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Friday, February 25th, 2011
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It's been a while since I've been on LJ... I'll have to make this quick as I have a lot of stuff to do before I go to bed!
Tomorrow we leave bright and early for our big 3-week trip. Pat won a grant, the caveat being he had to spend 2 weeks in Germany (airfare and accommodation provided). I'm tagging along of course, because that meant we only had to pay for my airfare.
So, from Brisbane we fly to Seoul, then we have a night there. Then we fly from Seoul to Frankfurt. Then we take the train from Frankfurt to Leverkusen, where we'll be staying for two weeks. From Leverkusen, I intend to spend most of my days heading into Cologne, Dusseldorf and Bonn. Pat will be free in the evenings but has to work during the days. We are there during Karneval time, which is very exciting and apparently quite the party.
After Leverkusen we're taking the train to Amsterdam for a few days. Then a super cheap flight from Amsterdam to Edinburgh, so Patrick can meet my multitudes of Scottish relatives and friends, most of whom probably wouldn't be able to make it out to Vancouver for the wedding later this year. Then, after a few days in Edinburgh, it's a flight back to Frankfurt, where we'll fly to Seoul again, spend a day and a half there, then back to Brisbane!
I AM SO EXCITED!!! I have never been to mainland Europe (though I've been to Scotland a bunch of times and England once) so I am trying to make sure all my ducks (or Enten, as they are called in Germany) are in a row.
*squeeeeeeeeeeee*
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Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
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So, things are getting very soggy here in Brisbane, as you may have heard on the news.
Pat and I are on top of a hill in a Queenslander (a house built on stilt-beams) so we shouldn't be getting flooded. Our neighbours and friends have not been so lucky, but as far as I know everyone I love is safe, though a few have already lost their houses. Plenty of suburbs will be completely under water by the end of the week. Our biggest worry is the electricity going out, but we did what everyone else is doing and stocked up on lots of non-perishable and tinned food. Our bathtub is full and we have plenty of drinking water in case the sewers are compromised.
My mobile phone is charged, and ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2) sciencequeen has my number, so I'll keep in touch with her if the power goes out.
It's going to take months, possibly years for the city to recover completely from this. It is a disaster. I don't know if I'll still have a job, as my work is at risk of flooding. Only time will tell. They are saying it's going to be worse than the 1974 floods, which were devastating, but because of those floods the city put precautionary measures in (like the Wivenhoe Dam) to prevent that kind of destruction from happening again.
Meanwhile, Perth is being attacked with brushfires. It's a good thing I'm not religious. Australia sure is something.
My computer is charged too, meaning I'll still be able to use it for a few hours if the power goes out. I don't know if the internet will still work, but I'll be rationing my battery.
In the meantime, I've got lots of books to read, journals to write in, tea lights, lighters and a battery-powered radio.
This is definitely one of those things I'll be telling my grand-kids about.
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Monday, November 29th, 2010
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Word Count
Week 3
Nov 15 = 424
Nov 16 = 711
Nov 17 = 1818
Nov 18 = 0
Nov 19 = 1658
Nov 20 = 1545
Nov 21 = 0
Goal: 10,500
Achieved: 6156
Short: 4344
Week 4
Nov 22 = 826
Nov 23 = 1192
Nov 24 = 0
Nov 25 = 1288
Nov 26 = 1214
Nov 27 = 505
Nov 28 = 3005
Goal: 10,500
Achieved: 8030
Short: 2470
Did I say I was going to up my goal? Yeah, that didn't happen. I have 2 more days, and I am actually close to being done. I don't know if I'll have done 50,000 words, but that was never the goal (for me), the goal was to finish the book, which may just happen. I'll let you know on Wednesday.
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Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
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Now I have the internet back at home, I'm gonna do an update for NanoWriMo. This is probably not interesting to anybody, but it's so that I can stay accountable to myself and the "public". I'm sort of failing, but as long as I pick up the pace and keep pulling through, I should be okay. I'm gonna try and increase my word count each day, making my goal 2000 instead of 1500. I really just need to take it day by day so I don't feel too overwhelmed. I have places I feel I'll get stuck, but I push through them as they come. So far it's been a very eye-opening look at my work habits.
Word Count (goal: 1500 words a day)
Week 1
Nov 1 = 1883
Nov 2 = 685
Nov 3 = 1711
Nov 4 = 1166
Nov 5 = 1276
Nov 6 = 1600
Nov 7 = 850
Goal: 10,500
Achieved: 9171
Short: 1329
Week 2
Nov 8 = 1581
Nov 9 = 615
Nov 10 = 0
Nov 11 = 201
Nov 12 = 2025
Nov 13 = 0
Nov 14 = 30
Goal: 10,500
Achieved: 4452
Short: 6048
You can see how my day-job seeped in and took over my life last week! Eek! I am not doing that much better this week, but that's why as of today I'm increasing my daily and weekly goals. We'll see how I do!
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Thursday, October 14th, 2010
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Oh, Livejournal land, I was all ready to do a big post but now I've just run out of time and have to go.
Anyway, I'm still here and I'll update soon.
<3
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Pat and I are coming home for a visit! We leave tomorrow and arrive on the 20th, I think. We're flying through Taipei. Looking forward to seeing everyone and enjoying the summer. It's winter here and it's bloody cold!
See you soon!
<3
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Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
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Pat and I went to the Gallery Of Modern Art here in Brisbane a few weeks ago. There was a fantastic exhibit, the Asia Pacific Triennial #6. 3 floors of Asian Modern Art, for free?! Yes, it was as fantastic as I hoped. I decided to post it here as well as in my Brisbane.
This is "People Holding Flowers" by Zhu Weibing & Ji Wenyu. Such tiny little men. So tiny.
( More under the cut! You know you want to cleeeeeeeck!! )
If you like all this wacky art, you can see more at this link.
Also, you can take a "virtual tour", which I highly recommend, though the website doesn't always work for me. It's worth a try!
So much of the art was interactive. You had to go into rooms and you were surrounded by it. There was a small glass room that you could walk-in (barefoot or socks only) that had varying lengths of a shoelace-like substance. It's almost impossible to describe, but it was so cool. You had to walk very slowly, because you couldn't see anything, and sound was muffled, too.
I'd go back there in a heartbeat! Whenever there is a new exhibit, I will be there.
Also, after perusing the gift shop, I rediscovered one of my favourite contemporary artists, Marion Peck. Check her out if you haven't heard of her and you like creepy/cute.
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Friday, October 9th, 2009
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I suppose I should post since I am in a brand new city and all!
I arrived in Brisbane on Monday morning after 18 hours of flying (with a 6 hour layover in JAPAN which was awesome). In order to get on the proper time I stayed up another 12 hours until I passed out at about 7:30pm. I'm on schedule now, still have a little bit of "air"-legs, but mostly good.
It's so beautiful here, it's like a really warm summer Vancouver's day all the time, and it's going to get hotter! On Tuesday Patrick took me to the UQ campus which is gorgeous. There were at least a dozen different kinds of birds, ranging from the tropical (ibis, purple swamp hen) to the goofy (crested doves, basically pigeons with alfalfa hair). And lizards, lots of lizards! We took the City Cat (like the Seabus/Aquabus, but fast and cool) and walked around downtown Brisbane.
The last few days I'm been checking out the shops in our neighbourhood and marveling at the cheapness of the produce and other food items (and the wine! Yes!!!) This weekend we should be going to the koala sanctuary or the beach or both.
I'll probably be starting up another blog in addition to this one, more to do with my adventures here (this is really more a personal one, although it's usually private when it needs to be). I'll keep you all posted with that so that if you're interested, you can add that one, too.
Bye for now! The sunshine is calling!
<3
Mary
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Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
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Come and see the show I've directed - "The First Time" at the Vancouver Fringe Festival! Awkward and hilarious sex/kiss/love stories taken from real life about people's first times!
3 remaining shows:
Tonight: Tuesday September 15th - 10:10pm
Saturday September 19th - 9:50pm
Sunday September 20th - 3:55pm
at Performance Works on Granville Island!
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Howdy kids,
So, I have been M.I.A. from LJ for a while, due to the fact that I'm directing this new musical what I co-wrote. It's called "Under The Hawthorn Tree" and it's based on the best-selling Irish children's novel by Marita Conlon-McKenna. The music is by Mary Murphy Demers and it's so beautiful, I'm so proud of this show. It takes place during the Great Potato Famine in Ireland, and it's about three kids who go in search of their long lost family. If you have any Irish in you at all, you need to see this show. History comes alive!
We run from March 12 - 14, 17 - 21 at the Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive. 8pm shows, with 2pm matinees on the Saturday. Tickets $20/$15. Reserve by e-mailing hawthorntickets@gmail.com or call 778-837-3645.
GROUP page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=60228883065&ref=ts
EVENT page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=59612209065
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Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
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Oh my God it's snowing! I mean, I knew it was going to snow, but dayum!!!
So, Pat and I are back from the Big Island. What an incredible trip. Flights were kind of a joke (delayed for like 1 1/2 in Honolulu, so our luggage didn't make it on to our connecting flight) but we got back at about 8:30 AM yesterday. Went on to have more Hawthorn Tree auditions, went to a hilariously enjoyable staff Christmas party and finally slept like a log.
Today, I go to Seattle to see The Color Purple, the musical! So I'll do a nice big picture dump of all the Hawaiian awesome when I get back.
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Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
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Aloha!
So, I am in Hawaii. I could actually go on and on for ages but I won't, but so far it has been an amazing trip!
Highlights!
-the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki: zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, lions, elephants, lemurs and more!!!
-hiking up the Diamond Head Crater
-snorkelling for the first, second, third and fourth times (Captain Cook was the most amazing!)
-swimming with a sea turtle
-swimming with a pod of spinner dolphins
-the awesome walk to and arrival at the breathtaking Akaka Falls (442 feet high!)
-having fresh-picked papayas, apple bananas, pineapples, mangoes and starfruit WHENEVER
-trying an atemoya for the first time (look it up)
-playing "Spot The Mongoose" and "Spot The Gecko" on the grounds of our Inn
-picking up my copy of "The Tales Of Beedle The Bard" in a cute little 3-cat-bookshop in Kona
-eating way too many macadamias (including the sinfully rich macadamia pesto)
-getting a tan in December
-getting stuck on the highway (while it was blocked off) during the Waimea Christmas Parade, and having to watch the parade
-the heat the heat I love the heat!!!
-$2.00 Mai Tais with oceanfront view
So much else I'm trying to remember everything I've done, so I'm keeping a paper journal, but even then it's hard to find the time. Hopefully I can remember it all. I've taken lots and lots of pictures. Once I cull them all I will post the best ones, probably after I get back and I'm shut inside all day because of the rain.
<3
Mary
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Thursday, October 9th, 2008
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Monday, September 22nd, 2008
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| Time: | 10:12 am. |
| Mood: |  in pain. |
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Wow, wearing a corset and sitting in an uncomfortable chair 4 nights out of the week is really doing a number on my back. I don't even want to move at this point. Couch, kittens and DVD's is a very attractive proposition right now. Massaging makes it worse, tylenol and ice offer only temporary relief. *sigh*
So, I suppose I'd better backtrack, as it's been a while. Coram Boy is going well, we've gotten some pretty good reviews. Come out and see it if you haven't yet, only 4 more shows - this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. www.jerichoartscentre.com. Gothic melodrama at it's weirdest, something different from what you'll see anywhere else.
Last week, my hard drive died. Again. Yep, the third time. This time fully my fault, which actually makes it harder. I had most of the important stuff backed up, luckily, though. The shows I wrote this summer are safe, for the most part, because I had sent them to people so they were still in my e-mail outbox. But, alas, there remains a few novels and plays that are in-progress, or that I only started this summer or did some great work on, that are on that drive. So, when I have the $1000 to blow on data recovery, I will. One day. Not to mention all my bookmarks on Safari here - totally forgot about LJ for a while, in all the kerfuffle! In the meantime, the good news, I have a new MacBook, by way of an early Christmas present, which I am using right now. It makes me happy, but my poor little G4 will always hold a place in my heart - it was my first Mac, after all. Ah, well, bygones.
That's really all. Oh, wait, I promised pictures of the kittens. Here are the current behbehs.
( Malcolm & Jasper )
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Friday, August 29th, 2008
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I am up too early. But I have a plentiful supply of coffee.
Come see my show - well, the show I'm in - Coram Boy at the Jericho Arts Centre - that's down near Jericho Beach if you're not familiar, I'll give you instructions. The show is a Dickensian melodrama done company-style with human sound-effects and lots of Handel and other weird music. Go here here for more info (if you don't want to know too much about it, don't read the spotlight - conversely, if you want to know more about it, read the spotlight). Preview night is next Thursday for $6!
So, the new 2nd draft of the musical I'm co-writing is done. I'm getting together with the composer on Monday and we're gonna jam before she records some demos. Send good vibes because the sooner we here back from certain people, the sooner we can get it up and going! I'll say more about it when I can... but it's very exciting. :D
The kittens are still doing well! One of them is trying to chew on my laptop as I type this. They are fascinated by pretty much everything that moves, and also sedentary things. I shall post pictures when I can find my camera.
In other fun news, new bus routes are abounding in Vancouver started Sept. 1st! I'm really looking forward to the #33 - which will run along 16th avenue! 'Bout time!
S'all for now. toodles.
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Saturday, August 9th, 2008
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Kittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittenskittens!!!
We have new little foster kittens in the house. They are so cute and small. <3 <3 <3
Anybody wants to come over for some tiny kitten love, you are more than welcome. The more people they are acclimatized to early on, the better.
Kittenskittenskittenskittenskittens! YAY!!!!
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It's been a busy last few days.
Working a lot, making $$$, which is nice. I like the peeps at my job and the job itself is not hard (except for the fact that we use MS-DOS and it kind of blows my mind occasionally at how insane it is). But yeah. Also, having an endless supply of free movies is rad.
Speaking of movies, finally saw The Dark Knight. Pat and I high-tailed it out to Richmond to watch it on IMAX - so awesome and totally worth it! Now I know what everyone was talking about. Heath Ledger completely stole every scene he was in. Christian Bale was great as Bruce Wayne but his Batman voice made it unable to take him seriously. Still, fantastic movie. Nice to see Aaron Eckhart in a big-budget hit. :)
After the movie I went to pick up my copy of Breaking Dawn which is the "final" (ha!) book in the "Twilight" saga. I though it was the bets of the 4, but apparently I'm in the minority. I thought Meyer (the author) took some great risks and it paid off beautifully. I recommend them if you like fluffy teen vampire romance. Totally.
Saw me some Jesus Christ Superstar at TUTS tonight. It was great. I want to see it again, but I should see Annie Get Your Gun first. I truly do love Andrew Lloyd Webber. I think it's one of the best things he's written. Speaking of ALW, yay Elicia, the Capilano grad who won How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? on CBC. The fact that someone I know and went to school with and have done shows with is now on a first name basis with Andrew Lloyd Webber is pretty nifty.
Rehearsals for Coram Boy are going well. I am pretty much off book. It is a bigger time commitment than I was expecting but now that Oliois over, it does not feel so crazy and it's more manageable. I think, if all goes as planned, it will be a very interesting show.
I am also working on some musicals and they are looking VERY close to being done, so more on that when it comes down to it...
TTfN!
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Thursday, July 24th, 2008
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Hey Everybody!
Come see my show this weekend, if you can! It's on Saturday the 26th at 6:30pm and Sunday the 27th at 3:30pm and 8pm! It's called OLIO and it's 4 twisted short plays that I wrote/directed. It's only $8 and it's at the Lions Hall on 770 Commercial Drive (between Adanac & Georgia). They're funny, disturbing, sweet, violent, absurd and everything you'd come to expect from my mind... :D
<3
Mary
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I'ma gonna be on TV! I got interviewed for a thing for my plays and it's gonna be on Shaw (channel 4) - go cable access! July 9... pencil it in, folks.
In other exciting news, it's crazy audition madness over here. S'good, it's how I like it, keeps me on my toes.
Tony Awards tonight... watching them with friends when said friends get off rehearsal... much later tonight.
The musical I am writing is coming along... finished act one and the composer is working on the music. I am so excited for it... I really do think it's gonna be something really special.
Ooh, now I don't usually buy CD's, exceptions being Alanis and Bjork. Alanis just released her newest album and it's actually fantastic. Really depressing but absolutely beautiful. I got the deluxe version (5 extra songs for $1 how can you go wrong?). Alanis's best albums are when she's just had a harsh breakup, sad but true. If you've ever liked Alanis, I recommend it.
EDIT: I neglected to mention, I did the Grouse Grind yesterday. 2.9 incredibly steep kilometres. Go me!!! (took me two hours - LOTS of resting, but it was my first time)
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Graduation ceremony today.
My plays were performed last week.
Foster kittens got adopted on Saturday.
Focus:
-getting a day job
-sending out resumes/cover letters and going to auditions
-writing, writing, writing
Life goes on, not as it always has been, but new and more focused and something is different. Not sure. It's a ladder instead of a path now and I'm going up, I can feel it, rung by rung.
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anxious.
hopeful.
tired.