enjoyment 5 March 2009
Happy Book Day to all! I really don’t think there is any better or indeed cheaper way to enjoy yourself so GET READING! Having said that, I have not read much in the last while – I think it might be a kick back to judging the COSTA award this year when I read LOTS of books in a short space of time and got a bit burnt out. Add to that that I haven’t really been able to relax in the house because of builders traipsing through all the rooms at all hours. However, in honour of the day that’s in it, I am now starting a detective novel, which genre may be my favourite, I think.
My Mum is staying a few days and stuck into a vintage movie channel on tv. It’s all I can do to keep from sitting in with her and the cat (who has taken a keen interest) and ignoring work and all else.
But packing boxes won’t unpack themselves and even books require that I throw my eye over them in order to read them, and the show DEFINITELY requires me to be there and performing, SO…onwards!
personal 4 March 2009
I had a chat with a friend of mine about disappointment last night and it was instructive and fun. We are both married and agreed that disappointment grows as an issue when you are cleaved to another. You gotta share it then, or at least have it all up for discussion. But I kind of miss PERSONAL disappointment, to be honest, not only because it was and is all mine but because I am the one best situated, actually, to see where I have gone wrong. Believe me, no one knows my shortcomings better than me – I have been growing and nurturing them for nigh on 47 years – so while it can sometimes be a caring/sharing thing when they are pointed out by another that’s not necessary, at all at all. Of course, there are a whole set of other newer flaws I’ve probably started up now and will have to look after for another 40 or more years. I’m wondering if they could be the truly share-able ones, while I can guard my own oldies for my own delight – guess not, we’re all made up of the old and the new and have to offer them up. I should say that in no way has my lovely Hub been pointing out Ye Olde Flawes at all at the moment, it just came up as a general subject while chewing the cud. Course now I am just waiting for the next time I have to defend myself and then see if I could get some of The Faults cordoned off for me…unlikely but might be worth a try…
machines 3 March 2009
So, all round frustration ensues and murderous thoughts abound…small matter of no heating in the main bathroom nor hot water and us with visitors – lovely. A strop from me got those issues sorted but I resent having to be the Bad Guy to get results.
The washing machine man came and went and all seemed well till after the first wash when the bleddy thing decided to go back to tripping the fusebox…he shall have to return.
Unpacked a few boxes – god but we have a lot of pretty but useless and unneccessary shite…a jettison may be in order.
Any good news, Pauline, I hear you ask – well, heartwarmingly, my poor wrecked and neglected garden has thrown up a few daffodils (the jolliest of all the flowers, I think) and there are buds of other wonders peeking through – long after my stress-filled bod has departed this earth it will continue it’s joyous miracles and I’ll be somewhere in the ether (or whatever..or NOT, of course) wondering why I let things get to me when all that beauty was around and just waiting to be appreciated.
And a laugh from Jonathan who assures me that whatever about my dignity being intact on leaving the Theatre Awards on Sunday night, I did manage to berate one friend for never having ‘given’ another friend a baby (an issue that is none of my business, not indeed on the agenda for either of them now, if indeed it ever was). So, I clearly misplaced my tact during that doo while sternly lashed to my dignity – if anyone finds it, do return – you’ll know it as it’s flimsy at the best of times and will probably be whimpering in a corner somewhere.
falling apart 2 March 2009
Ah this day should just have a big red line through it and be forgotten about! A few reasons – was at the Irish Theatre Awards last night, which was a great doo altogether. I was a good attendee in terms of not getting rat-arsed during dinner as I had to deliver the speech in praise of the recipient of the Special Tribute award – the last ‘act’ of the evening. It went to my friend and colleague Lynne Parker who is artistic director of Rough Magic Theatre Company (among many things). She is wonderful and it was a privilege to be asked to deliver some adulation (she is clinically unable to take praise of course and was MORTIFIED by all of the nice words that many people, not just myself, threw her way. Then, of course, when all formalities were complete there was much chatting and laughing, although I did leave early and with my dignity (but decided against blogging as it was late and I wasn’t all that sure I’d make much sense, in spite of being ‘quite good’ on the beer). But today has fallen apart and I don’t quite know why. First up, a nasty earache – not good. But also I tried to make inroads on unpacking the boxes that have held our lives since last June and I can’t seem to make proper headway at all. The house is still in a heap…and still not truly finished. The good has been taken out of the whole venture just about entirely now. My beloved washing machine has given up the ghost – I think this might be the worst detail of all – I LOVE that machine and we have a mountain of clothing needing attention. ARGH! Add to this that I have to go to work now and lash out a high energy performance for the hardy souls who like to go out on a Monday. I WANT A HOLIDAY instead. Might do the lottery, actually, and run off if I win…
blogless 28 February 2009
sorry – i was in late last night from the show, had to do 2 today (facing into number 2 now) and i just didn’t get to blog…
nothing much to report except that i bought myself some hair today – i wear a piece in the show and have fallen in love with having a fairly healthy looking mane…
nothing more than that has occurred to me EXCEPT that of course the airwaves are full of news about Jack Tweed and Jade Goody and although i don’t have much to say about all of that it did occur to me that they have SUCH medieval names don’t they? you know like the way people were called after their trade in Chaucer’s time and so on. and there the similarity with Chaucer ends…or does it – there’s a lot of carryon in the Canterbury Tales…
windless 27 February 2009
Ah lads, there was no way I could top last night’s proud fart and, with it, the whole live show experience thing – and so it came to pass…or not, depending on how you want to see it. Stonkingly good show though…
I’ll be nervous tomorrow as 2 of the ‘Dandelions’ acting team will be in – Dee and Dawn = eeek!
Progress is palpable in the house because I have had to be AWFUL and very bad tempered all week to make it so, and I do resent that – BUT, as I say, (oooh how football is that?) it seems to be working and that’s a good thing. Lordyloo – do we see a time when I might tell ye them lads are gone and I like the look of me house???? well, we’ll see…
Am mightily spotty..at nearly 47 years of age…yes, I know, I KNOW we’ve been through this BUT…anyhow I did a questionnaire to be run in one of the Irish papers on International Womens’ Day and was asked would I consider surgery and I’ll be honest I did point out that it’s risky, expensive and painful BUT IF THAT WEREN’T the case…erm…I wouldn’t rule it out – maybe we should all have a clause in case of any operations that the Anaesthetist could leave you ‘out’ for an extra half hour and Your Man/Woman would come in and do a wee tuck while you were ‘under’ anyhow???? sounds good to me…
and speaking of ops – good luck, Mandy, later today – we love you and you will SAIL through this!
windless 27 February 2009
Ah lads, there was no way I could top last night’s proud fart and, with it, the whole live show experience thing – and so it came to pass…or not, depending on how you want to see it. Stonkingly good show though…
I’ll be nervous tomorrow as 2 of the ‘Dandelions’ acting team will be in – Dee and Dawn = eeek!
Progress is palpable in the house because I have had to be AWFUL and very bad tempered all week to make it so, and I do resent that – BUT, as I say, (oooh how football is that?) it seems to be working and that’s a good thing. Lordyloo – do we see a time when I might tell ye them lads are gone and I like the look of me house???? well, we’ll see…
Am mightily spotty..at nearly 47 years of age…yes, I know, I KNOW we’ve been through this BUT…anyhow I did a questionnaire to be run in one of the Irish papers on International Womens’ Day and was asked would I consider surgery and I’ll be honest I did point out that it’s risky, expensive and painful BUT IF THAT WEREN’T the case…erm…I wouldn’t rule it out – maybe we should all have a clause in case of any operations that the Anaesthetist could leave you ‘out’ for an extra half hour and Your Man/Woman would come in and do a wee tuck while you were ‘under’ anyhow???? sounds good to me…
and speaking of ops – good luck, Mandy, later today – we love you and you will SAIL through this!
fart 26 February 2009
as the Human League (?) may have once sung – ‘I’m only human: a flesh and blood affair’. Ah yes. Tonight, I was in town earlier than usual (I had done an interview on a fine irish tv show called SEOIGE and was adrift and needing food) so I had a burger circa 6pm – well, a gal’s gotta eat! SO, all was well…and yet not, as I was veh veh windy. And then, just before a VEH touching and crucial bit AT WORK – EH, YEAH, THAT’LL BE IN THE PLAY- I spoke and also let loose, what I have now been informed is, a ‘proud fart’ – OHMYDEARLORD – perhaps worst of all, I thought I might have got away with it… till I saw the faces onstage around me – Mr Lorcan Cranitch absented himself from my space (with tears in his eyes) in case he got blamed (he’s a man, so that’s kinda logical…) and poor Vic Smurfit had to continue with heartbreaking news as we all came to terms with what had just happened…
LOVELY.
In the 2nd half we had no idea how many references there are to wind…but we KNOW them now.
Eventually, in an official yet unscripted moment that I have been given permission by Fiona Looney to use at will, I walked on and ad-libbed that it was indeed me who was not Queen of Hearts but Queen of FARTS…seemed only gentlemanly at that point.
Lesson? never have a burger within a DAY of performing (it was DELICIOUS though, I have to say…)
In Vic’s first film role there was a line ‘it’s a sad arse that can’t rejoice’ – I stand by that sentiment!
release 25 February 2009
I have been reminded of a few more types of terrified release – a rollercoaster is one. Sure enough, you spend a few minutes (seems like half an hour) on one SCREAMING in terror and emerge all the better for having let off steam – and best friends with all of the other people who have let their hair down and around and screamed also etc. A fright and then a laugh at yourself afterwards – fab. I don’t, however, like the spinning ride-things at a Fun Fair – the spins mean vomiting to me and that’s probably my least favourite thing in the world…
My mum and I share a love of being scared half to death by ghosty or alien movies – ALIEN actually nearly DID for both of us. And I blame her also for me reading horror books late at night for it was she who said you should do just that to ‘up the ante’ – hence I read both EXORCIST and SALEM’S LOT late late late into the night and was convinced that 1) the devil would possess me simply from how much I was thinking about him from the former and 2) that if I ever opened my curtains at night again a ‘boy’ would be hovering outside waiting to be let in…great, though. And I still hope to open my curtains and find a fine young thing waiting there!
vampeeeer 24 February 2009
Got home earlyish (11.30) this evening and the Husband treated me to a show I might have missed but for him – great stuff called BEING HUMAN on bbc3. One reason he knew about it is that they have a fab client in it called Aidan Turner (SO hot and a top actor) ANYHOW it’s about all sorts of Other Lives including werewolves and ghosts and vampires – at one stage the Hub had to ask me if driving a stake through the heart of a vampire was the way to kill it (he/she/it??) – you see he is and always has been a TOTAL Scaredy Cat and wouldn’t normally watch that sort of stuff (and never did, clearly, when a kid – that’ll have been till about last year, probleee). My brother Ian was also such a kid but knew all about vampires etc and slept with a cross under his pillow. My Dad TERRIFIED him after we watched The Day of The Triffids by stroking an adjacent chrysanthemum across his neck – he couldn’t even be alone in a room after that for about 3 years! Now he can’t get enough of horror and vampeeeeers are his favourite. I LOVE being frightened but am useless at it (a screamer) and I do like a good vampire fillum (still haven’t seen Danny Huston in 30 Days of Night but KNOW I will be shitless with quaking at it). There ain’t nuthin as invigorating as a good laugh or a good fright, eh? BRING IT!