SPRING IS QUEER

How is everyone?
Long time between Blog Spew. huh?
Been busy with TAXES ..compiling receipts and calculating sums and trying to figure out what I did for a year!!??
I have my appointment Tueday next and am working diligently to get some idea of what last year meant financially.
Mostly Unemployment and Auditions!!
Hope you are all more organized than I when it comes to this time of year.
"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most"..(that's a song)
When I mention that I am in the throes of all this paperwork: Summaries from AMEX and Bank Accounts and Investments ...I feel like I am swimming in a pool of gagging sludge.
Then I get the emails from friends "Oh I already got my return..automatic deposit!" Oh thanks for that..I will probably OWE money as I don't have tax taken from my Unemployment. IT USED TO NOT BE TAXED..WHY SHOULD IT BE TAXED..IT IS NOT EARNED INCOME...And if it is TAXED why can we NOT COUNT IT TOWARD A NEW CLAIM???
I am so gald Obama extended it and has added an extra $25 a week ( $100 a month) to our claims..BUT the Subway Fare Increase in NYC will suck that away real fast.
That Insurqance is not a Free bee..we worked for it and our employers pay into it..so WHY are we bneng taxed??
AND what is this FASCIST (my view) bull about DRUG testing randomly people on Unemployment and getting Food Stamps??
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT?
SOCIAL PROFILING is what I call it!!
People ..the many who have anad are continually losing jobs and have to rely on the pittance that Unemployment serves up are now HUMILIATED into having to give Urine samples???
And how much will that COST..and WHO will pay for that?
EIGHT states are already doing that including New Jersey> OUTRAGEOUS as far as I am concerned. At a time when people need help and a hand up ..this is a nasty evil and mean way to oppress and subjugate a strata of society which is already hurting.
I am not an advocate of any sort of drugs unless you are in great pain as I have been after major cancer surgeries or other maladies..But to make an effort to create an issue out of a non issue is ABSURD and Wasteful of time, energy, and money.
We'll see if adults will prevail this tight right wing mentality trumps common sense again!
Anyway..
I am glad Spring is here at last.
We have been going to a great deal of theatre and thrilled to do it.
We saw off-off-Broadway stuff : TARTUFFE at the Seaport Theatre with colleague Susan Jeffries, a terrific actress and wonderful friend and MISS EVERS BOYS with pal Garrett Lee Hendricks in a particularly wonderful performance at the Times Square Arts Center on 43rd....both under $20 and Free for Equity members.
Saw the Charles Busch and Lypsinka version of LEGENDS at Town Hall a benefit for Friends in Deed on Monday. Those Drag Queens were absolutely terrific and it was a house that was not only full but so vibrant and fun it was a joy.
I saw the Original tour of LEGENDS with Carol Channing and Mary Martin and pal Gary Beach. It was touring in Kansas City while I was working at Kansas City Starlight. Gary got me in to see it and it was certainly an event to watch those broads and Gary do his wonderful work. It was said Martin was on a head set -in her ear- as she was not able to remember lines!!
We then saw 33 VARIATIONS which was a real treat and also a revelation. Jane Fonda was wonderful onstage and the show was intriguing and very engaging. Colin Hanks, Tom's son, was also very good.
The audience was full of money people and celebrities including our Hal Prince. Looking healthy and vibrant after his stroke a while ago. He was talkative and charming as ever. And he just turned 80!!!
We headed fro Bar Centrale afterwards and our pals David and Dan joined us. We sat next to Frank Langella and Rene Abourjenois..
When they were leaving a lady with her back to us turned out to be the talented and terrific Gillian Lynne..the Choreographer of PHANTOM and CATS among other Broadway shows. We chatted and relived our old CATS days and she was charming and sweet.
Great Gal!
I had a couple of auditions and callbacks this week and some next but I am of a mind set that it is fun to do but never expect a Job to morph out of them! When they do I am amazed.
We are seeing IRENA'S VOW this Saturday and FINIAN'S RAINBOW at Encores on Sunday.
I like the idea of ENCORES but find the choice of shows rather pedestrian or so far out that the evenings are tedious and rather boring..I sight MUSIC IN THE AIR.
All that talent and dull material.
Encores is still, to my sense, trying for the next success that CHICAGO had ...so the stuff they choose to present is rather careful and not always interesting.
How about shows we haven't seen...why not HIGH SPIRITS..the musical Version of BLITHE SPIRIT now at the Shubert?? Or something obscure with a wonderful score like IRMA LA DOUCE or STOP THE WORLD ..or ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT ...Or the NEVER seen or heard Wright and Forrest score of KEAN??
Also the casting of these presentations is always the SAME. I love Kristen Chenowith's work, but she is constantly in these shows. HOW ABOUT DISCOVERING SOME NEW TALENTS ??
Or rediscovering some old talents that can still deliver??
Among all this theatre we have also indulged in MOVIES!!..

DUPLICITY..Not good enough..Julia didn't look that great..and that evening MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING was on and that was 10 years earlier and she looked radiant.
KNOWING..A mess of miss Edited mish mash. And it was a shame as the premise was interesting and intriguing..then it got too religious oriented and lost us.
We saw MONSTER vs ALIENS tonight and loved it. 3D is the way to go with all these wonderful Pixar offerings. I hope directors and producers and studios and Indy films adapt it more often.

So ..we had 60 Plus Degrees today and I look forward to more and more of that.
Obama continues to try and navigate through the negativity and barrage of slurs and sling and arrows of outrageous fortune!
I am disappointed that he hasn't taken the Mandate WE gave him and shove it down the Republicans collective throat..we, after all, have had to take it up the Butt from them for the last 8 years!!
I live in his HOPE and my own optimistic pessimism!
I hope we all can find the blossoms of Spring popping up where we least expect it.
And of course may we all win a Lotto or two!


XXX
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