December 06, 2003 - 6:14 p.m.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It's days like today when I really miss Sam. It's not much fun to be snowed in when there's no one to snuggle with and help me stay warm, to make cocoa and play board games with, to make a snowman with me and stuff snowballs down my neck. Ah well, he's studying for exams and wouldn't have time to do all that with me anyway.

Today had a lot of minor stresses and frustrations. Rich used his shiny new snowblower to pretty much clear the driveway before I had to leave for rehearsal before 9 this morning and even started my car so that it would be warm for me. Of course, I still had to drive, and the roads were a bit messy. I have four wheel drive, so it wasn't terribly scary, but I still had to keep my speed down to 20-25mph. Rehearsal itself was long and somewhat aggravating. The hordes of children in the show just couldn't focus when they were in a scene or keep quiet when they weren't. It felt like we had to relearn everything we did last week on top of learning new scenes. I am really hoping they can pull it together for the actual performances, because they don't seem to be taking things very seriously at the moment.

Meanwhile, the number of adults in the show is dwindling. There were few of us to begin with, and two have dropped out. I feel like those of us who remain are rather conspicuous in the sea of children. I think it will work out in the end, though. After rehearsal, with no Rich around, I had to clear off my own car and drive home on the roads which were even more slippery than this morning. The driveway here, which happens to have a serious downward slope from the street, was recovered with several inches of snow by then, and I was afraid the car might slide all the way down it and into the fence at the end. I made it down okay, though. We'll see if I can get back up tomorrow. :)

Due to the snow, which continues to fall steadily and heavily, the concert New Century Voices was supposed to perform in tomorrow has been postponed. I am a bit bummed, because it was to be our premiere performance as a group, and I think we sound really good. Still, it's actually a good thing that I don't have to be there, since it means I don't have to miss play rehearsal. We'll be learning the song in which I have my brief solo, so I am actually quite glad I'll be able to attend.

Game night last night was loads of fun. It amuses me how easily my brother's circle of friends and mine blend together. Derek and I are very different in a lot of ways, but we seem to surround ourselves with similarly fun, geeky people. In addition to the ever popular Boggle, we played two new games that Derek bought: Loser and Squint. Loser is a game modeled to some extent on the classic drinking game "I Never". There are cards that describe an experience, and you move spaces if you've had that experience, such as if you've ever woken up beside a person whose name you did not know, ever passed out in a public restroom, or cannot name all the Beatles. The goal is to have the fewest loser experiences and thereby be the last to reach the finish. We had a blast playing it.

Squint was equally entertaining, though much more challenging. It's a little like Pictionary, in that you choose a card that names a thing you have to get someone to guess based on a picture you create. Instead of drawing the picture, though, you have to craft it from the game's set of little cards that have various shapes or configurations of lines on them. It's a unique spin on an old favorite.

So game night was a success, and it was great to hang out with people before we all get too busy with holiday preparations and such. Now I am happily ensconced at home in my warmest loungewear (including the ubercomfy fleece pajama pants my brother and sister-in-law game me for Christmas last year). I have a couple of fresh DVDs from Nteflix to watch if I can tear myself away from TLC for a while. I think I will watch one in a few minutes so that I will be done in time to watch the latest episode of Trading Spaces. You don't really think I could stand to miss another insane Hildi design (feathers this time!) do you?

today's project: getting buried under snow

musing about: whether this show will ever come together

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