Cornerstone (Day One)

I suppose this isn't really day one. It's actually day two. Seeing as day one consisted of nothing but an 8 hour drive and learning a plethora of names, today seems like the actual kick off to the start of this particular adventure. Not that learning how to pump my own gas, and traveling by myself for the first time wasn't a blast. But today the actual excitement started.

I woke up five minuets before my alarm was set to go off at 6 this morning (thank goodness I didn't go out with the company late last night!). I had only a moment to question my strange wake up tactics as I walked to our makeshift showers out side of the Buddhist Church we are staying in. (Get this, made out of some shower curtains strung together, our showers are warmed with a solar panel machine thingy that our technical producer made!) The Buddhist Church contains 3 of the main rooms the institute uses- rehearsal space, living quarters, and "The Nest". I stay in the women's dorm, also known as the coldest place in Fowler, due to our blasting of the AC. The Nest, standing alone between our rehearsal space and our dorms, basically serves the purpose of kitchen, office, restroom, and general 'hang out space'. Also between our the Nest and our makeshift home lives our little, 7 week old, black kitten named Fowler.

The majority of my time today was spent at the park, where our finished play will take place. Our task was to set up our scaffolding and bases/poles for setting lights, which we're doing tomorrow. Needless to say, while my shower felt nice, the work it had done was over in 10 minuets. Dusty and heavy, the scaffolding we put up was three stories high, and leaning from side to side like a spaghetti noodle being waved in the air. I had the fortune to let the boys go up there and have me hand them their pole and wood needs. Often time, my job required climbing 15 foot ladders with a 21 foot pole, only to hand it up to a friend that was another 10 feet above me. I also did a lot of fetching Cheese Burrows (a nifty little clasp thing, jokingly called a cheese burger as we neared lunch) and anchoring ladders. The work was hard, but we were blessed with a small little storm, which made the first part of the day a little cooler (although our setting up giant metal structures in the thunder and lightning was sketch to say the least). I found comfort in the fact that I am the newest, and baby of our little production family. It felt good to know I could only grow up.

While the physical part of my day ended at 1, the spiritual, and mental part has kept going. Two of the girls I've really connected with are on the community engagement team, and set out after lunch to pick up hats from a lady in town. I didn't have a clue what that meant, but offered to go, so as to not lounge about for hours.

Her name is Frances, and she was diagnosed with a deadly disease in 2007. The hospital in Fresno told her she had 12 hours to live. She said she had openly welcomed death, and that it had felt good to know that her time was coming so quickly. But alas, she didn't die. She's still here in Fowler, very much alive. Oh. Did I mention she was 99 in '07? Yeah. She's 102 currently, going on 103 in October. Not only is she the oldest person I've ever met, but she's also one of the most inspiring. She knits a hat a day, and has since September of 2007 when she found out she didn't die. Every hat she makes, she donates to premature babies at the hospitals around, and to the children's hospital of central California. This woman... I can't even explain her. She had to much skin for her body, and to much knowledge to be explained in our hour sitting there. When she spoke, she looked off in to the distance like she was somewhere else, and her ankles were swollen to the point where she couldn't tie her shoes. She was beautiful. Not physically really, but just the way she talked. She was a very sweet reminder that the 2 weeks I'll be staying here will be nothing when I look back on it.

All in all today was full. And not over yet. I've been avoiding the rehearsal space for the better part of 2 hours now, not wanting to visit due to the extreme heat that's ruling Fowler at the moment. But tonight we've got a run through that all company members are required at, and I wont have a choice but to bake myself.

I miss everyone at home, and can't wait to be back and create my final 2 weeks of memories in Ashland. I love you all (but especially my mom, who may be the only person reading this. :)) and can't wait to see you. 14 days left. That'll go by faster than fast, right? ;)

Stay lovely.
Willie Mae

7/31/11


Our little kitten, Fowler!


What I did today!