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Sunday, 15 July 2007

Saturday, 14 July 2007

  • I'm back! Long story short, June was a frenzy of rehearsals, performances, being ill and work. So needless to say, this weekend I am very pleased to be having a bit of a wind-down! So, as a month is quite a long period of time to cover in one blog, I'll just stick to the main events...

    Hazel's Gig
    I got to see Hazel perform her music for the first time at the beginning of June, at the Fleece and Firkin in Bristol. Ben and I met up with Karen and Steve and had a very nice evening. We had chance to have a nice catch up (although we really ended up going off on one big tangent which is even better!) and a few drinks at the Seven Sisters before popping across the the Fleece. So pleased to finally see Hazel performing and very very proud of her - she has an enormous amount of talent. Managed to bag myself a copy of her EP which has taken pride of place among my eclectic music collection. See Hazel's Myspace if you fancy listening to a couple of tracks and finding out more...

    Beautiful Soup
    After taking this show to Tokyo last year, it was a little odd switching parts and learning a whole new set of lines but the character of Squirrel seemed to come to me quite easily, and I love the costume. I was actually only covering for Juliet but got to do two performances so that was quite nice.

    Truly Madly Deeply
    Based on Anton Chekov's The Proposal and The Wedding, TMD ended up being a totaly sell out! I couldn't believe it! All the oldies came back from university to fill the main roles (with the exception of a couple of people, myself included, who were already around!) and a jolly good time was had by all. I had a nice little part, not too many lines but involved a bit of comedy, a bit of overacting and some improv. The show was basically set at a society wedding reception, the sort that would be covered by HELLO! so the theatre was transformed into a pretty impressive looking venue. We had lots of ABBA (what better way to finish a show than with a good boogie to Dancing Queen?!) and we all joined in with 'Close To You'. It was so nice to finally play a slightly more 'grown-up' role, as I've been used to playing animals, children and generic storytellers for quite a long time!!

    Music Theatre - Hairspray
    Everything is all change from September, so this was the last Music Theatre presentation in its current format. We did a Hairspray medly to round off the season and worked pretty damn hard to get it ready in time. I had my nice little solo parts in 'Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now' and managed to learn the dances pretty well but I've been suffering from the mother of all colds so was struggling for breath ever so slightly! To make matters worse, my mic gave up the ghost but apparently it didn't matter because I was heard as well as the people who had workings microphones. Go me and my asthmatic lungs!! Anyway, had some very positive comments so I'm feeling very accomplished. I've been asked to go back in the new season to work with the younger group and play the 'adult' roles and I've also decided to carry on in the top group as no one seems to have any objections! I'd be very sad to give up my singing, so I'm really excited about returning in September.

    Ben's Mums Party
    Last weekend I had Friday off and we travelled down to Kent for Ben's mums birthday. She had a rather nice party on the Saturday night which both my mum and dad came along to, as well as Ed. A good evening was had by all, and both mothers drank more than probably should have!

    So, that's about it really, aside from working like a dog. It's been a crazy month but things are beginning to settle down now and I'm completing more jobs at work, which is great. My holiday is fast approaching and I'm really looking forward to a break and being able to catch up with some friends.

    In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy a nice takeway tonight while watching Neighbours night on BBC3. Good times!

Friday, 13 July 2007

Thursday, 24 May 2007

  • I'm an "Aunty"!

    Or as close to being an Aunty as I'm ever going to get. Unless a miracle happens and my mum and dad provide me with a new sibling. Eww... But that's not gonna happen cos that's just physically impossible!! 

    One of my best friends from school (Amy) had her baby yesterday - it's a boy weighing something over 8lbs and they've named him James, Jamie for short. (That means trouble y'know...!)

    I'm really happy for her! She's always been the broody maternal type, as opposed to my cold hearted selfishness. *snort* But I think she was made to be a mother and this will make her very happy. Yay!

    I should really have posted before now... I had lots to say, I think I just go through phases of being a lazy blogger. But thinking about it, I would probably have just moaned about how stressful work has been and how depressed I've been feeling. I didn't write about my London adventure though which is a badness cos it was wicked - celebrated Juliet's birthday by going to see Billy Elliot which scores mega points for the being the only musical to have emotionally traumatised me. Seriously, it was amazing but I cried at least once during the first act and couldn't stop sobbing through the second!!  Have also been to see both sets of parents over the last few weeks which has been nice. And Musical Theatre is much fun at the moment with the little ones doing Disney songs (Em and I get to play Zazu! Hurrah!) and us lot doing Hairspray, which I'm totally loving. I've been given Penny's solo parts in Mama I'm A Big Girl Now, so I'm well chuffed. The dancing is a chore for me but I'm getting there...!! My wig has remained untouched for about a fortnight... I really have to be in the mood to work on it as that too is a chore but I'm thinking the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend will be the perfect opportunity. But we'll see...

    So that's a very brief run down of my news... It'll probably be the last you hear from me for the next few weeks but I'll still be perusing everyones blogs as usual. 

Thursday, 17 May 2007

  • Interesting emails from Edward Monkton

    Thank you for your delightful message, Nikki.

    How kind of you to write.

    Warmest wishes,

    Edward Monkton.

    From: Nikki Claire Cross <columbia_rocks@hotmail.com>
    Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 14:07:45 +0000
    To: <edwardm@edwardmonkton.com>
    Subject: Interesting thoughts

    Dr Mr Monkton,

    Your interesting thoughts make me smile!

    I have a 'Live your dreams' mug at work which I drink endless amounts of tea from - when I'm not using it it sits on proudly on my desk. Until someone uses it. And then I get mad. Grr.

    Thank you for making the world a better place.

    Best wishes, Nikki

    Why does it take a female so long to use a public restroom??...here's why!!!!!

    Ladies, when you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.


    Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter.


    The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty.


    You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there were one, but there isn't - so you carefully but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!),
    you yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."


    In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance."


    To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!"


    Your thighs shake more.


    You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail.


    Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn't work.


    The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet.


    "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT.


    It is wet, of course.


    You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late.


    Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.


    You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain; her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get!"


    By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose that somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.


    At that point, you give up.


    You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.


    You're exhausted.


    You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.


    You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women, still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them.


    A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this"


    As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"


    This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restroom (rest??? you've got to be kidding!!).


    It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long It also answers their other commonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door.

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