The end of blogging as I know it

Well friends, if any of you are still reading this.... I clearly suck at blogging. This just isn't a website I visit regularly. In fact, I usually forget it exists. So I'm just going to end the pain for you and for me, and finish this with one last fell swoop. Here's what happened at the end of my trip in Prague, Vienna and Budapest:

In Prague, I walked across the Charles Bridge, watched the Astronomical clock go off (really not all it's cracked up to be in my opinion- it koo koos a couple of times and the death dude raises and lowers his scythe, and then everyone claps....i.e. it's lame and touristy), and drank absinthe for the first time in my life. Which led to a very strange ghost tour where I was very drunk and the tour guide Ty McGhee grabbed my ass. So Prague was cool, but not my absolute favorite.

I wasn't expecting to like Vienna, but I was pleasantly surprised by this cosmopolitan city of culture and class. We saw the ballet at the opera house with a 4 euro standing room ticket, which was magnificent. I went to Yom Kippur services at the oldest synagogue in the city, but left after about 15 minutes because you can't see or hear anything from the women's gallery. I don't understand segregated synagogues- that is not something I'm used to.

The cool thing about Vienna is that we actually did do something that would make my trip tax deductible! Michael had a friend who had a friend that ran an acting studio in Vienna, so we sat in on some of their classes. The classes were teaching a unique emotional response physically-based method. Basically, they believe that different emotions are centered in different areas of the body, and if you learn to trigger those areas you can reach a true emotional response every time. Even though Michael and I didn't necessarily agree with the method, it was interesting. And finally my trip was truly tax deductible!!

Also in Vienna, I rode bikes around the city with Rob and Kristen. Here's an artistic picture of my foot on the bike:















On the train, Michael handed me his ipod and told me to listen to a song. It was Vienna, by Billy Joel, and it changed my world. I'll share the lyrics here:

Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right(you're right)

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through

Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

That pretty much sums me up right now.

We were only in Budapest for a short time, but I visited the second largest synagogue in the world, the Dohany synagogue. It was an incredible place and a very spiritual experience. I also loved the baths. A perfect way to begin and end the trip, with a bath. And Hungary is a wonderful country.

So that was Europe. Summed up for you over a month after my return. In current affairs, I arrived in New York City last Friday, and started rehearsals for my fellowship for Minsky's yesterday. I am so excited and thrilled to be working on this show! I'll be here in New York until January, and then back in LA for the rest of the rehearsals and previews. All those of you in LA, please come see it in February!

So this is the end of this blog, as you or I know it. I hope you've enjoyed, I'm sorry I slacked off, and in the future, call or email me if you want an update! I'm always happy to talk.

Much love and signing off,
Elissa