Settling Into Routine

Well, the holidays are officially over, life has returned to normal, and I am once again subbing pretty much every day at VHHS. (I am also registered at Mountain Brook, but Vestavia keeps me occupied most of the time.)

Rehersals are underway for GUYS AND DOLLS, which I am directing. The show opens in March, so we have plenty of time to make it perfect. The cast is particularly strong, and we have local celebrity Jeh Jeh Pruitt (of "Good Day Alabama" tv fame) in the role of Sky. Jeh Jeh is a great guy, and it'll be fun working with him. He's also quite talented, and will be wonderful in the role. Leah Luker is opposite him as Sarah Brown, and Mike Bridges & Valerie Lemmons are Nathan and Adelaide. These are all "A-list" Bham performers, so I'm looking forward to a good production. I am particualrly happy to have Ron Wilson with us as Arvide. Ron and I have been good friends for 15 years, and he has always been a sort of "second dad" to me. It'll be fun to work together again.

Not much else going on. The Democrats continue to hold a slim majority in Congress, so I have hopes that gas prices will stay remotely affordable in days to come. I watched Dubya's speech last week with disgust. Not only was he arguably drunk (or just slurring worse than usual) he actually proposed an escalation in Iraq which bears a striking resemblance to the failed efforts in Vietnam. Oh well, I'm sure he never bothered to learn about that "unpleasantness."

A few of my readers have suggested that I may be too harsh on GWB. Personally, I don't think I say half as much as I could. I'm sorry, but when a smug, semi-illiterate, heartless smartass is in the Oval Office, I think criticism is in order. I will grant that he was smart enough to select an even worse VP, so he'll be safe from impeachment. (Dubya may be an uncaring moron, but that beats a malevolent not-so-dumb nazi. "President Cheney" just has a scary sound to it...)

I am still supporting Hillary at this point, but she seems to be collecting a rather formidable group of challengers. Obama is one to watch, as is Edwards. I think Kerry is a good guy, and would have made a good president, but his chances seem slim right now. Time will tell...

On the other side of the aisle, it looks as if the GOP nomination is pretty much McCain's for the taking, unless he really screws up. There are rumors that Alabama Gov Bob Riley is on the short list for VP candidates if McCain gets the nomination. Riley hasn't screwed anything up too badly in his first term in Montgomery, but I still don't want him for VP. Anyone 100 years old with a jet-black pompadour is immediately suspect, in my opinion. Reagan was the last man alive who could pull off that look.

I am watching (well, listening to) a movie about Spanish family life for the third time today, and I have 3 more to go. It's about as thrilling as it sounds.

FLT3