Just like a banker.

Blogging about this contract is really difficult for me and I just figured out why.
It's because it's not so completely brutal and insane.  We have a normal and healthy balance of work and play, the rope act is not terribly wearing upon the body, we aren't dancing on top of chairs in cheap plastic 3 inch heels, there are no dogs fighting back stage, and, it's beautiful in the springtime here.  It truly is.  It's like Stuttgart went from being the Bellevue of Germany to, well let's be honest, a cheerier Bellevue (I've even seen people wear colors besides black).  And everything feels normal...
...and then you realize you're wearing a pink wig, a mint green velvet bodysuit, 3 pairs of tights, and size 2 ballet slippers that are the new wave of foot binding.  But the realization is brief, and it still feels ridiculously normal.  There's a rhythm not so unlike that of any 9-5, except it's more like 4-12 (or really 16-24, here), and everyone in the theatre is in on it.  It's only bizarre when compared outside of the theatre family unit.  But why go and do a thing like that?

These boots ARE made for walking...and pony prancing.

The big realization for me is that I like normal...and what I was doing a year ago was not normal, but truly insane for me.  More so than the Youkali crazy.  I was working 12 hour days with an hour car commute on either end, then trying to force my body into submission on aerial equipment when I was absolutely exhausted.  I only want normal from now on.  Normal meaning sleeping and eating and pooping and having a diverse schedule that I can handle.  Yes, please, vanilla, even.  As long as normal can sometimes be neopolitan too... and include hanging upside down.