Worst. Play. Ever

I'm helping out the operations group of our company with another project concerning grocery store floor plans. And it's funny, all of these are in the greater Boston Area. There is probably one of these shops in a town where YOU live (Michael/Jon just were at one the other day when Jon threw his back out).

Suffice to say, my work is going to be seen by you very soonly. Or at least the work I program up onto the things you'll see. When they happen, you'll know, and you can let me know what you think.

Like I say -- never talk about work.

But. It's still the coolest to know that YOU WILL SEE WHAT I DO very soon if you live in Boston or Chicago. Hell Yeah, you will. And I hope you like it.

To quote the Great Homer Simpson -- "I've never wanted a beer more in my life."

Thursday night was the opening night of my daughter's play. Lovingly and with great anticipation we took our seats.

It was horrible. It was the suck. It was the second worst thing I've ever seen. When Jessie was in fifth grade, she was in the school production with the sixth grade, and that particular play was over 2 hours of sheer terror. This was better, but not by much.

And I need to be honest -- none of my dislike of the performance had anything to do with the kids. They were great. They were wonderfully cast. They did a great job with the task that was set before them.

It was the play itself. Sometimes, plays just suck. The material stunk like wet, soggy fish wrapped in paper and left on the back doorstep all winter, and now that the temperature is in the 40s, it just reeks.

No wonder it was an off-off broadway play.

There was a major problem in my mind in that there were only 5 boys in the play and 899 girls. Seems the male of the species does NOT like musicals in our school district. And that's sad. An entire batch of characters was supposed to be male, but only 2 of them were.

And I think it messed with the overall feel of the play. The girls who played boy rolls were fabulous. One of them stole the show in my opinion (good ole Emma. Always so amazing to watch).

Jessie looked fantastic in her weird space banshee clothing. All the banshees did.

Geoff absolutely loved the play. I may take him to it on Saturday for the matinee. He so desperately wants to be in a play, like his sissy, but I think he's quite a ways away from being able to pull off something that needs this much focus and effort.

Best part though was in the middle of the second act, one character yelled "Au Contraire!" Geoff turned to me and said "What does 'Au Contraire' mean?" And before I could formulate an answer he said, "Is it French for 'the hell you are?'"

Towhit Doug and I both lost it. It was loud enough for us to hear, but I doubt that anyone near us heard, thank you Jebus. And we laughed. And laughed. Geoff was all "What? I'm serious. Is that what it means?" I finally got my whits about me and answered him. But it was seriously difficult.

Tomorrow evening I will go to the play. And dutifully will attend at least once on Saturday (not twice. There's a difference between support and self-abuse). And then she'll get a serious sleep after a fun cast party on Saturday night. And Monday she'll suddenly feel the post-production let-down. The "What will we do with our weekday afternoons?!" sensation.

Anyway. Not much else to report. I'm glad Jessie enjoys this. I'm glad she's into something and has made some good friends and connections to people. Her theatre teacher thinks she is spectacular. I do hope that she sticks with.

In the meantime, her grades are slipping. Dude has gone from a B+ to a B- on the verge of a C+ in Math. I talked to her about it on Monday, and she sighed. "I'm aware. I'll worry about it after the play is over," she said. I'm glad that it was on her mind, and I am glad she'll refocus. Luckily no other subjects are slipping, or else I'd have to bring the smackdown on her ass.

Failing Math? Au Contraire!

Well. Tomorrow I think I'm going to leave work early, around 2:30. Come home and let her nap. She stayed up late tonight writing a paper that is due tomorrow. I asked her if I could proof it, and she said no and put it in her backpack. I think she just wanted it done and put away.

She's worked hard and deserves a break. To watch Geoff tomorrow is too much, and I don't want to have the baby sitter come out for just an hour. Not worth her time driving. So. It'll be an early day for me. One where I can blog in the afternoon! Or at least catch up on my reads.

Right then. My turn for bed. Cheerio!