offline til sunday

Yet another mystery visitor in town for Cystic Gal, though I have a post all cued up to go for Sunday. So, I will be absent from the blogosphere, barring any BIG NEWS for which you will be promptly e-notified. I had a red-letter day in the professional arena, and I present to you, as a celebration of my red-letter-professional-day today . . .

THE TOP TEN REASONS THAT THEATRE IS LIKE CYSTIC FIBROSIS:

1. Most of the people involved are broke ($) most of the time, or worry about the next time that they will be unexpectedly broke, thus behave like they are totally broke ALL of the time.

2. Most of the people have taken a job, or are currently working a job, just for the benefits, and unlike their counterparts in the outside world, they do not pretend that there is any other reason that they are working these jobs. They may even say at a job interview, "I really only need to work enough hours to get your health plan," [smile.]

3. It is totally acceptable in both arenas to have really bizarre sleep habits. If you complain about wanting to go to bed at a reasonable hour to avoid some type of task, you will probably not fit in either of these communities. It is also totally acceptable to have weirdly scheduled other bedroom habits, but I will not elaborate. ... i.e. "2 a.m.? That's the 10 p.m. of normal people! Wake up!"

4. I am not going to say that the line between prescription and "as-prescribed" is often blurred, but I am going to say that neither communities are filled with people who strictly adhere to anything written on a sticky label. Broke your ankle? The show must go on! -- Can't sleep? Can't I take both of these?!

5. There is a lot of blatant e-self-promotion / e-self-congratulation, e-self-pity in both of these communities.

6.  I'm not saying that I, personally, have a problem controlling MY emotions, but I am saying that the members of both communities have a flair for midnight emails, soap-box rhetoric in professional environments, and general "are you talking to ME?" behaviors. And if these events could be on video, all the better.

7. Both communities are like the mafia - once you're in, you're IN. But there are also a lot of weird fakers in both communities...weird but true.

8.  Both communities refer to their spouses/partners as "normal" if they are not members of the same community. i.e. "My husband couldn't make it to the matinee, he has a normal job," "My wife's copays are really low, she's normal."

9. Members of both communities are publicly discouraged from partnering off with other members of the same community - and when they do couple off, it is either 100% awesome or a total fucking nightmare that everyone has to hear about for years and years. *See point 5 above.

10. I am in both communities!! And before I get the hate-mail, I totally ascribe to all of the points above. ;) Winky face.

*NOTE: Please see CG disclaimers "What's-A-Mattah-You?" if you have a freakin' problem with this list, okay?

have a great weekend!!