Theatre

Last night, my wife and I went to a play entitled Humpty Dumpty at the WaterTower Theatre in Addison. The play, which was written by Eric Bogosian, was staged by a company called Second Thought Theatre, which was formed in 2003 by a group of five actors and playwrights, most of whom got their theatrical training in the Baylor University fine arts department program. The fact that the play was held in a very small theatre, with an audience of no more than 60 people crammed into the tiny hall, made it especially interesting.

The play was interesting. While some of the changes in characters' personalities seemed abrupt and implausible (I assume the playwright can be blamed for those foibles), the actors were very good at directing attention away from those abrupt transitions and toward the characters. The company's website describes the play as follows:

Humpty Dumpty tells the story of a group of young urban over-achievers on a weekend country outing equipped with everything but survival skills. After a huge disaster of an unknown nature strikes, they are forced to reconsider the meaning and purpose within their lives and relationships once the protective shell of modern goods - both material and social - has been broken.

Their next production will be The Caucasian Chalk Circle, by Bertolt Brecht. I've not seen it, nor have I read it, but what little I read about it at the company's website does not appeal to me.

It was a bit on the long side. It started at 8:00 pm and we did not get out of the theatre until 10:30. Being out at an unusually late hour (for us) gave us the opportunity to indulge our need for a snack. Rather than go through the hubbub of finding a restaurant that serves appetizers, we stopped at the local Kroger's and bought doritos and jalapeno bean dip to eat at home.

Anyway, going to a play made me think of the fact that my wife has been wanting to get season tickets to the theatre and I think that's a likely candidate for a present for her sometime soon. In the meantime, I got tickets to see The
Santaland Diaries, the David Sedaris piece about his stint acting as a Santa's elf at Macy's during the holiday season. We've heard Sedaris reading his piece on National Public Radio; it was hilarious. He won't be in the play, of course, so it remains to be seen whether it will be as entertaining. Unlike last night's play, The Santaland Diaries will be held on the WaterTower Theatre's main stage, which is considerably larger and has room for many, many more audience members (though it's not a huge facility; I'd guess the main stage theatre will hold about 200 people...though it could be double that, considering it has a second level).

I've often thought of volunteering at a theatre company...doing anything...to get a behind-the-scenes look at how a play is planned and produced. While I have a good idea of how it comes together, my idea is based on my perception and it may have nothing to do with reality. I've thought about it, but never acted on it; maybe it's time to actually explore that.

Speaking of exploring things, my wife and I visited an artglass shop a week or two ago and marveled at the wonderful artwork on display. In addition to sophisticated art in glass, the shop had stained glass on display, as well as complete stained glass projects. What I found most appealing was the fact that they offer classes. I have talked...for years, and that is not exaggeration...about learning stained glass, but have never found a class that was convenient, affordable, fit my schedule, etc. This time, though, I think I found it. They've not published their 2006 schedule yet, but my guess is that I'll be taking at least one class sometime next year. I'd further guess that it might be a present from my wife, who tends to remember such things as gift possibilities.

Enough for today, at least enough nonfiction. Maybe I'll turn my attention, later today, to some of the fiction pieces I've started. Rather than post snippets on the blog, though, I think I'll try to come closer to finishing some of them before releasing them to the world.

Respite

I'm back to blog briefly, though don't know how long it will last. I needed time away from it...probably still do. I was away from Thursday afternoon until yesterday (Friday) afternoon at a client association board retreat. It was held at the incoming chair's lake home about two hours east of Dallas, on Lake Holbrook. The intended "let's bond" atmosphere did not emerge for me, probably because of my contribution to the "share a secret" game the host set up. Each person was to share something interesting about themselves that others at the event would be unlikely to know. I decided to share that "I lean to the far left, politically." I knew that would go over well with this group, many of whom avow their super-patriotism by making verbal assaults against victims of hurricane Katrina, countries that do not readily roll over to U.S. imperialistic demands, etc.

Anyway, the response was predictable. "You're in business for yourself and you're a liberal?!" How could that be, they wondered? My revelation simply goaded them to their worst. I took it all without comment; I just thought to myself, "what a bunch of utterly uninformed idiots!" I did, that is, until one of the most demonic republicans among them talked at length about how great a person Paul Newman is for all he does for the world. I pointed out that what Paul Newman does in lending his name to good causes and contributing money from his salad dressing sales to charities is suspiciously liberal in tone. "Not all liberals are bad, but most of them are," the ugly American responded.

I Am Loudon Wainwright III

Sometimes, I wonder who I am and how I get here. The last few evenings, I have been listening to a CD my oldest brother made for me. An entire CD of Loudon Wainwright III music.

Mind you, I have had this stuff for well over two years now. But somehow, I just got around to listening...really listening...to it. I've listened to it before, but it didn't catch me then. It has now.

I think I know, now, that I am Loudon Wainwright III. I know, I know, that cannot be. But maybe it is. You see, I think I wrote all of his music. And I think I'm the one singing. I realize my voice is very different from his, but I must have been possessed when I made the album. Have you ever seen Loudon Wainwright at the same time you've seen me? I rest my case.

Seriously, the guy's music is absolutely outstanding. It's music I wish I had written. It is storytelling at its pinnacle. Would that I could do what he has done.

OK, so now you know. Loudon Wainwright III. Bob Dylan. Greg Brown. Leo Kottke. I'm a groupie, I guess. It's disgusting, but fun!

For the Love of Spyware

Today, after quite awhile of dealing with problems on the computer in use by the young Australian lady who joined my staff recently, I decided I had to give up. No one could figure out how to remove all the adware, spam, etc., etc. that had found their way into the machine. Reinstalling Windows, getting the latest and greatest virus and spyware killers...nothing worked. So, after screaming silently for hours and hours, I went to Best Buy to get a new computer. I bought one...one day I'll write why Best Buy is destined to go down in flames like Service Merchandise...and it is now in the back seat of my car. When my wife arrives home from a client monthly meeting tonight, I'll transfer it to her car. Tomorrow, my little (actually, quite tall) Australian will spend her time loading all sorts of software on the computer. I will spend my time at Municipal Court, wondering if I will be selected to be on a petit jury.

Spyware is worse, in many ways, than malicious viruses. The writers of both deserve one thing: to be slowly butchered, in stages, and forced to watch as ravens, buzzards, rats, and wolverines tear away their wounded flesh. These dudes write nasty code just because they can. Code that does immeasurable harm to businesses, individuals...lots of people. They are the same sorts of vermin who join gangs so they can attack and abuse people. I'm opposed, in principal, to the death penalty in most cases...for these guys, though, I'd take pride in throwing the switch, jamming the needle into their tight little arms, or plunging the dagger into their neck.

Jesus, I'm testy today! I'll stop writing so my natural mellowness will envelope me again. Deep breath...slowly exhale.

Demons and Daylight

I wrote bizarre little piece about 'my demons' on Saturday, but it was over the top. I might be able to sell it, though...some people lap that stuff up.

Yesterday, I walked 7.6 miles...far beyond what I should...and today I'm paying the price. Wounded lower back, still chafed, wanting to know the appropriate middle ground. But still wishing I could do more of it. Do it more often. Walk instead of drink and eat when I get home from work. I should do it.

Wednesday this week I have jury duty. Thursday afternoon and Friday I go on a board 'retreat' to a board member's lake home about 1.5 hours east of Dallas. I'd rather eat nails. Saturday evening, my wife and I are going to a play. I can't walk myself into a bleeding, chafed, worn-out idiot before the play, that's for sure.

Recently, I decided that dawn and dusk are the times the roof-rats are active in the attic. Not sure whether they leave in the morning and come back in the evening, or vice versa. I wish they would leave, never to return. I don't care whether they leave at daylight or dusk...I just want them gone. Daylight. That's an odd word, isn't it? The word is no doubt older than artificial light...or I think it is. So, why attach 'day' to light? Surely there were no night lights before electricity.

I received an interesting email this morning entitled carrot, egg, coffee. A young woman asked her mother how she could deal with her demons and her bad luck. Her mother used three pans of water to boil a carrot, an egg, and coffee. After 20 minutes, she asked her daughter to tell her about what was in each pan, then explained the point of the exercise: The hard, unbending carrot, when faced with the adversity of boiling water, became soft. The fragile egg, when faced with the adversity of boiling water, became hard and unyielding. The coffee, when faced with the adversity of boiling water, merged with the water to yield a pleasant aroma and a wonderful taste. The mother asked her daughter to explain the lesson. It was as expected: when faced with adversity, are the you sort of person who will yield and be molded by adversity, will you because hard and brittle, or will you make the most of the situation? Not a particularly attractive lesson, but a lesson nonetheless.

My wife, out of the clear blue (and without reading my blog...I know, she never does), showed me an ad from the D/FW Ethical Fellowship, "a non-theist, ethics-centered community of people dedicated to deed before creed." We'll see..."

Walking

Well, I guess I have to use the blog for something, so I'll record the occasional accomplishment. Yesterday's walk was probably 3 miles, if that. Today, though, I did a long one, indeed. I walked 7.6 miles and have the aching feet, angry knees, and badly chafed inner thighs to prove it. The walking shoes are goners...I finally threw them out when I got home from the walk; should have done it ages ago.

I've been reading about walking shoes, how to prevent chafing, how to deal with it, the best clothes to wear to avoid chafing, etc. I bought another pair of shoes today, since the old backup pair actually was worse than the ones I wore out.


Now, I just need to get into the habit of walking daily...I was in the habit for a long while, but got out of it.

Time Out

I may take some time out from blogging. I wrote some things yesterday that I chose not to post...one a snippet from a piece of fiction I am calling 'The Sacred Civil War' and another a piece I called 'Veterinary Priest.' Neither were satisfactory. It's possible that both of them will be stuffed into a closet, never to see the light of day. I think I need to decide what I want to write about...personal travelogues, personal poetry, novels, short stories, political diatribes, or all of the above. If the latter, I need to get better across the board.

I have yet to finish my personal travelogues of the shrimp-fest in Falba and a couple of others. Maybe I have adult onset ADD. I can't seem to finish one project before I move on to the next. I think, though, it's more likely that I just want a different environment. The heat and hate of Texas are taking their toll on me. I'm perhaps the worst of the haters, but that's getting old. I want to mellow a bit...treat everyone better, including myself. I'd love to move somewhere else and start over. If only I could figure out how to get my wife on board with the idea...just drop it all and start anew! I think we could have a wonderful life, if we could just risk it all. I'm feeling a need for church, without the religion.

Anyway, I may continue to write a little on a daily basis, or I may not. I just want to remove yet another little obligation. I should spend my writing time walking, anyway. And I should reduce the booze and the food. Speaking of food, lunch today was not bad...fish tacos for me, fried oysters for my lovely wife...there I go again! I have to get back to cucumber and radish mode!