What? I have a blog?

Where have I been? That’s a good question – and in fact I wish I could give some fantastic and exotic answer. Like – “Oh, I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging, I’ve been saving merpeople in Atlantis,” or “yeah – I’ve been working with gorillas in the African jungle.” But the fact is I don’t have a great answer like that.

I’ve been busy. I know – we are all busy. I’m not busier or more special than anybody else. We are all busy and nobody has time to do things like “blog.” So here I am forcing myself to write this update so that maybe I can get back on a schedule.

Since my last blog I have opened and closed Oliver! Actually – I think the day after I wrote my last blog I headed off to Bloomington and stayed there until the show opened right before Christmas. It was a lot of work, that show. Some might even say too much work. In the end it was a successful show. Although I need to strongly rethink whether I do any more holiday shows.

After that I was neck deep in all the family holiday hoopla – and that seems to never stop. I love my family – I really do. But I have a breaking point – and there is only SO much time I can spend with them – especially when trying to split that time between two families. But, I survived the holidays, just as I survived Oliver! so it must not have been as bad as I thought.

This year is my first time winter term. That means that I started working again on January 3, teaching freshman about Graphic Novels. It is an interesting and exciting concept for a course – we are looking at 5 books and the movies that were made based on the books. We are also examining the influence that comics are starting to have on Pop Culture – a point that we can argue if you wish.

Anyway – I just recently went to Milwaukee with some of my theatre students for the American College Theatre Festival (ACTF). Let me tell you something – Milwaukee is a great city…in the summer. Milwaukee in January is pretty much on the bottom of my list. I mean – it’s not THAT bad – but it is cold. And (according to Britnee, my waitress at Yaffa) all that people do it drink until it’s warm again. That might be the way to go for some people – but that’s not how I roll. Next year ACTF is in Saginaw – a city I fear will be worse than Milwaukee in January. w00t!

Next week is my birthday. Ron is coming into town. Should be an exciting time…assuming he’s not too swamped with work stuff!!! He’s also going to work with my class on Monday (yes I have to teach on MLK day). That’s how FC rolls.

So, that’s all you get for now. I apologize for this blog being so dry and boring. I cannot promise anything – but I will try to make it better for next time. Enjoy the rest of your week!

BEST. CHRISTMAS SONG. EVER!

It sounds easy, right? Pick your favorite Christmas song. Maybe it is a beautiful choral piece that brings a smile and a tear at the same time. Maybe it is something that your mom sang to you every year on Christmas Eve. Maybe you were in you second grade pageant and it is the first Christmas song you had to memorize and sing in front of yawning parents while wearing angel wings. Maybe the song has your name in it – and you love it for that simple reason. Or maybe it is that song that the first time you hear it while holiday shopping, you are reminded that it is the holidays and you should be merry. Or maybe you are a heathen and you avoid all things commercial Christmas like the plague. If that’s the case – stop reading.

There are so many factors that go into the process. Just like we all have emotions and thoughts tied to “regular” songs, except this is one that you only justify for one season a year.

My dear friend Tom posted a blog earlier talking about the songs that give him holiday cheer. It really made me think a little bit. What are my favorite songs? The simple answer is – it depends on who is asking. You see, I have a library of just about 800 different holiday songs. And yes – I do start playing them at Halloween. But with such a vast library I don’t get bored with the music and I can have conversations with many people about it.

Example – my mother likes Christmas music – but she does not like music versions of songs that normally have lyrics. So if somebody is playing Jingle Bells – and not singing – she is going to make a comment. My father loves choral music. So rather than talking to him about Brian Setzer doing Christmas songs – I am better of talking about some version that the Westminster boys choir did. Amy loves most Christmas music – but she has certain songs she grew up with – so it is important that I know those and can recognize them when heard – and I need to be prepared to hear some story about she and her sister fighting while listening to the song.

Am I avoiding the question here – or am I making a point. Both. The point is that my favorite song is known and appreciated by so few people. Rather than having to explain myself to everybody I prefer to keep the song to myself whilst in casual conversation. Is that lazy – or respectful? I think that latter – wrapped up in the first. Seriously though, I like to believe that I can I can express genuine interest in things outside of my own world and be able to talk about them intelligently…even if the subject is Christmas music.

Putting this ridiculously heady argument/conversation aside – I do have a favorite Christmas song. The top of the list is easily “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” as performed by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. It is really something special – and not appreciated (or heard) by enough people. It is worth listening to – and if you can find the video, do that.

Tannenbaum II

Our tree is up and decorated. As a matter of fact, most of the house is decorated for the Christmas Holiday – though we still have a few things to do. Last year we made the switch to an artificial tree. There were a few reasons for doing this. First – the artificial trees are really starting to look good, at least the one we bought. Second – the price we were paying per year to cut our own Frasier Fir was getting ridiculous. Theoretically if we keep this thing at least one more year we’ve made our money back. Third – although made of plastic, we felt as though we might be lowering our carbon footprint by not cutting down a tree each year. Fourth – it is a hell of a lot easier to set up an artificial tree than it is to set up a real tree. Oh the fights we have had trying to “level” the tree. It’s a miracle we are still together. Did I mention that you can leave the lights on year to year? Even though I replaced a few this year, it was so much better than lighting an entire tree. Finally – not having to worry about water/drying out – there is nothing worse than thinking that your tree might catch on fire.

Now that it is set up and decorated how do I really feel about it being artificial? Well, it is lovely. It truly is. Our ornaments are all very personal and carry their own little stories. It is fun to get them out every year and relive the memories; it is those memories that really gives character to the tree. However, the tree gives me a sense of déjà vu. Part of the charm of the Frasier Fir (fresh cut) is that it never looks the same. It doesn’t have the typical “cone” shape that a lot of pines do. So every year finding the tree and getting up proved to be a unique experience and outcome. This year I walked to the shed and opened a box. The shape is identical to last year and even though the ornament placement (I assume) is different, the tree has a similar feel. I guess I didn’t think about how much the shape would dictate.

That being said I truly do believe that the tree is beautiful. There is no sap on my hands, no water spilled on the floor and no pine needles constantly falling onto the floor. I might have to buy some fake pine smell to help calm my nerves.

Can YOU Dig it?

This Wednesday Franklin College opens the WORLD PREMIERE of Dig, a new play by award winning playwright Paul Shoulberg. Read the press release below…

This world premiere by award-winning playwright Paul Shoulberg is the story of a middle-aged professional man living with cancer and the physical and emotional pain that comes with the disease. He forms an unlikely friendship with a young streetballer. Dig combines hurt with humor, revealing its tale through crisp, contemporary and startlingly poetic language.

So – come and see it. Tom Robson is the guest director, production design by Brady King and me. It is going to be good. Performances are November 14^th – 17^th at 8 pm and November 18^th at 2 pm. Tickets are $10 for people and $6 for students or free with FC ID. Message me if want me to reserve you some tickets - or if you need more information.

See you at the theatre.

Life is worth living - ask George Bailey.

I just recently returned home from a weekend of seeing Mozzer. Saturday night was fantastic...and I took my camera in. Here are some links - the first = pictures - the second = a little bit of video.

PICTURES

VIDEO

And this picture...well this is just sad but funny. This was on the Tappan Zee Bridge. Clearly the idea behind it is very sad and true - but the humor comes in because there is NO PHONE! We kept going back over the bridge to try to find it! THERE'S NO PHONE!

NUGRFC

This weekend Amy and I headed to Cincinnati to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. It was being built while we lived in Cincinnati, but we moved before it opened and for some reason we hadn’t yet made it back to the museum.

My first comment is simple. Allow more than two hours. We had planned to meet friends in the afternoon – and we thought that two hours would be sufficient (but not ample) time to work through the museum. Not that in my head I was belittling how much info there is about the Underground Railroad – we just didn’t know what to expect.

The Freedom Center is absolutely gorgeous. It is located in downtown Cincinnati directly between the two stadiums. We already knew the exterior was attractive – as we saw it while we watched the Reds lose on many occasions. But the inside matches. It is absolutely stunning. I am really not sure how to do it justice. I am a huge fan of the Ghery designed Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain – and this building at least matches in “awe” factor.

The cost to enter is $10 for educators, $12 for all you “normal” people. At first I was thinking that seemed high, especially since so many national museums and monuments are free to taxpayers, but I felt like I did get my money’s worth – and it would have been better if I had been there longer.

There were many times that I felt myself getting emotional at the museum. It’s not worth going into depth on those – because I know that everybody has their own emotional response. But, this got me thinking. Do people get enough out of this museum, or is the point of it lost in history?

It is easy to say that slavery sucked, and thank goodness we are past it (I think). But doesn’t it deserve more? And what about the kids that go to the museum. Do they understand what slavery is…what it was? The sheer magnitude of it – or is lost to them? There is so much to learn, understand and try to appreciate – but is that opportunity taken advantage of?

The more I thought about the, the more frustrated I was. I think that we did US History in the 8^th grade and then junior year of high school. I don’t remember much about what I was taught – which I guess is my point. I’m not really looking for an answer – just sort of thinking out loud.

Anyway – I wanted to list a few things that I learned at the museum; Oprah cannot read a teleprompter very well; slaves were more expensive the further south you went; the final destination of the UGR was actually Canada – not just north of the Ohio; it’s hard to be a white male in a museum like that and not feel guilty; and so much more.

Who knew?

Regina Spektor smiles a lot. It's cute.

She is also very little. I knew she was tiny - but I was still taken back a little.