Day Off

I cannot believe I have not posted since Tuesday. Well, I can believe it since we were on a race to the finish to open Nest and then my parents came to town on Thursday. We opened the show on Friday and now that I dropped by parents at the airport super early this morning, I can relax on the couch and eat a bowl of cereal.

It's amazing how I revert to being a child in their presence. Sometimes I fight back and hold my mature independent ground and other times it's just easier to let them take over. Last night we went to dinner at a beautiful restaurant in Sausalito. My father connected with an old friend he hadn't seen in 43 years. I cannot remember if Lionel and Gloria asked about me or my parents suggested that I tell them about what I'm doing, but within moments I heard my parents tag-team the story for me. And better yet, they did so in THIRD PERSON. Like I was not even there. I smiled and nodded and took sips of my soda water. I soon switched to a local Sauvignon Blanc which made the event easier to take.

My dad had since finished his vodka on the rocks and Gloria decided it would be better to order a bottle of the Pino Grigio that both she and my mother were drinking. Lionel joined me in the club soda and was pretty quiet next to his very gregarious wife. There were a few little images of double dates in old cars and trips to White Castle. But I'd thought there would be more.

At the end of the evening, we said our goodbyes as the valet brought the car around. I was the first to stop drinking and was prepared to make the long drive back to Davis. My dad got in the front passenger seat and was crying. I cannot remember the last time I saw that -- or honestly if I ever saw that at all.

As he said farewell, Lionel mentioned to my father that he needs a new liver. This of course got my dad thinking about mortality and just how lucky he is. In the car, he briefly spoke about how Lionel used to be and was surprised to see him so mellow. This then led into more nostalgia and the story of how my dad proposed to my mother. It amazed me that the story was full of comments like "I don't remember."

As I sit here on this Memorial Day -- I really want to just sit. Or perhaps lie in the grass. But alas this day off must be a catch up day.

MUST DO TODAY
-- integrate DRA 141 Syllabus and Course Calendar for 4PM meeting with Barbara
-- catch up on DRA 10 grading

TO-DO LIST
-- cut Mock Turtle Story for Tuesday's CORE class
-- write thesis proposal on comedy
-- choreograph "lobster quadrille'
-- go over lines for Nest for Tuesday's pick-up rehearsal
-- research hip hop classes
-- meet with hip hop expert on campus
-- schedule last of Dada meetings (art history, german, french)