A Wealth of Health in Class
Not much of a weekend. I think I slept all of three hours Friday night. At first I thought it was over-indulging. Cauliflower and broccoli. Not very daring or exciting, but the cramps were more than just gas, and lasted until, well they're not gone yet. At least I was able to sleep in larger chunks the last few nights. Slight food poisoning, a bug, stress, or some insidious combination? I'd planned to get to the library on Saturday or Sunday, but didn't make it, so no African American History themed books for the kids this morning. Back to that.
Because of the training schedule, I read on Thursdays the last two weeks, and because of their schedule, only one class at a time. Last Thursday the second class got their day of Harold and the Purple Crayon. I got my third failed vehicle. To recap, last month the exhaust blew out on the vw, so I was driving the pickup which served as backup as I was having trouble donating it to a theatre (they folded). Then the truck's wheel fell off. After reading to the kids, my motorcycle ignition switch didn't switch anymore. Threes. Yup, three previously dependable vehicles all dead or in the shop. I have a dirt bike which is street legal. Haven't had it out except to warm it up since I broke my leg. I got out of the habit, as it was quite a while before kick starting with the healing leg had any attraction for me.
The brake light on the dirt bike has always been dodgy, so I took it apart and cleaned and tightened the contacts then went to work on the light switch. The linkage was not installed well initially, so I went up to the hardware store and bought some stainless steel wire, and it works better than it ever did. It works like it should have when the bike was brand new. Surprisingly, after a few rides I now love riding it. I was surprised because I expected it to be more squirrelly on the freeway with the lost weight. I must have been past the optimum, as it rides much more comfortably now. I think I'll get some better street tires and make it my primary motorcycle until the end of the Summer. It's not so big and heavy, it weighs just a little more than I did when I bought it, and the Guzzi is a touch more than double the dry weight. It is really tall, so I'm as visible as on the Guzzi which is nice, and I have another gas tank for it, which will give me a range of around 300 miles when I replace the stock tank. I expect I'd get better mileage too. It will give me a chance to figure out if I want to recondition the Guzzi or trade it in.
The dirt bike is not much for cold weather though. It's a 2000 Honda XR600, with a light kit to make it legal and a small windscreen. Stock, it comes without lights or screen. The damn thing is torquey though. At only 282 pounds, the 45 horsepower seems to push it as well as the 74 of the bigger Guzzi. Maybe even better, but I don't have to worry about the Guzzi popping a wheelie. It will be a nice ride for a while, with some better street tires and saddle bags. I’m hoping to get outfitted on Saturday.
This morning I was still in a bit of discomfort, but I wasn't going to miss reading. They were really excited to have another Winnie the Pooh story. The first class which is usually more reticent was chatty and laughing like the dickens today. Go figure. The teachers were especially complimentary about all the different voices. Wow. That is what made me the most nervous about Pooh. I didn't so much copy my Dad's voices, as his characters. I had a ball, and was glad the kids and teachers did too. I may not be my old man, but I passed what for me was the acid test.
Tonight I have an audition. My scene partner asked me to read some sides with her after we rehearsed last night, in preparation for her audition. I mentioned it was the first play I'd ever seen as a child, when my Dad took me to watch the local high school production as a first or second grader. She said she thought the director was still looking for men to audition, and a little later, about 10 PM, I had an audition lined up in for 7 PM tonight. I'm really looking forward to it. Just cold reads, and even if I'm not cast just the chance to read Arsenic and Old Lace with some other actors is something I'm really looking forward to.
Because of the training schedule, I read on Thursdays the last two weeks, and because of their schedule, only one class at a time. Last Thursday the second class got their day of Harold and the Purple Crayon. I got my third failed vehicle. To recap, last month the exhaust blew out on the vw, so I was driving the pickup which served as backup as I was having trouble donating it to a theatre (they folded). Then the truck's wheel fell off. After reading to the kids, my motorcycle ignition switch didn't switch anymore. Threes. Yup, three previously dependable vehicles all dead or in the shop. I have a dirt bike which is street legal. Haven't had it out except to warm it up since I broke my leg. I got out of the habit, as it was quite a while before kick starting with the healing leg had any attraction for me.
The brake light on the dirt bike has always been dodgy, so I took it apart and cleaned and tightened the contacts then went to work on the light switch. The linkage was not installed well initially, so I went up to the hardware store and bought some stainless steel wire, and it works better than it ever did. It works like it should have when the bike was brand new. Surprisingly, after a few rides I now love riding it. I was surprised because I expected it to be more squirrelly on the freeway with the lost weight. I must have been past the optimum, as it rides much more comfortably now. I think I'll get some better street tires and make it my primary motorcycle until the end of the Summer. It's not so big and heavy, it weighs just a little more than I did when I bought it, and the Guzzi is a touch more than double the dry weight. It is really tall, so I'm as visible as on the Guzzi which is nice, and I have another gas tank for it, which will give me a range of around 300 miles when I replace the stock tank. I expect I'd get better mileage too. It will give me a chance to figure out if I want to recondition the Guzzi or trade it in.
The dirt bike is not much for cold weather though. It's a 2000 Honda XR600, with a light kit to make it legal and a small windscreen. Stock, it comes without lights or screen. The damn thing is torquey though. At only 282 pounds, the 45 horsepower seems to push it as well as the 74 of the bigger Guzzi. Maybe even better, but I don't have to worry about the Guzzi popping a wheelie. It will be a nice ride for a while, with some better street tires and saddle bags. I’m hoping to get outfitted on Saturday.
This morning I was still in a bit of discomfort, but I wasn't going to miss reading. They were really excited to have another Winnie the Pooh story. The first class which is usually more reticent was chatty and laughing like the dickens today. Go figure. The teachers were especially complimentary about all the different voices. Wow. That is what made me the most nervous about Pooh. I didn't so much copy my Dad's voices, as his characters. I had a ball, and was glad the kids and teachers did too. I may not be my old man, but I passed what for me was the acid test.
Tonight I have an audition. My scene partner asked me to read some sides with her after we rehearsed last night, in preparation for her audition. I mentioned it was the first play I'd ever seen as a child, when my Dad took me to watch the local high school production as a first or second grader. She said she thought the director was still looking for men to audition, and a little later, about 10 PM, I had an audition lined up in for 7 PM tonight. I'm really looking forward to it. Just cold reads, and even if I'm not cast just the chance to read Arsenic and Old Lace with some other actors is something I'm really looking forward to.
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