2 feet

same town "the next day "

I am such a jag for not pulling my one point up 2 feet. What is 2 feet ????
Note to self,when the man says pull it up just do it. Actually I think it is stuck. I did get it 1 foot higher. I am back on the sheet list again. I will sing it to the melody of "Back in the saddle again ".

Today I was rested and "good" but am now yuck. However I do have a sauna to look forward too. Life would be a lot f-ing easier if my family was here.

I don't care if people like me or not. I just don't want to be lumped in the "jag" category.

Speaking of "jags", yesterday the toy man took top honors for being the ultimate "jag".He made every ones list.

March is getting very cruel

Sunday March 29, 2009

Driving in a blizzard. Show truck breaks down. Semi has to be unloaded in the front and then moves to the back. Double jump. Impossible horrible set up for shipmate Ruby. The building has a sauna and skating and we had a barbecue and it is a two day stand. Today I was "very unhappy" and wanted to not pretend anymore. Ladder of death but nothing to lean against, Lucho the clown went up..it was crazy. We finished the lights and rigging at 2pm! showtime!! Nothing calls for blue eyeshadow like today did!

Lake Michigan

Saturday March 28, 2009

This morning I drove on u.s. 2. I left before anyone else. It was a longish drive 145miles. I started getting very hungry so I stopped at some little restaurant and ate breakfast and it is a good thing I did because when I got to the Arena I discovered there was no lift thing so I got to carry in my poles..yippee yippee.
I got a good system ,I get it together wrangle up a few folks and in 10 minutes ,TADA I are an aerialist. It was a little challenging but it didn't kill me and I am stronger.Today I am "happy and proud".

Back to u.s 2 ,I viewed frozen, snowy Lake Michigan and it was beautiful!! I also listened to the Bob and Tom Show and they talked about penile implants.. I lmao.

We've been rockin it here in Showbiz land..If you don't mind the cold it ain't bad.

I got a knack with talking to the building people. I don't know what it is. Today I asked the nice man if I could buy some red hockey tape. We looked around, he saw there was none. Later on when I was blowing up balloons he came by and told me he went to three stores looking for red hockey tape!! Amazing!! This dude was older ,like he was old enough to be my dad..hmmm ,what does this mean.Do I look like I need help? Or am I just excellent at asking people things?

Gin Salad

Friday March 27, 2009

I am jonesing for a gin salad, soon very soon....

I have such a love hate relationship with my body..maybe I need professional help..I remember being on the Cole Show in 06, I was doing downward dog naked in my trailer and I noticed some saggyish skin on my stomach -the part that got stretched when I was pregnant. I freaked out. I said to self," can you see this in a bikini ???" So I put on my costume and I couldn't see it, however I did downward dog in costume, in the behind the curtain warm up area ,and made everyone look at my stomach and tell me the truth!! Apparently I was hallucinating or something but I still see it. It is there. I would take some pictures dear diary but then I am acting all crazy .

Oh yes..today I am "moderately happy". I easily set up using the green extension ladder and a lot of span sets. The building is 18-19 feet so I had to make my trapeze short and I will have a fast swing.

Today I am a rigger, an electrician, a driver, a laundry lady and a sewing fiend .

scaffold du jour

still Thursday
We were in a good size gym with bleachers and we totally packed them in !!!A lot of people, it was the best business all season.

I helped a little with tickets, tried to catch a pony and rounded up some dogs.


Someone called me today and asked me how to make a gin martini, how about that!! I like 1 part vermouth 2 parts gin on the rocks with pickled okra, olives, carrot slivers but I am disgusting and should be ashamed of the way I abuse gin. The recipe I gave over the phone was 1 capful of vermouth , 2 ounces gin, the peel of a lemon and you squeeze the lemon oil into the drink and toss in the rind and on the rocks.

There is nothing like a good martini, my style. Gin is hard on your looks so I don't drink it very often, only on the most special occasions!!

Mary Kay

Thursday March 26, 2009

Dear Diary,

Scaffolding!!!! So I am "happy". I will bring my camera in to the building for tear down.

Last night I told Dallas I had named my trailer the Scythian,she thought it was a great name "nomadic wanderer"

In the parking lot, I spied A Mary Kay suv..so I stopped her and asked her if she had any eyeshadows on her. She opened up the back of her suv and I shopped.
My kind of shopping.

Rose and Doris

Wednesday March 25, 2009

My Bubbis or Bubbies went to the beauty parlour once a week to get their hair done.
I went today because my flat iron has larried up. Cheaper than 2 packs of smokes and my hair is flat and shiny.. wild bohemian sex goddess no more..hardy har har

Lowish building squeezed cables over some i-beams, in the ring with lighting.
I did say m..herf..ker while setting up once , only once.

There is some kind of abandoned building behind the place and lots like 100's piles of huge dog droppings. I think dog fight club, just what I think. Maybe I will investigate..da dun dahhhhhh...or maybe not..Maybe it is a cool positive group of people with big dogs who get together and talk about saving the planet or maybe it is Bikram yoga for dogs. I am trying not to stereotype but some things just say.. law being broken here. Actually crapping your dog in public and leaving it is a crime.say no more ,say no more.

arrgghhhhh!

Tuesday night after the show drinking Cabernet Sauvignon....

Today was pretty good . After setup I went into the Scythian and decided to make Gyoza( Delilah Z told me the recipe) they were fabulous and easy and messy and fast ! I played house, read blah blah blah and took a nap...what fun, what joy ,what bliss. I go to do trapeze and when I hang one side drops three inches..ugh very sucky..I muddle through very pissed off. In between shows I climb up my web with a HUGE shackle and remedy the discrepancy.. Second show was passable.Tear down very easy , I even took down the show falls for the parkans or is it spelled parcans??

I am too emotional

Tuesday March 24, 2009

I get to the venue, I am dreading it before I get there because the synopsis says it is a "center" that usually means very very very high. I hop out of my truck, jete' in to the space!!! AND lo and behold it is a "no ice" hockey arena. 26 ' to the beams ,there is a genie lift, I am done setting up at 9:50 am!!!!!

I am "happy" and skipping about. I am ridiculous and must get a grip. Every day it is an adventure. .yippee the end

just another day

barely Monday

My dear diary,

When I brought in my poles everyone pitched in, Lucho the clown is the point man he sets up the points on the columns and does beckets and blocks.We both hook up guy lines. I set the trapeze and the tissue and assemble the thing and mule everything in the building. Then we get a whole group and we get it up and guyed out in 15 minutes. I was so thrilled I bought a masssive cheescake thing for al the players and a bottle of Jose Cuervo for Lucho. I tip the guys on top of everything. What a relief. What excellent people I work with.

I can't believe the gamut of emotions I went through today. I got to have them all!
it was an amazing day. I did a tv interview. A day in the life of a circus performer..the irony of that !!! business was excellent!!! I got to put on 2 new plugs because I melted 2 bad plugs or cable ends as they call them in the proffessional electrical field. I did a lot of things and then 2 shows.

The toy man had to do the drug test thing because he is the cdl driver so he sang "if I could just pee in a bottle" to the melody of Jim Croce "time in a bottle"

I am glad today was a success.

beyond bummed

Monday March 23, 2009

I walk into the building with my sonic measuring device 24+ feet, no points for hanging.
uggh and uggh some more. I dread the poles, there are so heavy and there is ice everywhere...uck uck uck uck..
last week was so intense..9 more weeks of this..sheeet.
Mon beam clamps,Tues swing set,Wed low and span sets,Thursday poles,Friday and Sunday easy set up but I worked high.Saturday easy ladder and lowish but could swing.
I am going to eat a bowl of oatmeal, quit feeling sorry for my pathetic self , cowgirl up and be thankful that I have the ability to do this.

A Gauntlet of Gloves

still sunday

"fashion first darling" JLH or "form before function" LS

I dream of Genie

Sunday March 22, 2009

A genie yay!! 13 or 14 pikes to the trapeze, but who's counting? Public not shopping at the balloon store.

I loves a little soreness

more it is still Saturday

On Friday Desi(Desee Ray Lou, Tinkerbelle, Desire) and Fi( Fiorella, Fairy Ella, Peru) helped me take the knots out of my trapeze. There were six knots and my fingers are so cracked and nasty it pains me to budge those knots. Sometimes I tie knots to make it shorter.

On Saturday during the second show when I made my "entrance" with my wings this little girl said, " I like you, I like you I like you" she kept saying it over and over again. It was darling and cracked me up. I had a fan!!!

Dalli gave me some smoked oysters before teardown, to bolster my strength.

I was proudly wearing my new Carhartt t-shirt during balloon peddling and Spirco the toyman said, " Now that you got all this Carhartt stuff you are a real working girl" I finally got it 2 hours later.ha ha ha. Spirco is the king of the one liners and the clever barbs.

Today in conclusion was loverly , weather was early springlike, we had some people, rigging was easy.

sisterhood of the traveling fishnets

Saturday March 21 , 2009

Fresia is @ the salon getting this horrible knot out of her hair, maybe a haircut? some "friends" teased and ratted her hair at a sleepover? I would like to know the true story.

Yesterday was amazing, friends came to the Dells from Baraboo! TJ and family.Ralph and Joan brought me fudge.I saw a woman who use to be a girl from CWM.June S came in her fancy matchy work duds.friends..sweet. This boy Carson Howell thought Fresia was sweet when she was 3 and he was 2. The kids from Baraboo came to the trailer looking for her....

However it was so nice to chit, chat ,rant and rave with Amy M about the state of the circus, the bs of circus,trials, tribulations, life, working out, kids , spouses,work, travel, hair ,food ,wine ,sake and other hugely intellectual and profound subject matter.

Last night after I left Sharky's there was a "hey rube!" the law was even called in ! Oh well, I need my 4.5 hours of beauty sleep..groan ..so I am glad I missed that action..all these pretend gangstas in the Dells..pierced this and that and tattoos and hats for fashion not function. I like seeing the vernacular sometimes.

today an Amory safe, low ,gaffed trapeze ..

the Dells

Friday March 20 ,2009

High and a scaffolding ! A shiny new red one! Lunch with Amy M.! Friends coming from Baraboo. Wine and chit chat after the show.

On the drive this am I stopped at this tire store and got 2 tires for the Scythian. It is called Macfarlanes and they had great stuff..Great great great , I purchased a Carhart's for women blue dun jacket with a hood, another pair of work gloves, some warm socks and a Carhart long sleeved shirt.

After the show we ventured into town, we ended up at "Sharky's Bar and Grill" which is owned by Eugene Nock!!who has two new babies,we cut up some jackies .
I was sensible and drank a lot of water..Once again I smell smoky.

Factoid .During the show I was pretty high off the ground ,15 pikes to my trapeze .My motivation to climb,the saga of the traveling fishnets,for all aerialists that have rigged,drove, done shows and had nightmares!
First show full house ,second show 1/2 house.

Nike Arena

still Thursday

Dear Diary,
I am still talking about this horse place arena, the floor is rubber and some kind of earth. The showers in this place are Ritz Carlton amazing. I did this Miss Congeniality thing where I tripped (leaving the ring after fabric), both pumps went flying!, I turned blew kisses ,danced barefoot ,I don't know what I did..but I was told it was very ok or good or something..maybe I do have a future in comedy !! haha.

Desi has a new wig and she is so fabulous and darling!!!

My very good girlpal Lynn is on some major cool music tour ..yayyayayayayay!!!she is tripping out on it.

big ass fans

Thursday March 19, 2009

Big horse place with lots of big stuff.

Used poles, easy to guy out.

seventeen feet -four inches

Wednesday March 18, 2009

It's hard working low to the ground.Today was a blank , a stiff not very good biz at all.

We were here in 2005 with the "Great Circus of China".That was an adventure. Some of us wore Chinese looking things like wigs and such. I gave people names. I was "May Ling", Tammy W was "Princess Yum Yum" .Ervin H was "Uncle Lee" and "Hopsing".
The Chinese girl troupe were very amazing acrobats. I was the cook for 3 days when they came. I had a blast making Chinese food.

Can you say hangover? Some Buick's were sold last night, rumor has it.

Marshall and I are freaking out about the crap and ass kissing on KM Circus, no band..okokok , but to brag about the great great canned music you play..puhlease make me puke. And what the f is a work in progress ??The circus has no standards and maybe going to hell in a hand basket. You see dear diary KM Circus used to be our show and seeing it turn to kaka is very sad..

I buy these Marie Callanda(?) pot pies thinking they could be a good nosh, until I do the calorie thing 1,040 in one pie..holy tight tights Batman!!

Set up today easy as the cherry pie I ate(not the whole pie) Green extension ladder and wrapped spansets..tada

night on the town

after the show on Tuesday ..I tore down my extended swing set like a maniac. I worked so hard and so fast that my stomach was sweating!!We went to a few bars.We were all clad in greenish make up and clothing. I will smell wretched and smoky and have to wash my hair again. We danced en mass.Guinness draft is most refreshing! I totally steadied my nerves.

kiss me

Tuesday March 17, 2009

We are in a hall of some kind. I am using my swing set, there are no points in the ceiling for hanging.

I am making corned beef and cabbage like the good little Jewish girl I am. I will share with my foodie friends.

Tonight the usual suspects will venture to one of the many many many bars in this neighborhood. I for one am having a Guinness, cuz it is St Patty's day. I hope to get some snazzy photos.

Today I went to some salon place and got my eyebrows waxed, I always think my skin is going to rip off. The guy dripped boiling hot wax on my head hair. Yay it's fun getting it out and not going bald !

It is 70f and we have water and will all smell delicious. Sometimes we sniff each other after we bathe.

serious stuff

Monday still

Captain's log..I always say safety first. I triple check everything. For some dumbass reason my beam clamps moved when I was swinging .I went up there 3 times to fix and check. "The woman" told me to slough the act.. phew. I freaked a little. You can't be too safe............

bexster the messter

Monday March 16, 2009

I always walk the lot. How was I to know this tiny piece was a swamp? It seemed like a great idea to park near my trailer so when everyone moved in the morning, I would be right there ready to hook up.
I spent the early morning with a shovel putting the mud and sod back where it belongs..
Of course this very morning I decided to do something about my appearance and was wearing cute jeans.
Note to self, when you might have to deal with a lot of mud, oil, grease, manure, hoses, cables, ropes etc. wear older not so cute jeans.
Timing is everything.

dumpster diving

Sunday March 15, 2009

Yesterday when we pulled into the town Mike spied something amazing in the dumpster. Heavy duty rubber flooring, the kind of stuff you can jump, tumble, run on. Perfect for matts, ramps, animals etc etc. We all attacked the dumpster like rabid dogs.A major score.

operation rigging gaff

Saturday March 14, 2009

Yesterday we used power tools to make my rigging work.What a riot !! Today green extension ladder only 1.5 " on the beam, I had someone hold the bottom while I climbed spider style . My favorite building set up , wrapped span sets on a beam.
We are here for two days.

I was given a Bacardi and tonic last night in celebration of yesterdays success. I got a second one but put it in the freezer because I feared insane drunken hangover. Now I can have a slushi when it warms up. I wonder what happens to alcohol when it freezes ????

George on the right, Jimbo on the left. Part of the crew, tough as nails, Americans.On this show for years and years.

for Gene Mendez

Friday March 13, 2009

Today was a very very low building. I had to gaff my swing set. I can't even explain how we set it up. I made these short extensions. I did this act with tricks I have not done in years. I did it in honor of Gene Mendez and his artistic amazing high wire act. I realized that to be an artist you have to push yourself to places that are uncomfortable. You must go into the unknown. Never have a comfort zone. Feel like you are going to puke. Cowgirl up.Today was a diferent kind of hard , it was a challenge. Make it work. Never say die.

my little family

at Fort Jackson. Brooks ,Fresia and Marshall. Wish I was there.

kinkers are so predictable

stardate March 12, 2009

Wow ,it started out with not being able to open the big door. A door repairman was called out. Next a piece of Plexiglas had to be removed. The "venue" was an indoor action center, an astro turf soccer place.With plexi all around it ,like a hockey arena Actually a great place for the show. The ponies worked amazing, Desi thought they would try and eat the astro turf. There was a lift for me , however it died and then got charged but I didn't start setting up till 3, it was one of those long set ups long, lots and lots of cables and ropes and I tied off and guyed out to the most insane places ever. I was too busy to take a picture. It was intense. I sweat, I ran. I did rigging like I knew what I was doing.That always cracks me up.
It all paid off, because I really worked and I got to swing and be the aerial whatever I am that I am. So after a crybaby setup ,I had a happy ending!!
You see us kinker types will do crazy things to perform.

p.s. dear diary this photo was taken by Desi "for the blog,you gotta get a pix of these guys trying to open the door !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" talk about determination

ladder in a bucket

Captain's log star date Wednesday March 11, 2009

I was so proud of my latest endeavor . An extension ladder in a bucket lift thing.
I was kind of bragging to a friend. They said, " Rebecca, that's what we do in buildings. Why we even pulled someone up holding onto a ladder once. Yeah but , "I said. it's me on an extension ladder in a bucket lift thing ! , isn't that a little bit, kind of cool ??????????????????"
All my hard work and then the par cans got hung so close I can't swing!! I cried before trapeze. My eyelashes came off while I was working. That is why I do this intense(for me) rigging stuff. When it is correct it is amazing .It was almost so great today.
The building guy who drove the lift thing called me something amazing in Spanish like a gladiator or someone really brave.hmm. I am not brave. I am not.

a theaytre

Tuesday March 10, 2009

We are parked on asphault. I manage to get covered in mud running a lot of cable to the "box".

We have dressing rooms. The lighting is fabulous. We drink Guiness Stout in the Green Room after the show and talk about elephants.

I love that every day is another adventure in "aerial artistry". Today I hung off some truss in the front of the stage. Very easy set up .

catwalk

Monday March 9, 2009

Every morning we got a synopsis/route. The directions to the town and specifics about the building i.e. where to load in and most important, most most most important piece of information is hang , yes or hang, no. Today it said hang, no. However upon inspection I discovered two wonderful things 1) a genie lift and 2) a catwalk. I make the most of a good time so the catwalk won. I am off the ground, like a real aerialist. I love walking around up there on planks of wood climbing around making executive decisions and getting totally filthy.

We are at this trippy old building , a community center.

As I was hooking up my lights and water I heard that was an excellent western store with cute boots and it was around the corner. Not that .great fake ostrich, fake croc.
However that was an awesome Mexican eating joint in the back of the amazing Hispanic groceria I ran into the girls and we had a little nosh. Salsa was habanero peppers , I think.Delish and on fire..carne and pollo .Ya gotta eat. you don't eat, you get sick.

monsoon

Sunday March 8, 2009

A little rain, I walked the area I was needing to drive through.I try and walk unknown ground. Looks can be deceiving.There can be things sticking out of the ground or part of the ground can be missing. The water came 4" from the top of my rubber boots.I was looking for eels and dangerous biting swimming things.I decided it was safe to drive through and it never hurts to have 4 wheel drive.However 4 wheel drive can not drive through 3 feet of mud, I learned this last summer. I saw some really deep ruts and I said , whatever I can make it,I can drive through anything. The crew watched me get incredibly stuck and then try and get out using gravel all the while laughing and placing bets. Finally when they were finished with the Kubota "the man" pulled me out.A good time was had by all! someone thought I was calling AAA ..ha ha ha ..very funny
Mud is a very big annoying fact of the tented circus BUT we ain't anywhere near a tent.

My new trapeze is almost 1/2 way done.

true love

Saturday March 7, 2009

hopped out of bed! a day off! hightailed it to bikram !after yoga I got in my truck and saw I had a message from "the man" that we were moving and he didn't want me to get blocked in at the parking lot. I returned to the fairgrounds and saw it was a bird show and an animal show and my trailer, Scythian 2,was in the middle of a parking lot filled with vehicles. I panicked ,got mildly hysterical and Delilah said," don't worry I'll call Mike"( he is a really good driver, he rarely plays bumper cars)
Mike saved the day, he even admitted it was a fun challenge.

The weather turned cold and rainy, after everyone dried off I suggested we drive to the town and go foraging for food and such. Well during my hunting I discovered black spaghetti!!fun or what !! @ super target, there are some pretty funky foods .In the spice section there are packets of seasonings for Tangines, Curry and other yummies, there is a whole Indian food section..There is Vindaloo,olives upon olives,bags and bags of bizarre pancake concoctions.Meats and chicken wrapped and stuffed and sprinkled with delightfulness.There is so much to choose from I was overwhelmed. As I was making my escape I spied some sea salt, black cracked pepper potato chips! Those chips almost had me but they were baked and I have my dignity.

After a couple of hours of hard foraging I returned to the Scythian 2(Airstream trailer)unloaded my booty and sat down to check email, and I tell you this Dear Diary. Let me back up , I looked at my little sample of my Starbucks coffee in an instant and said ,"what the heck, let's see what we got." I was needing a little something.
I boiled my 8 oz of h2o, mixed the coffee with the water and began my investigation.I don't love it, Sense of smell I remember my grandmothers Sanka, sense of sight, no oils and too perfect.I didn't touch it or listen to it. Sense of taste, feh, Cafe Bustello makes a far superior instant coffee.
In conclusion, not very wonderful.Who does Starbucks think they are? Teaching us about coffee, amazing coffee machines and then going instant and trying to get us to buy into instant coffee?
hmph ! the nerve!I am sticking to my stove top espresso ,maybe I'll switch to tea! ha

unbelievable

still Friday..Is the world going crazy? A new invention.. drum roll..Starbucks instant coffee....I am speechless..speechless I tell you!!

The Scythian

Friday March 5 ,2009

In the early 1980's my folks had a Marshall cat/sailboat called the Scythian.Scythian are a band of nomadic wanderers.The boat was big enough for all.It was docked at the Constitution Marina in Boston.It was "the place" for cocktails in the summer, so exclusive!
One day my dad pulled me up to the crows nest to fix something. It was brutal for him, using a single pulley to hoist 115 lbs!!! However it was great fun for me. Maybe that was my first bit of aerial shenanigans,besides excellent tree climbing with Stephanie Welch. Stephanie Welch was really a natural aerialist, I was more of a Latin scholar. We switched roles.Very interesting.

Anyways here I am wandering and having adventures in the air....Maybe I should name my Airstream "Scythian 2".Done, it is named.

Today Delilah and I went to Bikram Yoga !! Her first time, she said she almost puked,but she stuck it out!! So brutal, hot , nothing like a great stretchy mental and physical workout.

The building is 12'-9". There is lattice that I squeezed my hands through and wrapped cables and hung my rigging. Very cute , low and tiny. The people are very close. I am going to shave.