The past few days it has been very hot and humid in Chicago. I feel unwell and constantly either too hot or hot inside and flash frozen by air conditioning on the outside. This season goes on for several nasty weeks here and I find myself yearning for November.

This morning I read about people being mugged at the cemetary by masked persons wielding knives and cutting the purses from elderly women’s arms. No one chases the robbers. “How could I catch them?,” one man said.
They come to honor the dead and they bring a purse with a few dollars, a wallet with an ID, and photos of their loved ones, and photos of those they came to respect.
Memorial Day is a day to remember the dead. I guess we should remember them from the safety of our homes.

I remember finding out what “elevenses” were and how civilized I thought it was. Can you imagine my delight in finding out it was another time to eat! Yum. Tomorrow I go to my tax accountant for this year’s taxes. It makes me want to do elevenses all over the place. I always feel somehow that I’m being sent to the principal’s office for a thorough cavity search for hidden sweets. I always leave the accountant’s office feeling somehow dirty yet relieved that it is over for another year.

So my friend Cheryl got me to call Mr. Leo DeLyon at a number I didn’t know. She said it was some marketing guy. Of course, since Cheryl is my friend, I wanted to do her the favor as soon as possible. I immediately dialed and continued to talk to her as I waited for the phone to pick up. It was the Lincoln Park Zoo. That didn’t register. I just waited for the phone message to be over and to leave a message. I didn’t even know it was a prank for the longest time. I’m just oblivious – - – not a prime candidate for April Fool’s Day. Today, as I look back, it was pretty funny. . . scratch that . . .it was very funny. There I was on the phone like some big executive listening to the hours that the zoo is open and waiting for Mr. DeLyon. Pfahhh! Snort! Higgle! I am an idiot.

“Tomorrow’s the first day of Spring (this post is actually March 20, 2005) and I’m just not ready. I want more winter. I crave long grey days with several feet of gleaming white snow, looking very Nordic and signifying solitude. Spring is just mud and ugly clothes. Sigh.

“Expecting Isabel” has closed and now it’s time to rest and reflect. In 10 days rehearsals begin for “Him” a play by e.e. cummings. Written in 1927 it’s a warmly weird play with lots of combined words and interesting characters, not to mention the scene about the pet hippopotami.

Hello Citizens of Earth!
I am suddenly shy. Why? Well, I am not quite sure how to address a blog, but here goes. I have a show in a few hours. It’s with Rivendell Theatre and it’s called, “Expecting Isabel.” We opened on February 3rd and we close on March 5. I play Yolanda and Paula and it’s a pretty funny show. It’s at Gallery 37 in downtown Chicago across from the Cultural Center, on Randolph Street. I have unlinmited 2 for 1 tickets so if you’re in the area let me know. The show is up on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30PM and a Saturday matinee at 3:00PM.

Okay. Is this thing on? Good morning readers of this blog.

Greetings, weary web traveler, and welcome to the newly redesigned marssie.com, the website of marssie Mencotti. The tiny gnomes that build this site will be adding tons of new content this week, so stay tuned!

Until then, please enjoy this photo of marssie’s from her trip to the U.K. last year: