Five Things I Did Last Month (instead of blogging)

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Here it is the beginning of September, and many of the projects I planned for August remain undone. The month wasn't completely unproductive, though, so I'll ease into the new blog year with a list that's all about me. Going forward, I'm going to try very hard to make these lists NOT all about me; if that would be boring for me -- and it would -- it would be even more boring for you.

1. Got my car fixed. Several times. First the back brakes, then the front brakes. Also new brake fluid. And new windshield wipers, while I was at it. As longtime readers of this blog know, I drive a 2000 VW Beetle that is starting to show signs of age, not to mention hard and thankless use. Barring a lottery win, this is my car for the foreseeable future. The hundreds of dollars I spent last month were still less than a car payment.

2. Saw a lot of local theater. August is the height of Maine's summer repertory season, and I saw four plays in one week at the Theater at Monmouth (thanks to the kindness of my friend Frank and TAM's great rush-ticket deal). TAM's production of Twelfth Night was the most entertaining version I've ever seen, and their take on Hamlet was fascinating. I also saw Treasure Island at Lakewood Theater (the nation's oldest summer theater), and the magic of pirates is as strong as ever -- this show runs through the end of the week, and if you live in the area and have kids, you should take them. My own theater group, Gaslight, staged a hilarious and successful run of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress by Alan Ball, for which I ran the box office and did a lot of baking.

3. Got a really good part in a play. In town one weekend when I didn't expect to be, I drove up to Waterville to try out for Aqua City Actors Theatre's production of Doubt by John Patrick Shanley -- and got the part of Sister Aloysius, the older nun. No, I haven't seen the movie, and now I can't, until after our show closes. I am usually lower-key about this stuff, but I'll put it out there right now: this show means a lot to me. A lot. I think and hope it's going to be terrific. It runs at the Waterville Opera House Studio Theater on November 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22. I would like you all to come. Consider this a personal invitation, and plan to help me celebrate my birthday on the 20th.

4. Went to Boston for the hometown launch of VANISHED by Joseph Finder. If you've had the TV on at all in the past month, you've probably seen Joe talking about the U.S. government's use and planned use of private contractors to carry out potentially illegal missions against foreign terrorists. It's something Joe might have made up, but it's real; he writes about it here and here. I don't necessarily agree with Joe's opinions on some of this stuff, but applaud him for bringing these issues into the light of day, and certainly the timing couldn't have been better for VANISHED. The launch was a great time, and let me hang out with several friends I don't see enough of. (Oh, and the book is good, too.)

5. Caught up -- some -- on my "to be read" pile. That'll be Friday's post, but I did manage to get through several books that had been languishing on the pile, as well as about half a dozen scripts under consideration for Gaslight's 2010 season. (That season will be announced in November, in the program for our fall show, Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire.)

What did you do with your August?