So I’ve been busy. The summer musical, which opens a week from tomorrow, has been occupying the bulk of my not-at-work time. I was also out of town a few times in the last couple months, including a trip to Washington, D.C. with the lovely Linda for Memorial Day Weekend. I’d like to write about that at some point. And work - well, I was insanely busy at work pretty much all of April and May, wrapping up two major projects. Work, at least, has calmed down in the last couple weeks. I was also home this past weekend, which gave me an opportunity to do laundry, dishes, and grocery shopping, just a few of the household tasks which have been languishing for months, just like this blog. But I’m starting to feel like a human again. And while rehearsals for the musical are now every night (tech week), it will all be over by June 22nd. And then - yes, then - my life will be my own again. In the mean time, I’m trying to reclaim some of those things I love to do but haven’t found time for in quite a while.

Since I have only a small part in the company for the musical, rehearsals have offered me quite a bit of “down time” in which to read for pleasure. I’ve devoured several books just in the last few weeks. (But of course part of that was because certain of those novels were so gripping I couldn’t put them down - even while driving.) I was deeply affected by Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and completely absorbed by Memoirs of a Geisha. I enjoyed them so much that this weekend, I rented the movies just to see how they compared. I’d like to put those thoughts into print eventually, too.

During my lunch hour at work (when I’m not napping in the car due to late-night rehearsal), I’m chipping away at The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Volume One. As I told a friend months ago, my reading goal for 2008 is to Finish. That. Anthology. Yes, folks, I am actually reading an anthology cover to cover. No, I am not insane. (Well, perhaps that is up for debate.) But seriously, what better way to expose oneself to a variety of excellent litarature which one might not otherwise encounter or choose to read? I also enjoy the little author and time period summaries anthologies offer as a glimpse of “the bigger picture.” I discovered quite a few anthologies at the 2006 Book Fair, which I gleefully snapped up at $1-$3 each. Keep in mind these books rightfully run more like $50 each in stores, and I got SEVEN of them for $17. (Yes, I know, the kind of thing only an English nerd would brag about. Phbbt.) I started in on the Heath Volume 1 right away ... and have been working on it, off and on, ever since. It’s not exactly light reading, y’know. But I eventually found I can handle 30-60 minutes during lunch, without getting bored, and usually without falling asleep.

By the way, did you notice the anthology is purple? Though life got in the way of the timing, I still like the idea of colorblogging, so I’m going to try to finish what I started. And hopefully other, non-colorblogging, entries will ensue, as well. I feel like I have much to write about, just pinging around in my head for the moment. It may take some time, but I hope to get it all out at some point. After all, my head can only hold so much at one time, and there are plenty of new experiences I need to make room for.

It’s good to start getting back to normal.

The trackback URL for this entry is: