Gratitude List

I thought that before I draft up the New Years list for tomorrow (and it is already in ink), that I should take a few short seconds to reflect back on this year. We are always in such a hurry to move forward, that I am learning it is helpful to stay in the same spot for a short while and take a look around. I would say this has been a good habit for me to grasp the past year. Here are some milestones; some huge and others just a wee stirring.

Macy's Parade with the Madison Scouts - obviously a HUGE highlight and bucket list item in so many ways. I always regretted that I had to leave before my age-out year. I have stayed close to members and the activity, but it was a personal gift to re-enter the ranks and recreate the magic in such a huge way. The bonding, the work ethic and the adrenaline rush of icy cold New York with Balloons and Santa. I have seen many parades in my life, but this was tops.

New York with Jeff - we have had small getaways to Duluth or Des Moines. But in all our time we have never had the adventure of a real whirlwind vacation. This was great life lessons, sightseeing and company.

Waylon - all dogs are great companions. But this one is truly the best I have ever the pleasure of sharing in my life. What a playmate and sweet soul and I never tire of the morning ritual of wet kisses to wake me up.

My Summer Garden - each year there are the inevitable sad losses that a Minnesota winter can bring. This year it was my two gorgeous trees that I had planted in my 1st years here. But the seasons also bring the colors of old friends back and the addition of new ones. I can never spend too much time in the warm sun watching the flowers change from day to day.

the Firepit and Sunsets at Lake Calhoun - There is something about dusk, the bright colors of the sun on the horizon and water. I spend many a night just sitting on the grass taking it in. Or starting an evening fire and toasting up a marshmallow with a glass of red wine. Definitely a summer boy.

Harvest trip to Erie with Class reunion - I think I love getting home to see family most of all in the late Fall. The trees ablaze, the smell of grapes being harvested and apples all around. There is never enough time. But I was very fortunate to reconnect with old friends and spend quality time with family across many miles.

Summer Drum Corps and Winter Guard - I can't believe that 40 years later, I am still involved in this crazy activity that few really understand yet it gives me such joy. The sound of a wall of brass on a field or the soaring of a beautiful flag to the right piece of music. And that I get to judge this is amazing; that I am often the best seat in the house. I truly love the great things that continue to happen and emerge.


my Cabaret work - this had been a vow of mine a few years back. I don't know that I have retired from stage work, but have certainly been on hiatus. But the cabaret work I do with TCCAN has given me the home I have been seeking and the opportunity to become the artist I always wanted to be. I can spend hours digging up a lost piece of music, working on an arrangement or listening to obtuse recordings hoping to find a gem. And then I get to sing and share it with others. Look for much more to come on this front in 2015.

Resolution Report Card

Thought before I start to fire off the new list of 2015 Resolutions, I should do a bit of evaluation on how I did the past year. I can tell in advance - expectations were too high and deliverance was not on par. Boo Hoo, time to reset.

Baking/ Cooking - B+; the goal was to fire up the kitchen at least once a week. This was probably my strong suit. Facebook posts showed much of the output in terms of baking from cookies to cupcakes. But in between, there were several crock pot dinners, a warm breadmaker or fires over the summer in the firepit.

Twitter - A; was to become my voice for a political agenda. This Blog is my rant for all things dainty, comic and hopefully occasionally something profound. But to me Twitter is a chance to stay current on important issues and "speak out" on things that matter to me - with a barb thrown here or there! 276 posts means almost every day.
Basement - C-; there were several attempts, a few boxes shifted and runs to the thrift store with clutter. The new storm windows almost got put in after 2 years, but we missed the "opening" before the cold set in. Not likely a winter project - on hold til spring. (I did find the lost holiday stockings.)

Scanning Pictures - B-; There were often the #TBT pics from my past. If not every week, a few times a month. Especially after the trip home with a bundle of vintage snapshots. Now to organize them in my digital folders.

Happy Hour/ Game Nights - F; epic fail. Maybe a few cocktails on patios with a Groupon. But otherwise nothing on the calendar panned out. Big regrets on this one!

Letters - C; an old resolution that has stood the test of time. To reach out to family and friends with a real stamped letter. Maybe not as strong as previous years, but the intention was still there. Always a matter of time.

Book a Month - D-; I don't know what happened. I used to be a voracious reader in school. Maybe I burned out on text books? All I had to do was read one a month and I got through 2 and 2 1/2 books. That makes it more than 4 months to read a single novel. Dreadful.

Wellness - D; I did take in a few Gorilla Yoga classes at the lake. Doctor visits. And some mental time out brought my blood pressure down. But not the rituals that it should be. I'd kill for a hot tub or sauna for inspiration.

Vacation - B+; I was supposed to have that respite on a sandy beach. Alas that didn't happen. But I did have a great NYC trip with Jeff and the Madison Scouts, an Erie trip for a class reunion and a few good judging trips to get away and find a nice restaurant.

Out of the Blue Christmas

I feel like my Christmas online presence has been lacking a bit this year. Time and energy seem to be in other places. So it is with holiday joy that I share this video with you. 

This song is one of THREE that Kool 108 constantly plays out of the 1000's that could be in their holiday hit list. The other two are anything by Andy Williams or Amy Grant. I change the channel on any of them. And I found the Mariah Carey "live" mishap quite hilarious. So it was with some trepidation that I actually pressed the click link.

But I was pleasantly surprised by the Oxford rendition of this tune. It is campy, playful and just enough of a detour away from something Glee, that I thought it might be worth and additional share. Ho Ho Ho!

iPod Mania

I felt like I was one of the last to join the MP3 media circus 10 years ago. I loved my CD library and was hesitant to convert to something on my computer. But I was persuaded to move on over to a 80GB early model. It gave me hard drive issues at one point and was factory refurbished. But as today, it has managed to bypass several crashes or drops and is still my go-to model to plug into the stereo. (Although Google Play gives it a good run for my money despite limited space for my eons of digital music.)

I had several early run-ins where I would accidentally uncheck the entire library while adding playlists. iTunes was much less user friendly in those days. But now my Virgo tendencies have the total library sorted out in my own determined genres, rare cover-art added in and Playlists to handle any season of the year or mood swing I might have. It is safely backed up on an external hard drive that could easily fit in my pocket instead of the bookcases of CD and album stacks littered around the house.

The whole point of this post is that while these iPod Classics are now discontinued as the streaming world is the preferred mode, my original model is worth upwards of $300-400 from vintage collectors. Not that I am quite willing to part with it yet! But it does amaze me that what used to be a collectible went back a few decades or generations, it now stands that a mere 10 years is a lifetime in consumer products.

Planting a Little Seed

This post has absolutely no relation to the holiday season. But because I am an avid gardener, there is never a bad time to be thinking about spring and the bounty of new seeds.

Each year I am trying to be a more conscious nurturer of the earth and harvesting seeds to share with others. I am sure I have shared Seed Savers down in IA who has a whole mission to preserve heirloom varieties and endless vaults of historic seeds stored. The idea of seed sharing is becoming increasing popular just like recipe sharing or book clubs. Take what you have and spread it around.

Duluth - organic and granola city that it is, has even used the local library system to support this sharing. That is until Dec. 1st when it was shit down by the MN Dept of Agriculture. The reason given is that the seeds are not formally tested prior to distribution. This same department regulates the selling of seeds which is circumspect in my mind. I understand permits et al.  But this is ultimately about sharing with other like minds and I don't see the conflict overflowing into the commercial sector. Every year I give small handfuls of my garden to family. Or pass roots off to a neighbor who is wanting some of my fabulous colors. Is this a violation of state horticulture? What about the seeds I purchase through a local garden center - am I entitled to a full refund if any those seeds do not emerge? Steve Malone from the State says that normally batches of 400 seeds are tested. Is this really necessary for library patrons that are bringing in packets of 25-50 seeds? Another example of bureaucracy.

Starry Starry Night

Not really Christmas related, but something for these long winter solstice nights. In the Dutch town of Eindhoven, artist Daan Roosegaarde has paid homage to its most famous resident, Vincent Van Gogh, by creating a glowing bike path that relies on solar-powered LED light. The half-mile walking and bike path is lit by 1000s of tiny solar powered lights that emulate the impressionist works of the painter. Beautiful swirls of shattered indigo and turquoise bursts of color on the foot path. Another small item to put on the travel Bucket List.

 

 

Some Holiday Love for Donny & Marie

Many of my close friends know that I have always had a thing for the Osmonds; particularly Donny over as many years. I have been an avid fan for decades and watched him emerge as teen superstar, into pop-soul singer, then a theater junkie in Joseph, and back to his television stints as host of his own show and $10,000 Pyramid. (I did not tune in to see his triumph on Dancing With the Stars) His 2 holiday discs are the first to come back into rotation this time of year. His voice is still tops and I admire his cynical humor that has dodged tireless bullets.

I saw this great article in the Washington Post that reflects back on the team of Donny & Marie as they continue their 6 year run in Las Vegas. It seems genuine and sincere with a learned perspective. I admire them for never selling out and defying odds of their squeaky clean image that still haunt them to this day. I'd gladly buy a ticket to their show and be widely entertained. Until then - check out his solo holiday disc which is great for some fireside festive cheer.

Donny & Marie in the Post

It's Peter Pan

In anticipation of the Peter Pan Live on NBC; it is likely to amass just as much scrutiny and smearing as last year's poor Carrie Underwood in the Sound of Music. I'm not quite sure if I will be tuned in for it.

But here's some money's worth for it delivered by the delightful Jane Krakowski in a parody for Funny or Die. It is part Jenna from 30 Rock in desperation as she models her Tony Award, dons a ridiculous accent, snorts fairy dust and attempts to fly off of a folding chair. Only hoping that the actual show is this entertaining.

Jane Krakowski IS Peter Pan 

Hudson River Park

New York green space news... Although it will certainly not be there when I arrive this week.

But fabulous things have been happening in Lowertown Mahanttan over the last decades with the revitalized Battery Park and the High Line walkway. Now another mammoth structure comes in this Hudson River Pier Park. Between Piers 54 & 56, there will emerge a lovely park on top of the water covering 2.7 acres. Largely financed by a foundation formed by the billionaire couple Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. 

 
The development pics look like something from a tropical island planted in the canals of Venice. The entire park would be supported by 300 mushroom shaped columns. A huge park lawn, an amphitheater and an additional small stage would make it a huge summer destination... and also not interfere with the bass marine sanctuary surrounding it. I think it looks fantastic and will look forward to seeing it on a future trip.


 

Packing and Planning for NYC

In case ANYONE hasn't hear yet. Jeff and I are off to the Big Apple next week for the Macy's Parade and Thanksgiving. I have seen the event a few times before live and grew up marching in parades all over the country. But it has always been a Bucket List item to be IN the Macy's Parade. How very lucky that my old alma mater the Madison Scouts are celebrating their 75th and leading Santa into Herald Square this year. It has been 6 months in the planning, but now that the uniform has arrived, tickets are bought and a schedule on the calendar - the reality check is setting in.

If you are watching at home please stay tuned until the very end. I am fortunate to have a great drill slot in the front row center, so chances are good that you will catch me at least for a short glimpse as we enter. If you are in NYC, take the risk and venture out as it points to great weather that weekend. I am hoping that we get the total experience and are able to watch many of the balloons and celebrities pass in front of us as we wait to step off.

Parade Website

OK Go - Again Amazes

I have posted their work in the past. They are the epitome of catchy pop music which I love! But they have started a brand of incredible intricate music videos that go along with each release. They are always a mastery of a conveyor belt acrobatics that are shot in one continuous take from beginning to end. Their art director must have multiple degrees in quantum physics as well as drum corps drill writing.

Here is their latest called "I Won't Let You Down" shot somewhere on a campus location in Japan with new techno motor scooters by Honda. Clever at first and mind boggling by the end! Give these guys a short film Oscar as this far outshines the music video genre.

Costume Parade

The big day has arrived. I have some effort into a costume, part borrowed from work and some scary make-up. Usually just something to scare the few kids at the door. I know Jeff wrestled with putting something together for his work team theme. No major parties this weekend for moi. But it would feel incomplete if I didn't carve the pumpkin and participate.

So instead, I will align with one of the HUGE trends invading Halloween; Pet Costumes. On Facebook, everyone is posting and I have seen that stores from Target to Chuck & Don's have jumped on the bandwagon with swag for all pets at steep prices. Apparently if you sell it - they will come. Waylon would never stand to wear anything much less a leash. He will be having a dandy time as the doorbell rings time after time tonight. Alas, some voyeurism via everyone's favorite Dog Blog, SidewalkDog.com. There are some pretty unique and clever costumes out there.



 

Ultimate Scary Shit

No idea how credible this Halloween tip actually is. I am reading it as a posting from the Associated Press and not the Onion. But if true, this is right out of a Wes Craven Horror film. Our story begins in the squeaky clean suburban village of Farmingdale NY. Setting the stage are a decorated house with typical pumpkins, cobwebs and a fake graveyard. Getting creepier is a nearby apartment building where one starts to notice a trail of what appears to be blood. Jarringly next, a severed head with long black hair face down in the street. And ultimately, next to the house is the remaining body, hands at the side. The scene was so macbre, that everyone who noticed it at first thought it was a Halloween prank. Not to be - all true.

Then mysteriously, a short hour later, an unnamed 30 year old man is struck and killed in the same town by a Long Island Railroad train. Too suspicious? It certainly sounds like it. Creepy crawly for sure!

Trickster More Than Treats

I have been sitting on this video prank for a short while and trying to find the right opportunity to tie it in for a posting. This is hardly Halloween or scary, but certainly qualifies as a major mischief prank, which I am all about.

They are a brother duo from Norway called Ylvis based on their last name; Vegard & Bard Ylvisaker. Somehow the art form they do falls between cabaret and performance art. Watching them, they have a vast range of talents and smarts. My only familiarity with them is their Pop song What Did the Fox Say? I thought they were an emerging pop act, but in actuality this song is merely a spoof parody in the vein of Weird Al that somehow managed to find world conquest and not at all indicative of the true work they usually do. In their homeland, they are media darlings that span the broad array from radio, television and music.

The video link here is a prank they collaborated on with a luxury hotel (uncredited) and broadcast on a network television special. They are able to monitor the guests as they enter the elevator, comment to them via the sound speaker and manipulate the elevator experience with hilarious results. They manage to speak and sing in every language possible; all in the context of improvisation. An amazing pair and I need to pay closer attention to their antics and work. I was only able to load the 1st of the 4 episodes. It is well worth your effort to click on the YouTube icon to find the other 4 listed as well. Hilarity ensues

Scarier Costumes

From the world of freaky Clowns, we digress to the genre of Scary Ladies Outfits. Another fun video feature from BuzzFeed. Five guys try on ridiculously awkward and supposedly sexy Halloween costumes for women. By pictures, they look straight off the rack from either K-Mart or Lickety Split downtown in the warehouse district. None of them is flattering - on male or female. All are cheaply made and not worth the price tag for a single wear. And bordering on offensive in terms of a tawdry Nun or a loose Girl Scout. But maybe the point is all about fun and jest? No idea what I will play out as. Good thing I work at a theater with racks of storage on the 4th floor.

Scary Clowns

As we approach the stretch of Halloween, something that leans toward the haunted. I have no idea what I will dress as. I have never been afraid of clowns - coulrophobia to be exact. I have heard some negative feedback on the portrayals of the current American Horror Story but have not seen it yet. I know I did torment my baby brother a bit with a ventriloquist doll which sort of constitutes a clown fear. 

But here is a photo album of hairy gay men who take the art of clowning to a new level. Part Cirque and part Beastie Fantasy. Done by Dusti Cunningham, I thought they were good for a look-see. Maybe erotic camp?? Should I try it LOL?

What Would Your Gay Wedding Be Like?

It seems that the momentum is on in the next step of gay equal rights. The Marriage Equality quotient is jumping exponentially. None of us would have guessed this even a short two years ago. I am lucky to have that option here in MN although I am not quite ready for wedding bells any time in my near future.

I did go to a glorious wedding of friends late this summer that was a perfect ceremony in every way for the two that made the leap. So I thought this brand new sketch by Key & Peele sheds some humor and enlightenment on any of you that might not have had this sort of life experience YET.

An Actor's Life For Me?

It has been several years now since I have trod the footlights on one of our Twin Cities stages. It has been a self-imposed hiatus and everyone once in a while I think "that was a great show, I wish I was up there doing that with them." But for the most part, the frustration and lack of logic prevails. I have found my niche in the non-profit world where I have much to offer despite the duplicate lack of income. I do know however, that it will not come to an end after 6-8 weeks. I also am still plenty connected to the theater world as an Ivey evaluator and am performing more than ever with my solo cabaret work. So the creative element is still very much intact - just refocused maybe. In honor of tonight's Ivey Awards, 2 theatre snapshots.

Here are two other feeds that give some additional perspective on my choice. The first, in utter seriousness, offered up by Cracked blog; 5 Awful Things Nobody Tells You About Being An Actor! View the whole posting for details which are boggling and entirely true. But here are the bullet points.
5 Awful Things 

• 1. You aren't building a real skill set. - the things you apply will never make you a marine biologist or non-profit lobbyist.
• 2. Most roles have nothing to do with Acting. - look at any of their examples auditioning for a 30 second commercial spot.
• 3. You will never be considered for the Real roles that require Acting - because of SAG casting conundrums that benefit the Real working population. At least Equity work is more tangible.
• 4. Your faith will be exploited. - most of the real creative process is done by writers and directors. You are merely the puppet bringing their vision to life.
• 5. You won't make enough money to live on. - enough said.

The other feed is more comical and is a photo feed of ridiculous promo pictures that have gone to press at the expense of poor actors. I think we have all been in shows that have some merit, even if minimal. But what usually lives on in shelf life, are the images that try to capture a moment. And face it, the good theaters know this and pay a pretty penny to make sure it is sealed up in a time capsule. But what about the onslaught of others, community and elsewise, that are trap us actors in a nightmare of eternal digital hell. Here are but a small few from an endless Tumblr feed that needs to be seen to appreciated. Please add yours to the list.
Show Nuff

 

Go Jump in the Lake

I am always a sucker for Dog posts. This one from Huffington Post, a photo essay by Seth Casteel now in a coffee table book. Apparently this is a sequel to his original book Underwater Dogs. This one caters to the cuteness of puppies only. His work started as trying to assist in finding forever homes for adoptable dogs. These pictures have stunning definition and expressions.




I am always amazed by Waylon in the water after a stick or stone. He goes right under full head and all like bobbing for apples. They do say a 1000 words.



 

Bill Maher Gets Nasty in MN

Election Season is coming into the final stretch and just around the corner. Admittedly, I have been reticent to pay it much mind. I am still stung by the lack of creditability and accomplishment coming out of any of our legislative bodies. I have also gone numb with much of the action coming out of the Presidential end as well. I am truly of the mind that leans independent and believes our system needs a release from the two-party monster that has deadlocked out democratic process.

All that being said, I was jolted back into the fray with Bill Maher's recent lashing of our own MN Rep John Klein. He is not my district so I have paid him very little mind - which is near criminal considering his track record and that he apparently "represents" my voice here in MN. In terms of civil rights which is paramount to me - he has a scored a perfect 0% from the Human Rights Campaign which is tantamount to inhumane. These aren't just against gay marriage and climate change - but shutting down the government, stem cell research, minimum wage - the list goes on and on. Here is the brutal attack against him in the Flipping a District wager.

Heathcliff

A surfing item that caught my mind from BoredPanda nonetheless.

I think this looks really cool. But the ultimate question is why???

2 Things: Why do you need to drive the car into the upper floor and stair down. Can't you just park the car and walk in? Seems like the car would crush you when the thing finally unhinges and collapses down on you.

Also - if you own the cliff where this is built, isn't the view exactly the same from the ledge and maybe even a little bit more grand looking out from slightly a high vantage point?

Cliff House

Genius of Jimmy Webb

This post could probably qualify as a piece for the TCCAN blog which I also author. I am doing a mini-cabaret set in Oct (which will get plenty of marketing in a few weeks) and it all centers on the fabulous music of Jimmy Webb. If you think you don't know him - you do. MacArthur Park/ Up Up and Away/ Didn't We/ Witchita Lineman. I have always been drawn to his incredible writing and it seemed the time to put something highlighting him onto a stage for me.

The difficulty I found, was that despite being so prolific and recorded by so many greats, his music is difficult at best to come by. There are snippets of his major hits available on line - mostly in horrible keys. I found an old reference book at the library authored by "Jim Webb" dated 1972 and was able to copy a few pieces from it. Mary Keepers was gracious enough to lend me another old piano/vocal selections she had with tattered pages. Of course I did not want to limit myself to just the obvious songs when there is other great material to mine.

So I used the wonder of the internet and tracked down his site and started a long conversation with Laura Savini who I later found out was his wife via some liner notes on CD. It took a while for contact to be returned. But we have since had some helpful conversations on his lesser known works. She obviously has connections. I was so delighted yesterday to find Dropbox links sharing two of his original charts. How lucky and fortunate is that!? It just goes to show - it never hurts to ask. Stay tuned for the October TCCAN gig.

United Sweets of America

 

Just because we are going from the warm summer phase into the Fall phase, the crock pot will inevitably get pulled out and the oven will be reignited. Last night was one such night where we got a late-night craving for cookies and made a round to Cub for the Nestle's drop-and-bake variety. They were a huge disappointment at best; we had opted for a batch of the German Chocolate. They just sort of sat there as brown blobs on the sheet and were nothing like the great chocolate zucchini bread from a week back with our own garden harvest. I guess you get what you bake out of a recipe.

So today I see a "creative" blog article where they take a culinary map of the US and match it up with a "designated dessert." Mind you, only a few are official state desserts. Most take a common product noted from the area and attribute it as an assigned sweet. Most make logical sense. Boston Cream Pie, NY Cheesecake, Florida Key Lime Pie. MN ranks with a 7 Layer Bar associated with our pot luck dinners. A few I have never even heard of. Huckleberry Pie from Idaho and Gooey Butter Cake from Missouri beg a little bit of intrigue. The whole thing might make for an interesting baking experience of one per week throughout the calendar year. Sweet tooth?

Slate State Desserts

Warming Up for the Iveys

They are just around the corner. I have fond memories of last year with my Mom as a date and have been in attendance every one of the 10 years now. Since I have been on both sides as a performer in shows and the Awards themselves, and now as an adjudicator - it gives me a full perspective on the state of our very large and fortunate theater community in the Twin Cities.

This is a funny promo clip with Friends both @Ben_Ballentine and #ReginaMarieWilliams that was posted to promote the show. It is a parody of the silly habits we have as actors. I know who I voted to be winners; what about you?

Beauty Makeovers

This has never been me. I have dabbled in an occasional hair color when I get bored looking at myself in the mirror. I went through a bad perm when everyone did in the 80's and also tried a pierced ear to be cool until I soon realized I wasn't. I guess I choose to make my fashion statements by the clothes I wear and not my face itself. How very GQ of me!

But I had to chuckle at this Sad And Useless blog entry that shows everyday people and their progressive makeovers into famous celebrities. It may be a trend I have missed out on and should try. But who would I best be? Joan Rivers? Spike from Buffy? What's his name from Simon and Simon? I have gotten each of these at some point but would much rather be thought of as a Jake Gylenhaal or Chris Evans. Maybe I will fire one back for my upcoming birthday and get some feedback.

Make Up Transformations

 

National Dog Day

I know I write a lot of about dear Waylon, but I would be remiss if I missed a shout out to him on this special annual day. For anyone who has taken in a poor and disoriented shelter dog and given them a second chance in life. They should all be this lucky.

Yesterday I took a day of summer vacation and he frolicked in the waves of the St Croix until he was exhausted. Just a shore of water and a piece of driftwood. Today he spent the day at work with me sprawled on the floor and tonight he got a trip with us to the Dairy Queen where he got to lick the cups of my cherry sundae. life is good for him!