The Last Two Nights...

(to the left: Black Santa. More on him later...)

have been super fun and relaxing.

I have been having a little bit of a rest break from all of the performing (save the trip to ATL last weekend) and it was nice the last two nights to not be fretting about costumes or acts or choreography. Don't get me wrong, I am still working on stuff (I ordered ten tons of fringe and feathers and sequins from Lynch's the other day) but it was great to catch up with my bestie E and her boyfriend Aunty Onion and then have a nice fun evening with Special Lady T.

On Thursday, I went to E's and she made one of her usual delicious vegan meals. I'm always worried that I won't feel full when she's whipping up one of her amazing veggie and whole grains extravaganzas (did you know that quinoa is a complete protein?), but it's always delicious and filling and the best ever. We hung out and she cooked and then we ate. Aunty came home from work, their halftime-evil cat Ati did not claw my feet, and then we watched Lars and the Real Girl.

I HIGHLY recommend that movie. It was touching, it had a great narrative flow and it was beautifully acted. I really enjoyed it--it was one of those moments where you enter someone else's world and really see stuff from their perspective. And lose touch with your own self for a while.

Then last night, I came home early and me and T went to the Peter Jones Gallery, which is sort of disbanding. It's sad, because it was the place where I went that had the vintage carnival art show with the carnival-ride skirts-up thing and where I first performed with Beast Women. I wish that they had been able to maintain the space, but these kinds of things always come to an end in gentrifying neighborhoods. (They have been there since the 80's). Anyway, there was a huge sale and we purchased an item that is sure to always remind us of Peter Jones Gallery--a 4' light-up Santa that looks white when he's not lit up, but turns african american when the light's on. Amazing. T and I both justified it by saying that we'll get "lots of use out of it during my shows and when we have parties." (And we also agreed that Black Santa's size means that we need a bigger place.)

Then we went out for Cuban food at Cafe 28 (not amazing, but definitely expensive) and came home to watch Zack and Miri Make a Porno. This movie was, somewhat to my surprise and much to T's, hilarious. (Best line was the title of a porn that someone else was in: "You Better Shut Your Mouth or I'm Gonna F**k It". We laughed really hard about that. Twice.)

Fun night. Good times. No performances or prep. (Which reminds me, I better get to it. I need to choreograph for Girlie-Q's Pride Show, our annual Chicago queer prom!)

xox,
Ms. Bea Haven