Things are in full swing now. I've decided on my classes, met once with my students for 156, and I've had a million rehearsals. The rehearsals are great. It's nice to be sitting in on such an intriguing process. Of course, it also means I'm tight for time, but that's the way the cookies crumble. I have to screen Terminator 2 now. More later...

I started rehearsal today, which is exciting, though it means my break is officially over. And you know? I don't think I was ready for that yet. I think I would have preferred another week in Ithaca, where I could experiment with various cookie recipes and impress Mike's coworkers by sending cookies off to work. Well, not that they're impressed, they're just hungry I guess.

In other news, it's snowing here. Snow!!!! Serious snow! And they're actually not plowing. People complain about the plowing here, but wowee, it's not nearly as bad as the plowing in Quincy. I mean, it snowed on my parents street and they never plowed. Here, if all the streets aren't plowed within a couple hours, everyone's pissed. I can't even compare this to Tennessee. I think in Tennessee they just have one plow, and that's why I've never seen it. Oh well, I'm off to make my syllabus for next semester. Exciting! (And no, that's actually not sarcastic -- I really enjoy making syllabii.)

By the way, did you know that WETA workshop is working on The Chronicles of Narnia and that Brian Cox is playing the Lion???

Yes, I know. Long time no blog. But what can I say? I was limited by my parents' computer. It froze often on the internet, and I can't even imagine what would happen if I tried to publish a post. Ever since I added comments, which, I may add, only one person has been nice enough to use, the blog takes forever to publish. Perhaps I should turn them off? Ah, but that would take too much time.

Christmas was great. I received much fabulous clothing from various Santas. Now I must find a place to put it. Mike and I saw three movies: The Aviator, Oceans 12, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I loved Zissou. It was fabulous!!!! I want a pair of Zissou Adidas sneakers, but I doubt they make them. Instead, I will have to live with my beautiful new boots, which I will wear with miniskirts on days in Ithaca that are above 30 degrees.

I also went skiing. And I had only one fall, but it was a large one, off a jump. I did a face plant. I guess I shouldn't try really complicated jumps involving benches on my second day back.

"The wind's blowing up a gale today." - Eli Cash, The Royal Tenenbaums

And boy, is it. BRRRR.

Got the grades done.

I neglected to mention...it's fucking freezing here.

So...grades are due tomorrow. And yesterday I got a migraine. So today, or rather tonight, I tried to get into the theatre building using my handy ID access. And guess what? The ID card readers are frozen. Inside my office are 12 student papers and portfolios waiting to be graded. And I must get there early tomorrow to read them. I feel terribly irresponsible, but what am I to do? They're stuck in there, and I'm out here. I called Campus Police, and they laughed at me? What? You want to get in the building...no way! Shit. I hope I'm not fucked.

I figure I'll copy my peers -- or maybe I'm just using this as an excuse to procrastinate...

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? I gave a paper at a conference -- 2 actually. It was a frightening, but thankfully, good experience. I also taught a writing seminar! And it was a lot of fun!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm pretty sure my resolution was to exercise more often. You can bet your butt I kept that through the summer especially. But things started tapering off when I got sick this semester. My plan is to go to a workout class on Thursday, and keep going, dammit!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, not this year -- though two people from college I knew had babies. One is Mike's friend Jenny Cooper, and the other is Steph. Both of their babies are sooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? Canada! And that's it. Boy, I got to get back to the whole visiting countries thing! Greece, here I come, maybe!
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? A house, and it very well may happen. If so, party in Ithaca!
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
10/27/04!!!!!!!!!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not keeping up on that exercise thing. Thankfully, I'm sort of sticking to a diet. Oh, how I long for the metabolism I had in college.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Massive migraines in the spring. Horrible and close to debilitating. Then my doctor introduced me to Seasonale, and oh, the joys it brings!!!
11. What was the best thing you bought? A deliciously large chair that matches my couch. Oh, and all those pastries at CTB.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? As always, my friends and family, along with my cute husband. And oh yeah, The Red Sox!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Ugh! Blah! Puke! I can't even listen to the news anymore. (OK, that's not true, but I do suffer every day).
14. Where did most of your money go? Rent. NOT the musical, the apartment. And, let's see...books, and eating out (for shame!).
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The election. I was so excited, and then....
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? We don't get radio stations in Ithaca because of the gorges. But Mike and I constantly whistle Elle Driver's little tune when she's dressed as the nurse.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Happier for the most part. But all hinges on the completion of this paper that I'm avoiding right now.
18. thinner or fatter? I think thinner. Yay! Diet is working! But not as much as I want it too...
19. richer or poorer? I guess richer. I'm saving up for massive debt.
21. What do you wish you'd done less of? Exercising (including yoga) and vacationing.
22. How will you be spending Christmas? This year is the first year where we are not splitting Christmas Eve and Christmas Day between families. We'll be at my parents for both, and I look forward to it.
23. Did you fall in love in 2004? Yes, of course. More and more in love each year. I don't care if it's cheesy!
24. Any one night stands? Ha!
25. What was your favorite TV program? Well, I don't have TV, but I am enjoying re-runs of the Simpsons on DVD. And whenever Mike and I get to a TV, we watch Futurama and Conan O'Brien.
26. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
27. What was the best book you read? Hmmmm...I read The Count of Monte Christo. That's pretty damn good. So is Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan.
29. What did you want and get? Two conference presentations! A new chair!
30. What did you want and not get? A rug for the living room, but now I'm waiting until after I get a house...if I get a house.
31. What was your favorite film of this year? It will either be the Extending Edition of The Return of the King, or it will be Life Aquatic.
32. What did you do on your birthday? We went out to dinner at Zaza's. Zaza's is delicious. Otherwise, I worked my bummy off.
33. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I agree with Lisa -- more vacations!
34. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?Comfort and warmth.
35. What kept you sane? Acting and directing. Directing class drove me a bit insane at the end, but still that insanity kept me sane, so it all works out.
36. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Johnny Deep gets hotter every year. How does that happen?
37. What political issue stirred you the most? The election -- people who are one issue voters, or who vote because they enjoy discriminating against people! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....
38. Who did you miss? I miss my friends and family that don't live in central NY. I guess that's most everyone!
39. Who was the best new person you met? Boy, how can you tell in just a year's time? Uhhhhhhhhhh...I can't decide. I think this question is for people who met the love of their life this year.
40. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004. Don't try to adapt Tolkien for the theatre. It's a bad idea.
41. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Imagine Elle Driver whistling . . .

All I have to say is that I've been listening to techno from the people upstairs. At first, they were just playing really bad college rock, and that's rough, but techno? All I can hear is the beat, which occasionally changes. Oh, Ella Fitzgerald, thank you for saving me from this horror.

Hi,

The people upstairs from me play godawful music. I probably haven't noticed it by now because I've hardly been at home at all this semester, and if I have, it's mostly been in the mornings. But the music they play. It's terrible. And now that I'm stuck at home writing a paper, it's even more awful. Bless the person who invented headphones.

-me

MC -- I'm glad you're back. It's delightful.

I know this is cheesy. But I'm going to cry when I watch the last documentaries from Lord of the Rings. I just watched the 6 minute preview of the extended edition and began to cry. I know. Big ball of cheese.

Well, I made it through the last week of classes. Thank God! Now I just have to make it through another two weeks of paper writing fun. I think today I'll try to get everything else finished first -- like my directing work, and my grading for directing. Then, I can pursue the paper with less interruption.

In other news, I've been wasting time on the internet looking at houses. I need to stop! Because I can't buy the houses right now. Silly Megan.

On the other hand, I shouldn't complain. If the worst thing about the conference was the hotel, I guess things went pretty well...right?

If you ever go to Vegas, DON'T stay at the Riviera. It sucked. Mike and I moved to the Aladdin Saturday night. For a Saturday night, it was almost twice as expensive, but well worth it. In fact, if you do go to Vegas, I recommend getting a room over Orbitz, Expedia, or Yahoo Travel. And, if you are going for an entire week, make two separate reservations: one for Monday through Thursday and another for Friday and Saturday. You might even try to make three separate reservations. But you'll get the cheapest rate if you at first don't include the weekends. Hell, you can probably even get a chance to stay at the Venetian. Also, you might look into trips on those sites. Often, they'll have a deal on airfare. And more importantly, if you go to Vegas, no matter how expensive it is, go see "O." No really, "O" was fantastic -- it was one of the best pieces of theatre I've ever seen. Yes, it was $150 per ticket, but I can hardly think of a better way to spend that money.
The conference itself went well. I enjoyed my panel. I would have like to arrive there on Wednesday or earlier on Thursday, but c'est la vie, that didn't happen.
And as for gambling, Mike and I lost $12 between us. That's about all this stingy mofo can stand.

VEGAS BABY, HERE I COME!

So as wonderful as that sounds, I'll be going to a conference in Vegas on Thursday, and I am a bit nervous about it. It's one of those situations where I have to be charming, and smart all the time. I think the best way to do that is to drink as much free wine at the reception as I can. Don't you agree?

Oh, and didn't I post about Powell resigning. Well, he did. And he was my last hope in that administration. Now, Dr. Rice is in that post AND some lovely lady who is a big fan of "No Child Left Behind" -- a ploy to get rid of public education in this country -- is head of education. Super.

For Veteran's Day I made two donations: one to VietNow and one to AmVets. Don't forget about our veterans, please!

Apparently, Gonzales isn't as rosy as CNN made him out to be yesterday. He approved some of the interrogation policies used in Iraq that were actually torture. Great.

Just one week after the election, and I can't believe I'm saying this...but President Bush does something right!!! No more John Ashcroft as Attorney General. I'm slightly relieved. Now he just has to replace Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Cheney...

Of course, the fact that Ashcroft was chosen in the first place was a bad idea. I mean, he lost an election to a deceased candidate. Not many are that unpopular.

Tonight will be pretty damn close to an all nighter. I really would like to get 2 hours of sleep though. It's my basic minimum now that I'm an old lady. So that's what I'm hoping for. And if my students find me eating, unshowered, and smelly in the morning, that's just too bad for them.

The deal is that I have a presentation due in class tomorrow. And I have to write some sort of short paper. Now, I'll have some time to revise it tomorrow, but it does have to be fairly good. That means I must finish the rough draft tonight. Oh, and I have rehearsal in the next hour and a half.

I'm still upset over the election. But then again, there are few on the East and West coasts who aren't.

These results are a little bit hard to take. It's difficult to imagine that there are so many Bush voters out there when I live in Ithaca and all I see are "Get Bush out!" signs. Plus, I think that all my friends, conservative and liberal alike, voted for Kerry. How could we have lost??