So, you really are out there.

Recently I changed to the new Blogger interface.  I must say for writing the blogs and posting, it will take a little getting used to.  I think I like the old interface better on the writing end, at least so far.  But oh, the fun of the new dashboard.  It tells me how many views I get a day/week/month/or year. It tells me were people are viewing me (I even have readers in Russia!! exciting) and it even tells me if you are on your computer, or iPhone or android device, and what browsers are being used.

This is exciting for me because it lets me know people are reading my blog, even if few people ever post on the blog.  So to my readers out there around the world, "HI!" I am so glad to know you are reading.  So I have a simple favor to ask.  If you are reading this blog, please take the time to 1) leave a comment with your name, city you live in, and any suggestion you may have for a topic of a future blog; and 2) take a minute to share my blog with a friend or 2 (or 20).  If you do me this favor I promise to respond to each of you personally, and write a blog on your selected topic, no matter how obscure or strange it might be.

So let's see if you're REALLY out there.

When words won't come.

I am a man who loves words. Reading them, speaking them, writing them.  Yet lately the words won't come.  I have been on a writing hiatus for the better part of the past month, and I am often left nodding in response to a persons comment, or shrugging, or just hugging my wife.

When a loved one passes, I am guessing, this is common.  And when the passing was more or less unexpected, the loss of words is probably more intense.  People ask me how I'm doing, or how my family is.  We are alive and trying to keep life flowing, with minor moments of uncontrolled crying.  We are trying to live our normal life with out falling into the hole that was left by our loss.  And people around seem to be at a loss as to what to say to us.  This is okay.  Please know that you don't have to say anything.  In fact the words to the following Charlie Peacock song say it best.

Now Is The Time For Tears

Charlie Peacock

Now is the time for tears
Don't speak
Save your words
There's nothing you could say
To take this pain away
Don't try so hard
You can just simply be
Cry with me don't try to fix me friend
That's how you'll comfort me Heavenly Father cover this child with mercy
You are my helper through this time of trial and pain
Silence the lips of the people with all of the answers
Gently show them now is the time
Now is the time
Now is the time for tears 

So if you see me, and I'm not my normal fun and chatty self, know that I am still grieving. And if you see me chatting and acting crazy and having, know that I am still grieving and that tears might follow soon.  Don't be afraid to talk with me, but also don't be afraid to be quiet with me, or to just listen.  Sometimes the words won't come...but that's okay. 

Party All The Time

So maybe it is sign that I have grown old.  Maybe I am just a fuddy-duddy; but I am strongly convinced that there is more to life than partying all the time.

It seems that there are many people who think that the world revolves around one great big party, and work is just an inconvenience you put up with so you can earn money to buy more alcohol for the next round of the party.   

I blame my generation for this attitude among the younger generation.  We wanted our kids to have it better than we did, so we handed them what we could as they grew up.  Now there is a generation of young adults who expect to be handed anything they want (and why not, the government seems to think that's a fine way to do things).

Some day these young adults will wake up and realize that the babies they made while partying are suddenly in need of braces, new clothes, and maybe a college education, but all the partying has kept them from getting a decent job with benefits, and no one is there to hand them what they want or need.

Sorry if I'm being grumpy, but really folks, there is more to life than Party All The Time.
Love ya!

unbalanced

Change is never easy, especially when it is change brought about by a death in the family. With the recent loss in our family, Bekkee's family, that is her brothers are naturally drawing closer, and spending more time at our house. This is great in that it is more support for Bekkee's dad, and mor ecousin time for the kids. But at the same time it has thrown my time stream out of whack. my computer time has declined, and my bed time has gone haywire. Just trying to regain balance. I'm not complaining...just need time to rebalance.

Civil Disobedience: Blue Like Jazz, Hunger Games & The Avengers

Civil disobedience is part of one of my favorite scenes in the new indie film Blue Like Jazz. In the scene several character dress up like robots and invade a large Barnes & Noble style bookstore to protest the mega-store controlling what we read. A very fun scene.

This has made me think that we fans of Hunger Games need to stage our own act of Civil disobedience on May 4. May 4 is the opening of yet another comic book movie--The Avengers; and experts are predicting it will out sell Hunger games, and knock the film from the top of this year's box office charts. I'm sure Avengers is a fine film, but I really was blown away by Hunger games, and would like to see it maintain it's hold on the top for the year.

So I am calling all Hunger Games fans, no matter how many times you've seen it, to go back to the theaters on May 4th and pay to see Hunger Games AGAIN!! keep it at the top of the box office, even in the face of The Avengers. And if you really want to see Avengers too, sneak in to see it after you've seen Hunger Games.

April (snow) Showers

So this winter was for the most part terribly dry, and our first big winter storm hit the last weekend of winter (after I had totaled my AWD Matrix) and we have had 2 or 3 more good storms this spring. Friday night was the latest, and dumped 4 to 6 inches of snow around the Lake Arrowhead area. But today the sun was out full force with highs in the mid 50's, so alot of the snow has melted, and is soaking into the ground or running down into the lake. That's what I like about spring snow showers...they don't hang around on the ground as long. Now just hoping this was the last snow of the season.

We will miss you Jimma

Yesterday morning I learned of the passing of Dr. James Young, or as he was better known to his students, Jimma. Jimma was my theatre professor at Wheaton College. He was certainly the most influential teacher I ever had. More than anyone in my life he taught me to accept my self for myself, and try to be who anyone else thought I should be. He taught me to embrace life, embrace God, and embrace the laughter and tears that life brings.

I was first introduced to the Theatre program at Wheaton by a fluke of housing placement. My freshman year at Wheaton I was assigned to Fischer 2 East. This was the 1983-84 school year, otherwise known as the last year the Arena Theatre was housed in Fischer 1 East. As a courtesy to our floor being directly above the theatre (and possibly to bribe us not to be noisy during their performances, they gave our whole floor free tickets to the final dress rehearsals of the shows. I remember Mad Woman of Chailot and All My Sons...can't quite recall the third play of the season, but I loved them all. The following year when the Arena Theatre was relocated to Jenks Hall, I knew I had to have season tickets. I loved the Theatre, and as a Sophomore struggling to make grades as a Chemistry major I kicked myself for not having auditioned for Workout my freshman year.

At the end of my sophomore year I knew that in order to avoid flunking out I had to change majors. I switched to communications. This allowed me to take Intro to Theatre and finally become involved with the inner workings of Arena Theatre. I got involved in the production end, working on sets and lighting. I helped mix the soundtrack recording we put together for the 1986 (I think) production of Godspell (I still have it saved now as mp3 files if any cast or crew would like a copy) and when it came time for Merchant of Venice I had the honor of being Jimma's assistant director.

I don't remember all my college classes, all my college friends, or even all my professors; but every memory of my time in Arena Theatre I hold dear. Many of my best friends on Facebook came from the workout group, and I still have many Christmas cards from Jimma (I could never bring myself to throw them away). Sadly I had let life's small details and absurd busy-ness keep me from maintaining contact with Jimma. I always told myself "you need to contact Jimma" and sadly I never listened to myself. Now it is too late for me to contact him. But I make the promise now to not let the important people in my life slip away. I hold and treasure you all my friends. I will always remember Jimma, and miss his vitality and love of life.

Walk forever in God's light my friend.

The Hunger Games (Spoilers)

Okay, I'm not planning to give anything away, but depending on what you know or don't know about the book/movie, there may be spoilers.

When I first saw the previews for The Hunger Games it instantly reminded me of two of my favorite stories from my growing up days: 1)The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, and 2) Logan's Run, the classic 1976 science fiction film. I saw The Hunger Games as a cross of these to classics, mixed with a bit of Survivor (the long running CBS reality (?) hit).

When I saw the film it went far beyond my expectations, easily becoming my favorite film of the year so far. The acting was first rate, from the amazing young actress Jennifer Lawrence, and from supporting actors Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson and Donald Sutherland.

I also am a huge fan of the music, both the score by James Newton Howard, and the Soundtrack album put together by T-Bone Burnett. The music is as haunting as the story. And it is the story, the brilliant story-telling that sets this film above the Twilight series, and even above the Harry Potter films. Now don't get me wrong, I am a fan of both these series, even the dialog in the twilight films is often awkward and/or unrealistic, I enjoy the films And I have followed Harry and his crew for over a decade as they have grown. But this story just wraps itself around you and draws you in.

I recommend this movie with ultimate enthusiasm. I am sure it will be in my top five still at the end of this year. Watch this music video to catch just a small touch of the emotion (yes I cried within the first ten minutes) and strength of this film.

Reset Week

Well, needless to say, March was a very rough month, which ended with the passing of my mother-in-law. Needless to say, my New Years resolutions all took quite a hit, bottoming out with stress eating, and my inability to focus on writing or reading.

So last week I took a break and had what I will call a Reset Week. I blew off all efforts to follow my resolutions, and just tried to sort through everything that has been going on, and all the clutter in my mind. I spent some time with my mom, who was in the hospital, and is now in nursing care at a physical therapy center.

It was a calming week, and did allow me some time to just think...and time to NOT think also. For my resolution chart, i gave myself a zero for the week. But now I am ready to get back on track; put the stress, and its accompanying stress-eating on the shelf. Get back to reading and writing, and tackle the resolutions anew with full force.

Thank you all for your support over the last few rough weeks.