It's true. The Cossacks were on show yesterday. Only took me three days to establish that costume shop works on a smart/comfortable basis, including jeans. So I'm glad I only held onto three pairs of 'work trousers' but that I packed as many skirts because the weather is certainly still warm.
The televised debate from Tuesday was first on everyone's lips yesterday morning, Obama having made a fighting come-back from the first debate. Lynn, as our most ardent Democratic, was happy to share of Romney's ill-conceived expression over "binders full of women".
Pretty much.
I had them laughing in acting as an authority on English office culture as Sue tried unsuccessfully at 10am to order some stock. "3pm... It's tea-break time. The whole nation stops for tea. And at 10am. 11am. Half twelve. 2pm. 4.30pm to get you out of the door alive by five..."
Standard American Measurements
- Cup
- Pound
- Yard
- Ton (as in, "I miss you a ton", such as my beloved signed off with today.)
- Bunch (as in, "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" or rather,)
Sarah: "we've got a whole bunch of wigs in this next show."
After six months of masquerading as a Wigs & Wardrobe Assistant, it seems I might actually be able to gain some hands-on wig skillz! There's also been talk between Katie & Sarah regarding the possibility of having me co-design a show with her at the end of the year. I love all these possible opportunities to expand upon my current skill-set. Exciting stuff.
Staff Meeting had brought up ideas on efficiency, revenue-making & patron-assisting.
Idea 1: Sell fewer shows for more money.
Idea 2: Establish a physical presence in Downtown so people are aware of the theatre. (That's probably not trying to take out pedestrians on the sidewalk as when Sarah & I brought costumes over from Next Door (floor 3, costume store.)
Idea 3: Streamline resources & focus into making the best kick-ass freakin' musicals we can.
So that's what we're actually doing.
 |
| Bring on The Producers. |
Everything
in the 'shop is shiny at present. EVERYTHING. Yesterday felt like some
kind of Nazi glitterati party. I'm currently working next to a creation
of the Chrysler Building rendered into fabric. Six different shiny shades of Awesome.
| Under the Foot #1: |
^ I've been making Storm Trooper belts. Also inadvertently making a rain shaker along the way, whilst trimming off all the raw edges of left-over squares from the 'plastic canvas'.
Stack Attack! The stacker is now reformed, ensconced in situ in our living room. It even got admired mid-construction by Lauren. After all, it is a lovely wee piece of furniture...
My shipped boxes, which left England yesterday, arrived on the doorstep of 7½ by half ten this morning. Go go ParcelHero!
(major thanks to the Parentals.)
Bonus Lock & Lock made me squeal as I opened the well-voyaged boxes. I was gonna flatten & store them away but they were a little battle-weary & worn.
This morning brought in a whole load of adventures & achievements.
First to the Social Security Administration, up towards Carytown (that's "Kerry-town") to file for my SSN. Katie & I had jumped the gun a little bit in going this week as it turned out that we're meant to wait up to ten days but the DHS clearly liked my face as I was already entered into the system.
Next-up, a trusty bank. For this, we headed to SunTrust. "How can we help you shine today?" They're reputable & local, plus within walking distance of the flat (there's no friendly inclusive Link system here so to save on charges, it's best to use your own bank's ATM whenever possible.)
Our first attempt was not so fruitful. Having parked up, we walked round as I'm saying to Katie, "this looks like a gas station" or some kind of toll-booth.
I was surprised to see Maccy D's hadn't yet also set-up shop there. Two birds, one stone...
Onwards to SunTrust on the corner at Fifth & Grace to meet with the lovely Betty, who had us laughing with apologies for her nasally voice - quote: "the cold has got to Momma" - & exiting in order to blow her nose in private. Brilliant business etiquette.
Favourite Form of the Day (Pops, you'll like this one) goes to "Explanation of Us Mailing Address In Support Of Non-US Staus." Um, I need somewhere to live & the back alley's not so well stocked on cardboard boxes & mattresses right now? Bella herself couldn't really explain the need for that 'un. Weird. Anyway, I now have my checking account set up, ready for my first pay check. Good times, good times.
Last port of call was at Willow Lawn to try & purchase an American SIM card with a top-up option. Encountered my first somewhat apparently racist slur, courtesy of Verizon.
On entering the store, Katie & I were asked if we needed any assistance. I stepped forward & explained what I was looking for. The lady then turned to Katie & proceeded to speak to her directly, outlining the fact that Verizon would only sell me (her?) a $50 monthly plan, exactly what I'd just explained I wasn't interested in. I asked her, "could you speak to me please?" before politely thanking her out of courtesy for her time.
As we walked towards the exit, I said to Katie, "I might be English but I do still speak English." At which point, the lady yelled after me, "I speak perfectly good English."
Her ethnicity nor her enunciation was never the issue here. The issue being that she completely failed to address me, the customer, and spoke instead to Katie - as though my accent made me in some way incapable of understanding her response.
I may be a resident alien but I'm not altogether from Outer Space. And there was no hint nor reference to my deafness throughout our conversation so even the disabled/carer relationship (at a push) had absolutely no place here. In the SSA & the bank, I could've understood it better as Katie was representing the theatre & I was the intern filing but not in the store. Dumb.
Things happen. Katie: "Well, that's certainly one for the blog." Right enough.
We tried Tarjét & were helpfully pointed back across the parking lot to the carrier, AT&T. They delivered perfectly. One SIM, one fully operational cellular phone. I'm a local 804-girl now! :) $10 of credit, not a penny more in state tax, thanks to their nifty little in-store kiosk. Yay. Safe out of the additional clutches of T-Mobile America.
__________
In other news:
Turns out my choice of Kroger is generally referred to as "ghetto Kroger"... Hmm, kind. The one in Carytown is apparently far nicer. That may be so, but it's still not as near hence I'm sticking by my first choice.
It may not be as acceptable as I first thought to Walk. After my early departure from the Artsies, the first thing Sarah heard from the girls was, "Nikki walked to Kroger (!!)" Katie then heard from Sue about it & my lack of a lift. There will apparently be no secrets in this theatre.
I've decided I'm having two birthdays between now & May. The first one, my official birthday: 3rd December 2012. The next, my 'American birthday', 12/03/13. 12th of March ~ because that's how the date's written here & how forms keep requesting of me & my data entry. Makes perfect sense - & for double cake!
I mentioned my idea to the ladies. There was immediate talk of how bubbly is only to be consumed in the theatre when there's an Official Function. Turns out Costume Shop has a ton of Official Functions throughout the year, often on a Friday. ;) (Also goes to explain why there's a bottle of wine chilling away in the workshop's fridge right now. Heh.)
Lauren just brought me a pumpkin cupcake, fresh & warm from the oven.
 |
| Stacktastic. |
My shipped boxes, which left England yesterday, arrived on the doorstep of 7½ by half ten this morning. Go go ParcelHero!
(major thanks to the Parentals.)
Bonus Lock & Lock made me squeal as I opened the well-voyaged boxes. I was gonna flatten & store them away but they were a little battle-weary & worn.
This morning brought in a whole load of adventures & achievements.
First to the Social Security Administration, up towards Carytown (that's "Kerry-town") to file for my SSN. Katie & I had jumped the gun a little bit in going this week as it turned out that we're meant to wait up to ten days but the DHS clearly liked my face as I was already entered into the system.
Next-up, a trusty bank. For this, we headed to SunTrust. "How can we help you shine today?" They're reputable & local, plus within walking distance of the flat (there's no friendly inclusive Link system here so to save on charges, it's best to use your own bank's ATM whenever possible.)
Our first attempt was not so fruitful. Having parked up, we walked round as I'm saying to Katie, "this looks like a gas station" or some kind of toll-booth.
 |
| It was a drive-thru bank. |
Onwards to SunTrust on the corner at Fifth & Grace to meet with the lovely Betty, who had us laughing with apologies for her nasally voice - quote: "the cold has got to Momma" - & exiting in order to blow her nose in private. Brilliant business etiquette.
Favourite Form of the Day (Pops, you'll like this one) goes to "Explanation of Us Mailing Address In Support Of Non-US Staus." Um, I need somewhere to live & the back alley's not so well stocked on cardboard boxes & mattresses right now? Bella herself couldn't really explain the need for that 'un. Weird. Anyway, I now have my checking account set up, ready for my first pay check. Good times, good times.
Last port of call was at Willow Lawn to try & purchase an American SIM card with a top-up option. Encountered my first somewhat apparently racist slur, courtesy of Verizon.
On entering the store, Katie & I were asked if we needed any assistance. I stepped forward & explained what I was looking for. The lady then turned to Katie & proceeded to speak to her directly, outlining the fact that Verizon would only sell me (her?) a $50 monthly plan, exactly what I'd just explained I wasn't interested in. I asked her, "could you speak to me please?" before politely thanking her out of courtesy for her time.
As we walked towards the exit, I said to Katie, "I might be English but I do still speak English." At which point, the lady yelled after me, "I speak perfectly good English."
Her ethnicity nor her enunciation was never the issue here. The issue being that she completely failed to address me, the customer, and spoke instead to Katie - as though my accent made me in some way incapable of understanding her response.
I may be a resident alien but I'm not altogether from Outer Space. And there was no hint nor reference to my deafness throughout our conversation so even the disabled/carer relationship (at a push) had absolutely no place here. In the SSA & the bank, I could've understood it better as Katie was representing the theatre & I was the intern filing but not in the store. Dumb.
Things happen. Katie: "Well, that's certainly one for the blog." Right enough.
We tried Tarjét & were helpfully pointed back across the parking lot to the carrier, AT&T. They delivered perfectly. One SIM, one fully operational cellular phone. I'm a local 804-girl now! :) $10 of credit, not a penny more in state tax, thanks to their nifty little in-store kiosk. Yay. Safe out of the additional clutches of T-Mobile America.
__________
In other news:
Turns out my choice of Kroger is generally referred to as "ghetto Kroger"... Hmm, kind. The one in Carytown is apparently far nicer. That may be so, but it's still not as near hence I'm sticking by my first choice.
It may not be as acceptable as I first thought to Walk. After my early departure from the Artsies, the first thing Sarah heard from the girls was, "Nikki walked to Kroger (!!)" Katie then heard from Sue about it & my lack of a lift. There will apparently be no secrets in this theatre.
I've decided I'm having two birthdays between now & May. The first one, my official birthday: 3rd December 2012. The next, my 'American birthday', 12/03/13. 12th of March ~ because that's how the date's written here & how forms keep requesting of me & my data entry. Makes perfect sense - & for double cake!
I mentioned my idea to the ladies. There was immediate talk of how bubbly is only to be consumed in the theatre when there's an Official Function. Turns out Costume Shop has a ton of Official Functions throughout the year, often on a Friday. ;) (Also goes to explain why there's a bottle of wine chilling away in the workshop's fridge right now. Heh.)
Lauren just brought me a pumpkin cupcake, fresh & warm from the oven.
Cue combination conclusion: mmm, for Fall & friendly flatmates. ;)
Favourite phrase from the 'shop thus far: Sue's reassuring "that'll be just fine." :)
The weekend begins to beckon: Highland Games & a Baskervillian Hound.
Favourite phrase from the 'shop thus far: Sue's reassuring "that'll be just fine." :)
The weekend begins to beckon: Highland Games & a Baskervillian Hound.
You are not allowed a second American birthday, as I'm not. It's just not fair :-)
ReplyDeleteYou just lucked out on arrival, my friend. We can't help you with that.
ReplyDeleteYou are TOTALLY allowed two birthdays. We've just been introduced to Name Days; another occasion in the year for cake. And if you're cheeky enough you can have your Name Day for each nationality - loads of cake!!
ReplyDelete