"The dog is down."
I say that every time I feed Zoe. I usually also say, "That would be a great title for a book." So, how come I can think up great titles, but never put anything under them?
I bought the audio CD An Evening with Sheldon Harnick. Pretty cool. He talks about writing lyrics. That something I know something about. I continue to be amazed when the lyricist tells about writing something in ten minutes. That's happened to me. You grind on some subject for a week or so, maybe even subconsciously, and suddenly it all falls together.
Harnick got a great tune on the CD called "When the Messiah Comes." It was going to be used near the end of Fiddler, but they cut it from the show because it might be seen as "too irreligious." I think it's great.
I went on Amazon and was going to buy some of the other CDs in the Evening with series. They are all "out of print" and used copies are going for over $100. I wish I had all of them.
At The Guild it appears that I will be the Properties Governor. Nobody petitioned to run against me. So I've got to start looking for props and for people to help me.
The RedWings are in the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. They'll play Pittsburgh who are also in the finals for the second year in a row. It will be interesting.
And the Tigers continue to be in first place.
And the patio is together. It's a big job … almost like opening a camp. Julie has close to 30 pots of flowers. The yard looks great.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Gazebo
We put the gazebo up yesterday, so, officially, it's summer. We bought it in 2005, so this is the fifth time we've put it up. We've gotten our money's-worth out of it.
Before we put it up we washed and rinsed the top. There were places where it was filthy. They say we live in the area of the country with the dirtiest air. I believe it.
It went up fairly easily. Fred made some devices that help short people push the top up far enough to get it on top of the corners. They worked like a charm and we had the top in place in about five minutes … maybe even less. I went around and tightened all the bolts. The whole thing was in place in less than an hour.
Julie bought the hanging flower baskets and the plants for our corner pots on Thursday. She also bought four new chairs to go around the table under the gazebo. Their black and tan color scheme goes well under there. And, she bought a new fire pit because we threw the old one away last fall. So that yard is starting to look like summer.
Today, we'll plant the corner pots, get out the wall decorations and the rockers and the bar and the rest of the birdbaths, and we'll be ready to party.
Before we put it up we washed and rinsed the top. There were places where it was filthy. They say we live in the area of the country with the dirtiest air. I believe it.
It went up fairly easily. Fred made some devices that help short people push the top up far enough to get it on top of the corners. They worked like a charm and we had the top in place in about five minutes … maybe even less. I went around and tightened all the bolts. The whole thing was in place in less than an hour.
Julie bought the hanging flower baskets and the plants for our corner pots on Thursday. She also bought four new chairs to go around the table under the gazebo. Their black and tan color scheme goes well under there. And, she bought a new fire pit because we threw the old one away last fall. So that yard is starting to look like summer.
Today, we'll plant the corner pots, get out the wall decorations and the rockers and the bar and the rest of the birdbaths, and we'll be ready to party.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wrapping Up Fiddler
The final performance of Fiddler probably was the best one of them all. It was a great way to end the show. Mike and I and the rest of the guys nailed "To Life." The "Poppa scene" got a lot of laughs. The wedding scene went very well, as did the ending stuff. Everything else in the show was good, too. As I said, "It was a great way to end the show."
Following the performance we did a cast and crew thing, giving Chagall prints to key members of the crew. The three gals that were in The Guild's original production of Fiddler gave Bob the Anatevka sign from that show. Tears were flowing.
I want to tackle The Guild basement and prop cabinets this summer. We really need the basement for rehearsal space and right now it's a mess. I'm going to have John Calder bring in a dumpster so we can throw out a bunch of stuff.
On another matter, The Guild is back in DATA again. Apparently DATA figured out a way to get the "evil" scores removed and every thing is lovey-dovey again. I'm going to skip the award ceremony.
I played golf today and was exhausted at the end of the round. I came home and went to bed and slept for three hours. I think I'm finally crashing from being Lazar Wolf. I actually played fairly well, except for one hole. I had a nine on 13. Hit a crummy tee-shot. Didn't advance the ball very far on the second. Left the third about 80 yards short of the green. Hit the next ball into the bunker. Took two to get out and another to get on and two-putted. Despite the nine, I ended up with 88 (42-46) and our team (me, Jerry Coscarelly, John Yurchis, and Dan Mandernach) won the first place money.
Following the performance we did a cast and crew thing, giving Chagall prints to key members of the crew. The three gals that were in The Guild's original production of Fiddler gave Bob the Anatevka sign from that show. Tears were flowing.
I want to tackle The Guild basement and prop cabinets this summer. We really need the basement for rehearsal space and right now it's a mess. I'm going to have John Calder bring in a dumpster so we can throw out a bunch of stuff.
On another matter, The Guild is back in DATA again. Apparently DATA figured out a way to get the "evil" scores removed and every thing is lovey-dovey again. I'm going to skip the award ceremony.
I played golf today and was exhausted at the end of the round. I came home and went to bed and slept for three hours. I think I'm finally crashing from being Lazar Wolf. I actually played fairly well, except for one hole. I had a nine on 13. Hit a crummy tee-shot. Didn't advance the ball very far on the second. Left the third about 80 yards short of the green. Hit the next ball into the bunker. Took two to get out and another to get on and two-putted. Despite the nine, I ended up with 88 (42-46) and our team (me, Jerry Coscarelly, John Yurchis, and Dan Mandernach) won the first place money.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Final Weekend
Friday Night.
The Friday night performance of Fiddler was strange. Somebody put a live goldfish in a pot or a pan that Tevye carries around in his cart. Mike saw it for the first time when he was on stage for "Richman." It threw him. He got through the song OK, but then dropped some lines in the scene with Perchik. And, between him and me, we invented a new arrangement of lyrics for "To Life." I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but we ended up the first verse with "It takes a wedding to make us say, "Let's live another day." Drink La'Chiam, to life!"
There were some other screwed up places, too. In the wedding scene, I never heard Mendel say, "… not at a wedding." So, I never said, "I have a right to talk." But, the scene is so chaotic that I don't think it makes much difference.
Saturday's performance was great and almost perfect up until near the end. Mike and I nailed the inn scene and, with the mens' chorus, "To Life." Everything else in the first act was great, too.
In the second act, only one Russian made it onto the stage with the Constable during the scene where the Jews are told they have to leave Anatevka. In the dressing room after the show, Mike said, "We (meaning the Jews) should have kicked their ass." And in the Anatevka scene, the scrim came down on Val. Bob said he looked like a weight lifter trying to keep it up. That all happened behind me. I couldn't see what the audience was laughing at. I thought, for a moment, that I had an open fly.
All in all, it's been a good run. Exhausting, but good. I think we put on a pretty good show.
The Friday night performance of Fiddler was strange. Somebody put a live goldfish in a pot or a pan that Tevye carries around in his cart. Mike saw it for the first time when he was on stage for "Richman." It threw him. He got through the song OK, but then dropped some lines in the scene with Perchik. And, between him and me, we invented a new arrangement of lyrics for "To Life." I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but we ended up the first verse with "It takes a wedding to make us say, "Let's live another day." Drink La'Chiam, to life!"
There were some other screwed up places, too. In the wedding scene, I never heard Mendel say, "… not at a wedding." So, I never said, "I have a right to talk." But, the scene is so chaotic that I don't think it makes much difference.
Saturday's performance was great and almost perfect up until near the end. Mike and I nailed the inn scene and, with the mens' chorus, "To Life." Everything else in the first act was great, too.
In the second act, only one Russian made it onto the stage with the Constable during the scene where the Jews are told they have to leave Anatevka. In the dressing room after the show, Mike said, "We (meaning the Jews) should have kicked their ass." And in the Anatevka scene, the scrim came down on Val. Bob said he looked like a weight lifter trying to keep it up. That all happened behind me. I couldn't see what the audience was laughing at. I thought, for a moment, that I had an open fly.
All in all, it's been a good run. Exhausting, but good. I think we put on a pretty good show.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Storms
It's about 0330 and Zoe is scratching at the bedroom door trying to get out. Dixie is right behind her. We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and they both hate thunderstorms.
Sam, a dog I had a number of years ago, used to bark at thunderstorms. That always worked because the storms always went away.
Now, Dixie is on the floor next to the bed in a place where it's easy for me to reach down and give her a reassuring pat. Zoe is under the dresser.
I really prefer Sam's proactive approach, although the barking did become annoying at times.
It's now 0542. Zoe is back in the bed. Dixie is still on the floor. The radar on weather.com says we're out of the woods. But, I'll bet I don't get back to sleep.
Well, I did manage to go back to sleep … right after Dixie settled down on the pillow next to my head. I finally got up about 0830. It's now 1000 and I'm thinking about hitting the sheets again.
Sam, a dog I had a number of years ago, used to bark at thunderstorms. That always worked because the storms always went away.
Now, Dixie is on the floor next to the bed in a place where it's easy for me to reach down and give her a reassuring pat. Zoe is under the dresser.
I really prefer Sam's proactive approach, although the barking did become annoying at times.
It's now 0542. Zoe is back in the bed. Dixie is still on the floor. The radar on weather.com says we're out of the woods. But, I'll bet I don't get back to sleep.
Well, I did manage to go back to sleep … right after Dixie settled down on the pillow next to my head. I finally got up about 0830. It's now 1000 and I'm thinking about hitting the sheets again.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Third Weekend
We had a great house Friday night. It must have bee close to full. They were really into Tevye. Julie says that Mike is so strong that the audience forgives the weaker parts of the show. Julie is probably right. Mike's performance is a real tour de force.
There were some bumps in the road on Friday, but, all on all, it was a pretty good show. Julie liked it and she's a legitimate critic.
On Saturday they were turning customers away and we had another full house. The show was really, really good. The audience was into it and we were feeding off of them and off of each other. I think most of the audience members were standing for the company bows.
The show was good on Sunday, too. The audience was a little smaller as it was Mothers' Day, but they gave us a standing ovation.
I think we finally know the show. It was "under-rehearsed" on opening night. The nine performances we've done have let us fine-tune it. Four more shots at it and a final chance to do Tradition at the PAGE Awards. Maybe we've got a show.
I'm glad I'm with a group that does more than two weekends of the show. You need at least six shows in front of an audience to learn about reaction, etc.
On the Tuesday after the third weekend, the Board decided to withdraw from DATA (Dearborn Area Theatre Association) because of a conflict over the adjudication of The Importance of Being Earnest. A couple of the adjudicators accused our director and producer of planting "laughers" in the audience. We don't do that kind of thing. There have been annoying laughers in the audience in most shows I've seen, and I'm probably one of them. But, I laugh at what I think is funny and well done. The folks these guys heard laughing were doing the same thing. They weren't planted. They were laughing at stuff they found funny.
This probably means that we won't do "Tradition" at the PAGE Awards next Tuesday. That's OK by me.
There were some bumps in the road on Friday, but, all on all, it was a pretty good show. Julie liked it and she's a legitimate critic.
On Saturday they were turning customers away and we had another full house. The show was really, really good. The audience was into it and we were feeding off of them and off of each other. I think most of the audience members were standing for the company bows.
The show was good on Sunday, too. The audience was a little smaller as it was Mothers' Day, but they gave us a standing ovation.
I think we finally know the show. It was "under-rehearsed" on opening night. The nine performances we've done have let us fine-tune it. Four more shots at it and a final chance to do Tradition at the PAGE Awards. Maybe we've got a show.
I'm glad I'm with a group that does more than two weekends of the show. You need at least six shows in front of an audience to learn about reaction, etc.
On the Tuesday after the third weekend, the Board decided to withdraw from DATA (Dearborn Area Theatre Association) because of a conflict over the adjudication of The Importance of Being Earnest. A couple of the adjudicators accused our director and producer of planting "laughers" in the audience. We don't do that kind of thing. There have been annoying laughers in the audience in most shows I've seen, and I'm probably one of them. But, I laugh at what I think is funny and well done. The folks these guys heard laughing were doing the same thing. They weren't planted. They were laughing at stuff they found funny.
This probably means that we won't do "Tradition" at the PAGE Awards next Tuesday. That's OK by me.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Catching Up
Well, let's see.
The economy is still in the toilet.
Unemployment is at 8.9%.
Chrysler and GM are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Dave Bing was elected Mayor of Detroit. He beat Ken Cockeral. Only 14% of the people voted. Bing will serve for the remainder of Kwame's term - seven months. There will be a primary in August and a general election in November.
Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance. Supposedly it was some kind of drug women use. Go, Manny.
A week or so ago some guy on the White House staff authorized Air Force 1 and a chase plane to do a low-level fly-over of NYC. It scared the hell out of a lot of people. What the hell were they thinking?
There was a news item yesterday which reported annual loses of $60 billion because of Medicare fraud. As an example, Medicare was paying a company that didn't exist. It paid them over $400,000 since the beginning of the year. One guy who is now in custody said he left the illegal drug business because he could make more money defrauding the government. Why isn't someone watching this? Maybe the guys that are supposed to be watching are on the take, too.
And, the Taliban are closing in on Islamabad.
"They're rioting in Africa. They're fighting in Spain. There's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain."
The economy is still in the toilet.
Unemployment is at 8.9%.
Chrysler and GM are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Dave Bing was elected Mayor of Detroit. He beat Ken Cockeral. Only 14% of the people voted. Bing will serve for the remainder of Kwame's term - seven months. There will be a primary in August and a general election in November.
Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance. Supposedly it was some kind of drug women use. Go, Manny.
A week or so ago some guy on the White House staff authorized Air Force 1 and a chase plane to do a low-level fly-over of NYC. It scared the hell out of a lot of people. What the hell were they thinking?
There was a news item yesterday which reported annual loses of $60 billion because of Medicare fraud. As an example, Medicare was paying a company that didn't exist. It paid them over $400,000 since the beginning of the year. One guy who is now in custody said he left the illegal drug business because he could make more money defrauding the government. Why isn't someone watching this? Maybe the guys that are supposed to be watching are on the take, too.
And, the Taliban are closing in on Islamabad.
"They're rioting in Africa. They're fighting in Spain. There's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain."
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
2009 - First Round of Golf
I played golf with the Trenton League yesterday. It was my first round of the year. Actually it was the first time I've swung the club. I played with Pete Duran and Jim Urbanski.
I got off to a crummy start, making triple bogey on the first. I hit the tee ball about 175 yards. I got the second through the trees and close to the green, but I chunked the third, made a poor chip with my fourth, and then three-putted.
Then I sort of got it together and parred five of the remaining eight holes and wound up with a 42. On most the holes I hit very good tee shots.
I got tired on the back. I only parred one hole and ended with 45 for a round of 87. Dick had set my handicap at 16, so I ended up with a net score of even par.
I won closest to the hole on 17 and got five bucks. Jerry beat me out on 6. Our team won four bucks a man for second place low net.
Not bad for not having swung the club since the first week in December.
It was a great day. The flowering trees are spectacular because of the long winter. The apple tree blossoms look like popcorn.
It was fun watching the baby ducks. They scurry around the ponds under the watchful eyes of their parent and almost look like the bugs they're trying to catch.
The picture? Yeah, it's a little old. Actually, maybe about 15 years old.
Monday, May 4, 2009
George Aiken
If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.
- George Aiken
George Aiken was a U.S. Senator from Vermont. He was a character. I never knew him, but I knew his second wife, Lola. She was a character, too. George spent something like $26.12 in his last election to the Senate. During the Vietnam war, he told then President Nixon to "Declare victory and get out."
I think the quote above is a good one. It's probably true. We love to hate someone or some group. I guess it's nice to have people to blame for the ills of the world. I don't think I'm prejudiced against groups of people because of race, creed, or color. I do not like stupidity, arrogance, greed, lack of principles. Those are the kind of things we should be prejudiced about.
- George Aiken
George Aiken was a U.S. Senator from Vermont. He was a character. I never knew him, but I knew his second wife, Lola. She was a character, too. George spent something like $26.12 in his last election to the Senate. During the Vietnam war, he told then President Nixon to "Declare victory and get out."
I think the quote above is a good one. It's probably true. We love to hate someone or some group. I guess it's nice to have people to blame for the ills of the world. I don't think I'm prejudiced against groups of people because of race, creed, or color. I do not like stupidity, arrogance, greed, lack of principles. Those are the kind of things we should be prejudiced about.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Second Saturday
Fiddler got a late start because of the full-house. We also had a full-house on Friday night. The show seemed a little flat on Friday. I know I was down. Tired. The Friday night audience reacted to Tevye better than any of the previous houses. Interesting. The audience is the medium in which the play moves.
The Saturday show was better. I at least got all my lines right. It's funny, but I think I "over-live" the show. No two performances are ever the same. Sometimes they're not even close. I get pulled into the moment and sort of go with the flow.
Brian, on the other hand, is very consistent. His stuff doesn't vary much, if at all, from night to night. Mike is more like me. So is Sally, the gal playing Golde. Brian is the guy in the picture.
Seven more chances to get it right ... whatever that means.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time
Today is Richard's 44th birthday. Like I wrote in his card, "How in the he'll did that happen?"
I ate lunch at Famous Hamburger. There are signs in there that proclaim, "Since 1970." That's almost 40 years ago, but it seems like yesterday.
I think maybe time accelerates as you grow older. 40 or 50 years go by so quickly and 40 or 50 years couldn't possibly go by that fast.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
I ate lunch at Famous Hamburger. There are signs in there that proclaim, "Since 1970." That's almost 40 years ago, but it seems like yesterday.
I think maybe time accelerates as you grow older. 40 or 50 years go by so quickly and 40 or 50 years couldn't possibly go by that fast.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Friday, May 1, 2009
Batching It
I'm batching it for the weekend. Julie is off to Maine. The Gleason Gallery is having a one-man show of her grandfather's paintings. I'm staying home with Zoe. Actually I would have gone if I hadn't been in Fiddler, but the show must go on.
Speaking of Zoe, she's on the floor next to the bed. She must be dreaming because she's making little barking sounds. Oops, the doorbell just rang. It's the ChemLawn guy so the dream has ended.
People all over the country are worried about Swine Flu. A lot of people in Mexico are sick and people who have traveled to Mexico are getting it. I think there has been a big over-reaction to it. They've identified something like 350 people with it so far. I'll bet that on any given day there are at least that many people with Swine Flu in the country. That's less than two ten-thousandths of a percent. Now, having said that, I'll probably get it.
Justice Souter has indicated that he will resign from the U. A. Supreme Court in June. This will give President Obama his first chance to name someone to the Court. One of the names on the speculation list is Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan. After Senator Specter's party-switch this will be fun to watch.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Speaking of Zoe, she's on the floor next to the bed. She must be dreaming because she's making little barking sounds. Oops, the doorbell just rang. It's the ChemLawn guy so the dream has ended.
People all over the country are worried about Swine Flu. A lot of people in Mexico are sick and people who have traveled to Mexico are getting it. I think there has been a big over-reaction to it. They've identified something like 350 people with it so far. I'll bet that on any given day there are at least that many people with Swine Flu in the country. That's less than two ten-thousandths of a percent. Now, having said that, I'll probably get it.
Justice Souter has indicated that he will resign from the U. A. Supreme Court in June. This will give President Obama his first chance to name someone to the Court. One of the names on the speculation list is Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan. After Senator Specter's party-switch this will be fun to watch.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
