The importance of a concept.....

Sometimes as I start getting ready to work on my next show I think of all the past experiences I have had with directors and which shows I loved and which shows ended up being miserable for all parties. Then I remember that a lot of the harder shows have had one common thread. Lack of concept. Don't get me wrong, it can be freeing as a designer to sit down and have the director say, I don't care what the show looks like, I know you can make it look amazing. BUT when you go into the next meeting with designs and swatches, they realize they do care and they hate what you've chosen. At that point you could probably still scrap it and be ok, but the next meeting is your last shot. If you try again and they like it, then you build and eventually the show gets on stage! If they like it in the meeting and then change their mind a week before the show starts, then you have a very serious problem. BECAUSE, it can't be changed!! At that point there is no time, probably no money and definitely no will power left.

Some of my most amazing experiences involve directors that know what they want and let you know character by character, scene by scene. It is so much easier to see that your director has a vision for the show and for you to be able to see what part you need to play in making that happen. So, thank you directors that have vision. I appreciate it.

My pet peeve about blogs

I have this really big pet peeve about blogs. Sometimes people post on their blogs about how they are going to post more often, or about how they are sorry for ignoring their readers. This is my take on it.

People that think i should post every freaking day and about everything that happens in my life should be my Facebook friend. I post there a lot more frequently there then I do here. AND we are all busy people! If you are posting every stinking day, then you obviously aren't busy enough and should get a hobby! So, if you are reading this and i peruse your blog occasionally or frequently, I forgive you for being busy and having a life the. No need to apologize!

NOW on the opposite side, if every time you post you say something like, "OMG! It has been so long since my last post! I should post more often because I really enjoy blogging!" Then for heck's sake, post more! You're the one that is feeling guilty about it and it is obviously one of your favorite things to do, so do it. No one is stopping you except for that computer and internet connection. And don't tell me you haven's used both of those things to check Facebook already.

So there is my rant and the reason that I am changing the header of my blog and not apologizing anymore for being busy and not blogging.

Playing mommy...........

Tonight is the first night of 10 days that I get to play mommy. I have done this for my aunt pretty much every year for the past 7 years so that they can go on a vacation. This year they are going for their anniversary and I needed to stay at work, so the kids are coming to stay with me here! Its going to be a little different this time around. As the kids are getting older it seems like it is more difficult to take care of them. They are a lot more independent, but being 10, 11 and 14 they are teens and have a lot more attitude than they used to. Nonetheless they are great kids and I'm super excited to have adventures with them this week!

I hate mosquitos!

This summer has been full of lots of fun and lots of mosquito bites! During Camp Rock dress rehearsal week I got 12 mosquito bites. During Aida dress rehearsals this last week I got 17! And I wish I got mosquito bits like most people do, but no. I get mosquito bites that within 1 or 2 minutes are swelled to 5x the normal size. Then the itching sets in and it swells even more. This time I also got them in weird places. I got one on my chin, the palm of my hand and on the top of my foot that was in a shoe!

Well there is my rant for today. I know its seems so unimportant, but whining about the unimportant things makes me feel better about the bigger problems I have. Haha.

Dont accept boxes that will make you sad!

Hahahaha! That title is a little over dramatic, but kinda true in my case.
Lots has happened the last few weeks! David left, the best little brother in the whole world moved in and we opened AIDA tonight. This show has totally kicked my trash and made me absolutely crazy. I have never had a more difficult summer than this one. I have pulled two all nighters this week alone! AND I sent multiple people on stage with safety pins in their costumes tonight! In the five years I have done this I have never had that happen.
Rewind to Tuesday I was up from 9am to 12:30 am Thursday. Not smart. Don't do that if you don't have to. Wednesday I ran home to change for a meeting I had later that day and saw a box. THE box. I fell apart. I know it was a combination of many things, but not hearing from him for a week and then seeing the box was too much for me to handle. I cried. Kendall told me he was going to hide it so I didn't see it that day. Ahhhh! It was painful, but now I have a shirt that smells like him that I can wear to bed! I never thought that keeping things positive would be so hard, or that I'd miss him so much. On I go!