Tag Archives: Roxy

Severed Heads, Murder Television and Foolish Blog Posts

Posted on August 10, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Did anybody not expect a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post today?  Nonsense, of course you did.  Perhaps, like me, you were hoping for something better or at least different, but any length of acquaintance with me will show that I am continual proof of the rule: shit happens.

I am feeling marginally better from my sinus infection.  I have a new cord for my Acer and am once again typing with two hands.  Things are definitely looking up.

I’ve been researching my role for the play Roxy by watching television.  That is, I’ve been using that as an excuse.  Last night we saw Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, which involves a guy getting his head chopped off.  OK, that really has very little to do with the play.  For one reason, the movie is a mystery while in the play it is quite well known whodunit (me).  Still, Bette Davis.  I couldn’t help myself.

Today, as I usually do on Sundays, I am watching Snapped on digital cable.  Some of those are about  wives who kill abusive husbands.  I caught the tail end of one where she killed him with an axe, then tried to hide the body and pretend it never happened.  The parallels were striking!  If only I had seen the entire episode.  Oh, OK, it was a re-run, and I’ve seen it at least a couple of times before.  I may even have seen another true crime show about the case.  I watch a lot of murder television.

Earlier this weekend I stopped by Ilion Wine and Spirits to purchase a bottle of wine.  One of the owners greeted me and asked how the blog was going.  I was forced to confess that I have twice tried to write a post about a wine tasting they recently hosted.  I must, I positively must finish that post and get it published.

As I begin my week, I hope once again to write good blog posts, not foolish ones.  But we’ll see what happens.  I think some people are entertained by my foolishness.  Sometimes I even entertain myself.  I hope you’re all having an enjoyable Sunday.

 

4 Comments

Posted in blogging, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

No Worry Wednesday

Posted on August 6, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is my new feature, to replace Wuss-out Wednesday.  I like it.

Astute readers (have I any other kind?) probably read yesterday’s post and expected another ridiculous post today.  Well, I AM still trying to learn my lines for Roxy.  In fact, I did write something today, but it wasn’t a blog post, and I didn’t finish it.  Still, words on paper, that’s a good thing, right?

Logging onto WordPress.com this evening (later than expected once again; gotta love overtime), I saw that I had ten Likes and one comment on yesterday’s foolishness.  In the course of replying to the comment, No Worry Wednesday was born, so thank you to fellow blogger Mark Bialczak.

In order that my entire post not be an announcement of a new day for me, I will share you a story about yesterday’s rehearsal.

In case you didn’t know, Roxy is about Roxalana Druse, who murdered her husband in the Town of Warren, and subsequently was tried and hanged for it in Herkimer, NY.  It is a true story.  I play Roxy.  I shoot my husband and chop his head off with an ax (I didn’t need to include a spoiler alert for that; in addition to being a well-known bit of local history, the characters talk about it in the first scene).  In my defense, my husband is, to quote the play, a “goddam lousy son of a bitch.”

Art Wilks, the man playing my husband is a very good actor.  He is physically imposing and has a deep, gravelly voice.  When in character, he is mean and scary.  We were doing the scene in which I kill him.  He had just called me a goddam bitch and threatened to split my skull open with an ax.  It was a tense moment, and Art probably should have turned his cell phone off.

Art’s ring tone was a sweet, tinkly, music-box sounding tune.  It was soft, it was pleasant.  I tried not to break character, and if Art was perhaps ten percent less of a good actor, I might have made it.  As it was, the contrast was too much for me.  Along with everybody else, I cracked up laughing.

Perhaps in reaction to the tension of the scene, I laughed harder than I have laughed in years.  I laughed so hard I had to walk away.  I laughed so hard I gasped for breath.  I laughed and laughed and laughed.  I’m still chuckling just remembering.

I hope I have conveyed how humorous it was. However, in the spirit of the day, I shall not worry if I have not.  If anything has ever happened to you that made you laugh that hard, please share it in the comments.  I like to laugh.

 

2 Comments

Posted in blogging, humor, No Worry Wednesday, personal and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Tired from Having a Bad Attitude

Posted on August 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday I was doing really well.  I wrote a real blog post AND I went running.  I thought, this is awesome, because I can write a running commentary for Tuesday’s post.

And then Tuesday happened.

Nothing really bad happened, but I got a really bad attitude nonetheless.  I did not get any writing done, because I was studying my lines for Roxy, the play I am in (which I believe I have mentioned before).  Full disclosure:  I also worked on a few cryptogram puzzles.  I thought it would make my mind more supple.  Did it work?  Well, who can tell how much MORE un-supple my mind would have been otherwise.  So difficult to have a control in these experiments.

So there I was, partway through my day and I knew it was Bad Attituesday.  A lot of other people at work had bad attitudes.  I didn’t worry about them and they didn’t worry about me.  Then I got home (an hour later than expected, by the way, but never mind THAT dull story) and tried to get all my stuff done before rehearsal.

Of course my most important chore of the evening was this blog post.  As I sat down to write it, my bad attitude had faded somewhat.   Unfortunately, it was not replaced by any notable ability to write anything decent.  I’m TIRED!  As I struggle to stay awake enough to write some semblance of a blog post, I worry how I will stay alert for rehearsal.  Oh, I’m afraid this is another Tired Tuesday.

Hey, I just realized something:  on Mondays I have either Middle-aged Musings Monday or Mental Meanderings Monday.  Tuesdays can be either Tired Tuesday or Bad Attituesday.  How clever I have become at thinking up things to write other than a regular blog post.  I’ll have to see what I can do about that.

Just as soon as I learn all my lines for that play.

News Flash! As I was adding the categories for this post, I noticed Tasty Tuesday.  I don’t remember having anything called Tasty Tuesday!  What a brilliant idea!  Next Tuesday I will be sure to eat something delicious, and that is what I will write about.

 

5 Comments

Posted in Bad Attituesday, blogging, humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Hot Under the Collar

Posted on July 29, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday, while I was typing in my Monday whatever-it-was (Middle-aged Musings or Mental Meanderings), I remembered Bad Attituesday.  Just in time, because that is what I am having right now.

It really was not a bad day at work.  Things got awfully warm, and I am almost always something of a heat injury (that’s a real thing, you know;  even the army didn’t think I was being a big fat baby) (well, not about that, anyways, but we’re not talking about the army).

Where was I?  Ah yes, not a bad day at work.  I even started to write some stupid thing that may have made a decent blog post, before the heat injury portion of the day.  Now I’m home and the Bad Attitude portion of the day has hit me in full force.

What, I must ask, the hell is wrong with me?  I got home, took a refreshing cool shower, drank some iced coffee… these are things that ought to improve one’s mood.  Could it be anxiety over tonight’s rehearsal for Roxy (you know, that play I’m in at Ilion Little Theatre)?  One reason for tension is that I have nothing decent to wear.  You see, I want to wear skirts to rehearse in, because I will be wearing a skirt for performances.  It will help inform my character.

I have many skirts, some of which even still fit (I have been gaining and losing weight since the ’80s).  I found a wraparound India skirt I purchased in, I believe 1983.  As everyone knows, a wraparound skirt will almost always fit.  I found a t-shirt in a compatible color.

Therein lies my problem.  All my t-shirts lately have been binding on my neck.  Am I getting a fat neck in my old age?  Oh for heavens’ sake!  I can live with the arthritis, hot flashes, presbyopia and general breaking down of my body.  I can even accept the fact that it is much harder to lose weight.  But a fat neck?  What’s that all about?

Then again, the character I play in Roxy is the first and last woman hanged in Herkimer County.  Perhaps a shirt that is a little tight around the neck can inform my character.  A good actor utilizes all possible resources.  I bet even my bad attitude will come in handy.  Hope to see you all on Wednesday.

 

4 Comments

Posted in Bad Attituesday, humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Midsummer Monday

Posted on July 28, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I began the week determined to write my blog posts in advance.  I would not spend the week composing nonsense at the keyboard, mostly about how I just can’t write a real blog post.  I was going to Write Real Blog Posts.

So far, not so good.

In my defense, quite a full weekend, ten hour day today, rehearsal tonight (you know, for the play I’m in?).  Oh, and temperatures in the 80s (92 in Little Falls, which is not that far away).  I do not work in an air conditioned building.  When I did work in an air conditioned building, I wore  sandals skirts with no pantyhose.  Now I wear steel-toed work shoes and BDU pants.  I say this with pride, not complaint.  I am bad ass.

Unfortunately, “bad ass” does not necessarily translate into “able to write awesome blog posts.”

I tried, I really did.  Actually, what I first tried to write was an article for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I thought perhaps I could publish a shortened version for the blog.  It did not go well.  I tried to work on my novel.  I wrote one sentence on a scene I had previously written.  That effectively brought the scene to an end.  I started another scene.  Then I couldn’t remember if one character did or did not believe in ghosts.

How could I forget such a thing?  How long have I been living with these characters?  What kind of a writer am I?  I was too traumatized to write anything else.  I looked over my lines for the play then helped a co-worker with a crossword puzzle.

Now I must finish getting ready for rehearsal.  For anyone just tuning in, it is for Roxy, at Ilion Little Theatre.  I play Roxy.  And I just realized something:  yesterday was Severed Head Sunday.  Today I am going to rehearsal for a play in which I CHOP MY HUSBAND’S HEAD OFF!  Oh how delightful to have something in common with Joan Crawford!

So what if I can’t always write an awesome blog post?  I’m still bad ass.

 

3 Comments

Posted in humor, Monday Mental Meanderings, personal and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Murder on Monday

Posted on July 21, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I see that last Monday was “World’s Dumbest Monday”, which makes me a little embarrassed to feel as dumb as I do today.  No matter, dumb or not, I must make my blog post.

I don’t feel like watching World’s Dumbest today anyways.  I feel like watching my other favorite guilty pleasure show, Snapped.  Snapped is a documentary show about women who kill.  I think I wrote a blog post about it some time ago (too lazy to go back and check), but I have another reason to watch it and write about it today.  I feel it will inform my character of Roxalana Druse.

As regular readers may recall, I have the title role in Roxy, a play being presented by Herkimer County Historical Society and Ilion Little Theatre.  It is a new play written by a local author about Roxalana Druse, the last woman hanged in Herkimer County.  She killed her husband by shooting him then chopping his head off with an axe. I think he was asking for it, but perhaps that’s just me being in character.

That last sentence was just me being silly.  It is actually a serious play, probably the most serious I’ve ever been in.  Therefore, one might wonder if watching one of my guilty pleasure television shows is really the best way to prepare.  Listen, don’t try to second guess the processes of the creative mind.

More to the point, it’s Monday and I’m tired. It was a rough weekend and I’m not a young woman.  I studied my lines while on breaks at work and if I want to sit and watch a murder show on cable television, I will.  And I’ll write more about Roxy soon.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Middle-aged Musings Monday, Monday Mental Meanderings and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Running to the Theatre?

Posted on July 12, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Amidst all my Boilermaker drama, I am still concerned about some more regular drama, that is, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre, Roxy.  This morning I went to help work on the set.  I am not particularly adept at construction-type things, but I thought I could make a contribution to the effort.  Also, I thought it might take my mind off  The Boilermaker for a short time.

I had gone for a short run this morning which included one not too intimidating hill.  Some people like to take the day before a big race entirely off, but my legs do better if I use them every day.  I had also taken a walk to the post office.  Now I had to hydrate.  I brought a large cup with Gator Ade and a bottle of water to the theatre with me.

The first job was to dismantle the last of the set from the previous play and to clean out the backstage area.  While the people who had brought the power tools began taking flats down, Suzanne and I began on the holy mess that was backstage.  Props, assorted hardware and garbage covered and surrounded at large table that had to be moved.  It was the sort of mess I could just stand and stare at making b-b-b-b sounds, but Suzanne is made of sterner stuff than that.  We started sorting.

I made a pile of props to be carried to the prop room, so as to make fewer trips up those steep, twisty stairs.

“Hey, this is mine!”  It was a compact I had used in the last play I was in.  I hadn’t even realized it was missing.  Cool!  I started carrying the other stuff up to the prop room.  Despite my piling, it took a few trips.  Soon I had to remark that I had not needed to run up that hill earlier.  Those muscles were getting enough exercise. After a while I said, “I don’t mean to sound like a diva athlete, but I’m not going up those stairs again.”

Suzanne and I decided we would return at a later date to sort and clean things properly.  When I told the director this, he said, “Ah yes, you’ll be doing that in… 2029.”

“I’m writing it on my calendar,” I said.

I was happy we had made some progress in getting the old set down and our set up.  I’m sure I’ll be writing more about Roxy as rehearsals progress.  As soon as I’m done writing about The Boilermaker (it’s tomorrow!).

 

4 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Scattered Saturday, theater and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Day, Two Libraries, What’s Not to Like?

Posted on July 2, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, does that headline read like I’m soliciting “Likes” for this post?  Naturally, I hope people like my blog, but I try not to be too needy.   Not to look too needy anyways.  Never mind, let’s get on with the post.

All I really want to do on my vacation is sit on my butt, perhaps in front of the TV and knit, perhaps on the deck with a notebook and write, perhaps just about anywhere with a glass of wine.  Wait a minute, that is how I feel most of the time.  I do enjoy to sit on my fat butt.  Nonetheless, I also like to get out sometimes.

I had a few errands to run today but no real plan as to what order to do them in or even if I would get to them all.  However, I set out this morning with a notebook and high hopes.  I made it to the bank for deposit and withdrawal. I even used the automated kiosk, which is quite the accomplishment for technologically challenged me.

I went to two different places looking for a poster board.  I volunteered to make the price list for a fund-raising concession Team Uncle Leo is doing three different times.  This is for Sitrin Stars and Strips Run and Walk, which benefits veteran rehabilitation programs.  Just thought I’d give them another plug.  In this I was unsuccessful, but I have time.

Ho hum, now what?  Basloe Library in Herkimer, always a good choice.  I wanted to find a book on paper flower making.  My character in Roxy, the play I’m in, made paper flowers while she was in jail.  This is not actually shown on stage, but I thought it  might be a good character thing to do backstage, in addition to giving me a new crafting skill to use while I’m sitting on my butt watching television.  Instead I found three other books that looked interesting.  Then I sat down (yes, on my fat butt) and worked on a letter to a friend.

Then I went home and took care of a few other things, including working on my lines for that play I mentioned.  I have a rehearsal on Thursday.  For anyone just tuning in, Roxy tells the story of Roxalana Druse, the last woman hanged in Herkimer County.  It was written by a local author and is being presented by Herkimer County Historical  Society and Ilion Little Theatre.

This afternoon I went to Frankfort, NY, to follow up on some fundraising for Team Uncle Leo.  I had to return to Big Willy’s Pizzeria.  I wished I had not already planned supper, because things smelled really good at  Big Willy’s.  Maybe I could hold the pork chops and macaroni salad for tomorrow.

After Big Willy’s, I realized I did not have any more plans.  Now what?  Providentially, a FedEx truck was blocking the way in front of Melrose Market, so I turned right on the street that leads to Frankfort Free Library.  Naturally I had my notebook with me.  I finished my letter to my friend.

As I wrote, I thought, stopping at two different libraries in one day is not a usual thing for a person to do.  How fortunate for me that I live in an area with several libraries so handily located.  I sadly refrained from looking for more books at the second library.  I only have so much time to read, after all.

So this is my Wuss-out Wednesday post.  I accomplished a few things, at any rate.  Do you suppose I’m justified in sitting on my butt now?

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Aunt Cindy Killed Somebody?

Posted on June 26, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Don’t you think that’s a catchy title for Non-Sequitur Thursday? I do so love an eye-catching headline.  However, I am going to go on to explain that one and talk about killing somebody else, so it is not exactly a non-sequitur.  I ask you to bear with me.

I was on the phone with my sister, Diane, who also writes novels. I had written her a long letter lamenting my novel woes.  I had talked about character and plot, which I rarely do.  For one reason, once you’ve talked about it, you often feel you don’t have to write it.  Must maintain that oomph, after all.  For another reason, the person you’re telling it to might roll their eyes and say, “That’s been done.”  I hate that.  However, desperate times call for desperate measures, so I wrote the letter.

Diane, alas, did not have any specific advice for me.   It had been a couple of weeks since I had written the letter, so I updated her on a couple of  scenes I had written.

“I killed off another character,” I said. “But not one of the ones I was talking about in the letter.”

I heard my niece in the background say, “Aunt Cindy killed somebody?”

I don’t know why she sounded surprised.

The reason I’m using this admittedly thin story for a post is that I must post and run today.  Steven and I have a read-through for a play we are in.  Perhaps you read a previous post where I spoke of how we had auditioned for Roxy, which is being presented by the Herkimer County Historical Society and Ilion Little Theatre Club.  We are very excited to be part of this original production, which is written by a local author and concerns a local, historical case.

The play is about Roxalana Druse, who killed her husband in the Town of  Warren.  She was tried in the  Herkimer County Courthouse, imprisoned and later hanged in the 1843 Jail, which is right across the street.   I believe much of the dialogue is taken from actual court testimony.

Guess what part I got. I’ll give you a hint:  see the headline of this post.

4 Comments

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
←
Newer Posts →