Why We Might Have Turned the Corner as a Society

In at least these few instances...

Where but a few years ago big media conglomerations threatened the end of the independent film, Netflix has ushered in its new golden age.

Ditto big media conglomerations with respect to the independent musical artist. Enter digital music.

Half a decade ago, we thought email was threatening the end of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure in the written word. Now, nearly every one of millions of bloggers are suddenly holding their writing to a higher standard.

Of course, there's still war, disease, and poverty. But perhaps this bubble is actually bursting because it got poked by the top of Maslow's Pyramid, and the residual hope for the world has to trickle down the sides.

Jumping In on The Movie Review Haiku

This, being the most recent movie I've seen; and in homage to the Mixdorf sensation that is sweeping the web:

Being John Malkovich

Funniest first half

In my recent memory

Most depressing last

Also, since it's been a recent topic of discussion...

Napoleon Dynamite

Teen misfit goes wild

Laugh yet pity to sweet end

Hmmm...Sixteen Candles?

Love Letters

The name of our next Reader's Theatre production, in which I have a co-starring role. In the words of our company:

Written by A.R. Gurney, the play follows a lifelong string of correspondence between staid, dutiful lawyer Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and the vivacious, somewhat unstable painter Melissa Gardner. From second grade through middle-age, the details of their poignantly funny friendship and ill-fated romance emerge from what is written- and what is left unsaid- in their letters.

So-poignant romantic comedy. I'm a little outside of my normal comfort zone of sketch comedy, playing a bit of a starched-collar go-getter, but it's that sort of new realm that I am really seeking in my born-again acting life. We know I can play a spaz, but how do I tackle the the meaty, tearful delivery? Reader's Theatre is really cool, because so much depends on the delivery. Not hiding behind technical wizardry or even blocking. The audience hangs on the words, going up for the highs and being brought down with the actors for the lows, moreso than in any other theatre I've seen. I'm so excited to take on the challenge of not only playing a character that is a bit outside myself (though one to which I can relate for a couple of different reasons, not the least of which is my own personal history with love letters to Paraguay), but a character at all ages of his life between eight and 55.

We had our first readthrough Tuesday night, and I'm paired up with a couple of pros (literally); in the director and female lead, both of whom have an employment resume that includes Minneapolis' Brave New Workshop, a place in which I have at one time or another considered "plying my sketch comedy craft."

More on this show, undoutedly, as the rehearsal process continues.

Sure, It's Good For The Kids and All...

But, in the heat of the various monetary stresses involved with Sharon quitting, it's easy for me to overlook some of the more subtle benefits that, now that I sit down for a lunch of squash chili and homemade cornbread leftovers, don't seem quite so subtle.

NSE

From the wildly successful show my theatre company put on Friday night (great reaction from a sellout crowd) to pulling off a somewhat last-minute booked visit by T-Clog, this past weekend was Non Stop Excitement in its purest form.

First-I had been sweating out the situation with the Reader's Theatre show, since we'd had a glitch in our mass email system and had reason to believe a vast majority of our contact list did not receive two email that were sent out in the runup to the show. So, we really didn't know what to expect. But whether it was the exposure we got via the huge turnout we got for our Christmas Show or that our audience base is growing as a result of word-of-mouth from our small but deep set of "regulars," the community was out in full force. We literally had to turn a couple of people away when we topped out our seating capacity at 50. I was overwrought with nerves, prior to the show. Performing does not bug me in the least; but the prospect of "winging it," as I was expected to do in some pre-show remarks, was making me a basket case; as was the prospect of hitting all my technical cues (a light flip, sound) at the right time. I just hate doing that stuff-my brain is not hard-wired to pull that type of thing off very well. But everything went about as smoothly as possible, and after the show I was awash in what is becoming a familiar blend of relief and satisfaction.

Then, late Saturday morn. Hanging out at the coffee shop with my family; one T-Clog stops in, as per the arrangement. And, from that point on, a potentially delicate balancing act between a Daddy-starved family and a friend who has made a journey to visit was pulled off by all parties with grace and good cheer. The Clog and I remained around enought to ease my daughters through some of the touch-and-go moments of the day and, in fact, performed the "nighttime ritual" that night; Lucy's 2nd story read while sitting on the lap of a close friend of mine in just over two weeks! Things didn't get too raucous over the weekend-it was "NSE" of a rather domestic sort, but we all understood that going in. Activities included checking out a few local haunts (including two coffee shops), "forest football" actually played on a nearby jogging path, a visit to the "zero-G" slide that was built in local park, beer, pizza, Mouse Trap, Trivia Pursuit, a couple of Star Trek episodes, some good conversation, YouTube exploration, my first viewing of Napoleon Dynamite and...I'm sure I'm forgetting something...

Thanks for the visit, Clog.

The Producers

Actually, the Producer: me.

In trying to spread the load a bit in our current Reader's Theatre season, the other two members of my theatre company have picked up producing duties from our artistic director. I've never truly been in this role before and, though I can't say I'm surprised by the number of things to try and stay on top of, actually being in this position definitely gives me an appreciation for it all. Producer is basically in charge of making sure everything comes together for a production. That there is someone for every role, onstage to off (consider: actors/director, sound, lights, tickets, etc. etc. etc.); that all logistics are coming together (from a cash box for the ticket booth to designing & printing all promotional materials and programs to making sure a buttload of chairs get loaded into the performance space a day before the show). And so much more.

So, tomorrow night is the performance. My load is lessened significantly by the fact that this is Reader's Theatre, and every so more slightly by the fact it is a one-man show, starring our Artistic Director, Jeff. You can read a little about the show here.

Of course, I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't scrambling about like a duck on speed. After the whirwind visit by T-Clog this weekend, I'm back to having a company meeting Monday night and then doing the first read-through of our February show (in which I return to the stage) on Tuesday night. This is all in and around care for two-month-old Rose (to the extent I am around to offer it) and self-imposed pressure of Project 365, and various other projects that hang over my head, like music recording and CMC. Oh yeah, and that Beatles tribute recital in which I will play guitar and sing to help out music teacher friend and former bandmate Krista in March.

Zowie.

Anyway, tonight is dress-rehearsal. There is a distinct possibility that P-365 will feature theatrically-related photos over the next couple of days, if shots present themselves.

The Undiscovered Country

Well, it's official. Sharon just called in and announced her resignation. She is officially a stay-at-home mom.

The thing that's really nuts about it is how she had pretty much one of the most idea set-ups in the world: working part-time only in a job she loved (taking kids on nature hikes-are you kidding me?). But staying home with Rose and keeping her out of the day care mill, as well as the idea of helping to keep our collective lives a little less crazy, just won out in the end. And, of course (to add nuts to nuts), I continue on in Barad-Dur.

It would be an understatement to say that we're dialing back our budget a few notches. For anyone who comes to visit and wonders why I balk at going out for a "night on the town," consider that we weren't quite keeping our heads above water as it was, and we just lost a net income of around $15k a year.

DDS

Are there any library science theorists out there trying to improve upon the Dewey Decimal System? I mean, a system for cataloging books that dates to 1874? Structured to categorize all areas of human scholarship in order "...from the divine (philosophy and religion) to the mundane (history and geography)." It's such an old-world view of knowledge and fields of study that it would be laughable if it weren't currently holding hostage our nations' books.

Book lovers? Your thoughts?

Somehow, the general acceptance of this obsolete holdover reminds me of our Minnesota law whereby you can't sell alcohol on Sunday. WTF?

Underground!

So it seems that I've come full-circle. Or maybe half-circle-as we're talking a hundred & eighty degree turn.

After being hailed by Stephen as one of the most open & revealing bloggers he's seen (in terms how I've tended to blog about my personal life), I have decided to remove The Oliopolis from the public blogroll. Off Blogger's listings, and out of my profile view. The more I think about it, the more I realize that my various thoughts & mini-essays are really intended for a small audience; those who know me & generally share my perspective. I may wish to preserve my "bloggins" at some point in the future for my own personal satisfaction, but I have no particular need to shoot everything that occurs to me out the the world at large. If and when I produce something in this forum that I wish to "take public," I'll look for the appropriate forum. Till then, I'm generally satisfied with my "readership," and can point "2nd tier readers" to specific posts if & when it seems appropriate.

The turning point, really, was my Project 365. Link from this page is one way, baby. It occurred to me how it is possible that there are those people in my life that I may wish to point towards this photographic endeavor that I wouldn't want within 50 miles of some of the rantings that go on in The Oliopolis (I'm thinking of work associates and family in Iowa in particular, here).

Anyway, for the others in this particular corner of the Blogosphere - I'm sorry this is not going to turn out to be the traffic generator you expected.

I'm Gonna Regret

This.

Beatles Anthology, Part IV?

Sugn by Lucy in real-time, as I type...

He's a real nowhere man/
He lives in Ashraka eating all the mines/
He'll eat you, if you try/
He's a real nowhere man.

He's a real tri-minute/
He does a lot of things/
His mom says he's not a nice man/
He lives in Ashraka, eats a lot of food/
He doesn't know what to do, a lot of things/
He's knows of a bread of your friend/
You know his mind, you would even say it glows in the dark.

2nd Annual Resolution Project

First, checking back on last year, then the new questions. I invite others to join in on the fun.

1. 2006's Resolutions:

• Residence issue resolved: I've not really touched on this over the past few months. However, a change in family status (e.g. Rose, with all the accompanying budget considerations), along with some other soul-searching has made us re-evaluate our move to Zephyr or to elsewhere in Minneapolis and come to the following conclusion: We can make a happy life where we are, for the time being. We may wish, at some point, to make the leap. But enough pieces will be in place, if and when it comes, that it's going to seem the natural thing to do. Right now, it does not. Our five year plan is OK being a 15 year plan.
• Be on a regular cardiovascular schedule AND be eating right/in moderation: Hmm. As at this same time last year, a work in progress. As far as the first part of this, I can certainly put a portion of the blame on the whole Rose thing. Getting away for exercise has been damned near impossible. My recent aquisition of a magnetic resistance mount (which I'm actually using) for my bike, as well as the double jogger for springtime may contribute to a better 2007. But for now, I'd have to say I'm not where I need to be. And on the eating. I still eat good, healthy meals. But the meals are too large. Plus, I have a tendency to binge on stuff that is bad for me. Late in the night, when I am vulnerable. We'll suit up and take this on in again in 2007, I suspect.
• Finish SECRET OF HIM: Two good excuses here. My world of art was diverted into an entire new realm of experience, as I helped launch that theatre group. Since then, that has consumed the vast majority of my art time; however, I have managed to eke out another song from S.O.H., as well as a few beginnings of some others. Plus...Rose who, I must remind my readership at this moment, was simply not in the radar at this point last year. Very crazy to think about it, but the reason she is such a convenient excuse now is because she was not in the plans as of 12/06.
• Overall: 1 of 3, but with a couple of major life events that have to count as legitimate excuses. I have to say, I'm not much for holding myself accountable in a way that does not allow the River of Time to meander and discover new oxbows and carve new chasms.

2. 3 Resolutions for 2007:

• What the hell, Finish Secret of HIM. I'm actually essentially done with 5 songs, with a head start on three more. Is it unthinkable that I could find moments and motivation to finish the son of a bitch off? Certainly not.
• What the hell, Be on a regular cardiovascular schedule AND be eating right/in moderation. Schedule is a bit of a harsh word, but I guess I'd be shooting for a workout of some kind about three times a week, and some level of activity on the "off" days, even if it's just a brisk 30 minute walk over lunch.
• Sharon wants to quit her job and stay home. Preferably with Lucy still attending her Montessori School. This puts an incredible burden on the already strained amount of dollars coming in from my single income. We are re-evaluating our lifestyle in a major way. It will require a retooling of how I view all those things I've come to feel, over the years and through all my trials, that I've somehow earned through blood, sweat, and tears. Sharon being home with Rose, if that's what she wants, is more important than all that other crap, and it's time to put myself to the test. It will require a lot of sacrifice and willpower, as well as a bit of luck; avoiding the kind of unexpected financial catasrophe which has befallen Sharon & me with defeating regularity through the years. So here it is: Sharon stays home, and somehow it works.

3. Best moment of 2006:

Jesus, this one isn't even close. Not even close. Not even close. The birth of Rose, possibly the best moment of my life. I suppose any other time I would have said "Democrats take back both houses!!!" But no. Not this year.

4. Worst moment of 2006:

Finding out the lump in my cat's leg was cancerous. Followed, somewhat distantly, but quite distinctly, by that moment when Sharon called me on the phone while the furnace guys were there and the electricians were there and the abatement guys were there and the tree service was there and the toilet guy was there and telling me the dryer was done for.

5. 2006 Remembered as...

The year my beloved 2nd daughter was born. What can I say, I'm a ladies man!!!

Happy New Year everybody!!!!!

The Dream of EveryKid!

Bedtime stories with Mighty Tom!

Fatherhood Chronicles, Vol. 1

This is actually from 4/05. Possibly the first of many; we'll see.

Early Christmas Present

The first smile.

Actual first smile was a couple of weeks ago, but this is the first one captured on camera. Beyond the thrill we get for obvious reasons, the smile is always great to see just as a sort of benchmark that for that moment, at least, everything is OK so far in our daughters' lives; a "so-far-so-good" reassurance with respect to our parenting skills.

Why - o - Why Can I Not Draw My Own Name?

Instead, helped with a gift for Sharon's Christmas drawing: her father-in-law. A generally fun-loving guy who really enjoys trying new beers I've encountered, though he's rarely investigated the field himself. I'd long heard about this amazing liquor store in the unlikely suburb of Burnsville, in an equally unlikely strip mall. A place called the Blue Max. In an addition to selling a stunning and mouthwatering number of craft beers, they give you the opportunity to "pick a mix" your six pack from a seasonal array they continually update. You're paying extra (generally somewhere between $1.19 and $1.79 a bottle), but nowhere near what you'd pay to try these beers in a restaurant. If you could find them, that is.

Here's the selection I made for Sharon's dad. Not sure if you need anything else to make it a Happy Holiday Season.

Bittersweet, this was, however; as Sharon & I have been continuing to try and explore ways in which she can quit and stay home with Rose. Among the luxuries risking (and almost certainly eventually heading to) the chopping block is my newfound craft beer hobby. At least the frequency with which I imbibe. Things might slow to somewhere between one and two beers a week, and tap beer only in the event of a visit from an out-of-state friend.

Ironic, then, that I just recently hit my 50th review at BeerAdvocate.com. It was the Surly Furious, an IPA I enjoyed on a recent daddy-daughter outing to our neighborhood's Papa's Pizza. It was a fun and rollicking time, as most daddy-daughter events are, almost certainly made even more lively as a result of a 16-oz bottle of 6.00% abv beer consumed in about 10 minutes.

Born at the Right Time

For one that is familiar with the lyrics to Paul Simon's "Born at the Right" time, it's hard for me not to look at my infant daughter and think about how she has "eyes as clear as centuries" and "silky hair (that's) brown." Nor about how she has "Never been lonely, never been lied to, never had to scuffle in fear, nothing denied to..."

Anyway, those words were (once again) going through my head when I saw her tonight and snapped this photo. For a few other shots chronicling her first month and a bit beyond, check out this slideshow (when you get to the page, actually click "slideshow").

Musicology: Emotional Album Response

I was planning to post in The Annex, but I guess that is now de-funked.

Just listening to Peter Gabriel: US at work the other day, it occurred to me how deeply that album affects me on an emotional level. It was one of a number of a handful of albums with which I (usually in concert with Mighty Tom) was obsessed during my college years. A handful that also includes but is certainly not limited to U2: Actung Baby (and who, except for black people, attending college in the early 90s was not obsessed with that album?), Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes, and The Who: Tommy.

Anyway, I can distinctly recall a few episodes of intense listening to that album when I was moved to an unnatural emotional state, carried away by the music. It's weird. I can still be affected on a deep level by music; but in college I seemed to either have the time or the freedom from worry to allow myself that luxury on a near daily basis. I recall a specific time, listening to US's The Blood of Eden when, at the end of a particularly powerful part of the music, I found myself slumped against the door, sweating, exhausted, and almsot as if waking from a trance. Interesting (or very likely related) to the emotional response I have to that album is the fact that I find it to be pretty much the most deeply personal album, lyrically/musically, I have ever heard.

Another album that connects with me on a nearly-equal emotional level is the much more accessible (and critically recognized) Paul McCartney album, Band on the Run. However, in this instance, though I do love the music dearly, my "connection" to this recording has a lot to do with the "T-Clog Model," in which there are particularly vivid memories of a time in my life when I was nearly destitute, financially, and just beginning to date Sharon. This album was particularly heavy in the playlist, and an incredible wave of wistfulness & nostalgia will wash over me upon hearing it; especially through the run of songs beginning with "Let Me Roll It" and ending with "No Words."

Anyone else care to open their soul and discuss an album that hits you right *here?* (I'm gesturing to my heart)

Kickin' off The Season

My expanding family will once again be attending the annual Holiday on 44th celebration in Camden. A generally joyous, uniting affair; the festival brings out the people of Camden like no other event of the year; as sights, sounds, tastes, and activities span the length of the 44th Ave business corridor.

Almost like from a movie, past years' events have found me wading and turning my way through crowds of happy Camdenites, hot-chocolates held high above my head as I recognize and greet familiar faces from my neighborhood. Traditional holiday delights: (Horse-drawn carriages, chestnuts roasted on an open fire, Saint Nicholas), mix with uniquely Minnesotan attractions (iceblock carving with chainsaws), and various ethnic offerings (Polish and Hmoung dancing). Amidst the array of happenings this year is a successive series of scenes from Christmas Carol, performed by my theatre group. I'm currently on a bit of a hiatus, however I will be with them throughout the evening, to render assistance however I may.

While I generally recoil and gag at the domination of two local radio stations by Christmas music from about early November on; I can get "in the spirit" with the best of them, given the right place and time. And, while I understand Dickens' Christmas classic is not necessarily the most representative piece of his work, I do love it so, anyway:

Mankind was my business!!! The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, benevolence, forbearance!!! These were all my business!!!

Hell, yeah! Are you kidding me???

Anyway, I'll talk to you again, post-celebration. And I wish the best of the season to you all!