No more antagonism

That last post was entirely too over-the-top (thank you for the comment all the same, Christian). So I figure, lighter fare from now on. Unless someone riles me again. Whoo boy.

Anyway, my selfish intentions were actually to post links to the reviews for my show, and once I take some time to figure it out, I'll even post a picture of the show up here. It's quite good.

Here are some reviews:

Jeff Recommended (the Chicago Tony’s)

Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times:

"To get straight to the point: Circle Theatre’s revival of Design for Living…is sensational on every level."

Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune:

“Coward's dizzying repartee and discursive discussions of art, commerce, science, love, marriage (and the many reasons to avoid it) bubble and pop like a firecracker in a bowl of champagne punch.”

Fabrizio O. Almeida, New City Chicago, Tip of the Week:

“From the elegant setting to the sparkling and dapper costumes to the persnickety mannerisms, every physical aspect contributes to the production's polished veneer.”

Tom Williams, Chicagocritic.com:

“The comedic timing and chemistry between Lund and Schoeny was smooth and real. These two were terrific…”

Ed Vincent, Oak Park Journal:

“The production is a fine tribute to the pen of Noel Coward and does break most of 10 Commandments, sans murder.”

Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest:

“He presents us with a glossy production that’s neither a mummified museum piece nor a dumbed-down sitcom. [Director Jim] Schneider recreates the era of double intermissions and double entendre with spirit and panache.”

Scott C. Morgan, Windy City Times:

“Circle Theatre’s Design for Living is filled with plenty of skillful fun and full of food for thought.”

Jenn Goddu, Chicago Reader:

“The show bristles with energy, and Jim Schneider's staging ends up coming together smartly…”

Hope everyone is well, come to our house for Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 19th! (I have a show that night, so I'll be MIA from 6 pm - 10 pm) But otherwise, it's the best party of the year (except for maybe Brent and John's upcoming post-Thanksgiving bash).

Oh Dear Oh Dear I've Fallen Off

There's a part of me that believes that no one will actually see this entry, as I have made little headway in post anything to this said blog in the longest of times. I've been pretty damn busy, and my propensity for witty reparte, or even monologuing, has been exceedingly diminished. But here I am, and here you are if you are in fact reading, so I'll make several observations that have come my way in the past two months:

1. I Am Getting Older: My knees have started to go out. I'm 23. I'm considering the purchase of arch supports, and shopped for them covertly while waiting for my friends to arrive so we could see the Aristocrats last weekend. This whole aging thing I fully expected to hit when I got into my thirties. Has my life been so wanton and carefree that I merit a slow physical deterioration. Oh pooh. Pass me the ibuprofen. It's gonna be a wild ride.

2. Don't Argue with a Drunken Mob: Just don't. Take my advice on this. Flippin wankers.

3. Cleansing a la "1984" and "Brave NewWorld" (or "The Giver" what have you): An edict went out last week that, get this, we good citizens must be on the lookout at public transit stations, because terrorists may be posing as homeless men in order to gain information on our transit systems. Report to your local authority whenever you see a homeless person, or someone who could be, on the CTA. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Somehow I find this a little more asinine than the duct tape. Thank you, Tom Ridge.

4. Confidence Is Easy to Come By: I was sucking at rehearsal this past week. SUCKING. And then I realized how little it mattered, and that I knew I could pull off this role, and do it well, and so I went to rehearsal Wednesday and did just that. Come see the show. Warning: I have to show my bum. So now you really have to come see the show.

5. eBay Users = CRAZY: I was going after this book I wanted to give to my sister for her wedding next week, something of sentimental value for both of us that's out of print. I found it on eBay for 3 dollars, which equals about the retail price of the book. Somehow, with seconds left in the auction, I found myself in a bidding war where my final bid was $29, and yet I still got beat out by a bid of $30 because of lagging refresh times. Not to mention the fact that some woman who had outbid me earlier in the week had a bunch of baby items she had bought for her new baby in her eBay listings, right alongside the WEDDING BAND that she bought on eBay as well. I'd love to hear the story behind that.

That's all for now, hopefully everyone is well, much love.

Oh, and my song of the week: Sugababes "Push the Button." Ridiculous and indulgent poppy fun.

News of my demise has been greatly exaggerated

I joked with my friend John this past weekend that perhaps I should make this a monthly installment blog. But that's totally lame. Let's move on, enough about me.

For those of you who haven't experienced the phenomenon of "Ca-brewing," you are sadly deficient in life experience. Of course, much like cornhole, this is probably a closely held Cincinnati tradition, Ca-brewing consists of getting a large group of friends together, renting canoes at a canoe livery on some river, and leisurely floating down said river with a cooler full of beer (or what have you) in the middle of a nice afternoon. You will get drunker than any sailor, and prepare the shock an amazement that alcohol CAN actually impare your ability to operate a canoe. I have the bruises to prove it. But, as I said, this isn't about me.

I went down to Cincinnati last weekend and did exactly what I described above, and happily got to see my family for a bit, as I won't be heading down there again until my sister's wedding in August.

I'm at work right now, and am bored from looking at this computer screen. Perhaps that's why I don't update as often: when it's your job to stare at a computer screen all day, guess what the very last thing in the world is that you want to do when you get home? No, not that. What kind of guy do you think I am?!

But I am alive, though I'm listless. Or antsy. One or the other.

Oh, and I was cast in a show I'm actually getting paid for. Ain't that rich?

I'll update again soon.

Fashionista Shmashonista

Simple question: have any of you been seeing this color an awful lot lately? Now, Paul, as you are in Sri Lanka being an amazing person and helping people that need it (besides ramping up for the introduction of your all new Sri Lankan Diet once you return), I don't expect you to have been washed over by the sea of fashion that each spring brings, but apparently Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Mugatu have all gotten together again to choose the new fashion of the season. Asinine, I tell you. Asinine. I think I've used that word in my blog before. Let's move on.

Yes, apparently there is a convalcade of fashionistas each year (so the rumor goes) that get together and decide upon the colors of the season, so they can all capitalize together on everyone suddenly needing to change their clothes in order to have the latest styles, and therefore keeping the fashion industry alive. I was actually impressed with the color of my friend Natalie's lime jacket when I first saw it. But then I saw another. And another. Now I can't walk down the street without seeing a sea of lime, mostly paired with the pink leftovers of last year. Why do I pay attention to these things? I don't know, an over-active iris perhaps. Regardless, I will now and forever be in blue jeans and a white t-shirt. There's a certain cartoon character nature to my appearance that I like to continue.

Now, for something completely different, I was cast in a new show yesterday. Pretty crazy, but nice, as I was going a little crazy with this new-fangled thing called "free time." The night after Birds closed I was a little lost for something to do. Then the same thing happened the next night. By Wednesday I was near panic at the idea that there were ten thousand things I should be doing but suddenly my creativity had left me. The nature of being busy somehow keeps me busy doing a lot of things. The second my schedule frees up... well, it's just scary.

Last week, however, I got a lot done, I skipped a concert on Monday and cleaned at home instead, saw a movie on Tuesday, went to a play on Wednesday and Thursday, audition on Friday, and then another play last night. Unbelievable how anyone could ever be content just sitting at home and watching TV. Except for the fact that that's mostly what I did today. Well, that, and Tiger Woods 2005. New favorite game. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

At some point during high school, senior year I think, I went and played a full 18 holes with my friends John, Kendall, and perhaps (not sure) Kate Amburgy. Whatever happened to her, don't ask me. After that experience, I somehow learned to enjoy watching golf on television. Don't worry, I don't think pro bowling is very close behind.

Besides, pro-bowling isn't fashionable, and I'm all about fashion. See, everything comes full circle. Thanks for urging me to update guys, I like to think that my seamless ramblings are a little insight into the things I'm doing. But really, if I ever start to tell you about my teeth-brushing schedule, a la The Daily Calme, just shoot me.

Media Baiting

First off, blogger.com, whoo boy, this website likes to chap my brisket. Today marks the second time I have written an enormously long message only to have it deleted when I tried to post. I know nothing is perfect, but come on, those were moments of genius lost! And you wonder why I don't update more often. Nothing like that to crush a guy's spirits. I shall attempt to recreate.

I typically check www.cnn.com throughout the day to get my news. It's moderately informative, with a few main stories grouped with a few "fun" blurbs to keep the People magazine readers sufficiently entertained.

Recently, however, I've been seeing a header called "Breaking News" on the top of the website emblazoned in red, always ending with an ominous tone of "Details soon." What I'm struck by is the complete disregard for the reader's intelligence, expecting us to be cowed by the promise of exciting news to come. News that ultimately ends up not really delivering for the shock that it attempts to drum up.

Now the first time I wrote this it came off in my mind as very cynical, because I brought up the idea of Iraq. But the point of this thought is simply that the most illuminating blurb I've recently read on the media was on the side of a Starbuck's cup, something to the effect that "there is no liberal media, there is no conservative media, there are only reporters seeking for the most sensational presentation in order to captivate their audience." Media tends to play more towards shock than real information, it's a business just like anything else and it's quite disappointing to find that we're being played with.

Anyway, it's because of this that I can understand why Bush says he doesn't pay attention to the news. Not to say that isn't a really stupid statement, if anything he should be the one reading news from multiple media outlets. What I understand is simply that Bush is likely one of the most cynical people in the nation, despite his efforts to infuse optimism and fun into his administration.

I prepared my taxes yesterday. Because they were a little more complicated than usual this year, I took them to H&R Block. In case you haven't been warned before, don't go to H&R Block. I'm paying a lot this year, but a quarter of my charges are from H&R Block. Oy. Not to mention feeling like I insulted my own intelligence by not getting my own taxes together.

But the sum total of my life right now: I have a good job, I'm in a play, I have upcoming auditions, this nice girl named taloo keeps calling me, my apartment rocks, and summer is upon us. The sun is shining. If this isn't nice, what is?

What it's come to

I am actually at work right now and without a scrap of work to do. This is, in fact, what I have resorted to in oder to look busy while I'm waiting for work to get delivered to me. And yet it's super sunny outside. Or rather, it was. Thunderstorms on the horizon. Exciting stuff.

I can't remember the last time I made a fort during a rainstorm, that must have been years ago. Ok, it was last week. But seriously, during summers in Wisconsin there was nothing better than building a fort up in the our creaky musty attic and playing the Milton Bradley game "Pathfinder" (which apparently no one has ever heard of) until dinner time. Or else the rain would stop and we'd go look for worms in the humongous puddles in our front yard. Somehow the muddy memories of my childhood always seem to slip away. I tend to forget I was one tough cookie.

The first bee sting I ever got was out in front of that house. I thought it was a fly. Quite the pest. So I smacked it on the side of my neck. Now that was a feeling of surprise if I've ever had one.

Maybe I'll go buy a Chantico from Starbucks. And take a road trip to Rio. Now that's an idea.

I am belated

Oh boy it is way too late and I am just coming back from the opening night of my show and I haven't even checked to see if Neil left me a nasty comment becuase I promised him I'd update and I didn't.

I can't even begin to express what's running through my mind as so much happens in a month. People take everythinng way too seriously. I think that could summarize the month of any rational human being. Maybe the irrational ones too.

I am in love. Life is delicious. She is wonderful. Her family is wonderful. And full of geniuses.

I need to go to bed before I get too sentimental.

I love chocolate milk. Peace.