Thinking about characters..strong lady characters

All my plays right now have one focus:  Bad Ass Women

Women who want more than love of men.  Women with objectives that go beyond their heart, that are about survival, that lead them to fight epic fights.  

I am in rehearsals right now for the upcoming production of Port Out Starboard Home by foolsFURY, and whenever I am acting it leads to me to think that much more about the plays I am writing.  It leads me to look at my characters and think, "Would I want to play you?  Would you be worth coming into rehearsal every day?"  I suppose I want my plays to feel like Thanksgiving meals-for both actors and designers.  I want mouths to water, guts to be filled, and satisfaction so deep that a vacation is needed.  

And I want those stories to be about bad ass women.  Cause that is what I want to play (even though I never want to act in my own plays) and right now it's what I want to see.  I want women who make me want to jump out of my seat, in either horror or glee, because they are fighting.

And speaking of bad ass women, I have just discovered Wanda Jackson.  Why it has taken me so long to discover her, I don't know.  It feels like a crime.  

3,720 miles in 6 days and the sky is amazing

Michael with the most
not normal person he knows

Michael said 3,720 miles in 6 days is "disgusting."   I think 3,720 miles in 6 days gives me street cred.

We learned many things on this trip.  Michael now knows what the inside of a South Dakota cop car looks like and therefore hates South Dakota with a fire of a thousand suns.  (That is not a hyperbole.)

I learned that in Minnesota, I am an "unknown" ethnic.  I actually like South Dakota with it's Great Plains, Black Hills, and I want to marry Wyoming.  I also learned that when going across the country, it is good to brush up on your US History so you can fully understand what you are seeing.

At home, in California

I also learned that somehow over the last two years, I have become a certifiable New Yorker.  For the first time, I introduced myself as a "New Yorker" and I found two things that constantly amazed me on this trip:  the size of bathrooms in public places and the size of the sky.

Bathrooms in this country are huge.  You can fit more than two people in them.  You don't have to push your way in, slam into something as you try to squeeze through the door.  There were bathrooms in restaurants bigger than my bedroom and that is just...such an excess of space.  I remember going to a restroom in South Dakota and stopping to marvel at the square footage.   I found no bathroom that had microscopic stalls, layered tagging, tiny sinks, or themed designs.  There were simply organized extravagant bathroom facilities.  My mind was blown.

Wyoming

And then there is the sky.  You see the sky in Wyoming and you suddenly understand country music.  There isn't a town for hours, there isn't a car for miles, all you have is the great big blue and it consumes you.   For the first time in months I could feel myself relax.

In New York, everything exists in inches and seconds.  How can I put more books in my small bedroom, how can I fit more clothes in my tiny closet, how many people can sardine their way into a rush hour 5 train, how much closer is that guy's backpack going to get to my face, how loud do those headphones have to be, how long do I have to "continue to be patient" as the subway stalls at Fulton and all I need to get to is Wall Street!

Grand Tetons

And then you get to see mountains at Big Horn and skyscrapers are no longer marvels.  The awe inspiring chaos of navigating up Broadway to get the 7 at Times Square doesn't hold a candle to the expansiveness of the plains.   Seems like a pointless revelation but New York City is all time and no space and that makes you forget.

So when you see a road sign that says your destination is 267 miles away and all you have is a full tank of gas and box of unsalted cashews, all you can do is take in the scenery.  And every subway delay that put you on the verge of a psychotic anger fueled meltdown is instantly made ridiculous.

Empire State Building

But despite New York's hustle and bustle, New York is also about people.  I get to meet amazing people from everywhere you can imagine and I have never felt more comfortable going through cities no matter how barren or manicured their main streets are.  Seeing the country means understanding the country and for me it means I get to put places with faces and I am a lucky gal to live in such a melting pot city.

If only I could get more sky.

Day 6: I hate this song

I hate this song, every pop station in every state loves this song and has to play it every hour but I hate it.  I didn't know this song till I got in the car and this more than any Maroon 5 (Michael's favorite) or Katy Perry (don't get me started) song is the fastest way to get me to Crazy Town.

Day 6: Bend, OR to San Francisco, CA

In California

Miles traveled: 481 miles
Time spent driving: 7 1/2 hours
States passed:  Oregon, California
Tolls paid: None!
Tanks of gas: 1
Traffic violations: Zip zero zilch


Today in "take me home country roads:"

• We drive through mountain roads.
• We get gas in Weed, California.  
• Weed has shirts that say "I love Weed....California."  
• I drive my old friend the I-5 at speeds that make me once again a Californian.
• We arrive at Michael's place.
• Door to door, from sea to shining sea, we are done.

Oregon and me

Mt. Shasta, California

Day 5: Dance Party

We hit 3,000 miles somewhere near a small town in Oregon.  Shortly after, we pull off to the shoulder to switch drivers and I dance around the car to this as Michael shakes his head.

Day 5: Idaho Falls, ID to Bend, OR

Craters of the Moon, Idaho

Miles traveled: 598 miles
Time spent driving:  9 1/2 hours
States passed:  Idaho, Bend
Tolls paid: We were in the middle of nowhere
Tanks of gas: 1
Traffic violations: None  


Today in WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE:

• I-20 E is the most tedious flat middle of nowhere road we have encountered.
• We hiked over lava flows and entered lava caves at Craters of the Moon, what did you do on your Saturday?
• We failed to take decent photos in said caves. Instead we take creepy photos we can't explain.
• We kept driving on the most tedious flat middle of nowhere I-20.
• Michael hits a bird, or a bird hits us.  Either way, a bird is probably dead and Michael is now known as "Bird Killa."
• Still more driving on the most tedious road.
• We arrive in Bend, Oregon and our kitschiest motel room yet. 
• The moment we get out of the car for dinner we encounter a drum circle that includes a drum, someone dance shirtless, two people with dreads, and pot.
• When we exit our restaurant (which had amazing food) we find someone with dreads playing a wooden flute as his bike and cat on a leash stand nearby.  Way to go Oregon!

Middle of Nowhere, 1-20 Idaho

Spot the hiker on the lava field

Freaky cave photography #1

#2

And #3

And #4

Day 3: South Dakota's Most Wanted (by Michael)

In Deadwood, South Dakota
...how appropriate 

Let me just start by saying that I did not expect to spend my vacation in a South Dakota Highway Patrol car.  Let me further clarify that I never expected to be in a cop car, period.

While driving down I-90, I was driving only a couple of miles above the speed limit, probably 77 or 78 MPH, as I didn't want to repeat Angela's experience from the day before.  However, the speed limit lowered from 75 to 65 MPH and I neglected to observe the change, but continued to drive with the speed of surrounding vehicles.  Suddenly, flashing lights caught my eye in the rearview mirror and I pulled over to the side of the interstate where we were approached by Officer Badger (names may have been changed to protect he innocent).

The cop truly knew how to use his scare tactics. (Angela remembers him as being "nice," I respectively disagree.)  In his most stern voice, he requested that I step out of the vehicle.  The law-abider that I am, I quickly obliged with the officer's request, expecting that he would perform a sobriety test.  Upon exiting the vehicle, he directed me to get into the patrol car.  At this point, I was truly scared.  Shaking.  I fully expected to get arrested for speeding...and I wasn't even driving that fast.  I stepped into his vehicle where I was berated by a series of questions, such as "Where are you going?" and "Do you know what the posted speed limit is?" and "Are there any drugs in the vehicle or large amounts of cash?"

Our interaction concluded when I asked if I was going to be able to attend traffic school and he responded by handing me my Courtesy Warning.  Less then five minutes after entering his patrol car with canine unit in the backseat, South Dakota's biggest outlaw got off scott free, save for the stern reprimanding and excessive barking of said canine.

I can officially add "detained in a cop car" to my Bucket List, where it will promptly be marked off.

Day 4: Our Yellowstone song

It makes no sense, as it is not relevant to where we were.  But it is an amazing karaoke/car driving song and thus needs to get posted.

Day 4: Sheridan, WY to Idaho Falls, ID

Big Horn=awesomeness

Miles traveled: approx 500 miles
Time spent driving:  Hard to tell, we no longer driving on highways and spent the day on winding two lane roads
States passed:  Wyoming, Idaho
Tolls paid: What are tolls again? 
Tanks of gas: 2
Traffic violations: None  (where's the confetti?)


On today's epic National Park journey:

• We had our best breakfast yet in Cody, Wyoming.
• Pop music disappeared from the airwaves.  
• We drove through the amazing Big Horn National Park.
• We hiked in Yellowstone.  Yes, it was amazing. 
• As my father just mentioned on the phone, I get to scratch"see Old Faithful blow" off my life to do list.
• We drove through the Grand (amazing!) Tetons.
• Wyoming is basically amazing.  
• It has been decided that I want to live here and while Michael thinks it is the finest state we have visited, he is strictly a Bay Area guy.
• We have now traveled 2,600 miles in four days.  Michael has no verbal response to this fact, he just gives me a "look."  It is not a happy look but not a mean look either, I am not sure what it is.  Clearly he has an opinion but is not able to verbalize it...I think we are freakin' rockstars and totally deserved the beer I had at dinner.

From our hike around the geysers at Yellowstone

Cooler than Old Faithful blowing in the background

Smitten with a geyser

These Tetons are in fact Grand

Day 3: Scary song moment of the day

While leaving the bizarre eroding landscape of the Badlands, this started playing on the radio.  So jarring.

Day 3: Sioux Falls, SD to Sheridan, WY

Badlands, South Dakota

Miles traveled: 645 miles
Time spent driving:  Don't ask...lots of stops.  
States passed:  South Dakota, Wyoming
Tolls paid: None!  
Tanks of gas: 2
Traffic violations: 1 (Michael's turn this time and bonus: he saw the inside of a police car!  Details to follow.)

Things that happened on this fine Thursday:

• We went to Corn Palace.
• We realize South Dakota is a state of endlessly repeating billboards.
• I was angry at my phone for not getting any reception, therefore not allowing me to answer important questions like "Why are the Badlands called the Badlands?" and "Why are the Black Hills called the Black Hills?"
• We hiked the Badlands (which are called that cause nothing can grow there).  
• We went to Wall Drug and Michael got angry.  (Details to follow.)
• We went to Deadwood.
• We encountered crazy weather in Wyoming.  (Hello wind and rain!)
• We ate at a steak house and Michael had the biggest beer in his life.

Corn!  Palace!

Baaddddlandsss again.

South Dakota!

Day 2: My Minnesota pull over

What am I?
(out of focus in South Dakota)

It was afternoon somewhere in Minnesota.  Michael was sleeping and I was listening to the "Smurfs" episode of the "How Did This Get Made" podcast.  There was tire tread in the middle of the road, I changed lanes to avoid it and then I saw a cop behind me.  Lights going crazy.  Cue our first police interaction.

I have only been pulled over once before (which ended up in a warning) so of course I was extremely nervous.  I unbuckled my seatbelt to get my license out as the cop approached the car.  He was intense, super tan with a scar above his lip and imposing reflective aviators.  And he had a Minnesota accent.

Right away, he was upset I took off my seatbelt.  He said I was speeding (for the record, I was probably going 80 in a 65 so nothing too crazy.).  I thought a ticket was for sure but surprisingly he gave me a warning.  (Sigh of major relief.)

Later that day I looked at my Minnesota warning and found that on their form, next to weight (yes I lie) and height (I don't lie) there was a field for "ethnicity."  Of course, ethnicity is not listed on my California license...or any license that I know of.  So, racial identification options on Minnesota traffic tickets...interesting.  And how was I categorized?

Ethnicity "unknown."

Unknown!  What am I?  Who am I?  Unknown, that's who!  I mean, my name looks Spanish so that is confusing.  (Double l's baby!) And I have this dark mass of curly hair which makes me....Italian/Latina/Greek/Jewish/Middle Eastern?  I just...it is all so strange.  I entered the state of Minnesota as me and exited as this unknown ethnicity lady.  And I have to say, I am super stoked.  I am officially mysterious.  And now using cruise control everywhere I go to stay within the speed limit.

Day 2: Catch phrase of the day

After playing a selection of patriotic music, the MC for the municipal band, wearing a red polo and khakis, came up to the mic to explain that the band was not only equipped to perform band standards but could be "experimental as well."

He then explained:

We are going to play a medley of Lady Gaga songs that will rock your faces off.

Rock your faces off.

That my dear friends, is your new phrase.  Use it liberally, use it with confidence.  We plan to drop it into random conversations to waitresses, National Park staff, in the middle of hikes, everywhere

Rock your faces off.

The moment our faces got knocked off

Day 2: Chicago to Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Fairground

Miles traveled: 598 miles
Time spent driving: 9 hours
States passed:  Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
Tolls paid: Not as many as yesterday..but still too many
Tanks of gas: 2
Traffic violations: 1 (I was behind the wheel, details to follow)





Today we...

• Both of us expressed an interest in finding a dairy farm in Wisconsin so we could milk a cow.  No farm was found.
• We ate at a diner called the Hearty Platter.  My pancake combo meal was $4.99.
• I freaked at the random visual/audio mashup created as we pulled out of a Minnesota gas station and "Gangsta's Paradise" starting playing on the radio.  
• I got pulled over.  Yes, details to follow.  Yes, it ends up being a good story, not funny as my "Remember that one time in Utah I cussed at a cop and blamed a romance novel for my speeding and still got off with a warning" story from my 08 road trip but this story should be bizarrely entertaining.
• We spent 4th of July at Sioux Falls' fairgrounds listening to the town's municipal band, watching a circus act and fireworks.  I wanted a snow cone but was not able to get a snow cone
• While the fireworks were short, they were right in our faces.  Like, right in our faces.  It has been decided this is the closest we have ever been to fireworks.
• I still want a snow cone.  Words cannot express how much I want a snow cone.

Yes, we were one of the first ones there

It's a bench

IN OUR FACES

Day 1: Car song of choice

Michael's favorite song (at the moment) to sing along to.

Day 1: NYC to Chicago

I-80 West, Indiana

This posting is a day late...but yesterday was busy.

Miles traveled: 798 miles
Time spent driving: 13 hours
States passed:  New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
Tolls paid: Way too many (like the turnpike tolls for the entire states of Ohio and Indiana)
Tanks of gas: 3
Traffic violations: 0

Important things to note:

• We left Queens at 5:30am.
• Somewhere in New Jersey around 6:30am I seriously asked Michael if he knew the route Louis and Clarke took across the country.  This was met with a blank stare...and then he took out his iPhone to find out.
• Michael slept through 2/3 of Pennsylvania while I kept chanting, "How big is this state?"
• God opened up the heavens twice in Ohio leading to random sudden downpours and lightening storms.
• Half of our dried mangos were consumed.
• We made it to our hotel at 7:10pm.  We then dropped off our stuff, ran to the car, got stuck in Chicago traffic and made it to our 8pm show at Second City at 8:01pm.  Booya.
• Mexican food was had at a much too late hour.

Rain!  Ohio!

Artistic Indiana road shot

798 miles is nothing

Gimme gimme pictures: NYC

9/11 Memorial

Michael behind the lens

A First Lady you can reach out and touch (at The Strand)

In New Yoooooooooooooooork

Pre-game: Day in NYC

Today in a nutshell:

• Michael arrives at 9am after two delays on his flight
• Diner food is had
• We visit the 9/11 Memorial (and endure long lines)
• Michael learns the joys of The Strand (best bookstore ever) and Veselka (best Ukrainian food ever)
• We visit the Empire State Building (and endure long lines and an annoying/systematic set up that tries to get more and more money out of tourists)
• Michael falls asleep on the 7 train

Michael says we didn't do much today but my feet are black from walking so long (the horror of wearing sandals in the city)....and I had something else here that had cuss words in it but Michael made me edit it for content...revenge will be had.

Now we are trying to psyche ourselves up for our 4am wake up call.  Tomorrow...Chicago.

I see Brooklyn

The eagle has landed

Happy to be in humidity