Go Huskers!

With summer coming to an end, it is only fitting that the Husker Football Season officially began today! Woot!

Some friends and I gathered w/ a bar full of other Husker Fans at The Irish Rogue to watch the pay-per-view ($10 to get in, but you also get a raffle ticket) game vs Western Michigan Broncos and Bo Pelini's first game as head coach.

The Rogue has special menus for the Husker Games which include "Red Beer". I went up to the bar and discovered that they should really be called "Lil' Red Beer" as less than an inch of tomato juice is poured into the pint glass before the beer is added. No wonder the fans get rowdier as the game rolls on! ;)

Half time was the raffle drawing and I won a Husker musical alarm clock!

The Huskers got a "W" but it definitely looks like a building year. Win or lose it is nice to see that the team seemed to have the "fire" back that just wasn't there for the past year or so.

A MUST See!

After sitting at the Irish Rogue, watching the end of Callahan's career unfold during the Colorado game and watching even ABC give up on the Huskers by cutting away with two minutes left to show the Texas v Texas A&M game, I decided it was time for a movie.

There are a handful I've been wanting to see but the timing left me with 1 option - No Country for Old Men.

I have not read the book this movie is based on so not sure how true the movie is to it but the movie by itself is amazing. Now, I don't want to give it too much hype by saying that, but it is truly worth watching.

Josh Brolin - After surviving a post-teendom slump, he is definitely on the rise again with this performance that actually shows hints of his days as Hickok on The Young Riders (and yes, I totally had a crush on him then...so it was nice to see that smirky smile appear again - insert giddy girl laugh). The character is also a nice contrast to the one he played in Planet Terror.

Javier Bardem - I've heard a lot about him, but hadn't actually seen him in a movie yet. The dialogue he has is fantastic and he presents it perfectly.

Tommy Lee Jones - Well, he's Tommy Lee. That's just the way it is. But he is still good, cause he's Tommy Lee. ;)

The only hiccup I had concerning the movie was the casting of the mother in law. The actress just didn't seem to fit - and quite frankly whenever I see her I always think of her reaching out from the bus on Speed and getting blown up. She'll forever be a whiner who dies to me.

The wife however is great. Understated, but just right. Her last scene is once again filled with great dialogue. Not sure how Oscar will look upon this movie but it deserves at least a nomination for best adapted screenplay.

There is a lot of blood in this movie but at the same time they don't show as much as they could have. Many times the Coen Brothers choose to cut away and leave it to the imagination - a decision that makes the movie even better. Haunting? Creepy? Not sure those are the words I'm looking for, but the movie certainly stays with you after you see it.

I'm definitely buying it when it comes out on DVD - which is saying a lot since I'm trying to be more conservative with such purchases. And speaking of...for those that have yet to watch The Waitress, it is now on video. So go rent it!

Football and The Fab Four

The Huskers were on pay per view this week and the Irish Rogue had it available for the fans to watch.

After battling a delayed subway line we finally get above ground where it is raining! We scurried to the Rogue - passing set load-in for "Young Frankenstein" and got there just in time to settle in for kickoff.

Once again we scored seats in front of the big screen and we watched as Nebraska struggled to keep and gain a lead on Ball St. A struggle that shouldn't have been...

As the game clock ticked, the nails of Husker fans were getting shorter. A lone Ball St. fan was very vocal and kinda seemed to have a chip on his shoulder even though no Husker fan trashed talked him. And then non-Huskers/Ball Staters started to invade. There was a drunken group that started to crowd our space with one sitting on the arm of a couch where a couple of my friends were sitting and putting his drink down on the table with ours. Uh? At first we thought he was a fan - but no, he was just drunk and falling into my friend. My other friend asked him to move. He did, but not without having to explain himself and although he was asked nicely him and his drunk friends decided that they needed to flex their man muscle and start beating on the couch my friends were sitting on, spilling their drinks on it and make loud comments about how they were true New Yorkers and that we needed to go back and watch the game with our season tickets, blah, blah. So brave considering our group consisted of 4 girls and 1 guy. Jackasses.

More than just Husker Pride was riding on a win - we knew that a win was the only thing that would make them shut up!

Thankfully, the Huskers did win. Whewy!

Afterward, I was ready to decompress in front of a movie so back to Times Square I went. This time I saw Across the Universe. I knew that visually it would be a good movie to see on the big screen but wasn't sure about content. I had already heard a review by Roeper comparing it to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And although it does have celeb cameos and Beatles songs like the former - Sgt. Pepper's still holds the cheese title.

Lots of inside winks to Beatles songs from character names to visuals and one liners. A handful of celeb cameos with the best being from Bob Seger - except his painted on pimp hair was a bit much.

When I got home I looked up more info and saw that most of the songs were sung live when filming and that Rachel Evan Woods took only one take for "If I fell". An impressive feat in the age of lip synching Britney.

The storyline itself was a bit forced at times to fit with certain songs but going in with somewhat low expectations I was pleasantly surprised. Am curious to see where Jim Stugess's career goes after this... And Wow! Dana Fuchs! Modern day Janis and I enjoyed the what if? look at a pseudo Janis/Jimi relationship in the movie.

Beatles songs are still running thru my head...

Go Big Red - NY Style

After hearing about the legendary Irish Rogue last year and missing out on the first 2 games there this season, I FINALLY got to go to the Irish Rogue and watch the biggest game of the season there with fellow Husker fans/Nebraskans.

The place was packed but friends arriving prior to us already reserved spots for us in front of the big screen.

This is awesome!

I talked to a new friend my other friends had met at a previous game and found out she went to high school with a long time friend of mine. Yet again - small world.

With red beers and bar food on the ready we were ready for the game to start! A friend that was actually at the game said he would update me and take pics via his cell if I'd do the same from the Irish Rogue. Deal! Although, I think he was getting the raw end...

The crowd roared and cheered as the game got started - next best thing to being there! They showed Will Ferrell (USC fan) on the screen and he was booed! Booing and groans also resonated everytime the satellite blacked out on the screen. Boooooo indeed.

And then it got real ugly. Oh Huskers, why must you be such heartbreakers?! By half the bar crowd started to thin. Although the Huskers closed the gap a bit in the end, it wasn't enough and once the game ended the bar had only a meager few left. Sadness.

Halfway thru the night it was reported by a friend that a girl had puked in the bathroom. I decided to wait it out in hopes that maybe it would get cleaned up? By the end of the game I knew I'd better go and another friend came out and said that now BOTH stalls had puke in them. Greaaat! I decided once I stood up, I had to move and pray that the subways were running fast!

Off I went, leaving my friends behind - they caught up and tried to help me find a spot to stop in Times Square but at this point I figured just getting home would be better. So I stood on the way home and tried to distract myself with my book. I warned my friends that as soon as the subway doors opened at our stop I was outta there. I wasn't joking. The friend that got off at the stop with me asked if I was a marathon walker. I warned him...

Thankfully I made it home with no major accidents. Stupid puking girls anyway! Yes, I said it!

Puking bathroom mess aside, I truly enjoyed the Irish Rogue experience and am interested to see how the atmosphere compares during a not so major game in the season...

Game Day!

After a quick stop at The Coffee House (another college haunt) my parents dropped me off at Husker HQ @ 8am for game day. Thankfully, they were willing to chauffeur me around so I wouldn't have to find a parking spot.

(Note on pic - Neon green shirts are so the workers can be found in the crowd and I'm standing next to my parent's car that got me around while I was back.)

The first Husker football game of the season. Nothing like it. No matter the record from the previous season, it is now a clean slate. Hope is renewed and people need new Husker gear!

I assumed my old post at the register and felt the Husker Fever wash over me. Naysayers can't say ANYTHING about it until they've been here. After living in NY for a while I appreciated the genuine enthusiasm and feel good vibe that surrounds it even more.

And boy do these fans like their Husker Gear! Totals cleared $100 more often than not and more impressively it was being paid for in cash not credit.

One college guy dryly said to me - Don't ya just hate it when you put on a fly shirt on game day and you walk out the door and everyone is wearing the same one you are?

Yes, it most assuredly happens but I am truly amazed by how many design options there are when it comes to sporting your Husker Pride.

Time seemed to go in a blink as there was a constant stream of customers and I just worked til noon. The mass of people walking to the stadium stops traffic cold downtown - The Sea of Red. I was glad I was around to experience it again.

However...I didn't watch the game. Instead I met some friends I hadn't seen for about 4 years at Famous Dave's. It was so great to see them! We've kept in touch via email but it's so easy to lose track when you don't get see a person somewhat regularly. Extended our visit by getting ice cream @ Cold Stone and doing a bit o shopping at SouthPointe and then it was time to part ways. Them to North Platte and me to Omaha.

My friend who is now a card carrying L.A. actor was back in the area because her mom celebrated her 50th birthday on the 31st. She and her husband came back to surprise her mom and her dad had arranged for them to go up in a hot air balloon! How cool!

We met up @ PF Changs and had dessert at The Cheescake Factory across the way. Then I followed her back to her folks in Gretna. So much to catch up on! Her latest project is Spring Awakening - The Play, where she plays Wendla. The more we talked about it, the more it made me want to come see the show. Needless to say, I'm working on finding a weekend to fly out there - the show opens Sept. 21st. She desperately wants to find a way to come see the musical in NY before most of the original cast members leave, too. Her show ends in late October and I have no idea how much longer the original cast will be there...hopefully it will all work out!

Like I'm Back in College

People keep asking me if it feels weird to be back. And it does. But I couldn't figure out why. It hasn't been that long. Then it hit me - I haven't been in Lincoln for an extended period of time since I moved to Omaha after college. No wonder it feels weird!

And here I am working at my old college job.

I continued my t-shirt folding project (note the red shirts on the raised display to the left in the pic, that was me!) and attempted to figure out where all the various merch was stashed.

A "Git R Dun" shirt was hanging near me and I asked my boss if Larry the Cable Guy (he has a home in Lincoln) had ever stopped by. He said he had and that he couldn't place him at first so he approached the Cable Guy and started to say - Aren't you....? And before my boss could finish he said - Git R Dun! He makes lots of money for saying that but why oh why must he be from Nebraska and help reinforce any outsiders (i.e. Native New Yorkers) stereotypes about us? Ugh.

While putting away backstock I spied a box that I had written on stored on the top shelf - apparently that batch of merch didn't sell well...

Lunch time was spent at Valentino's Xpress! The prices have changed but the taste hasn't. I was actually giddy about getting my meal there - just like college. And then, since I was re-living patterns of the past I stopped at The Cookie Company for a....yep, cookie. For whatever reason, the Omaha location of The Cookie Company never lived up to Lincoln's. The best part about their cookies is that most of the time they are still warm from the oven. And there is no comparing The CC and Eileen's because for the most part they have different varieties beyond the standards.

Oh yeah...back to work. And they let me off early!

For supper, I headed to the Haymarket to meet my friend at Lazlos. I got a table before she got there and the guy waiting on us was a guy I worked with several years ago at Garden Cafe in Lincoln. This is trippy.

When we got our bill at Lazlos it truly sank in how much more expensive NY is than NE. The price for a meal and dessert in NE would have just barely covered the meal alone at a similar place in NY. Crazy.

We met up with a couple more friends at Doc's Place. One them being a guy who just recently started hanging out with my friend and when she and some other friends were talking about me moving, he asked where I used to work and they figured out that I was the same Nora that he had known a few years before I met my friend. He was my supervisor when I worked at a telemarketing firm before I went back to college at UNL. Small-ish world.

The four of us drank (they have great martinis!), talked and laughed. I don't remember laughing that hard in a LONG time - My stomach hurt. It was great! ;)

Lincoln, Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Lincoln

I'll admit it. Today was not well planned as far as commuting goes. The gas prices are killing me! But gots to get stuff done, so what's a person to do?

Back on the road to Omaha to meet up with former co-workers from AP @ Jason's Deli. The temp I trained has left now and they have a perm. replacement that seems to be working out. I got the low down on the latest @ AP and filled them in on NYC life. It was nice chatting with them - all 3 are sweet gals. Felt a bit guilty that I was free of work for a bit while they sighed and went back.

The guys managed to get access to The Rose's costumes for the film so I stopped by there to carefully try on several vintage dresses that might work (The short takes place in 1946.) Thankfully I finally got my Brooklynese tape to listen to, too! Checking the time, I saw my meter ran out so I plugged it again with reassurance from the gal in charge of costumes that they rarely come by to check meters this time of day. Whew! Came back and found boots to wear that ended up using 3 shoestrings tied together to lace 'em up.

Ahhhh! Time! It was inching closer to 3pm already and I had told my old boss @ Husker HQ I'd start my shift about then. I said my goodbyes and ran out to the car to find the meter had expired again and I now had a ticket. Garrr!!! The director walked out about the time I discovered it and assured me they could find money in the budget to cover it. Okay - I'm good with that! ;)

As soon as I got in the car I put in the Brooklynese tape and began to try and absorb what I could. I was told the tape had a woman and man speaking so that was good. Until I heard the woman - she had an accent but her pitch was high, think Cyndi Lauper only a bit higher. My director wanted me in my lower register so there were times that I'd have to say the line like Cyndi just to feel the accent in my mouth before I could say it lower. The man on the tape read a segment from Much Ado about Nothing (Nuttin). That was truly entertaining! ;)

I was a bit late to Husker HQ - but he did say I could name my hours, right? Immediately I was put to work opening newly delivered boxes and counting/pricing the shirts inside. Then I got to fold them all and put them in cubes. Just like old times. Another worker asked me if much had changed with the place since I worked there - not a lot had. I remember helping hang the flags that still circle the ceiling in the front section of the store. But there seemed to be A LOT more merch crammed into the store. There always seems to be something new to put a Husker logo on. But apparently they keep raising the licensing fees so the mom & pop Husker Memorobilia creators are getting pushed out of the pic. Stinky.

Before the workday was over I got to go on a Juice Stop run - a tradition started when I worked there. My boss used the term "glop-ula" for his drink. Something I had totally forgotten about. Back in college I would get Juice Stop drinks to help clear the glop out of my system when I had a cold. So my boss in turn would call the Juice Stop drinks "glop-ulas". And I guess the term stuck.

Back in the car again and listening to my tape on my way to the Bellevue Little Theatre to see my friend rehearse for "Anything Goes". Am going to miss the actual performance so she suggested I come to a rehearsal. I did "Anything Goes" in High School and was surprised about how much of the lyrics I remembered. But yet, I don't remember all of the periodic table that I had to memorize in high school. Go figure. Au - gold. Ag - silver. (That's right, right?) Not all, but some.

The rehearsal was with the choreographer and I guess nights are split between choreographer and director. And from what I hear the two don't always communicate so movement is changed quite often. How frustrating.

Besides my friend I also got to see and visit with some other actors I had worked with or knew. Some didn't know I had moved.

One person said - Well, you're married, right? (Apparently wondering how my "husband" felt living in NYC.)

I told her I wasn't.

And she said - Well, I guess you just played one well then! (She played Truvy to my Annelle in Steel Mags at BLT)

Indeed.

Unfortunately as rehearsal was running late (apparently it is a trend) I had to sneak out to head back home.

And once I got home, Pizza Hut pizza was waiting for me! Yippee!

Back to Nebraska

In prep for my trip back to Nebraska I had to pack up my room in addition to the typical travel packing. I'm moving when I get back. But only to a different room in the apartment. A room about half the size I occupy now - but at least I have a room! This sublet will be thru December and then I may be moving again....

Had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get ready and get to the airport and LaGuardia was already full of people. CNN was on in the waiting area and they were talking about flooding the midwest. Yikes! I made a quick call to the 'rents to see if weather was behaving so I could fly in as scheduled and it seemed to be okay. Thankfully I was flying thru Memphis as O'Hare flights were being delayed or cancelled.

Once aboard I quickly lost the battle to stay awake actually being woke up by the flight attendant to see if I wanted something to drink - that's never happened before! The switch in Memphis consisted of just crossing the passageway so I didn't get a lot of exposure to the Memphis airport but I knew I was in Memphis thanks to the thickly accented flight attendant who had to check my carry on due to the plane to Omaha being small.

Although I did doze on the second flight I had lots of talky people around me so I couldn't help but overhear their convos as they were keeping me up!;) One lady talked about how it had been 8 years since she'd been to Nebraska and all she learned was to not eat the shrimp. A mother (maybe grandmother) and daughter (or granddaughter) sat behind me and the younger one (probably in her upper teens) could have been on Jay Leno as a JayWalker. She talked about how she had to learn the names of all the presidents for school and her mother/grandma told her she should know them already. The girl said she knew maybe 5 and started to list them - Thomas Jefferson...Wait. No, was he a president?

Finally we landed and my dad was there to pick me up. Then we hit the road to Lincoln to join my mom for her lunch break and have my first meal back in Nebraska at Runza! Mmmmm....Runza fries...get some! (don't worry if you don't get that last line....)

While in downtown Lincoln I stopped by the place I used to work in college - Husker Headquarters. I actually helped open the stores 7 years ago! Hadn't worked there for 4 years and upon walking in the door my old boss asked how long I was in town, wondering if I'd want to pick up some hours as he'd just fired a girl and they had lots of inventory to get put out before the first gameday. He added that I could name my hours - I said I'd be in touch.

Then I was off to get a badly needed haircut and a pedi to sooth my NY street pounding feet!;) And more importantly I made a stop at Target! Oh how I've missed the Nebraska Targets with shelves that are full! And I drove there! (Yes, those were a lot of exclamations but I was indeed exclaiming!!! ;))

Met up with the 'rents @ Granite City and we topped off our meal with treats from Dairy Queen (I satisfied my Peanut Buster Parfait craving as there aren't any DQs in NY.) Then we went home and I prepped for the days to come. Giving up on my scribbled on and scratched out plans and changes on my calendar I rewrote my packed schedule in a notebook and hoped I didn't miss anything!

The family cat, Purr-vis (we've had him since I was in 6th grade!) meowed a good night to me and thus ended my first day back in Nebraska.