Today I managed to fly all the way to St. Louis, Missouri, without this happening, so consider my blessings counted.
Tomorrow I begin assistant directing The Secret Order at St. Louis Rep, alongside the incomparable Risa Brainin. After a month of preparation and research (it's a play about finding the cure for cancer, so some homework was involved), rubber hits road tomorrow. Production meeting 11:00 am, first rehearsal at high noon.
Yesterday I went rock climbing in Santa Barbara for the first time since last summer's devastating wildfire. The Gibraltar area, up the hill from the Santa Barbara Mission, was hit hard. We chose the Toxic Waste wall, a brilliantly patinaed sport climbing crag that was previously obscured by all manner of trees and bushes, impeding access and hiding the face from the road.
Pre-fire
The trees are gone, the whole hillside covered with black ash and dirt. As the trees turned to ash, the soil loosened, and every step up the hill caused rocks to tumble and fall away beneath us. In some places, our feet sank into the sand up to our ankles. As the day went on, the wind picked up, whipping sand and ash into our faces. I had forgotten how much I like the climbing at Toxic Waste, but I never considered how much the ecosystem of a climbing area affects its character. Here's hoping the Santa Barbara hills recover quickly, or at least before next summer's fire.
I probably shouldn't end things on such a downer. Take it away, puppets.
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