I think that I shall never see...

In light of the recent " Nor' Easter" and the havoc it played on the trees in the yard I had a tree service come by today and do some pruning etc.

I didn't lose any trees in the yards - a few blocks over everybody lost everything- but A few considerable branches came down and a ton of twigs. That's a great word, I vow to use it more often. Twigs.

But , an ounce of prevention and all that. So the call was made.

They arrive with two huge trucks- a cherry picker and the hugely entertaining woodchipper. There are few things more satisfying than watching a huge log turned into mulch in a few short seconds. And that grinding noise! I suspect the dinosaurs must have made a similiar sound because it connects to some preconscious Fred Flinstone pleasure center in the brain. ( I think we might have gone to The Fred Flintstone Pleasure Center on vacation during the '60's. It was in wisconsin if memory serves.)

Here's the breakdown A Big Irish Mug named Mike drives the truck and acts as foreman , three spanish speaking gentleman stay on the ground and clean up the debris as the tree is being sliced and diced. This can be harrowing to watch as these guys go rushing in to grab branches off the ground as others are falling all around them. Harrowing, but cool.

And then there is "Paul" who does the cutting. He is another spanish speaking gentleman of average height and build. Not a big guy by any measure but certainly not small either. It was thrilling to watch this guy work- I was talking to him , I turned away for one second, turned back and he was ten feet up the tree- running chain saw in hand. It was that scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ( the fight in the branches of the willow trees )come to life.

This guy takes great pride in his work so he was 'scuplting' the tree from the inside, while taking care not to crush the guys working on the ground, while scampering up and down the branches, while keeping up a running commentary on what he was doing.It was a utilitarian Cirque de Soilel right in the backyard- stuff was getting done in a compelling and entertaining way.

As my father used to say " I love hard work, I could watch it all day long"

.......arooney!

This is a bit obvious- many people have already commented on this phenom- it would seem like something Andy Rooney would enjoy talking about - but I must comment.

A few weeks back A letter arrived from the good people who run the census "Hey keep an eye out, your census form will be arriving soon"

okay

Soon, as promised, my census form arrived. I filled it out and sent it back.

I love the census, always have.

Today, a card arrived from the good people who run the census "Hey, we sent you the form, did you send it back?"

C'mon.

Should I expect a letter six months from now- "Remember when you filled out and sent back your census form? Those were good times."

And we wonder why people are apprehensive about health care reform.

Hey, I love Health care reform! Long overdue! Maybe now I can actually go see a doctor occasionally (well in four years anyway)

But, should I be expecting mail every few months from health care central? "Hey. how you feeling? Alright?"

we got ourselves a convoy

A random observation;

I'm exiting off of the Sunrise Highway tonight getting on the Southern State Parkway- Ahead of me there are seven trucks and/or suv's- I drive a pick up truck- and behind me three more suv's.

If we were organized we could invade a small country.

Am I that guy?

Oh the shame.
I do believe I am ....That Guy- the guy who starts a blog writes a couple two , three entries and then leaves it abandoned in cyber purgatory.

The shame.

Here's an entry to try and lessen my guilt.

It's 2010, why are we still having this discussion? In some cases , this argument. That's an opening statement that could lead to dozens of different conversations but here's the one I am thinking of. Bad Economy- belt tightening- hard times? Cut Arts Funding.

I admit I have a pony in this race, a dog in this show- I make my living (......... okay I've stopped laughing) in the arts. In the theater to be precise. And right now I am on the sidelines as two of my annual gigs, school musicals, are very close to being cut from the budget.

Why is this an activity that is looked on as a silly waste of time? I was at one board meeting once where a member of the board threw her pencil down on the table in disgust and refused to continue until we stopped talking about art and music and resumed talking about real education.

I just worked on a production of SOUTH PACIFIC at a high school. Between Cast, crew, costumes, and pit orchestra there were nearly 120 students involved.

During rehearsals we had discussions about WWII and about how the world changed after that. Many of the kids read the source Material and researched the era for information regarding sets and costumes.

They were singing some of the most beautiful and important songs in the history of American Theater. Songs that many of them had never heard before.

I had talks with some of the kids about how working on the shows takes everything they do in the classroom and gives it a practical application.

Classroom work is the foundation of every school but it's the sports and the arts and other outreach activities that create the community of a school. All of the parents and friends and family who attend the games and come to the concerts and shows are an integral part of the school community. It's all these activities that encourage people to have pride in the students and their accomplishments.

I get it , cuts have to be made and a big activity like a musical ,that costs a lot of money, is a tempting target. Look a little deeper, look some where else, make a hundred small cuts, not one big one.

I know I'm naive. I don't get it.

Talk to people who have been out of school for 10, 20 , 30 years- what do they remember about their days in school.

But you already know the answer.


(alright I'm a little rusty, but I'll try to come back more often)

......that guy

So the other night I wandering around Facebook (that mind numbing, soul robbing phenom) making my way through the acres of quiz results, when I came across a half dozen posts from one of my "friends"

He's at a concert and from the concert he is giving a play by play, or should I say song by song, breakdown of the show. Complete with lyrics and the memories that the songs are stirring.

May I make a suggestion? PUT DOWN THE DAMN PHONE AND WATCH THE SHOW!! ENJOY THE SONGS! If you must write about it , do it later at home!!!!!!!! BUT NOW WATCH THE SHOW!!

What the hell are we letting ourselves become? Can't we have an experience any more? Do we have to stand outside and comment on everything? We're becoming like the Japanese tourists (sorry Japan for the gross generalization) we all use to make fun of, who would travel the world and see everything thru the cameras viewfinder.

for the love of god........don't be that guy.

.......that guy

you're at an intersection- four way stop sign.

The guy, let's say the guy to your right is sitting there not moving, no blinker on- decides he's going to direct traffic , so he waves you on. You know that little flip of the wrist thing "go on! C'mon what are you waiting for?"

invariably he has tinted windows so you can barely see his pitiful wave anyway.

Don't be that guy.

penny candy

Is there a better television station than TCM? Don't think, I'll answer for you.......NO.-

Watched "GRAPES OF WRATH" Last night- it is August, time for SUMMER UNDER THE STARS, each day devoted to a different star. Yesterday , Henry Fonda.

There are so many incredible moments and performances in that movie, moments that even the casual movie fan are familiar with... "wherever there's a cop beatin' a guy , I'll be there..."

But as I watched the movie again last night there was a scene early on that took my breath away- Pa Joad and the two kids go into a diner and ask to buy a loaf of bread for 10 cents.

It can't possibly last much more than a minute and other than Pa and the kids all the actors are supporting players but it is played perfectly ,not one false note. It is filled with disdain and humility and misunderstanding and finally compassion and simple charity.

This scene could have gone soooooooooo wrong but it becomes a thing of simple beauty.

Get this movie- watch it again