(no subject)

Well, I think we've found Sarcasm Girl's audition song for her theatre program interviews: "Humiliation," from Emma, a new musical. Mr. Knightley's song "Emma" has the musical hook; but the woman who played Harriet Smith is the killer, and "Humiliation" (sung with a prequel, the song itself, and a reprise) is wonderful. Now if only we can find the sheet music or, failing that, reach the composer (Paul Gordon, who also did Jane Eyre) and get it from him (the girl would do it, too).

Emma herself was well done, although she has some modern singing mannerisms that drive me a little crazy (what I would call a scooping from one note to another); the women who played the small parts of Mrs. Elton and Miss Bates were totally on target--in the midst of all this froth, the one moment of real gravitas is comprised in Miss Bates's hurt when Emma, exasperated, aims a put down at her. (YG, rather disgusted, said "It's just a dumb comment; why's everyone so upset?). And the guy who plays Mr. Woodhouse, whose only work, really, is to shuffle on stage to complain about drafts or worry about things changing, manages to make the character not simply a joke, but a rather sweet, sad old man.

Of course, SG had to eat something at the Indian restaurant immediately before to which she had a nasty reaction, and she and the Spouse missed the first twenty minutes of the show while seeking Benadryl in scenic Mountain View. Could have done without that part, I must say. Beyond that, a nice evening.

Divers Pleasures

This morning I got up early to drive to Sausalito to pick up tnh from her hotel, to bring her down to our how where Spouse and the girls had breakfast waiting. Lovely to see her, though all to brief a visit before we had to bundle her into the car and port her off to JetBlue.

Then Spouse and I went to a Home Improvement show at the Cow Palace. First of all, the Cow Palace is a weird place: a massive Quonset hut with absolutely zero charm, it was filled with all sorts of vendors selling all sorts of things, from contractors to home detox footbath systems to granite countertops to facial spas, We now have contractors coming to bid on our kitchen, plus someone coming in to look at our abject lack of blinds in the front windows (for both privacy and light obstruction those are the only two windows I feel a need to shade in any way).

And then there was the nice lady signing people up for a company called CitizenRe. If this thing is on the level I think it's brilliant. The idea is that this company will install solar panels on your house which are calibrated to provide just below the amount of energy you generally consume--the idea being you stay on the grid, but use only a tiny bit of purchased energy. You sign up for a 25 year commitment with a level payment--if, for example, our electric bill right now is $50 a month, we might sign up to pay $40 a month for 25 years with no increase. The company gets that money, we get the solar equipment and greener, cheaper energy, and in 25 years they either remove the panels or we sign up for another cycle. It sounded good enough that I was tempted to sign up right there. Of course, a quick scan of the InterThingy suggests that it's not as good it sounds. Anyone heard anything about it?

Also sampled a Tempur Pedic mattress. Omigod. If I could square with my conscience to spend $2500 on a mattress...omigod.

Now to make dinner: rigatoni with peas, prosciutto and garlic. Tomorrow, corporate party at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I will be very tired tomorrow night.