When I was on the road as a touring stagehand, many Sundays began at 8am. No, I take that back. They began more like at 6am after about three hours of sleep with me frantically packing all my crap that I had been putting off dealing with until the last possible minute into my suitcase and then trying to find coffee and a muffin and make it to the theater by 8am for box call. We would pull the empty road cases off the semi trailers they’d been stored in and line them up in prep for the load out. Then we’d do a show. Then we’d do another show. Then we’d start the load out. Usually we finished up around sunrise and headed to the airport for the next city, where we would begin loading in shortly after we landed.
But some Sundays were different. They were “One and Done!” Sundays. These were during multi-week stops in bigger cities like Chicago, Philly, San Francisco; we’d do a matinee only and then have 48 glorious hours off until we had to be back for Tuesday night’s show call. We didn’t have to move the show. Nothing needed to be packed. It was like Christmas.
I’m not on the road anymore. The show I’m on in New York has a One and Done Sunday every week. Sometimes I even take Sundays off and then it’s like, double Christmas. Still, I love the spirit of One and Done Sundays-the sense of possibility and of not being rushed.
So I’m starting a new feature here under that name. Every Sunday I’ll post a picture. And I’ll post five links that will totally be worth your time to check out. Nice and easy.
Except today I’m posting two pictures, because I feel like it.
This is a picture from #1’s graduation at the end of June. She’s standing with her best friend, whom we refer to as #1A. I love this shot of them.
#1A left for college last weekend. It’s only been a week and we miss her like hell. It totally feels like we’re down a kid.
They liked to make this face a lot. I called them the Happiest Graduates of 2011:
We miss you, #1A!
Here are five links that are totally worth your time:
What happened to your pretzels, your favorite underwear, and quite possibly your lipstick: Charles Gulotta at Mostly Bright Ideas
You missing the Yardwork gene? I am: I’ve Become My Parents
Witness the best hippie-inspired intentions going down the crapper: Lori Dyan
Grammar. I has it. The Bloggess
The best post you didn’t read this week about surviving rape: For This I Am Thankful at The Monster In Your Closet.
JM Randolph, accidentalstepmom 
Hey! I just saw you post this on Facebook and I am reading along enjoying #1 and #1A’s faces, and I’m thinking how I want to congratulate you and how I forgot you were near NYC (because we were just there) and I’m scrolling down to see what I should read this week and… wow. I am humbled. And grateful. Thanks JM. And congratulations to #1.
I thought you may have been out this way! Thanks right back to you, because that’s a very courageous post. Full-assed, as Chase McFadden might say.
I saw folks were finding TMiYC via this page, which piqued my curiosity. I love this entry for many reasons, only one of which was your last-but-not-least link. Thank you so much for sharing that link, which I wish everyone could read and feel the power of.
I’m glad I found your blog- thanks for stopping over!
Love the graduating shots! I could do with a few of those Sundays you mention – especially the ones that are totally no work…..
The links I will check out later in the week. At least that is the plan right now, but anything could happen…..
College! WTF! I go away for two weeks and look what happens.
That is major. Is she very far away?
And, yes, one and done Sundays are special. Not sure why since it usually means there’s a freaky extra show on another day but…they just are.
It’s her best friend that started college; #1 is starting at a different college in January. #1-A isn’t too far, but it’s far enough that she’s not coming over for dinner and we can’t call her to babysit.
That’s the face I wish I had made in my graduation picture. That face is much more likely to pique curiosity years later than a fake smile.
I’m pretty jealous of the way they can pull off a perfectly-shaped frown.
Yay TMiYC! My ‘Blogs I follow’ was all out of whack last week (I blame Irene) – sorry I was MIA! This (yours) is one of my favorite blogs 🙂
P.S. – The Blogess is HYSTERICAL! (As is the hippie school post.)
*Bloggess*
I always say that The Bloggess is my copilot, so being in a post with her has made my month! 😀
p.s. my 4yo is starting full-time pre-school today and I’m about to vomit. I will need an oxygen tent to deal with the tears when she graduates. Also because I’ll be a hundred.
She followed me back on Twitter and none of my regular friends understand why that’s such a BFD. I’m one of 13,000!!!
PS: you will totally need an oxygen tent when she graduates. I hope pre-school is going well.
You were a touring stagehand?
You’ve had a full life,young lady!
Kind of like running away and joining the circus, except longer stops. And you have a contract. And, usually, there are no elephants.
This is a great idea! Those were great links and I subscribed to a couple of the blogs. God help me. I REALLY want/need to unsubscribe from some people, but I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I guess I’ll just have to deal with an insane inbox. Being a nice person sucks sometimes. 🙂
I started using Google Reader to track the blogs I follow. I didn’t like the changes they made to the WordPress reader. However, I have no idea if that shows up to them as a subscription, because you don’t do it on the blog page. I have to look into that.