My Other Saugatuck Story

Since the nuns from Nunsense, A-men! are about to haul ourselves out to Saugatuck, Mich., for our performances at Campit this weekend, I thought I'd share another story.

When I was out there two weeks ago to market Nunsense, I went around to the different businesses in my nun outfit putting up flyers. When I went to the Dunes, another gay resort there, I walked into the bar--at 3 p.m. mind you--and one of the four patrons there about fell off his seat. He said, "Oh God, I'm going to hell."

Without batting an eye, I said, "That's why I'm here."

Abbott and Costello

In a funny little side-note to a cyber meeting the editors and I had yesterday, the man leading the editor's workshop made a reference to Abbott and Costello, the comedy team of the silver screen. Our workshop leader for some reason prefaced the reference by saying, "I don't know if you young ladies know who they are ..."

As if the young guys would know.

Anyway, later that afternoon at the Muscular Dystropy gathering, there were a couple of life-size likenesses of Abbott and Costello, so my co-worker Jen and I posed with them. How serendipitous.

Lock-up for Muscular Dystrophy

My co-workers Beth (left), Jen and I did the annual "lock-up" for Muscular Dystrophy. We had to solicit donations and then we were able to go to Papadeaux in Westmont, Ill., and have lunch. We took a fun picture, but what was more interesting was the electronic set-up they had. It allowed them to take all my online e-mails and load them so I could send solicitation notes to friends and family. I've got to check that out for the charity that I work with ... Don't worry, I weeded most names out because I'm going to ask my peeps for money for other causes.

Bronze!

Well, I had a great time with my co-workers last week in Kansas City for the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) awards ceremony. Thank goodness it wasn't all about me because I won a Bronze for my article, which is still cool because it was a national-level award and it won in the highly competitive category of feature article. It's certainly nothing to sneeze at.

But my co-workers won Gold for their investigative story on supply chain distribution in the convenience-store industry. Yahoo! Our other award, for graphics, got us another Bronze. Not bad overall. Can't wait until next year!

Up for an Award

Every now and then, my work-work gives me the opportunity to compete in professional writing competitions. Well, tomorrow (Thurs. 7/24) I fly to Kansas City with two other co-workers to receive a national award for articles we've written. I've been honored for an article I wrote on foreign investment in the convenience-store channel.

At the awards ceremony tomorrow night, we'll find out if we won a Bronze, Silver or Gold award at the national level. I have to say, I've not really put much stock into these awards, but I haven't won one is so long that I'm like a fish in a desert--can you hear the desperation in my gills?

I'm humbled and will be even more so if I get a Bronze. I'll let you know where I end up in my personal Olympics.

Trouble in the Convent

Rats! The nuns ran aground on our plans for Los Angeles this September. Our Saugatuck weekend is all set. Samuel French gave us the rights to do Nunsense, Amen! two weeks from now. But they denied us the rights to do it in L.A. Apparently the national 25th anniversary tour starts a week after that.

I am proud to say that our nuns stuck together and in a resourceful way, decided to work hard this August to learn the sequel, Nunsense II, The Second Coming. We've just about secured the rights (cross your fingers). The show's author, Dan Goggin, wrote several sequels riding on the success of the original, so instead of the show we're used to doing, we'll quickly put together the sequel. It'll be tough, but wish us luck!

Saugatuck Marketing Swing

With our Nunsense, A-men! trip to Saugatuck, Michigan, coming up, I drove off this past weekend to get in "the habit" as it were and market the show. The resort where we'll be performing, a gay and lesbian camp ground called "Campit," hosted me. We'll be performing two shows there Saturday, August. 2, 2008.

Last weekend was a great opportunity for me to meet the regulars and put up posters for the "townies." At one point, I was in downtown Saugatuck in my nun outfit and one of those amphibious boats drove by with about 30 tourists on it. They looked down and waved to me. I waved back and then I heard the boat's announcer saying into his michrophone: "Only in Saugatuck ladies and gentlemen, only in Saugatuck."

Ice Cream Social and Baby Picture Contest

We had an ice cream social at work to celebrate three co-worker's birthdays and to stir the excitement, we had everyone bring old baby photos of themselves. We had a contest as to who could guess who was who. I was obvious. Aparrently, I look like a little Filipino boy in my baby shots. A couple were funny in that one girl was holding hands with someone in an astronaut outfit and another one was playing golf (al la Tiger Woods).

The Nuns are Back!

All the plans are now in place for Nunsense, A-men! to make it "nuns on the run." We're set for two shows August 2 (matinee and evening) at Saugatuck's Campit Resort in Michigan, and then two shows Sept. 12-13, 2008 at the Metropolitan Community Church in North Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The nuns got together last night for our first rehearsal since our February shows. It was "absolutely grand" as we say in the show. More about that to come!

One More L.A. Memory

Well, I guess I was mistaken. I forgot that when I went to Disneyland with my brother and his family, my Chicago friend Mike, who recently moved to Orange County, was able to join us. Here he and I are doing the Buzz Lightyear ride and shooting gallery. Pow!

Not Many L.A. Pics

Apparently I did not take a lot of photos when I was in Los Angeles last week, but here are some with my uncle and his family. I guess that rounds out my vacation photos.

More San Fran Pics

Two weeks ago, after a brunch at my auntie's house in Concord, Calif.,(and a surprise cake for my cousin's husband, Julian), Bob and I headed over downtown San Fran. We drove over the Golden Gate and had a glass of wine at the Fairmont Hotel. Bob had to get back to Chicago that evening so he went to the airport, but I was able to see some of Chinatown. Some pics from L.A. are next!