Hi DBT,<P>Just to get our minds onto something else for a while....I hope you don't think I'm nosey, but I would be interested in hearing about what you've done in theatre, as it is one of my interests, too!<P>Jacky

Well, this may be long, but here goes:<P>I started doing community theater in my hometown (Milwaukee, WI) at 13. Between summer community theaters and high school plays, I was constantly in a play from age 14-18. <P>Went to Northwestern U in Evanston, IL, and majored in Theater, concentrated on acting. Earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech (Theater)- don't ask me why it's a B.S. and not a B.A. I wasn't exactly a star of the department- I was in a lot of small productions. <P>I spent three long years in Chicago doing the out-of-work actor thing- waiting tables, and then doing computer work in a library to get by, while I pounded the pavement, visited agents, went on auditions, etc. Never was able to come close to supporting myself at it, but did some good work- I was in a second-stage production at the Steppenwolf Theater, and was part of an award-winning ensemble cast for a production of "Animal Farm."<P>I also did some real stinkers- an original musical based on Irish folklore called "The Journey of Fion the Fair," which the composer had been working on for 15 years, and still stunk. A production of Genet's "The Balcony," directed by someone who simply didn't get it- 3 hours of French existential angst. For that one, there was no curtain call and I was done with 45 minutes left in the show. My then-girlfriend came to see it, bless her heart; after my final scene, I went and had a beer and came back in time to meet her coming out of the house. She smelled the beer on my breath and said "You b$&&*&rd! You went and had a beer while I had to sit and <I>watch that</I>?"<P>Having had enough of the acting bit to convince me I wasn't going anywhere, I came up to Minnesota to get an M.F.A. in directing, thinking I'd either try that as a career, or look for teaching work. That went much better- I'm more suited to the analytical work of directing. Again, I've not made a living at it, but I've consistently done one or two shows per year, in community theaters, some colleges, and small professional theaters in Minneapolis.<P>I looked into the teaching bit- I enjoyed teaching as a grad student, but soured on the academic life later. I watched my grad school friends uprooting themselves to chase tenure, and didn't like the look of it. I had a part-time teaching job at a school about 90 miles from here- the commute hassle was the least of the problems. I watched the politics and legalisms of that school, and thought that wasn't the life for me. <P>Soon afterwards, my wife finished her PhD and got her first full-time teaching job here in town- and was horrible mistreated and bounced out after a year. I said to myself, why on earth would I want any part of that? <P>(I actually think that's one of my wife's disappointments with me- she had an image in her mind of the two of us teamed up somehow in academia, and that isn't likely to happen. I have directed at the school she teaches at, and would love to again- we'll see what happens with that).<P>So, now I work for money as a network administrator, and direct when I can. I'm strongest at comedy, but I've directed Arthur Miller, Mozart, and Israel Horovitz as well, so I think of myself as rather versatile. I've had a number of directing jobs fall into my lap when someone else has backed out late in the process, like right before auditions, and have done some of my best work under those circumstances.<P>So, tell me about your theatrical life.<BR>

Wow, yours has been far more ambitious than mine!<P>I have been singing in one form or another since I was small, mainly school choirs. I din't ever do and theatre st school, I went through a really shy stage and couldn't bring myself to do it. I think I said to you before that my interest has been more musical. At the age of twelve, I got my first guitar and taught myself to play chords. I strummed along happily for about ten years, and then got my first teaching job in a small town and didn't have tv, so I decided to teach myself to read music.<P>Teaching led to a lot of school concerts which my classes had to participate in, I also ran school choirs too. Around this time I started to feel a pull towards theatre, and I met another teacher who was involved in a Light Opera Society. I auditioned for the chorus and got in.<P>The first year we did G&S's The Sorceror and Trial By Jury, and the second year we did Pirates of Penzance. The I had to move to another town with my H cos he changed jobs...guess what NO theatre going on in that town. There was a choir which I joined for a short time, and I did some small pieces of work with a local school on concerts & choirs. No outlet for ME though!!!<P>Fast forward until last year when I co-directed a school musical of The Mikado, which was a great success, and then we moved here. I joined a amatuer group who were doing Pirates of Penzance, great again (this was the one my H was in) then they decided to do Trial for the One Act Play festival. I was co-directing it and was also going to be one of the bridesmaids when my H left, so I dropped out. He was in it too, but the main reason I dropped out was for the kids. I have recently joined another group, because they only meet once a week for six weeks, then perform on stage with the books. They're doing HMS Pinafore.<P>So as you can see, all my performances have been G&S so far, but I would be keen to do other stuff...it's just that they keep cropping up! I have never had a solo role, too scared to sing on my own, but I have been told I have a pretty good voice, and I did tend to lead the alto's quite a bit. Proud of something I can do anyway!!! Sorry, I really don't like to praise myself, but I need all the lifts I can get right now.<P>How are you doing today???<P>Jacky

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nina too:<BR>How are you doing today???<BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I've been worse, but I've been better. <P>She's not anywhere near finished moving. Yesterday, she was over at my house packing some more, and there's still tons to do, so she'll probably be over several times this week still. <P>One nice thing- she hasn't moved her sewing stuff, in part because she wants to sew up a blanket of mine for me (the edging came off). That'll give me a chance to thank her and show some appreciation. We've also sat down and had a fair amount of friendly conversation, which is a need I've felt for a long while.<P>We (she, I, and kids) had dinner at her house last night, then I hung around and had a cup of tea with her while the kids watched a video for a while. Then I cut out before bedtime to let her read books and such. Saturday, as I think I've told you, I went over there at bedtime as well. I'll pick up the kids from daycare this afternoon, and then I have a soccer game tonight; she's going to come see it and bring the kids (they've been asking for weeks to go to one of dad's games). So, this separation isn't terrible separate yet, you know?<P>Tuesday night, she's going out to see a concert- I'm think with EA guy, although I don't know for sure. I'll be at home with the kids. It will be like a lot of nights we've had over the last year, when she heads out, and I stay home- except that she won't be coming here at the end of the evening. I'm pretty sure I'll be a bit down then.<P>Lots of folks have been calling to check on me, and it's good to get a chance to talk with them, so I don't feel quite so lonely. However, the one person I'm really lonely for, I'm going to be lonely for for a long while.<P>

Wow, I know you don't realise it, but at this stage you have been very lucky. Having her around so often is great for Plan A'ing. And it sounds like you're doing a great job of that. You keep on plugging away there, and don't try to think about who she is with so much.<P>I on the other hand, am losing my Plan A resolve already. I want to pick up the phone and just scream at him. I'm not doing it, but it's killing me. It's just so EASY for him. He breezes in and out of here a couple of times a week and thinks that's enough for the kids. Yesterday he took them to the zoo, but they came back here, and he fell asleep. Then he left, telling the kids he had to be up early. I also know he ranted about me because I hadn't put a new battery in the camera (I never knew it needed one, last time I used it was May). He didn't even give them dinner or put them to bed, he left that for the maid. (I was out at rehearsal). Then I'm left to smooth over the ruffles anew, because they miss him all over again. <P>And I also have the thought of going back to Australia at the front of my mind. He has avoided having THE talk with me and I'd guess he wants me to be the bad guy, get fed up and go off in anger. And the more time that goes on the more that's what I feel like doing. But talk about it with me??? No hasn't even mentioned it since the day we had counselling three weeks ago.. <P>So see how lucky you are that you at least are talking??? Wish it was me.<P>