tossed back and forth, P2 goes for the shot... and misses. The almond falls, P2 falls, and the almond breaks.

P2: I didn't do it. It broke. I never win ANYTHING!

P1: This is really sad. We're not going to get the trophy. I've never really won anything before. I wanted a trophy..... Have.. you ever won anything?

P2: gets up off the floor I don't remember it, but I was told I won "cutest baby"

P1: cutest baby doesn't count.

P2: crestfallen. I don't think I've won anything then.

P1: That's ok. moments pass What if we pretended we won? and it was like the Olympics? and we got up at the podium, and they all clapped for us? It would be like winning? Here, we can step up on to the podium and pretend.. we can sing the national anthem!

P1 steps onto an imaginary podium and begins to bow.

P2: I don't think I can do it....

P1: yes you can, here, I'll hold your hand!

P1 drags P2 onto the podium. P2 has P1 in a death grip.

P2: hisses quietly ... I'm scared!

P1: It's ok, you don't have to be scared. I'm holding your hand.

P2: I don't think I can do it.

P1: want to know something that works for me? Just look out at the people and pretend they're all naked.

P2: looking straight at P1 Ok....

P1 and P2 slowly look away from eachother, look out at the audience, their eyes growing wide.. and start laughing....(after a beat the audience realizes that the laughter really is directed at them.... ) they begin to walk off the stage, P1 offers more advice for bravery as they walk....


**post script**
unfortunately, the txt here will never ever capture the moment.
the pauses, the gestures, the fear and joy on the faces of the clowns... the painful moments of discomfort waiting for things to be reviled. .. honestly discovered on the fly.

after the "cutest baby doesn't count" line, and up till the "pretend they're naked" line, things are a little guesstimated... there was a little too much laughing to keep it all straight.

One of my proudest moments was when the next group and the instructor made a comment about how difficult it would be to follow us. It felt so good after a frustrating morning of trying hard not to allow myself to "script" what I thought would be funny.

red noseing it.

Sometimes, it's good to figure out who you are inside.
And sometimes to do that, you have to turn the insides outside....

So, tomorrow I'm going to a clowning course.

That seems like a really good idea.






**and if anyone has $400 they'd like to give me, there's a week long course coming up that I'd love to attend.

acting chops

it wasn't really lying ... as much as just using my ability to hang part of a sentence in the air...

Last night driving thru little lawless gallery town, I passed a police cruiser. I wasn't speeding. My stickers are up to date on my plates. My lights are working. And yet, the cruiser pulled out and followed me to the house. I was parking on the side of the country road when he pulled up beside me.
I rolled down my window.

"Hello L.Bo"
uh, hello?

"I know your name... know how I know that?"
uh, I'm not sure...

"I ran your plates"
(at this point I'm trying to figure out what's going on, I squint thru the snowflakes to see if it's an officer I know, maybe one of the guys from high school, or one from work?)

"I ran your plates and you forgot to renew your license on your birthday"
But!! I renewed my stickers on my birthday.... *

"yes, but you also needed to renew your license"
They didn't mention that at the office....

"I just wanted to give you a heads up, if you were pulled over for anything, it'd be a $350 fine... have a good night, and don't forget to get your license on Monday"

oh.
ok....
thank you so much!**

*I actually noticed the other day, but forgot to go on Friday when they were open. I don't drive my car often enough to think of these things...

**at that point I ran in the house laughing to tell the story to the girls at the PJ party hosted by two of my favourite men.

Auditions

As promised, a little run-down of the auditions from a few weeks ago.
'umberland Players are putting on "the 25th annual putnam county spelling bee". Long name, great little show.

It's a show of just leads. There's no chorus backing them up, so I was quite hesitant to try out. But,like I mentioned a while ago, I was encouraged by someone who said a few times "my dream cast includes you, x, y, and z". In conversation with this person, they talked about the show and how "we'd" be doing it, what "our" set was going to look like... and a few other comments that made me feel like it was in the bag. So, yes, I was pretty hurt when I didn't get the part.

BUT. That comes from my biggest weakness.
My greatest strength.
Something that I still need to learn to control.


The best people were chosen for the parts based on their ability to excel in the audition process.

I don't know if I have the vocabulary to describe this fully, I've touched on it before.... and it's long, so feel free to skip it.

I have, since I was about 16, been blessed with the fantastic ability to hear harmony. Music in a whole sense. There's a physical sensation that I feel when I hear music- some people say they sense numbers in colour, people refer to seeing something and nearly being able to taste the vision, I have a physical sensation when I hear music. It happens mostly in my throat and neck- but when a "complete" piece of music is heard, I feel it down into my chest. A squeeze and release that follows the shape of the notes, and the sense that there are two portions in me, one leaning against the other in sound, pushing for a balance, and when the balance is reached, it's a tight feeling, nearly painful in it's perfection.
I used to joke that I had "harmony-itis", and the only way I could explain what was happening in me was that I only heard the harmony... but, when I take it apart, note by note... I hear the melody in my ears and my head, and my brain turns my response into the right "lean" to create a balance. When I sing a harmony, unless it's one I've learned by repetition... I don't know what I'm singing... I couldn't sing it back to you without the melody because it doesn't exist in my mind. A physical response to "fill out" the sound.

ug. I just read what I wrote and it sounds so stupid!
Why aren't we given the vocabulary for these sort of things?

So, to learn a melody takes me a little time.
I have to force myself to step away from the music, and learn the physical characteristics of the tune. If you listen carefully to me stumbling thru a new piece of music, you'll notice I'm breaking into the harmony to what I'm suppose to be learning in the most random of spots.

Trust me.
it's annoying.

In an audition, in a call back, you're asked to learn a few pieces of new songs and sing them solo. I'm just not quick enough on the draw to learn the melody and sing it confidently.

So, the strongest person gets the part. That's the way it should be.

Someday, I'll develop what I've got. Or I'll find a use for it beyond singing around a campfire.

sigh

I'm not going to pretend I'm not disappointed.
Thanks to the wonders of facebook and it's uncanny ability to show me conversations I'm not interested in, and link the people I know... I know that I'm not likely in the show...

Two casted members talking an hour ago online -Practical reasoning says:that was at least an hour ago, and you didn't get a call yet, and the two that you know are cast are cast in a configuration that doesn't leave room for a role for you.

Next time I'll take it more lightly when the director says "my dream cast would include you, x, y, and z"

only "y" has a role.


unless my phone is broken.

awesome

Dressmaker  at 10:16pm July 3

How do you feel about wearing Victorian attire, goggles and carrying parasols in public?

 L. Bo at 10:18pm July 3

I feel very very good about it.

drama queen

more on my thoughts lately is the play.

there's just 5 weeks till we open.

today though, I was celebrating the roomie's birthday with her family... 

one little cousin (I think she's 7) was asking me about my day job, so I told her about the drama club.... 

her response? 

"drama? drama? I'm falling in love with drama! it would take me one hundred.... no... seventy days to tell you about it!"

too funny.

The Show Must Go Om

the spelling error is on purpose.

That's right folks, the time is drawing near... and tickets are ON SALE NOW and you can sit and be transported back in time... back to a time where "if it feels right, don't think twice" was the norm.

I'm talking about that little play I've been rehearsing for with a few others....

HAIR

um... yet again. I'm failing you in the photo department.... so instead let me leave you with this.

(random shots of a rehearsal a few weeks ago, photo credit to lovely Jer)

ho ho ho

Did I mention the Santa Clause parade?
Well, there's another one this weekend, Port of Hope has theirs on Saturday... watch for me there... crap. I just realized I forgot my costume at the firehall.


also. the last parade was lovely.
quite
lovely

plans for next year's new year's resolution is already in the works.
scale back on my main love language.

mister tambourine man

ok, so the thing that had the potential of being the most embarrassing element of the play for me (um... aside from that other thing) has been resolved. 

And I am SO totally ok with it now.

ok?

In other news... I'm on my way to the royal winter fair tomorrow, and I know you wish you were going.

not quite the 4-H

In my haste to not lose my train of thought, I loosed it from the caboose, and left thoughts behind... or ahead... or at the very least... lost.

Remember how I always say I wish my life was a musical? And then I proceed to sing for the next hour (month)?

So, I may or may not have said: "theoretically" if one were to try out for a musical what should one sing as an audition piece? (and I may or may not have said that just a few weeks ago). But I'm here today to dispel any rumour, any thought to the contrary...

I did indeed try out for a musical. 

And I did sing "Patricia" at the top of my lungs, from the bottom of my toes.

And I was given a part in the play.

And I did decide to do it.

And I did go to the first rehearsal yesterday after first meeting a chunk of the cast and crew at the director's place for a little par-tay earlier in the weekend.

And that was a run-on sentence (though small)

And I may have much love for most of the cast/crew already.

today is the day... uh... what day?

So, I went home sick from work today. 

I took yesterday off, and spent all day Sunday on the couch. 

I thought I was feeling better, but by about 10am I'd lost all energy. My boss even said to me "you look ill."

So home I went, to the comfort of the couch, and enjoyed a day at tvshack. So great.

I'm still achy... I'm pretty sure it was the flu- I had a fever on Sunday, it wasn't all bad- just no energy at all. 

And... I keep forgetting what day it is... 

Bunday Monday

whew! have I got bunny pictures for you! on my camera.



Great ideas for audition pieces there folks! I wish I'd asked earlier, I wouldn't have been so lost... um.. hypotectically lost I mean.. IF I'd been trying out for a musical I mean.

uh....


yeah...

so... bunny pictures... right...

good question

hypothetically speaking of course.....

what would you sing if you were trying out for a musical?

and the beat goes on.

I may or may not have some unsavoury things to say about our local police at this moment in time.
I may or may not be likely to vote that the O.P.P. take the place of the local force in our township.
I may or may not have missed dinner tonight with some lovely people tonight, and a later evening of movies with friends.
I may or may not have spent 2 hours in the police station, only to have the officer come out, and when I took the time to introduce myself (though he already had my name) be snubbed the handshake and the introduction of himself. (I did take note of his name and badge number as he sat across the table taking my report).

And I may or may not have something wrong with my car.

more tomorrow when I'm not still so pissed.