Murphy Avoided

The lights did not go out during the final scene of our show last night. How we managed to keep Murphy at bay, given his bait, I am not sure, but keep him at bay we did. The show started almost 15 minutes early, as planned, without holding terribly long for audience. The 15-minute intermission was cut to 10. And the show came down 10 minutes before the scheduled blackout, allowing us to dress and exit the theatre before the dark.

It was not simply starting early and cutting intermission that saved us, however. Even accounting for those changes, we shaved 10 minutes from our running time. With our light tech urging us from his booth to pick up the pace in the final scenes, performances became flustered and hurried for fear the lights would dim at any second. And so the video of the night's performance should be very interesting to watch when it is delivered.

Of course, as anyone involved with theatre will tell you -- it's always SOMETHING on the night the show is taped. Always.

As for today: Orrick and I will be on rat-catching duty.

San Diego is rife with rats and the weather has turned cold, so it was no surprise, really, when evidence of the first rat was discovered under the hood of my car. I do, after all, come home late at night bringing with me a warm engine. But evidence of a second rat (or mouse) has been discovered in the apartment, where the little fella has been chewing the kitchen linoleum and leaving tiny gifts from both ends of the process.

Maintenance has been called but is slow to respond to the work order.

There has been a lot of work here at La Apartment Complex lately. Each building in turn is being painted, with the landscape around each building getting intricate attention which no doubt disturbs the rodents' nests. As their homes are disrupted, they are bound to go somewhere, and it seems that at least one has chosen to share a roof with me. Ain't that sweet?

My new roomie has also chosen to make a mess and break things without paying a single cent towards the rent, and that ain't right. He's even ignored the sonic PestChaser electronic rodent repeller we plugged in by his lair. So, I get to do what millions of roommates worldwide can only dream of doing to such lodgers. I get to kill 'em!

Bwah-hah-hah-hah-hah!

Be vewwy vewwy quiet.....