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+

Not necessarily a good combination.

Admittedly, I’ve never been good at returning things on time. Video games, movies, books… you name it. I’ve owed Blockbuster, Captain Video, and the Ramapo-Catskill Public Library system so much money that I have probably provided for many of their respective employees. It didn’t take long for me to start this practice in the New York Public Library system, as well.

Many, many months ago, I took out a copy of The Charge of the Light Brigade for research on my scene in Orphans. I also took out audio CDs of The Last Five Years, Songs for a New World, Liza with a Z, and Goblin Market. As I type this, all of the aforementioned materials sit on the left-hand side of my desk.

While at a trip to the Mid-Manhattan Libary yesterday (trying to find a copy of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials - Book II : The Subtle Knife), I decided to check how much my late fines were.

$83.90

This figure left me flabbergasted. To even attempt to consider paying off these fines would make my head hurt so much, I could swear that I’d been drinking for a week straight. As far as I was concerned, I would never borrow another library book again. Ever.

Then, I started surfing the internet.

For reasons I’ll never truly know, I decided to visit the NYPL’s website. While there, I found the following announcement.

Many Happy Returns from The New York Public Library
Take advantage of this one-time opportunity to return all late materials without penalty. Fine-free returns starts February 19 and runs through March 4, 2006 at all NYPL Branch Library locations.

All materials must belong to The New York Public Library, be complete and in satisfactory condition.

The New York Public Library fine rates will increase effective March 5, 2006.

Yes, folks… there is a God… and he works for the library.

So my crazy schedule is catching up to me.

I am sick.

Or, at least, I think so.

I blame Joe Kurtz (because, hey, who doesn’t?).

Worse yet, it’s making me lose my voice, so it’s hindering my performance in absolutely everything. Wonderful!!!

I miss everybody.

My schedule’s really starting to get busy. Not that I’m complaining, I’m actually happy that I’m able to keep so busy… but it cuts down on the amount of time that I’ll be able to post anything on here. Here are the things that are occupying my time at the moment.

Starbucks Coffee - After almost two years away from “the empire” (and a few too many months away from the workforce entirely), I’m making my return to the Starbucks Coffee Corporation as a barista in one of the stores in Midtown West. Unfortunately, I have to re-do my training shifts. Tomorrow will be #3 of 9. I should be completely done with training in under two weeks.

‘When We Are Married’ - The play that I’ve been assigned for the first series of plays at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Easily what I’m spending the most amount of time on (it may be my last three months at school if I don’t make it back to company). I’ve got five weeks to put this character together, as the show goes up in early March. Unfortunately, nobody’s allowed to come see this one.

‘Spellbound: The Musical Adventure’ - A musical that my friend and roommate Christian’s been writing for the last three years. I’ve been cast as Raven (a sizeable part) for a staged reading of the show before agents and producers in the first few weeks of March. Although rehearsals are only once a week, I’ve had to do a lot of extra “homework.” To check out some of the work I’ve already put in, give these tracks a listen: “Fragile” and“Caught in a Moment”.

Stacey’s cabaret - Stacey and her friend Katie are putting on a cabaret show at the Stella Adler School of Acting. Thankfully, the two of them looked past my horrible audition and gave me a spot in the show. Although rehearsals haven’t started yet, the show goes up in April (the same month as my last show at school and graduation).

So, my plate’s a bit full. Maintaining social relationships is becoming an increasingly difficult task. Let’s see how these next couple of weeks go. Hopefully, I won’t have a mental breakdown between now and May. Anyone want to take bets? Worse than that, this is probably how the rest of my life’s going to go.

Sweet.

Sorry I’ve been a bit lax on the posting lately. I’ve been in the process of a move to Brooklyn (which I’ve just about completed), finishing up my last scenes (and starting a new play — details, although bare ones, at A Year At The Academy), and rehearsing the new musical Spellbound. I’ll be posting some personal things in the next few days, as well as four movie reviews and one Broadway review… if I can remember the materials in question.

See you all soon!