Well, this year included more big personal milestones. 2007 included moving halfway across the country, changing jobs, and getting engaged. In 2008, I got married and then (surprisingly promptly) got pregnant. I also changed my name, although that change is still trickling through to certain credit cards and memberships.
Planning a wedding and preparing for a baby did cut into my playwriting activities, but I still had some achievements. 3 monologues and a one-act premiered in Pittsburgh. A one-act was produced in Maryland. I had my first Chicago productions, first a reading then a production of my first Christmas play. Although no full-lengths were produced this year, I did complete a draft of a new full-length, which received a developmental reading at Chicago Dramatists in November.
There was some travel this year. We went to St. Johns for our honeymoon, which was spectacular. We visited friends and family in Georgia, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. We also spent a babymoon weekend in New York City.
Body and health wise I lost 20 pounds before the wedding. Although I'd been that thin before I had never been so healthy. I felt great! After the wedding, I finally fulfilled a promise to a friend to try Bikram Yoga, and I loved it. I still do it about twice a week. Of course, the pre-wedding weightloss came back plus more with the baby, but that's what happens. Having lost it once I'm sure I'll be able to take care of it after the baby is born.
There was some luxury this year, in addition to splurging on an amazing resort for the honeymoon. Although hubby (thankfully) doesn't travel much for work anymore, he still had plenty of hotel and airline points. Hilton points allowed us to stay at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on our wedding night and at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC for our babymoon. Both stays were paid for by points only, which was excitingly decadent.
So what will 2009 have in store? Well, the main thing will be the birth of this critter and the beginning of what hubby calls "the crittaceous period." I am pretty sure that much of the year (and much of the future in general) will revolve around him. I do plan to make time for myself, but I'm being realistic. I likely won't be able to do as much writing, but I will try to send out existing plays. (A one-act is already scheduled to be produced in Massachusetts in January.) Perhaps I may even have some time to continue developing the new full-length. But this year's uber-list is likely to be a bit short. Until I have some time under my belt as a mother (Wow, it's been a few months since I've been able to wear a belt!), I don't want to make promises to myself that I can't keep. My main goal is to give birth to a healthy baby boy, and I'll see where to go from there!
Happy New Year! Now, I need to soak my black-eyed peas before heading out for the evening...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Coming Soon
11 weeks until the critter is due. Scary. For so long his arrival seemed very far off, but now it seems soon. Very soon.
We have no baby infrastructure! Sure, family and friends have started to send clothes and toys and some other small items, but we are generally not ready for a baby. We have no car seat. We have nowhere for crit to sleep. We have no DIAPERS!
After tomorrow night, the hectic holiday season will be over, and we can begin hectic baby prep season. There will be shopping trips. There will be home reorganization and packing. There will be birthing classes and infant care classes and breastfeeding classes. There will be midwife appointments every two weeks (at least). There will be many questions and forms (for the hospital, for our insurance, for my leave at work). We need to find a pediatrician.
There will be fun things like my baby shower and the continued goodness of Bikram yoga, but these too will help ensure that the weeks fly by.
Soon this critter knocking around inside my belly will be a little person of the world. Oh, I'm not afraid of having to take care of him. I'm afraid of missing something important from my to do list.
We have no baby infrastructure! Sure, family and friends have started to send clothes and toys and some other small items, but we are generally not ready for a baby. We have no car seat. We have nowhere for crit to sleep. We have no DIAPERS!
After tomorrow night, the hectic holiday season will be over, and we can begin hectic baby prep season. There will be shopping trips. There will be home reorganization and packing. There will be birthing classes and infant care classes and breastfeeding classes. There will be midwife appointments every two weeks (at least). There will be many questions and forms (for the hospital, for our insurance, for my leave at work). We need to find a pediatrician.
There will be fun things like my baby shower and the continued goodness of Bikram yoga, but these too will help ensure that the weeks fly by.
Soon this critter knocking around inside my belly will be a little person of the world. Oh, I'm not afraid of having to take care of him. I'm afraid of missing something important from my to do list.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Ups and Downs of My Christmas Journey
It was snowing in Chicago the Tuesday before Christmas. It was snowing a lot. My husband, and I had a leisurely breakfast and finished packing before the adventure began.
Hubby broke two ice scrapers trying to prepare the car for the trip to the airport. (We hadn't moved the car for several days and each of those days involved snow, ice, and subzero windchill, resulting in quite a wintry armor.) He managed to create a relatively safe level of visibility before we headed out. The roads were not yet plowed, even the major ones, making our drive to the airport much longer than expected. For once it was nice to receive the update from the airline that our plane was delayed. We wouldn't have made it otherwise.
When we arrived at long term parking it was also snowed over. Spaces without cars in them were filled with piles of snow and ruts of ice. We worked our way in to a spot hoping we'd be able to get back out when we returned.
On the train to the terminal we got the message: Our flight was cancelled. At the terminal we joined the others in a very long line at customer service. Meanwhile, hubby was on the phone with the airline as well. After 2 and 1/2 hours on hold (and still standing in line), he got a fuzzy connection to a real human being, albeit on the other side of the world. We were confirmed for flights the next day (Christmas Eve), but we were confirmed on separate flights. (A detail that the phone person didn't even bother to mention until hubby specifically thought to ask about my reservation when the conversation seemed geared toward one person.)
Although we were happy to have confirmed flights, we were not happy about being separated. We were scheduled to arrive 6 hours apart, and that's if we both managed to get their without our flights being cancelled. I couldn't help but cry as I began to dread the thought of ending up in separate cities for Christmas. (Plus, if the earlier flight made it and mine did not, my husband would be alone with my family, which would likely be awkward.)
We decided to continue to wait in the line (We were getting so close!) to see if there was any way to get on the same flight even if it meant adding legs to what had been a direct flight. We were told that there was nothing to do other than come in the morning and put me on the stand by list and hope.
We were, however, given a coupon for discounted hotel stays (after being told that the airline won't pay for hotel rooms related to weather delays). We decided to spend the money rather than drive home. The roads were still awful; we may or may not have been able to pull out of our parking space; we'd have to ready the car without a working ice scraper; and we'd just have to do it again in the morning. So we caught the shuttle to the hotel. We bought an overpriced dinner. But we were together. At least for that night.
We didn't sleep well, likely a combination of the worry about the next day's logistics, the less than premium bed, and the sound of planes flying overhead. We got up extra early and went to the airport.
We each checked in at the kiosks and added me to the waitlist for the earlier flight. Then we went to customer service to see if hubby could use his *status* to move me up in the list. I am glad that hubby doesn't travel for work anymore, but it will be sad when his elevated *status* with the airlines disappears. We will have to go back to using the regular security lines and boarding after the half the plane has. Sadness. However, in this case, there was nothing he could do. We were told that I was number 14 in the waitlist. The lady at the desk said that was pretty good, at least better than number 47 (the total number on the list).
So we waited by in the gate area. I watched the monitor for waitlist updates. By the time we were nearing the scheduled boarding time I was up to number 3. At least that would give me a good position for the waitlist on the following flight (which would still get me there earlier than my scheduled flight). Still, I didn't want to be separated from my husband.
The two names in front of me were called. Then a pause. So close! Then they called me. I rushed to desk lest they change their mind. I now had a boarding pass. I would be on the same plane as my husband. That is if a plane arrived. It was past boarding time and the jetway was connected to an empty space. But then a plane arrived. We might get there after all.
Then, they called my hubby to the desk. Uh-oh? No. His *status* got him upgraded to first class. And, my sweet and loving husband, told me we would trade seats. My enlarged and tired pregnant body would get the extra space. I love him so much.
We boarded. Hubby went to the back, to my cramped middle coach seat. I stayed up front...but someone was in my seat. We verified on our ticket stubs. We were both assigned that seat. We handed the stubs to the flight attendant, and I began to worry that I would not be on the flight after all, much less first class. But the man in the seat told the FA that he didn't mind giving up the seat as long as there was a seat for him on the plane. They found a coach seat and he moved. This stranger did not make a fuss. He just volunteered to move. Whether it was because I'm pregnant or because it was Christmas or because he just wanted to get moving on one of the busiest travel days of the year, he volunteered to move. Gentlemen exist (see, also, prior paragraph about husband).
So I got to ride in first class. Of course, one of the perqs of first class is free booze, which is not very useful to me at this time. I asked a flight attendant to send my free drinks back to the two gentlemen who facilitated my being able to sit there: my husband and the stranger.
Just about 24 hours later than originally planned, my husband and I TOGETHER arrived at our destination. In time for Christmas. We stayed up late that night to open gifts after my parents returned from Midnight Mass (a tradition). There were gifts for those fully present and some for the critter. We spent time visiting my parents and grandparents. We ate a lot. It was a nice few days.
Our return trip was delayed a bit for fog, which seemed silly since it looked significantly nicer out than what we had flown in on Christmas Eve. While waiting my husband asked a silly question, "Would you like me to see if I can get us upgraded to first class?" I answered as one would expect. He was able to use his last two upgrade vouchers in the last few weeks of his *status* to get us upgraded to two first class seats right next to each other. We flew back in style, holding hands, and kissing, and being us. We were going home together.
Luckily, the days following the departure had been kind. It was cold upon our arrival, but earlier days of warmth had melted all the snow. No scraping needed. We drove home.
Besides the the stress of travel, there was another toll to the trip. There was tons of food including desserts at seemingly every meal. There was very little exercise other than walking around my Grandparents' land. When I weighed myself this morning for the first time in almost a week I found that I gained almost 5 pounds. Eek. Now it is time to get back to healthier eating and Bikram and Versaclimbing. I've been a little ahead of schedule on weight gain but nothing too extreme. I don't want to get out of control in the third trimester! Yes, less than 3 months to go little critter!
Hubby broke two ice scrapers trying to prepare the car for the trip to the airport. (We hadn't moved the car for several days and each of those days involved snow, ice, and subzero windchill, resulting in quite a wintry armor.) He managed to create a relatively safe level of visibility before we headed out. The roads were not yet plowed, even the major ones, making our drive to the airport much longer than expected. For once it was nice to receive the update from the airline that our plane was delayed. We wouldn't have made it otherwise.
When we arrived at long term parking it was also snowed over. Spaces without cars in them were filled with piles of snow and ruts of ice. We worked our way in to a spot hoping we'd be able to get back out when we returned.
On the train to the terminal we got the message: Our flight was cancelled. At the terminal we joined the others in a very long line at customer service. Meanwhile, hubby was on the phone with the airline as well. After 2 and 1/2 hours on hold (and still standing in line), he got a fuzzy connection to a real human being, albeit on the other side of the world. We were confirmed for flights the next day (Christmas Eve), but we were confirmed on separate flights. (A detail that the phone person didn't even bother to mention until hubby specifically thought to ask about my reservation when the conversation seemed geared toward one person.)
Although we were happy to have confirmed flights, we were not happy about being separated. We were scheduled to arrive 6 hours apart, and that's if we both managed to get their without our flights being cancelled. I couldn't help but cry as I began to dread the thought of ending up in separate cities for Christmas. (Plus, if the earlier flight made it and mine did not, my husband would be alone with my family, which would likely be awkward.)
We decided to continue to wait in the line (We were getting so close!) to see if there was any way to get on the same flight even if it meant adding legs to what had been a direct flight. We were told that there was nothing to do other than come in the morning and put me on the stand by list and hope.
We were, however, given a coupon for discounted hotel stays (after being told that the airline won't pay for hotel rooms related to weather delays). We decided to spend the money rather than drive home. The roads were still awful; we may or may not have been able to pull out of our parking space; we'd have to ready the car without a working ice scraper; and we'd just have to do it again in the morning. So we caught the shuttle to the hotel. We bought an overpriced dinner. But we were together. At least for that night.
We didn't sleep well, likely a combination of the worry about the next day's logistics, the less than premium bed, and the sound of planes flying overhead. We got up extra early and went to the airport.
We each checked in at the kiosks and added me to the waitlist for the earlier flight. Then we went to customer service to see if hubby could use his *status* to move me up in the list. I am glad that hubby doesn't travel for work anymore, but it will be sad when his elevated *status* with the airlines disappears. We will have to go back to using the regular security lines and boarding after the half the plane has. Sadness. However, in this case, there was nothing he could do. We were told that I was number 14 in the waitlist. The lady at the desk said that was pretty good, at least better than number 47 (the total number on the list).
So we waited by in the gate area. I watched the monitor for waitlist updates. By the time we were nearing the scheduled boarding time I was up to number 3. At least that would give me a good position for the waitlist on the following flight (which would still get me there earlier than my scheduled flight). Still, I didn't want to be separated from my husband.
The two names in front of me were called. Then a pause. So close! Then they called me. I rushed to desk lest they change their mind. I now had a boarding pass. I would be on the same plane as my husband. That is if a plane arrived. It was past boarding time and the jetway was connected to an empty space. But then a plane arrived. We might get there after all.
Then, they called my hubby to the desk. Uh-oh? No. His *status* got him upgraded to first class. And, my sweet and loving husband, told me we would trade seats. My enlarged and tired pregnant body would get the extra space. I love him so much.
We boarded. Hubby went to the back, to my cramped middle coach seat. I stayed up front...but someone was in my seat. We verified on our ticket stubs. We were both assigned that seat. We handed the stubs to the flight attendant, and I began to worry that I would not be on the flight after all, much less first class. But the man in the seat told the FA that he didn't mind giving up the seat as long as there was a seat for him on the plane. They found a coach seat and he moved. This stranger did not make a fuss. He just volunteered to move. Whether it was because I'm pregnant or because it was Christmas or because he just wanted to get moving on one of the busiest travel days of the year, he volunteered to move. Gentlemen exist (see, also, prior paragraph about husband).
So I got to ride in first class. Of course, one of the perqs of first class is free booze, which is not very useful to me at this time. I asked a flight attendant to send my free drinks back to the two gentlemen who facilitated my being able to sit there: my husband and the stranger.
Just about 24 hours later than originally planned, my husband and I TOGETHER arrived at our destination. In time for Christmas. We stayed up late that night to open gifts after my parents returned from Midnight Mass (a tradition). There were gifts for those fully present and some for the critter. We spent time visiting my parents and grandparents. We ate a lot. It was a nice few days.
Our return trip was delayed a bit for fog, which seemed silly since it looked significantly nicer out than what we had flown in on Christmas Eve. While waiting my husband asked a silly question, "Would you like me to see if I can get us upgraded to first class?" I answered as one would expect. He was able to use his last two upgrade vouchers in the last few weeks of his *status* to get us upgraded to two first class seats right next to each other. We flew back in style, holding hands, and kissing, and being us. We were going home together.
Luckily, the days following the departure had been kind. It was cold upon our arrival, but earlier days of warmth had melted all the snow. No scraping needed. We drove home.
Besides the the stress of travel, there was another toll to the trip. There was tons of food including desserts at seemingly every meal. There was very little exercise other than walking around my Grandparents' land. When I weighed myself this morning for the first time in almost a week I found that I gained almost 5 pounds. Eek. Now it is time to get back to healthier eating and Bikram and Versaclimbing. I've been a little ahead of schedule on weight gain but nothing too extreme. I don't want to get out of control in the third trimester! Yes, less than 3 months to go little critter!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Finding the time
It is a sad commentary on my life that almost 2 months ago my husband had given me a gift certificate for a 1-hour prenatal massage, and I still hadn't had a chance to use it before yesterday. After the day I had I called the spa at 5 and asked if there was any chance (knowing there probably wasn't) of getting a 1-hour prenatal massage last night. Well, it turns out that they had a 6:15 cancellation for a therapist who is certified in prenatal. Something did go right for me yesterday! I had my massage and relaxed for the rest of the night. I didn't make one additional dent in my to do list, and it was wonderful.
This morning I braved the Chicago winter to go to my midwife appointment. This is the last week of my 2nd trimester, so all subsequent appointments increase in frequency from 4 weeks to 2 weeks. Plus, I have to go in for a follow up glucose screening (i.e. 3 hours of sitting around to see how my body processes some nasty sugar water), and a follow-up ultrasound (to check the status of my darn low-lying placenta). Plus we should take some classes: birthing, infant care, breastfeeding. I was thinking that the period after the holidays would be a little calmer, but it looks like my dance card will remain quite full.
Oh, and I should probably get some stuff for this here critter that's a'comin'. From my MIL and a new mother friend I have 2 big boxes of clothes already, but I don't have anything else. And we have to make space for whatever stuff we get. We plan to move to a bigger apartment when our lease is up, but that won't be until the baby is a couple months old. Until then the house is likely to look a bit chaotic with baby accoutrement and other items in whatever rooms they can fit. Luckily we had our Christmas party which will server as our last big home-based event for a while.
There went a big kick. The crit knows when he's being written about. That's okay, baby. The schedule will be crazy, the to do list will be long, but it will all be well worth it for you!
This morning I braved the Chicago winter to go to my midwife appointment. This is the last week of my 2nd trimester, so all subsequent appointments increase in frequency from 4 weeks to 2 weeks. Plus, I have to go in for a follow up glucose screening (i.e. 3 hours of sitting around to see how my body processes some nasty sugar water), and a follow-up ultrasound (to check the status of my darn low-lying placenta). Plus we should take some classes: birthing, infant care, breastfeeding. I was thinking that the period after the holidays would be a little calmer, but it looks like my dance card will remain quite full.
Oh, and I should probably get some stuff for this here critter that's a'comin'. From my MIL and a new mother friend I have 2 big boxes of clothes already, but I don't have anything else. And we have to make space for whatever stuff we get. We plan to move to a bigger apartment when our lease is up, but that won't be until the baby is a couple months old. Until then the house is likely to look a bit chaotic with baby accoutrement and other items in whatever rooms they can fit. Luckily we had our Christmas party which will server as our last big home-based event for a while.
There went a big kick. The crit knows when he's being written about. That's okay, baby. The schedule will be crazy, the to do list will be long, but it will all be well worth it for you!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Do multiple meetings and emails make a sound?
If a tree falls in the forest and someone IS there to hear it but doesn't pay any attention, does it still make a sound? Moreover, if the tree falls then falls on that someone and injures them is it really the tree's fault after loudly sounding the warning of danger???
Here's the deal. My biggest work project of late has been trying to implement this new system. However, whenever I get a segment done and ask the person who will actually use the system to check that what I did is correct, he never does.
Without going into all the boring details, this system involves a lot of accounting transactions. I have not had an accounting class in over 15 years, and I was never good at it then. I make sure to repeat this when I request help checking things. Essentially, I am not qualified to check every nuance. Oh, I can catch blatant errors and send change requests back to the developers, but once I'm satisfied someone who knows this stuff should really look at it. But no one ever does.
Well, we've been live for a few weeks now. The decision to go live was based on my data checks. Now the primary user finally looked at something and found a problem. This problem would have been easy to fix BEFORE we went live, but now that the numbers have been published the correction process is very complex. It sucks.
I want to say, "I told you so." After all, I did. But I have enough work experience to know that isn't how life works. This will come back on me. Either I should have done more checking, or I should have sat with the user until he did it.
I was already stressed today about how hard it seems to be to find a birthing class that doesn't conflict with my baby shower. I really didn't need a 4 o'clock surprise of actual significance.
Here's the deal. My biggest work project of late has been trying to implement this new system. However, whenever I get a segment done and ask the person who will actually use the system to check that what I did is correct, he never does.
Without going into all the boring details, this system involves a lot of accounting transactions. I have not had an accounting class in over 15 years, and I was never good at it then. I make sure to repeat this when I request help checking things. Essentially, I am not qualified to check every nuance. Oh, I can catch blatant errors and send change requests back to the developers, but once I'm satisfied someone who knows this stuff should really look at it. But no one ever does.
Well, we've been live for a few weeks now. The decision to go live was based on my data checks. Now the primary user finally looked at something and found a problem. This problem would have been easy to fix BEFORE we went live, but now that the numbers have been published the correction process is very complex. It sucks.
I want to say, "I told you so." After all, I did. But I have enough work experience to know that isn't how life works. This will come back on me. Either I should have done more checking, or I should have sat with the user until he did it.
I was already stressed today about how hard it seems to be to find a birthing class that doesn't conflict with my baby shower. I really didn't need a 4 o'clock surprise of actual significance.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Publicity...for my cooking!
I was at a pre-Thanksgiving party a few weeks ago, and there was a woman there who writes for Apartment Therapy. She was taking pictures to post. I only recently learned that her post included raves for the cheese hors d'ouevres that I brought.
Here is the full post. I belatedly posted the recipe in the comments section. The host requested that the recipe be emailed a while back, so I'm sure it has already gotten some circulation.
Had I known I would have lobbied for coverage of my Christmas Party. That's really when I do my best work!
Here is the full post. I belatedly posted the recipe in the comments section. The host requested that the recipe be emailed a while back, so I'm sure it has already gotten some circulation.
Had I known I would have lobbied for coverage of my Christmas Party. That's really when I do my best work!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Shameless Self-Promotion: Acme Theater New Works Winter Festival
My dark, comedy "The Wrong Mistake" will be performed as a part of the Acme Theater of Maynard, MA 8th annual New Works Winter Festival. Performances are January 9, 10, 16, and 17. (The festival is performed in two tracks, so my show will only be included in two nights of the run. They haven't yet announced which shows will be on which nights.)
If you or someone you know will be in or near Maynard, MA in January, please check out the show, and let me know how it goes!
The web site has more details:
http://www.acmetheater.com/nwwf2009.asp
If you or someone you know will be in or near Maynard, MA in January, please check out the show, and let me know how it goes!
The web site has more details:
http://www.acmetheater.com/nwwf2009.asp
Monday, December 1, 2008
Shameless Self-Promotion: Seven Plays in Seven Days for the Holidays
My Christmas play "The Pants and The Virgin" is a part of a one night only festival in Chicago on December 8th.
About "The Pants and The Virgin"
Paul is nervous about inviting his fiancee to his parent's house for Christmas. After all, his parents are atheists who only enjoy Christmas for it's materialistic traditions, and his fiancee is the mother of God.
About "Seven Plays in Seven Days for the Holidays"
About "The Pants and The Virgin"
Paul is nervous about inviting his fiancee to his parent's house for Christmas. After all, his parents are atheists who only enjoy Christmas for it's materialistic traditions, and his fiancee is the mother of God.
About "Seven Plays in Seven Days for the Holidays"
Christmas in Chicago…
Smell the roasting chestnuts? Hear the clarion voices of the carolers? Feel the tension of seven directors and seven casts preparing for “Seven Plays in Seven Days for the Holidays?”
They have seven days to rehearse a 10–minute play before presenting it to people who will – undoubtedly – have visions of more than sugar plums dancing in their heads… (Well they’ll have that, too, if they show up…)
"Seven Plays in Seven Days for the Holidays" will be performed at 8 p.m., Monday, December 8 at the City Lit Theater, 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL.
Ticket price is $7.00
For more information and to order tickets log on at www.nufanensemble.com.
Tickets will be available for purchase online Tuesday, December 2, 2008.
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