What a great week for Butch at the construction site! It’s getting hotter inside as it gets colder outstide. Wahoo!!
As I entered the theatre, I was pouring my champagne and was thinking about why there are not more women construction workers when I almost got blinded by the sparks that were flying from this amazingly butch machine. And the noise from the machine was so loud I immediately had to take a huge gulp of the tasty prosecco.

The noisy flames (but a rather artsy picture)
After that, the party really began! First, I just want to say that the construction crew was in a very festive mood and everyone wanted to talk to me and have their photo made with me. I felt like a rock star and also suprised many of the workers with my instense knowledge of construction, especially about screws.

Butch explaining the best screwing techniques to interested worker
This worker told me that I should go down to the basement and see how well the guys were screwing the sheetrock into the ceiling joists down there. Even though the steps going down to the basement were a little scary I am always up for an adventure and it was well worth it.

Workers enjoying chatting with Butch about makita screwdrivers
The basement was looking awesome. It’s where the electrical system and plumbing will all end up. I also have suggested that we should create a private club down there including a small bar with a grand piano and make it a cabaret piano bar especially focusing on performing Broadway tunes OR make it a very small niche dance club with disco ball, dance floor and a lot of music by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand. I am still waiting on the final decision about this. Oh, and the guy was right. The sheetrock looked really sharp. I asked them to celebrate the great job with me and a toast but they declined. I just think they were intimated by the word “prosecco.” Anyway as I turned around, look what I discovered on a pole down there.

1946 painted on the column
It was a bunch of grafitti with the year ”1946″ painted on it. Wow, that was ten years after the State Theater opened in this very bulding! I just happened to have my droid with me down there and pulled it out and quickly discovered that “It’s a Wonderful LIfe” won the Best Picture oscar of 1946. As I thought of this, tears ran down my face as I love this movie so much. I could almost imagine the screen upstairs in the State filled with the historical images of Jimmy Stewart. The workers didn’t know why I was crying so I left abruptly. Since my karma is generally good, luck would have it that I ran into Caroline Quillen and Bruce Lawrence who had, without invitation, helped themselves to my champagne stash which slightly irritated me at first (but I got over it when they said they had brought their own bottle) and they were there to check things out as they were going to be helping me raise the rest of the money so that we could get into the theater soon. Hallelujah!

Bruce and Caroline deep in drink and thought
I was so excited that I invited them to watch me toast the progress on the elevator shaft.

Butch in shaft
As I left the shaft, I walked into what will be the smaller, boutique theater and surveyed all the marvelous work that has taken place there. You can see the elevator shaft going up to the upper theater and the framing for the projection room to the right and even the HVAC ducts in the ceiling. I happen to know that HVAC stand for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Maybe I should have a second career as a contractor.

A Beautiful Sight
On further inspection of the lower theater, I had several suggestions re: colors of the employees outfits in the new theater and new beer selections at the expanded bar so I found head honcho butch contracterperson Paul Diemer and some of the crew to discuss this. While I had their undivided attention, I also had some suggestions about the hue of the color of the stained concrete and urinals.

Butch taking control while men take note
After hearing all of my suggestions, Paul and his team of workers told me that I was totally awesome and if I wanted to work for them it was an open invitation. I suggested that we all walk over to Hampton Street Vineyard and discuss over wine and foie gras but they said they had to get back to work. So I went alone and, after drinking a nice rose and another not as good chardonnay and shiraz, I went back and told Paul thanks for the offer to work for him but I thought I really needed a job where there was less testosterone and more flexibility in hatwear. He gave me a hug even though I could tell he was not happy with my decision.

Paul and Butch still friends
After all the emotion of the morning, I decided to depart and walk over the current Nick to screen “Human Centipede 2″ and think about how amazing it was going to be in the new building and set up a meeting with Caroline and Bruce to strategize how to raise the remainder of the cash to complete the renovation. Until next week where there is a promise to have almost all of the sheetrock up. Yours, Butch.