get your reading glasses out. its a long one

Before I get into this there is tension within the cast. People are tired and the people in charge aren’t doing it efficiently and I got pulled aside and was told that my actions are looked at with respect and esteem and that when I make side remarks out of frustration its damaging to the group. Its funny though, I never realize how my words are taken because I don’t give myself that much credit. But I was told I have the power to destroy with my words and have a “gift” of expressing myself and causing others to listen. All of this I was unaware of. Apparently I’m not subtle…which I know. Anyways, there was a massive group talk and hopefully things will improve over the next few days. Its all just been really stressful with a new show that we still haven’t put up, missing a cast member a.nd dance captain, not having our personal things, and being in port every day so its tiring. Side note, it may read as though I was the center of this conversation but I was not. It started with telling people to shape up because some of them aren’t being professional and its starting to eat away at the group. We were then told that both shows last night were horrible and that’s when I got offended because I busted my ass. We had a rough first show and then pulled it together for the second. So I stood up for myself and the others that had a good show too. The conversation also stemmed from an incident in the hallway prior to our rehearsal tonight. It had been written on the board that there would be a rehearsal tonight and then people started arguing and then it was cancelled and then it was back on and then cancelled and, well, you see where this is going. I like others were tired and left and told them to let me know what they all decided on. I left with them saying that we were having the rehearsal and I said I was going to go get a sandwich. They started arguing and I said look I’m going to get a sandwich cause I don’t wanna be in the elevator when you all start arguing about what floor to get off at. I was just saying that because everybody was so indecisive but argumentative at the same time. Anyways, that’s what caused me to get pulled aside later in the night to be told about my words. I apologized to my cast and they said they didn’t even notice or even care, but thanked me for apologizing. I think the issue is our company manager, also a cast member, has been put in a really hard place and he isn’t handling it well but acting like he is and its just stressing people out(he’s also really sensitive about it and that’s not helping either). But I’m not knocking him at all cause I couldn’t do the job any better and its just a really hard situation. Trying to wear too many hats in a really hard situation. Also, I’m tired of people all talking behind peoples back and then backing out when it brought to light. I was left high and dry when I confronted the manager about things…all things that we all agreed on but it looked like I was the only one. I made sure that the manager knew I wasn’t arguing with him but just saying. We’re cool now. UGH

Rome, Italy – 5/20/07

So with the hour train ride into rome, an hour ride back, getting off the ship at 11 and all aboard at 6 we had little time to explore the massive city of rome. Needless to say we managed to see the coliseum, the Venetian palace, old rome(what they are excavating right now), the trevi fountain, and the Spanish steps. Not bad if you ask me, especially since we had a group of 12, we were on foot, and rome is massive. I’m pretty sure that is a new world record but I’m no expert. Anyways, everything in rome is really really cool. It’s a bustling city full of attractive people and little cars. Its so cool how the ancient buildings are nestled in right between modern day apartments and offices. The whole city is enchanting though, laced with history, and even running through it it was still amazing.

I don’t know, its just crazy that I was actually there. When we go back later in the contract we’ll hit up the Vatican and stuff like that. Oh and by the way, the shopping is amazing and the style of the men is insane. They take such better care of themselves and its in a totally non-gay kinda way. Its just nice to see people take time to look nice to leave the house.

Pompei, Italy – 5/19/07

Out of nowhere I was able to land a free tour to the ruins of Pompei. How freakin amazing is that. On the bus ride there we stopped by a factory that makes cameos and we watched them carve it out of a shell. Who would have thought that a conch shell with a carving on it could cost 4000 dollars. Insane I say.

After a short drive we were at pompei. Let me just say how massive mt. Vesuvius really is. That thing takes up the whole landscape. And to think that blast that covered pompei in 79 ce(or ad if you will) blew half of it away.

We get to pompei and its nothing like I expected it to be. I knew it was a city but I guess I didn’t realize it was full on roman city. And what’s crazy is that is stands exactly like it did on that day in 79. before they sent all the artifacts to museums and to the wealthy there were objects sitting on tables, people crouched in corners….its like time just stopped. It was really fascinating to see how people lived, where they lived, the smart little things the romans came up with that we take for granted day by day. For example, the roads, or streets, come from the word strata…because they are layered in a way which prevents growth from underneath and in between the pavers were little white rocks that in moonlight glow in the dark. Kinda like the lane dividers we have now. They also knew that in the rain, the town flooded so the streets are set lower, like a river, and there were giant pavers that acted like bridges. It was so cool to see.

The coolest thing I saw was that romans were freaks. They had street signs on the street of penis’ that pointed to the whore house. There were penis’ jutting out of the walls declaring a brothel. The bathhouses were lavish and excessive, and in the actual whorehouse they had fresco’s depicting the positions the men could chose when choosing their whore. Kinky.

But yeah, there is so much to say about pompei but I’ll refrain cause this is getting boring and tired of typing.