Movin' out

These past few days have made me feel like I'm already off-contract. I haven't thought much about work, and I've been hitting the books pretty hard to learn my next opera. I've finally had some leisure time, and I've started planning what to do with the next few weeks. Unfortunately, I am in fact not finished with B&B yet. We have two performances this week—one tonight and one on Friday. I spent the afternoon today in my office doing end-of-show things, like making my score pretty (a losing battle) and cleaning out my desk so that the next AD can use it.

This is huge. I haven't had to move out of my desk since May 2007, and that was only to move across the hall. And although I know I'll be back in my office in March, it felt momentous to pack up all my office supplies (not stolen, I promise), tchotchkes (including an opening night gift from 3 years ago), and assorted cards and notes into a bag and bring them out to my car.

I have been working in Houston for over 3 years, during which time the company and the city have come to feel very much like home. And while I know this is the right time for me to start working other places, and I am incredibly excited to go to New York, I have mixed feelings about leaving. I know I will be sorry to miss the HGO winter shows, not to mention my friends, my kitten (more on that later), and my CameraMan.

The next couple days will be spent finishing the packing up of my apartment, about which I have no mixed feelings. I might miss the sheer size of the place, but I'm looking forward to shacking up temporarily with CM.

Here's a little moving humor, courtesy of McSweeney's:

Pickup Lines to Use While Moving (by Alison Rosen)

"Nice shoes. Wanna put them in that box over there?"

"Is that a mirror in your pocket? Because the movers are going to be here soon, so we should put it in bubble wrap."

"Your father must have been a thief, because I can't find the duct tape."

"The word of the day is 'tarp.' What do you say we go back to my place and spread the word?"

"Mind if I put my junk in your box?"

"If this bed's a-rockin' ... maybe it's not worth taking to the new place?"