Antepentoday (day before yesterday): drinks with M. at Puzzle, before my last night in Wro.

Pentoday (yesterday): checked out of the culinarily named Cinnamon Hostel on ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego; Wroclaw Glowny; took the train from Wroclaw to Warsaw, during which time I reviewed the miejscownik case (locative) in preparation for the start of Polish classes at the University of Warsaw next week; arrived in Warsaw, mid-afternoon.

Made it from the train station to my apartment in Praga, with two enormous suitcases, in about half an hour (excellent public transit); unpacked; turned around and went back out for a 20:00 performance of chór kobiet’s second piece, MAGNIFICAT, at the Instytut Teatralny.

Wandered home in a slightly rainy night, past a weird display of eight-foot glowing neon plastic tusks in changing colors, springing from the sidewalk near Plac Zbawiciela, in place for a store opening.

I have much more to say about the CK piece, which is about the relationship of Polish women to the figure of Mary in the Catholic religion–but one sound that has stuck with me is a singer beginning the familiar line of “Ave Maria” but cutting it two syllables short, so that the audience only hears “Ave Ma–.”

CK’s work often plays on the idea of musical memory–what we know, what we expect–and presents something askew from our expectations.

Today, a much-needed day of rest or something, after the Fulbright orientation, the trains, the Festiwal in Legnica, and more trains. Lots of emails to be sent, lots of organization details relating to the interviews. I think of AB, a director who once told me when I asked him how to be an assistant director, “Be a stage manager.” He wasn’t entirely correct, but the basic idea–that learning to be organized is the most important skill a director needs–has never left me. The two shows I stage managed were the hardest jobs I have ever had, but I learned more from them than any others.

And now, having brought the organization of myself and everything I’m writing to a state I can leave it in, I’m going to absent myself from work for a bit.