Hello, one and all! It's journal time again, and as always, I have been a busy Tortuga.
FILM
I took another foray into the world of acting. Well, kinda.... Spike TV was shooting a pilot for a new show called S.I.S. It was an all-day shoot that began with a 5am call time. It took me about an hour to get there (downtown Phoenix), and a little time before that to get ready in the morning. You do the math - it was damned early. There was a lot of hurry up and wait in the beginning where we all tried not to fall asleep. Then they ushered us out to the street to shoot the bank robbery scene.
I got this gig because Caitlyn DeAmbra, one of the character actresses here at the Arizona Renaissance Festival, made the general announcement to the cast that they were a-lookin' for extras. While at the shoot, I met up with Tortuga Twins fan and former renaissance festival employeeJodie O'Finman. We all had a great time hanging out and shooting scenes over and over and over again.
Caitlyn and I Cut Up on Set
A Big Shoot Requires a Big Camera
In Between Scenes with the Lovely Jodie
I went into Phoenix when it was dark, and I left under the same cover. A very enjoyable, but tiring day, and a chance to meet and make new friends. Overall, I'm glad I did it.
STAGE
Jef and I took in the musical Seussical. Our fellow Arizona Renaissance Festival cast members Caity Pierce and Jen Hickey were performing, and they were kind enough to come up off a couple tickets for us. The show was playing at Mesa Community College, and it was a lot of fun. Our friends looked really good, too. Whoo-hoo!
While sitting in the audience awaiting the show, we were recognized by the Cat in the Hat's roommate Liz, and her friend Emily. Afterwards, we went backstage to see our friends, and we were introduced to the man behind the Cat. He was very cordial, and happily stood in for a picture with us. It felt a little strange being on the fan end of the picture taking process, but it was a nice change of pace.
Jen Hickey & Caity Pierce
Seussical!
(From R 2 L) Me, the Cat, Roommate Liz, and Friend Emily
FRIENDS
Old friends and new stopped by the Festival to see us this year. This gave us the opportunity to make plans for outside the "Renaissance in the Desert."
We saw our insurance guru lady, Amber Elder. She's helping us get all our ducks in a row insurance-wise. We even got in some breakfast/coffee-time while discussing Tortuga insurance biz.
Insurance Goddess Amber Elder
Yo-yo Man Julius
Will & Daniell Pose with Mike & Jamie
at the Idyllwild Mountain Getaway
Two of the LaPlace Gang, Wendi & Jamie,
with Husbands Ryne & Mike (& cutie pie, Chloe)
Allyoyo.com man, Julius, stopped by with his sweet, new ride. Julius has been doing a bit of globetrotting as of late, wowing audiences worldwide with his feats of yoyo skill. His traveling schedule rivals ours so much that I was fortunate to run into him again here in AZ.
Every one to two years, I get a visit from a few of my college buddies from my USF days. The four to five of us (the number was always changing) lived in an apartment complex named La Place off Fletcher Avenue in Tampa, Florida.
We attended the University of South Florida, studying a variety of subjects while trying hard to decide what actually to do with our lives. And, decide they did. One went on to become a Los Angeles lawyer, one an international doctor working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and inoculating the children of the world. Another owns a company that works with the state of Arizona, teaching families to care for special-needs loved ones. The last heads up the math department of some fantastic school whose name eludes me at the moment.
All are amazing women in their own right. All have excelled in their fields, going further than most of their contemporaries had dared to dream - men and women alike. I am nothing but proud of my closest female friends, as they inspire me to stretch myself ever-further in this happy life.
My journeys took me as far as Palm Springs, California this month. I went to visit friends Will & Danielle - formally of the ren fest circuit, but now mostly busy revitalizing the straight razor market with their online company,ClassicShaving.com. We spent some time in town, but also went to their mountain home up in Idyllwild.
Jamie Wrage & husband Mike of the LaPlace Gang joined us for an evening of reminiscing and conversation about what's been going on in everybody's life.
BACHELORETTE PARTY
We three Tortugas attended a special event recently. We were the Tux-clad Cabana Boys at Arizona Tortugaholic Tamra's bachelorette party. Held in the backyard of a dear friend's house, we entered while she was seated and blindfolded. Of course, we had to serenade her with a special Tortuga bachelorette-party song. She was delighted, especially when the blindfold finally came off and she was able to see all that was going on.
As the sun set and the night took over, the Buttery Nipple shots flowed (diet soda for me, thank you very much)...and the chocolates, and candy, and bubbles, and eventually champagne worked together to make for a lot of smilage and womanly giggles. It was a very sweet evening with just the right amount of naughtiness. If you ever want to throw one of these shindigs for a friend of yours, look us up. We had a marvelous time, and we would be very happy to do it again...and again...and again....
Three Tortugas and Bride-2-Be Tamra
Sweets for the Sweet
Now it's time...to say goodbye...to all our com-pa-ny. T-O-R...Are we having fun yet? T-U-G...Gee, it's been swell chatting with you folks! A-*SPACE*-T-W-I-N-S. Good night, everybody. See you all in a month's time.
A Successful Bachelorette Party should always include the Tortuga Twins!
