jaysaint Getting it all down on paper…

I believe this is the first time I’ve ever had the flu. It’s unbelievably bad. I got sick on Friday, and this morning is the first sign that it will be lifting soon. I think this story from Friday or Saturday (I don’t remember which) says it all:
I felt I should have some food on hand, so I ordered some from the local Chinese retaurant. I set it on the coffee table thinking I could pick at it, but I couldn’t work up the will to eat any of it. I also found I couldn’t work up the will to get up and feed Zoe. So I finally tore open the container of shrimp and rice and laid it on the floor for Zoe to eat. She is utterly confused by how the last few days have gone.

It’s funny how the workings of the body change. I would not have thought it possible to sleep as much as I have or to eat as little. I’ve spent since Friday night taking bites out of a little Chinese container of white rice and I still haven’t finished it. Normally the thought of going five hours without food would distress me. Now, days an days of no interest. Of course, I’m not requiring my body to do anything but the short circuit between bed, bath and couch. Still, I must be burning resources from somewhere. I carried a fever ranging from 100 to 104 through yesterday. I haven’t taken my temperature today, but it feels lower.

So I think two paragraphs on illness is probably plenty.

Damon called me excited last night because Michael Khan, Molly Smith and Ken Ludwig were all in the audience for his show last night. He said he got a very warm reception from one and all. And it seems that a reviewer from Variety was there as well. All that said, he says they’re not expecting good reviews. I’m not sure what to think, other than they’re probably doing as good a job as can be done with what I think is weak material. I’m looking forward to going down next month to see for myself.

One more day. One more day of work and then a three-day weekend. It’s not like my job is torture. But it’s been over a month since I’ve had a weekend that didn’t see me traveling or with houseguests. Did I mention that already? I plan to leave work at 4:59 tomorrow and head home. I will then put on my pajamas and stay in them until Tuesday morning. Or maybe I’ll wear them to work. It’s possible I will do some light socializing. I think a plan to see ‘Sideways’ is in the works. And I’ll definitely make a trip to the library. Pizza Haven is not out of the question.

I’m meeting our new senior vp tomorrow. Which means I’ll wear a skirt. Which means I’ll shave my legs. Which means I’ll have to get up 10 minutes earlier. Sigh. But, I do have a really great skirt that I will enjoy wearing.

What a wonderful and exhausting time I’ve had lately.

My former roommate and forever friend Andrew came to stay with me last weekend. He’s living in Germany (East Berlin) now, so the chance to see him is rare.

His flight was delayed on Friday night, so he didn’t get to my apartment until about 2:30 in the morning. We were gabby and good-natured, so wound up awake until almost 4. I made a huge pot of barley vegetable soup that I had on a low simmer, so we were able to sit down to dinner when he got here.

Saturday we bummed around my apartment for a few hours, and then about 2pm we took off for the East Village. That led to 14 hours of eating, drinking and wandering that was absolutely wonderful. There was lots of sushi, which is a definite win. John joined us around 6, closing the circle of the roommate reunion. The nights where I laugh until my stomach hurts are extraordinary, because they’re so good that I’m actually able to recognize a magical evening as it’s happening. We went to Brenda’s apartment and leaned on her buzzer until she came and joined us for the night. I had it in mind to surprise her with Andrew, which led to the great moment with my tipsy self hitting her apartment button until she let us in. She and Kyle were clearly scrambling into their clothes as we came through the door. All in all that night we hit: Kabin, Jeollado, a Koren bar I forget the name of, a sports bar I never knew the name of, KGB and Moonstruck. Lots of lovely people joined us along the way. For a while we saw my ex-boyfriend Pete and his new girl Allison, they were both great. And Brenda’s friend Pierre, who has always been among my favorites of her friends. He is French (as she can often be heard calling him French Fry) but lived in Berlin for a few years. He and Andrew launched into a conversation in German and I was transixed listening to him display this amazing new talent. He’s only been there for 15 months and is fully able to communicate like an adult.

I’m so glad I moved to New York.

So here’s some old old news… Anyone who hasn’t yet seen the movie Wonder Boys really should. I snagged it on a whim at the library. I passed when it was released, as I’m a little put off by Michael Douglas. But it turned out to be so charming, so lovely. It was obviously done with great respect for the book it came from. And it may be that I laughed out loud while watching alone more than I ever have at any movie. If that’s not a serious endorsement I don’t know what would be.

Damon called to tell me two things: First, that he is in the Arts section of the Washington Post today, shirtless. Much to my disappointment, it’s not in the online version. He’s mailing me a copy. The theater is really playing up the cheesecake with him. Which is so funny to me. I mean, obviously I have the hots for him, but I know him to be so genial and gentle that it’s funny to see him marketed that way. They had their first audience tonight. There’s a scene where he sticks his hand down his pants and he actually got a catcall. Good grief. I’m going down to see it the first weekend in February and am already running into trouble as the shows are selling out. Signature has such great local support. Anyway, second… in one part of the show he leaves the stage and then grabs a coffee cup on a little tray and sets it on a table for the next scene before the lights come up. And the stage manager just let him know that they’ll be paying him $5 extra a week because he has to move a prop. They take their union business seriously around there. I wish I were in a union.

I thought I saw an owl last night, but it was a hat.

It’s nearly midnight and at least I’ve managed to discharge some of the many things I’ve had swirling around but haven’t had time to visit here and write down. It’s been crazy busy these days.

I’m guessing you already know this, but in case you don’t…. Pale Male and Lola returned to their rebuilt aerie on Tuesday. It’s all good.