Leaf Head
By shnewt | October 10, 2008
Topics: photopost | No Comments »
Some Things In Life Can Be So Interesting
By shnewt | October 10, 2008
This Blog isn’t one of them.
However, last night we had a very unique (to us) experience at a small, dingy theatre around the corner from where we live. It was a show put on by The Tomorrow Collective. 4 times a year, they assemble a mix of strangers with artistic abilities and put on a show called “Brief Encounters”. Last night’s was their 10th attempt so naturally, it was called “10 Brief Encounters”.
But what is it? They pair 2 strangers together and give them 2 weeks to put together a performance piece to be played out live at the next Brief Encounter. The friends we went with yesterday had a sibling in the first Brief Encounter a few years ago and exposed us to this iteration. 6 acts. 12 people. The results range from the entertaining, to the bizarre, to the bit awkward to complete amazement. The pairing of artists pushes the boundaries between different mediums. For example, the first act was a Rap DJ spinning and scratching records accompanied with an Opera singer. Another act was a ceramics artist with a theatre artist. The theatre artist wrote an original story which he narrated while the ceramics artist played our the story while making live pottery. It was hilarious and awe inspiring at the same time. There was a marine biologist (?!?) with a film maker, a break dancer with an acrobat, a contemporary dancer with a blues singer (she was unbelievable) and I think the crowd favorite, an indo-fusion dancer with a spoken word artist.
It’s funny what you find in your own backyard. We had no idea these things were going on. Then you stumble across them for one reason or another and it pushes a little life back into you. We become so insular and routine that we forget the world around us. It’s good to stick your head out every now and again to take a look around.
Anyway, here’s a professional review of the 10 Brief Encounters event.
Topics: good stuff... | No Comments »
What The Hell Makes Newspapers So Special?
By shnewt | October 10, 2008
Taken from the website where you can place your number on the National Do Not Call List.
Registering on the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) will not eliminate all telemarketing calls. There are exemptions within the Rules that may allow calls from organizations such as charities, those with whom you have existing business relationships, political parties and newspapers.
Topics: Dazed and Contused. | 3 Comments »
Foot Loose
By shnewt | October 8, 2008
So I’m taking this week off from work. Why? Because I can. Actually, with all the overtime hours accumulated over the summer, they throw us a few comp days once the dust settles. Generous, eh? So I picked this week. I was hoping to give myself a project of some kind (i’m looking around the apartment and itching to renovate) but I’m not sure what I can do.
1) Fix the ceiling in the front hall. I don’t know how to drywall! And how would you drywall a ceiling? Better call a professional
2) Put up glass tile for a back splash in the kitchen. What if it comes out crooked? I’ve never done this before. Better call a professional.
3) Paint the walls. I would have to bring in scaffolding. Scaffolding! The walls are about 22 feet high! Best left for a professional. Besides, I want to put in wall sconces to improve the lighting.
4) Put in wall sconces to improve the lighting. I’m pretty sure this would entail ripping a strip through the walls to lay the electrical. Then there is the whole… electrical thing… Now that’s a job for a professional.
5) The downstairs bathroom. Oh man, don’t get me started… and no bling bling for what we want to do.
6) Put up a new chandelier. Do you know where I can find a really huge, cool chandelier that won’t make us mortgage our house? We’re looking for something over the top. You can’t take something like a chandelier too seriously or it just becomes… sad.
And the list goes on. And on. We either don’t have the money… or the know how. Rachel found an electrician on Craigslist that has his papers but he suffers from left side paralysis. So you have to do all the work but he tells you what to do. And because he’s certified, it’s all legit with the city. He didn’t say but I would think it should be about half the price because… well… you know… Still sounds a bit creepy to me though. But good for him… Good for him.
And I started my writing class last night. So far so good. I’ve learned that basically anything I write will be crap. But it will get edited. The key is to write as much crap as you can.
That, I can do.
Topics: nothing better to do... | 1 Comment »