Sunday, January 29, 2006
Variety is the spice...
One of the things I love about my job at the Union Theatre is the sometimes dada-ish arrangement of events. On Friday evening I worked a performance by "internationally recognized" Canadian tenor Ben Heppner which was really great. That was followed up on Saturday with a beat poetry competition and a concert by Daara J, a hip-hop group from Senegal. Usually when I know I'm working a hip-hop show I get a bit apprehensive. This is based solely on previous events that have just sucked. Daara J however was really amazing and the guys were great backstage. Go to this site and listen to the selections. Tonight I'll be at work once again for the CD release of a local Irish/Celtic band called Rising Gael. Anyway, it was a great weekend of some really really cool music from opposite ends of the spectrum.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Little things make me happy...
I got home after a less-than-stellar day on Wednesday to find a package waiting for me. This package was from Germany and instantly put me in a happy mood. My wonderful friends Sabine and Niklas took the time to send me a few things to remind me of my time with them. Sabine found a gorgeous picture book entitled, "Deutschland; so schoen ist unser Land". It's so nice and will give me an excuse to practice my language skills. Also included were some Milka pralines which I believe is a brand only found in Germany. Niklas also got involved with a drawing he'd done for me and a paper airplane and boat he had made. He also made me this Christmas card which I think may be the most adorable thing ever. I feel like some sort of proud uncle. Anyway, I was in the best mood for the rest of the day after getting a package from Europe.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
hmmm...
I've finally been reading about Alito. For the longest time, I've felt very bad because I disliked him just because Bush nominated him. That's really a poor reason to be against a nomination but so it was. Today, though, after my reading, I have actual reasons which pleases me in a strange way. Most importantly, I am very leery of his past support for unchecked Presidential power. I also don't like that Alito was prepared for the Senate hearings by the same people that gave legal advice to Bush on the NSA phone taps. So much is just rough. Anyway, after my reading, I was out walking and this poem came into my head (it's cliche but that's what I do):
TO The States, or any one of them, or any city of The States, Resist much, obey little;
Once unquestioning obedience, once fully enslaved;
Once fully enslaved, no nation, state, city, of this earth, ever afterward resumes its liberty.
Oh Walt, you speak such truth! Anyway, ponder the meaning, think about current events, discuss.
Keeping with these events, I want to take a moment to recount a highlight. Yesterday, during the hearings there was a rather heated exchange between Senator Kennedy and Senator Specter over the subpoena of documents from the Library of Congress. The exchange basically went like this:
Kennedy: "I want to see these things about his possible involvement with a racist/misogynist organization at Princeton."
Specter:"Screw you Ted, you can't bring this up now. If you wanted these documents you shoulda said something earlier."
K: "Uh, I totally wrote you a letter on December 22."
S: "There's a huge difference between sending a letter and receiving a letter. I take great umbridge that you presume to tell me what mail I got."
K: "So...about the documents..."
S: "I am the chairman! (mutters about the difference between sending and receiving)"
*Later*
K: "I'd like to enter these documents into the record."
S: "What are they Ted?"
K: "This is the response I got from you saying that you received my letter of December 22. And this one is my response to your response."
S: "Oh."
Democratic political bloggers: "Oh shiiiit, Ted just put the smack down!"
Republican political bloggers: "Ted Kennedy is fat!"
*Later* in a break...
S: "Well, I got the letter but I didn't know it was important. If he really wanted those things he should've said something to me at the gym."
K: "I haven't been to the gym in a while."
OK, sorry about the script. I was feverishly watching the drama play out on-line. In other news, Alito's wife ran out of the hearings in tears. We think it was a publicity stunt to garner public sympathy. Gag me! In another exchange, things went kinda like this:
Senator Kohl: "What do you think about O'Connor's dissent about government seizure of private property?"
Alito: "That's a tough call, some people will be mad, some will be happy. It could be good or bad."
Kohl: "So, basically you have no thoughts and you're wasting my and the nation's time."
Alito: "..."
This post is officially out of control. Please call your Senators. There are important things we need to protect: privacy, congressional oversight, non-discrimination laws, juristic freedom, checks and balances. Remember Whitman's words and for God's sake call somebody.
TO The States, or any one of them, or any city of The States, Resist much, obey little;
Once unquestioning obedience, once fully enslaved;
Once fully enslaved, no nation, state, city, of this earth, ever afterward resumes its liberty.
Oh Walt, you speak such truth! Anyway, ponder the meaning, think about current events, discuss.
Keeping with these events, I want to take a moment to recount a highlight. Yesterday, during the hearings there was a rather heated exchange between Senator Kennedy and Senator Specter over the subpoena of documents from the Library of Congress. The exchange basically went like this:
Kennedy: "I want to see these things about his possible involvement with a racist/misogynist organization at Princeton."
Specter:"Screw you Ted, you can't bring this up now. If you wanted these documents you shoulda said something earlier."
K: "Uh, I totally wrote you a letter on December 22."
S: "There's a huge difference between sending a letter and receiving a letter. I take great umbridge that you presume to tell me what mail I got."
K: "So...about the documents..."
S: "I am the chairman! (mutters about the difference between sending and receiving)"
*Later*
K: "I'd like to enter these documents into the record."
S: "What are they Ted?"
K: "This is the response I got from you saying that you received my letter of December 22. And this one is my response to your response."
S: "Oh."
Democratic political bloggers: "Oh shiiiit, Ted just put the smack down!"
Republican political bloggers: "Ted Kennedy is fat!"
*Later* in a break...
S: "Well, I got the letter but I didn't know it was important. If he really wanted those things he should've said something to me at the gym."
K: "I haven't been to the gym in a while."
OK, sorry about the script. I was feverishly watching the drama play out on-line. In other news, Alito's wife ran out of the hearings in tears. We think it was a publicity stunt to garner public sympathy. Gag me! In another exchange, things went kinda like this:
Senator Kohl: "What do you think about O'Connor's dissent about government seizure of private property?"
Alito: "That's a tough call, some people will be mad, some will be happy. It could be good or bad."
Kohl: "So, basically you have no thoughts and you're wasting my and the nation's time."
Alito: "..."
This post is officially out of control. Please call your Senators. There are important things we need to protect: privacy, congressional oversight, non-discrimination laws, juristic freedom, checks and balances. Remember Whitman's words and for God's sake call somebody.
Monday, January 09, 2006
everything old is new again...
It's a new year...on a new continent...I thought it was time for a new look. Tell me what you think. I'm afraid the banner may be a little too channel5 news...
Saturday, January 07, 2006
I went for a little walk...
I went for a walk today to see what I could see/glean of my new neighborhood. I found a few things that stuck.
1-The Hooters sign. What?
2-Huh?
3-Overheard at the hobby shop: a discussion between ugly middle-aged men about the finer points of model railroading. Is it acceptable to feature an "hourly rates sign" on your model motel? Only if there are tiny little pinups of naked "chicks" visible through the model doors and windows. This conversation then developed into the ugliest one telling the others about the time he almost went to the Playboy mansion. His wife ("the wife") gave him permission to cheat on her as long as it was with someone who had a household name. I pretended to browse until I couldn't listen to the story any more.
I enjoyed my walk.
1-The Hooters sign. What?
2-Huh?
3-Overheard at the hobby shop: a discussion between ugly middle-aged men about the finer points of model railroading. Is it acceptable to feature an "hourly rates sign" on your model motel? Only if there are tiny little pinups of naked "chicks" visible through the model doors and windows. This conversation then developed into the ugliest one telling the others about the time he almost went to the Playboy mansion. His wife ("the wife") gave him permission to cheat on her as long as it was with someone who had a household name. I pretended to browse until I couldn't listen to the story any more.
I enjoyed my walk.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Dear Ambition,
Remember us? I don't know what happened but I miss you and I want you to come back. Was it the move? Do we only work in London? I was so sure that what we had was special and that we could keep the spark Stateside. What happened to all the plans we made? We had such zeal in London, we were really clickin' for a while. I've been lost without you. I saw a future with you and now that we're not together, I don't know what I'm doing. The desires and lust for life that I so fleetingly felt have left me now feeling lost once again. I know we can rekindle the flame if we just work at it a little. Will you at least see me now and then until we can figure something out? Please call or just stop by. In the meantime I will (hopefully) be looking for you.
miss you,
Jason
Remember us? I don't know what happened but I miss you and I want you to come back. Was it the move? Do we only work in London? I was so sure that what we had was special and that we could keep the spark Stateside. What happened to all the plans we made? We had such zeal in London, we were really clickin' for a while. I've been lost without you. I saw a future with you and now that we're not together, I don't know what I'm doing. The desires and lust for life that I so fleetingly felt have left me now feeling lost once again. I know we can rekindle the flame if we just work at it a little. Will you at least see me now and then until we can figure something out? Please call or just stop by. In the meantime I will (hopefully) be looking for you.
miss you,
Jason
Monday, January 02, 2006
Buh Bye 05...
Hello everyone. I'm very sorry for the lull that has occurred on this page since my trans-Atlantic journey. Never fear however because the dust is finally settling and I should soon be back on a schedule.
I have found and moved into an apartment on Madison's lovely West Side. I'm still getting things sorted out but the outlook is good. I'm really happy with this place and all of it's amenities: spacious rooms, lots of closet space, private-ish bathroom, in house laundry, large balcony, fireplace in the living room, gym, free tanning bed, outdoor pool, indoor hottub, free breakfast M-F, and the first month of rent was free. Also, it's not a retirement village which is good. My only complaint right now concerns Madison Metro. I've lived in Madison a little over 5 years now off and on. I still have a very hard time trying to understand the bus schedules and maps. Today, on two separate occasions I tried to get a bus to Target and ended up getting so sick of waiting that I went back home. After the second attempt I discovered that apparently January 2nd is a holiday for Madison Metro so service was running on a holiday schedule. Is that weird or just annoying? I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out soon though and then hopefully, in a little while I'll be able to get myself a car.
Anyway, as it is a new year, I've decided that the best thing to do would be to reflect on the MANY shitty things of 05 but maybe dig out the good things as well:
Bad:
-Tsunami (even though it happened in 04, I'm counting it)
-Hurricanes
-Earthquake
-London Bombs
-So many plane crashes
-Mr. Bush took office again
-Diva was put down
-the Gateway got stolen
Good:
-I done graduated College
-I got to spend half a year living abroad
-I met an amazing group of friends
-The year began and ended with European adventures
-Smoked mozzarella between lemon leaves
-I read a lot of awesome stuff
-I worked on two movies
-I got a sunburn in November and swam in a Sea
If you've got any additions, I'd love to hear them. Take care all you dispersed people, Happy New Year, I miss you (those of you who are away) and I'm glad to have you back (those of you that are here).
I have found and moved into an apartment on Madison's lovely West Side. I'm still getting things sorted out but the outlook is good. I'm really happy with this place and all of it's amenities: spacious rooms, lots of closet space, private-ish bathroom, in house laundry, large balcony, fireplace in the living room, gym, free tanning bed, outdoor pool, indoor hottub, free breakfast M-F, and the first month of rent was free. Also, it's not a retirement village which is good. My only complaint right now concerns Madison Metro. I've lived in Madison a little over 5 years now off and on. I still have a very hard time trying to understand the bus schedules and maps. Today, on two separate occasions I tried to get a bus to Target and ended up getting so sick of waiting that I went back home. After the second attempt I discovered that apparently January 2nd is a holiday for Madison Metro so service was running on a holiday schedule. Is that weird or just annoying? I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out soon though and then hopefully, in a little while I'll be able to get myself a car.
Anyway, as it is a new year, I've decided that the best thing to do would be to reflect on the MANY shitty things of 05 but maybe dig out the good things as well:
Bad:
-Tsunami (even though it happened in 04, I'm counting it)
-Hurricanes
-Earthquake
-London Bombs
-So many plane crashes
-Mr. Bush took office again
-Diva was put down
-the Gateway got stolen
Good:
-I done graduated College
-I got to spend half a year living abroad
-I met an amazing group of friends
-The year began and ended with European adventures
-Smoked mozzarella between lemon leaves
-I read a lot of awesome stuff
-I worked on two movies
-I got a sunburn in November and swam in a Sea
If you've got any additions, I'd love to hear them. Take care all you dispersed people, Happy New Year, I miss you (those of you who are away) and I'm glad to have you back (those of you that are here).
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