Gone with the wind (not)

It's Wednesday night and the much-debated hurricane-speed winds haven't arrived yet. It's freezing cold in the tent, but that's the same as it was yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Very much looking forward to whenever the heating is going to be turned on.

We are doing technicals, which is when the sound is checked for all the scenes and dances, and ditto for the lights. The sound was done two days ago, so we're just finishing off the lighting. It takes ages to set just one scene, because the director is putting in lots of light changes. Once again, a case of pain-in-the-neck-now-but-will-look-great-later.

If you're on stage for a scene during tech, then it's long and boring, but the nice thing is that you also get long breaks during the scenes you're not in. I have figured out a way to lie down and have a nap – takes three or four seats, depending on whether I curl up or stretch out. The sides of the seat curve up a bit, so I get plastic digging into my ribs, but it's worth it to have a little pseudo-nap every now and then. Really helps me to keep going through the night without getting too tired or cranky.

When the house lights are up, or there's enough light coming off the stage, then I'm reading Arthur C. Clarke's Tales of Ten Worlds, which is vintage science fiction of the best kind. If the lights are down and it's too dark to read, then I blog on my laptop and don't surf the internet, and the rest of the time I either take a nap or chat with my friends. Occasionally, in the wee sma's, when it gets too cold to do anything except sit quietly and conserve body heat, I contemplate life, the universe, and everything, but I haven't come up with any profound thoughts yet.

Right now I'm not feeling too cold. I've removed my gloves because we just teched our most vigorous dance number and that warmed me right up. I'm wearing two pairs of trousers, two long-sleeved tops, a scarf, and my Panto zipper, which is a fleece jacket that zips up and proclaims me as a member of the 'Sinbad (the tailor)' cast. Actually the cold brings back childhood memories of going camping with the Girl Guides, which involved a lot of freezing too. The difference is that since then, I have discovered the wonder that is fleece. I love fleece. It keeps me warm. If I were the President of Malta I would institute a national holiday in honour of fleece. Which I'm sure has a lot to do with why I'm not the President.