Monday, July 27, 2009

home

I have returned. Three long days in the car, but I am home. and glad for it too. This summer was a good one, but I was ready for it to be over. Now is time to unpack and get my life back in order.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Portfolio

So I started an online portfolio. Actually, I've maxed out what is available to me from this free one, so I'm thinking of buying a year with them for myself for my birthday. Assuming this meets the standards for the one I'll need for class in the fall. But I want as many opinions about it as I can get. So if you would please, look this thing over a give me a little feed back:

http://adriennecorral.daportfolio.com/

Thanks!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Opening Weekend!

Saturday night was La Traviata, and Sunday afternoon was La Cenerentola. Traviata was gorgeous, sad and fluffy. The lead woman sang so very well, and now all of the costume shop women have decided we will too sing a high C the moment before our death. Afterward there was the Cast party which was one of the few times we are allowed to drink at the Opera. They had tiny beers and box wine. All very cute, with a dance party that followed. Unfortunately as it was a sad show it put me in a bit of a mood after the show so I ended up playing wallflower.

La Cenerentola on Sunday after staying out late was not the best decision for me. It was as cute and fun as I remember, but I was sooo sleepy and it was so nice and warm that it ended up being difficult to stay awake. There was another reception after, which had better food though no dance party. Which was fine, because last night was shop party. Oooooh Shop Party. Such fun. They had beer and sodas, snacky foods and such. Everyone who works for the Opera was invited and it was held in the Warehouse, but in the set holding portion. There was a sound system set up and a dance floor. The kegs were actually set up behind a false bookshelf wall. You had to figure out which book to pull on to get your beer. The Hennepin (which is a very good local beer) was behind the book labeled "Hi Mom" and the Yuengling was behind one that I can't remember. It was pretty fun to figure out at first. Word eventually got around and no one had to search anymore but it was fun to see people pulling at the falsely rigged books. The music was random as it was "bring your ipod and we'll play it" night. Not that the costume kids heard about that. Oh well. Outside the warehouse they had benches set up around a fire and even a couch thing for the smokers. As there are a number of them. Thankfully the night was really cool so that if you got too warm you could venture outside to cool down, back in or to the fire to warm up. A few of the underage kids were paid to play shuttle for everyone in big vans so that no one had to drive themselves back after beer time. It was much appreciated, by all.

Work today started at noon. Which was reeeaaally nice, as the shop party didn't end until 2 am. Work was slow today, just starting on the rental show. There was an Intern Picnic that even had an ice cream truck! :D Taaasty.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Hooray for shows opening this weekend, which means that anything that isn't a massive horrible mess is no longer our problem. So La Traviata opens tomorrow, and La Cenerentola opens on Sunday. I'm going to both of those with Morgan and a few others, then to the Opera hosted opening night parties afterward. This past week has been pretty uneventful, not much work to be done. Mainly cleaning and organizing so things will be set up nicely for the next group. I took photos of La Cenerentola the night that I went to dress rehearsal, but I'm not going to post them until the show opens, so I can't get in trouble for exposing things early. But I will say that it's a really really fun show, light and silly, the costumes and set are fantastic looking.

Wednesday through the end of the week we came in late, mainly because on Tuesday night about half the opera went into New Hartford to see Harry Potter 6. Morgan and I didn't, but we did go Thursday night to see it. It was super exciting to see Tom Riddle in the jacket that I got to work on the tiniest bit in London. Monday was a normal day and Tuesday we got out early. Though next week goes back to normal hours, as the over hire show is starting up. They hired a group to stay an extra 3 weeks beyond contract to build new pieces for chorus of a show that we're renting out but have a larger chorus. I'll probably end up working on it by value of just being around.

Morgan heads to NJ on Monday to visit for a while before she drives back here on Friday (a week from today) and we head back, hopefully arriving on Sunday night. Though I don't think I'll be back home-home until Monday. Just too long of a drive/ride. I'm looking forward to getting home though, as much fun as this summer has been.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Canada, land of round bacon.

Last week wasn't bad, actually it was a pretty good week. Work has been winding down for the most part, as the shows start to open next Saturday. Photo dress for one of the shows is actually tonight, though not mine. Thursday night Morgan and I were sociable and went to Karaoke night at the PI. That was actually more fun than I was expecting it to be. We hadn't gone previously because of working late nights those days. Friday was payday and at lunch Liz, Shannon, Morgan and I went out on the lake with Liz's Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul. They gave us a tour of the lake, but I couldn't hear much over the engines, so I can't remember much. It was kinda rushed though, since we only had 45 min out on the boat. It was nice, makes me wanna go and spend a day on Daddy's. :D After work we went to the Otsego for fancy drinks too. After Morgan, Eric, Liz, Sidney (Liz's roommate), Sidney's friend Karl and I went to get pizza at the new pizza place in town. Pizza was enjoyable, we spend a good deal of time after on Liz's porch talking. Morgan and Eric went to a party at Jon's but I stayed in as...

WE WENT TO CANADA THE NEXT DAY, and I drove most of the morning shift. We actually went to the Canada side of Niagara Falls. It's about a 4 hour drive each way, but we managed to make a day trip out of it by starting early and coming home late. It was just the two of us, but it was quite fun. We didn't do any of the pay things, but the views were gorgeous. I got lots of photos. The drive over was really really stormy, but it was beautiful weather at the falls. Morgan and I both had our cameras out, and would hide them when the mist kicked up. Part of why we didn't do any of the pay to do things, they took you into the wet, which would have been bad for cameras. The drive back the weather threatened the whole way, but no rain. We got back late and crashed.

Today was half the beverage trail again and then the Eat and Greet at work. We got to meet all the singers and some of the local people who support the Opera. It was pretty good times. Now I'm going to be a lazy bum in my room.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

stupid sprained wrist.

Friday I couldn't go to work. Saturday was the Fourth. Sunday I got back to work (yay!) but I was sent home yesterday with an achey wrist and am useless again today. This wrist thing is pissing me off, but I know if I rush it that it isn't going to get any better. Still I don't like being idle.

The Fourth was fun though. On Friday night Morgan, Maura and I tried to get down to Cooperstown to see the fireworks to which we were late. We climbed up onto a little stone wall and watched them over the trees. Then on to a gathering at Jon's which was a fun little party. Saturday Morgan and I slept until the last minute then rolled out of bed and walked into Springfeild Center, which is a mile or so down the road. There would have been no where to park. We watched the parade that went on and had floats from the surrounding villages (not towns, those are bigger) with a number of little kid marching bands and fire departments. Standing with a few other Opera people we managed to find a section of road sans millions of kids, so we ended up with an inordinate amount of parade candy. My favorite float was of course the Opera float. We had silly signs and people in stock costumes and a trailer full of corn stocks from an older production. See the theme for the parade was Red, White, Blue and Green. So most all the floats were related to recycling. The boy scouts were pretty cute, with their painted boxes and recycling slogans on their heads as they tried to ride their bikes. After possibly the cutest tiniest donkey passed us the parade was over and it was time to go partake in church-lady pie. Seriously fantastic pie. I had blackberry, but there were probably 15 types of fruit pie there. And everyone knows how much I love pie. When we'd taken in all the pie and locals we could handle Morgan and I walked back home. There we proceeded to be lazy lazy bums until dinner and fireworks. These fireworks where at the other lake, not the one we work nearest, in Richfeild Springs. The park we were at called itself a beach... but that's not true, lakes don't have beaches. The fireworks where pretty fun, but mostly because most houses around the lake were all shooting off fireworks. A number of homes had red lights in their back yards, part of the "friendship circle". Anywhere there was a red light you were welcome to sit in their yard and watch the fireworks. Granted you could only see this from the lake, but oh well. I thought that was pretty cool. There were city sponsored fireworks that were a shade fancier than the personal ones. It was fun watching the sparks fly up from all over. It was also the coldest Fourth of July I have ever experienced. It was in the low 50's or high 40's that evening. If you don't believe me, go check tonight's low on the weather channel's site. I'm serious. Freakishly cold.

The only good thing about my sick leave is that I've got all photos I've take recently labeled, captioned and uploaded. So enjoy them. :3

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Well this was fun.

So, I had an exciting day yesterday. We were rushed most of the day to get things done as our first dress was at 7 last night, and we had to have everything stage ready in the wardrobe house by 5:30. I’d gone to drop off the last faux fur stole and was headed back when I slipped on the stairs and fell down a few of them. I landed hurting my wrist and generally shocking myself. I walked back to the shop and told Julia the floor manager who got Deb the shop manager who got Safety John. I told them what had happened and John and Deb insisted I go to the ER, or rather the Emergency Care place. Safety John took me, as that’s his job and workman’s comp is going to cover all of this. I got x-rays done and was told I didn’t break my wrist or even fracture it, just a sprain. They braced me up and sent me home. I tried to go to work today, but I can’t yet hold anything long enough to be of use, so I was sent home by Julia and Deb. So today I lucked out that there is a Burn Notice marathon on (hell yes!) and it’s raining out (boo).

The past few days at work have been a bit crazy with all the dress rehearsals and such starting. Our show is in good shape, but I feel bad dropping them down a set of hands, but Barb (my draper) feels bad as she’s convinced it was her fault as she’d sent me over to the Wardrobe house. It’s not tough, just a bit of bad luck. And, well, at least I’m good for the next two years.

Check out my photos from Utica too. They are posted. :3