Right, right, I haven’t done the class post yet.  I know, it’s been DAYS.   We’re almost at the NEXT class, and I have no particularly good excuse.  The dog ate my homework..?
I was having one of my moods that last wednesday, I have to say.  I was downright motherfucking GRIM all day.  to the extent that, honestly, I was thinking of skipping.  Seriously.  And there was no good reason for this mood, it was just there.  Like the American Embassy in the Market, looming like a great iron and concrete gaol over all the goodness in the world.  I had a mood like shitty architecture.

Somehow, I hauled my ass out to the OSSD, hoping that maybe my beloved class could rouse me out of my terrible funk.  Especially since my #1 galpal Catherine would be back from her vacation this time ’round.  So I went.  and I hoped.

And of course I was right.

Seeing my coaches Brie Barker and Barry Karp ALWAYS brings some joy to my heart, and when the gang started pouring in, all felt well again.  Sure, Stefan and Julie were missing this time ’round, and we’re sadly not going to have Andrea and her powerful presence anymore due to a scheduling conflict (all the best, Andrea!  You wuz awesome!), but it was still my peeps.  We all took our seats, and big cheese Brie took roll via the persona of a Rogers tech support operator, requiring a bit of improvising to get thru.  It was his way of working out the frustration of a day spent ON tech support, with his problem yet unresolved.  Suddenly my own problems didn’t seem too bad.

With our tech-roll completed, we warmed up briefly with a quick game of on-the-spot scenes, wandering thru the space as Brie would shout out locations, and we had to fill them with the sorts who might logically be there.  And as he rightly pointed out afterwards, the scenes always seemed to even themselves out.  Like, when he shouted ‘Bank’, we didn’t all become tellers, it was spaced nicely.  A couple tellers, a manager, some customers.  We found our balance.  It’s the plate game from level one in a different costume.

After that, we jumped right back into Picton Place.  The fictional locale where all our constructed character’s adventures take place, and where my own lovely lad, Peter Crowley, is head bartender at rooftop bar The Perch.  I’d love to tell you all about Trudy, the new tenant who’s causing no end of ruffled feathers (played with characteristic brilliance by Catherine Mills, yo), but Peter sadly did not meet her, and  feel obliged to constrict myself to the information HE acquired, in keeping with the spirit of the thing.  So what’s new with Peter?  Let’s check out a few of his own blog entries:

– Interesting day at work. Started off well enough, lovely Emma stopped by for her usual glass of red wine, when Debra sideswiped me.  She said someone was complaining that I’d been keeping a dirty bar?  Which, aside from being horseshit, is a problem with understaffing on busy nights if anything.  I hate gossipy nonsense like that.  I’m keeping my ears open, for sure.

– Just back from a meeting with Debra.  Myself and Carol formed something of a united front, presenting our case for being allowed to use the Picton facilities in our spare time (I have my eye on the gym, Carol seems keen on the hobby room).  Deb seemed open to it, and promised to raise it at the next tenant’s meeting.  Fingers crossed.

– Success!  Just had a chat with Emma and Annabelle (I’m getting very good at making her drink now…I’ve officially named it ‘The Anna Bella’), and they told me that Deb had okayed our request to use the house facilities.  As if that wasn’t good enough news, Emma mentioned that she was opening up a yoga facility down the road.  When I told her about my experience teaching yoga in the past, she all but offered me a job!  The money at the Perch is good, but this might be more up my alley.  VERY interesting.

– Just bumped into Carol on the way in to work.  She hadn’t heard about our request getting the thumbs up, so I enlightened her.  She was pleased, but pointed out a new notice to me about ‘public drunkenness’ by tenants.  I immediately thought if I had overserved anyone at the Perch, and I’m sure I haven’t.  Wonder if it’s the same little tale-telling gossip from before..?  We’ll see.  I wondered if it was that John character, who seemed a little off.  Carol then told me he’d threatened to SUE her for something!  I had to run, but I have GOT to hear the rest of that story.  Too crazy.

…Thanks, Peter.  I was getting tired of writing this shit.  And looking forward to what goes on with you (and the rest of the gang) next time out.  And SO jazzed to hear that almost all of us are planning on re-upping for level 3 (once again taught by gentleman Brie Barker, yay!).  So thanks, class, for raising my flagging spirits.  I’ll never doubt you again.  Peace, love and soul,

The Visitor (and Winston)