I collect blogs.

I've been rambling on and on in livejournal about how badly I need to get out there and take more pictures.

I have fallen into the "Blog about it, but don't get off your butt" category of folks. Maybe it is because complaining about or declaring it feels like taking some action. Perhaps it counts as recognizing the problem...the first step! They always say that admitting you have a problem is a BIG STEP. Too bad it doesn't get jack crap done.

I usually take a walk during my lunchbreak down to Starbucks. It's not just to get coffee, but to also get a chance to breathe real air and stretch my legs a bit. That and it really helps me wake up. There are days where I gotta fight to stay awake at this job. I'm not complaining or bragging about that. Mondays are the "OMG GET IT DONE NOW AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" *burst into flame* day. All the other days of the week are like this cosmic struggle to find somethng to do. I was graced by the Office Gods with busy work to accomplish this week, but I ended up doing most of it in one morning. Great to get it all done and it sure impressed the hell out of the rest of the staff...but now I'm absolutely dumbfounded by how board I am. There is nothing to do but sit here at my desk and wait for the phone to ring.

Makes the day drag on F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

Sometimes it makes me wonder what it would be like for me to have Chris's job. I almost went that route for a career, but didn't want to move to Arizona (or any other state) for school. Nope...I chose the Theater Degree. (insert pitiful moan here) It wouldn't be so bad if I was active in my road to theatrical euphoria...but I'm not. I did the starving artist thing for 6 years just to make it through college. I'm going to break from that for a little while and make/save some money. I still go for the local stuff when it's available (God, how I miss Kitsap County theater!), but nothing on the paid side of theater life. Don't really have the time or resources to audition with the Big Dogs yet. When the money is stable and both Chris and I can afford to devote the time, then I'll focus on it.

My main focus above and beyond all else right now is the WEDDING!
I still can't believe I'm getting married.

And who I'm getting married to!

Chris and I were buddies in high school. We never told each other we had a crush on the other. I'm still bitter as all get out that my parent's wouldn't let me go to the Weird Al concert with him 11 years ago. With proper therapy, I'm sure I'll heal...someday.In high school, Chris and I had Computer Service Repair together. He was one of 3 guys who took my presence in that class seriously. I only wish that my teacher, Mr Price, was among that number. Man, he was a dick. I can't even come up with an amusing insult for Mr Price. Anyhoo, Chris and I actually met in the theater department. I remember seeing his "Odd Couple" scene with Larry Berg (who ended up being the Eudipus to my Jocasta), but I do not remember actually having acting classes with him.

I did his makeup for "Anything Goes" where we all dubbed him Captain Stubing. This was the famed GREEN MAKEUP days. Chris went onstage and we (Heather, Trisha, and I: the makeup gals of SKHS) asked Emans (the bithiest woman alive) how his makeup looked.

She freaked."His face is too red! He's all blotchy! He needs to wear green makeup under the base to cut the red down. CHRIS! Go get your makeup done again!"

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

GREEN makeup? Are you high? And you still want him to wear blush on top of it all? We couldn't just...oh, I don't know, NOT MAKE HIM WEAR BLUSH?Heather and I looked at each other with CONFUSED written all over our face. "Um, ok, sure thing. Whatever you say, Emans." we both managed to squeak out while trying not laugh, yell, or let on that we just thought this to be the stupidest thing we've ever been ordered to do.

So, we take Chris back into the makeup room and had a bitch fest. Emans was clearly wrong! Green, natural base, and STILL with blush? How twisted was this logic? We tried the green...it look like we beat the shit out of him. He looked bruised! We didn't even get to the base and blush. We said a collective "Fuck Emans" and put Chris onstage without the green...and no one was the wiser.

Eventually, Heather did make the green work and Chris had to green up for every performance of Anything Goes. But since our junior year...he hasn't had to wear any green makeup as part of the normal look for anything he's done onstage so far. But he will be pretty damn green when he dresses as King Trode for Sakura Con. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I have to tell Heather and Trisha about it! Oh there will be pictures!

I teased him during "Inspecting Carol"..."Larry should totally wear green makeup! You could tie it in with is character! He wears green makeup to protest the way frogs are systematically slaughtered for the sake of cuisine!" I got the most delicious glare form him!

Back to high school. Chris and I didn't hang out as much as we should have. I remember being very angry at the end of our senior year. Some regrets but mostly pissed that most of my friends were moving off to colleges rather than stay "home" and try the community college thing first. I was pretty sore at Trisha and Chris...although they didn't know it at the time.

5 years later, Trisha calls me when I was visiting my folks to tell me that Chris had moved back to Port Orchard with his WIFE and invited me to come with her to visit him. I got excited and sad at the same time. Damn. Another friend married off...and he was a cute one too. I had sat there and thought about how much I crushed on him and why I never made my move. Didn't get to know him better or date him. Oh well. I was on my way to see him again and that's all that mattered!

I remember him being reserved and kinda quiet during that visit. He and CC had the most comfiest apartment I'd ever seen with pillows everywhere. We sat, talked a bunch, and drank tea. I remembered thinking as I drove off with Trisha and Kevin "Damn...I still have a crush on him. I'm in a relationship and he's married. This sucks".I went back to Bellingham the next day and bought huge pillows for my apartment.

Chris and I lost contact again after that. I still kick myself for losing contact with LOTS of people since high school..and losing contact with Chris was a huge regret.

We met back up by sheer accident in October of 2007. That night could easily be described as one of the best days of my life. What happened that evening has changed my life. I gained the love of my life and "lost" my best friend. I was accepted into a community theater circle that I had longed for (since it didn't exist at Western), and discovered a lot about myself.

But the story of that night and the magical months to come is for another time.