Blogger keeps telling me to try the "new Blogger." I have no idea how long that notice has been there, but I am betting it is a really long time... Wondering if I should go into the office and unplug my refrigerator. Wondering if everyone should go into the office and unplug the refrigerator, and the printer, and the clock, and anything else that consumes power... It looks like we're going to staff our own bubble camp rather than send either kid out this summer... Is tree pollen good for anything? We have a ridiculous tumbleweed of the stuff in the yard... Catching up on "The Last Dance." Only two episodes to go... Gib5on is obsessed with printing things and having them laminated. Good thing we have a laminator. Is it worth going out in a pandemic to get more laminating sheets? I'm sure they have them on Amazon... I had to pull all the photos off my phone to free up enough memory for it to update. That seems like it shouldn't have to be that way. I'm sure there's a way to set things so it isn't... Of course the day after the Bombshell Concert streamed on video is the day they announce they are launching a Smash musical for Broadway - whenever there will be a Broadway... He doesn't look any more foolish wearing a mask than when not wearing a mask. Maybe a little less... So I bought a bike, now I need a lock and a helmet. Got any suggestions? I've been away from a bike for quite some time... I'm attending an online aerial rigging workshop. It's nice to hear some high end content. Sometimes school can get a little cloistered... Just for the record there doesn't appear to be anything living under the deck... There is no data showing that either party benefits from voting by mail. The opposition to this is just for the noise value... The diet thing just wasn't going to happen today. Being in the house all day really encourages snacking. I got to get out of the house more... The spending spree continues. I've ordered so much stuff when boxes arrive I have no idea what is in them... Monday night was what would have been the NYC Cocktail, the usual milestone that marks the end of the year. yet this week I had meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and tomorrow - and then one a week from Monday. Someone missed a memo...
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Ellipses...
Have to keep posting or I will lose momentum... Last night was the traditional end of my working year. Today I got scheduled into two meetings this week and one in June. I think someone missed a memo... Are you watching Harley Quinn on DC or SyFy? Pretty awesome show. I recommend it... I went to the store today. Did something not without risk ostensibly for corn salsa. It is good salsa though... The Sodastream people crossed me up. The last return label was UPS. This one was USPS. I'm glad I went to a desk and not a drop box... We're spending quite a bit of energy trying to determine what production is going to be in the Fall. Seems like maybe we should be spending that energy on closing the sale that there will be students in the fall... Gib5on was doing a worksheet for school today that asked him to write the names of his two favorite people. He picked Sabian and an avatar from his Pokemon online game. That was real esteem building... I bought a bike, with fairly minimal research. I hope I like it. I can certainly use the activity... Thinking about taking a course to become certified as a contact tracer. Apparently the country will need 300,000 of them and you can work from home... I wonder if instead of paying a sitter we could just spend the money on toys and rely on the kid to entertain himself - it's not like we're going out... It sounds like we're going to try to stop using GrubHub. We're going to need the restaurants to step up their game a little to do so though... I think it is reasonable to assume that I will not be using the snowblower I bought this February. Taking it to the storage unit feels like it could cause it to snow in June though... The camps haven't thrown in the towel yet, but it is looking more and more likely that the kids will be spending the summer at Camp Dad. I will have to brush up on my lanyard weaving...
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Worth a Look
Here are a few posts from last week's Greenpage that might be worth your time...
SAG-AFTRA Requiring Members to Seek Union Approval, Due to Coronavirus
Variety: SAG-AFTRA is requiring members to seek union approval before accepting any new work, citing health and safety concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
The union, which represents about 160,000 performers, posted the urgent notice on its website on Thursday.
What We Learned When the 12 Largest Entertainment Unions Gathered to Discuss the COVID-19 Pandemic
Playbill: On May 6, leaders from 12 major unions and organizations in the entertainment industry gathered for a call to discuss their current efforts to support the hundreds of thousands of members who have been affected by the shutdowns associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
Discrimination During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Actors' Equity Association: Actors’ Equity condemns the surge in COVID-19 related hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A family with two small children was stabbed in a Texas grocery store. A woman was attacked with acid in front of her Brooklyn home. Nearly 1500 racially motivated attacks on Asians in the US have been reported since mid-March, including refusal of service, vandalism, verbal harassment, and physical assault. Asians are being irrationally targeted during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Stage Design: Tradition of Diversity
The Theatre Times: Germany applied to UNESCO for intangible cultural heritage status, citing the highest concentration of theatres in the world. And in the small cellar theatres and large concert halls, for all the plays, puppet theatres, operas and musicals: stage designers are always working behind the scenes to ensure audiences enjoy a special experience at every venue. In an interview, set designers Katrin Nottrodt and Philipp Fürhofer provide insight into the world of stage design in Germany – and tell us what they find particularly fascinating about their work.
No, moshing and crowdsurfing will not be allowed when concerts resume
www.altpress.com: The live music industry has made various headlines over the past few months. From Arkansas scheduling their first socially-distant concert to Live Nation announcing their plans for drive-in concerts, a lot has happened since the coronavirus pandemic began. Now, a new health and safety guide is announcing what changes will have to be made once live events resume. This includes a temporary ban on moshing and crowdsurfing.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
DP Weekly Wrap Up
Friday, May 15, 2020
Zoom Bombing
I've been in two meetings in the last week over Zoom that were interrupted with... really unfortunate pornography. Really it seems so... boring. I mean, if you are going to interrupt someone's meeting you could find something more interesting than porn, yes?
How about:
or maybe:
or even better:
C'mon people, up your game.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Postal Side Hustle
Once again the Post Office is going under. While some might think this is because they aren't charging e-retailers enough for package delivery the truth is more about the structure of legislation the US Congress put in place for governing USPS operation. For instance, it has been implied that the service loses money on every package due to favorable pricing, but the rules they operate under don't allow them to sell below cost. So that's unlikely. There's also something I don't really understand about the funding of pensions that requires USPS to operate like no other company and frequently contributes to operating deficits.
Since USPS has to make much more money than it makes sending mail in order to satisfy their operating requirements they frequently get into ancillary businesses. The primary way they try to increase earnings is by selling stamps to collectors. If they can sell a stamp that will never be used for sending a letter they get to bank the extra margin. This kind of thing is part of the reason the Post Office advertises, I mean, why would they have to advertise - everyone knows about the Post Office. The advertising is about maximizing revenue. Apparently there was once even a short lived fast casual USPS clothing line. Not every idea is the best.
In that spirit I have had a notion.
I present to you The Annual Postal Code Games.
The thought is that every summer the USPS would host an Olympics type sports competition featuring amateur athletes. The hook is that the only people eligible to compete in a given year would be people from locations having the current year in their zip code. Next year's games would feature:
02021 Canton, MAIt actually looks like USPS doesn't use 52021 and 82021, so the 2021 USPS Games would have 8 teams, good number for a double elimination tournament. I guess if we wanted more teams we could include zips where 2021 is the plus-four (I wasn't exactly sure how to look that up). That also gives an opportunity to communities not having a "2" as the second digit of their zip code.
12021 Collier County, FL
22021 Chantilly, VA
32021 Daytona Beach, FL
42021 Arlington, KY
52021
62021 Dorsey, IL
72021 Brinkley, AR
82021
92021 El Cajon, CA
This would be a super opportunity to bolster the profile of the Postal Service while at the same time providing a showcase for communities all over the country - real Americans having fun. There would also be sponsorships and inevitably TV money and licensing. All things that could help to deal with those onerous operational rules.
Once we're allowed to have a few people in the same room maybe this couldbe something to think about.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Worth a Look
Here are a few posts from last week's Greenpage that might be worth your time...
No student posts this week, so 10 editor picks: 5 COVID and 5 Not COVID.
A Theatre Project Explores Collective Solutions to Saving the Ocean
The Theatre Times: The earth’s oceans are under grave threat. Scientists in many fields have pointed to the large-scale negative shifts brought about by human-made pollutants, mining, and overfishing.
How people now choose to behave, make collective decisions, and build solidarity around the health of oceans has an impact not just on our own species, but on all life on earth.
Broadway unions raise concerns on health insurance, the return of theater
Broadway News: A coalition of entertainment unions held a call with members of the press Wednesday to highlight the similar issues plaguing their members while theater and film productions remain suspended.
Among the critical issues raised, Broadway union leaders spoke to the importance of continuing health coverage for their members, whether it be through federal subsidies, relaxed qualifications or through extended contributions from the Broadway League.
Why There's No Stunt Oscar Yet, According to the Directors of John Wick
Collider: Wait, why the heck isn’t there a stunt category at the Oscars? That question has become a major talking point and rallying point for cinephiles in recent years, and it’s easy to understand why. When you consider the enormous presence and importance of films like Star Wars, the Fast & Furious franchise, and the MCU at the box office and in the landscape of cinema at large, it’s pretty dang crazy that the crew members responsible for some of those films’ most iconic scenes aren’t getting awards recognition on par with their peers. So what’s the holdup?
Gamer, actor Tasi Alabastro helps theaters use Twitch to adapt to coronavirus era and beyond
Datebook: Tasi Alabastro was “currently on the finger mikes,” he told audiences at an April 24 performance of “Tell Tale Hearts.” “I guess that’s the keyboard, huh,” he joked.
Bay Area Theatre Cypher’s show, a blend of hip-hop and theater led by performers Dan Wolf, Phil Wong and Carlos Aguirre, a.k.a. Infinite, has already had two runs at Aurora Theatre Company. But under shelter-in-place orders, Cypher migrated online to Facebook Live and Twitch, thanks to Alabastro’s help.
Cuba Reflections
ASTC: Webster has several definitions of “community”: a people with common interests living in a particular area, joint ownership or participation, or a group linked by a common policy. All three of these apply to Cuba, especially for those individuals and groups involved in the performing arts that ASTC members met during the 2019 Forum in Havana.
We can learn from South Korea, where theatre has stayed open for business
The Stage - Opinion - Richard Jordan: South Korea’s strong, reactive response to the crisis, and the continued support of the country’s theatregoers, should give the industry hope, says Richard Jordan
Puppetry and Disability Aesthetics
HowlRound Theatre Commons: The art of puppetry can push forward the imagination, conversations, experiences, and aesthetics of illness, dis/ability, and disability justice. The extraordinary language of puppetry animation holds within it a unique capacity to disrupt and interrogate the able-bodied gaze and normativity. It can open vivid aesthetic and affective responses in audiences that have the potential to widen and deepen how beauty, body, and being are perceived.
The Post-Covid Concert Hall Catastrophe: Why Audience Attendance is the Least of Our Problems
www.middleclassartist.com: When we return to the stage to present opera, dance, theatre, or symphonic works in our 2,000+ seat halls, will our subscribers be there with tickets in hand?
This is the question spreading like wildfire through every board meeting in America. It is the question keeping Artistic Directors, General Managers, agents, and artists up at night.
It is an interesting question.
But it is the wrong one.
“The Wretched” Filmmakers on Practical Effects and Making Horror Films
Variety: In the new horror film “The Wretched,” troubled teen Ben, played by John-Paul Howard is sent to live with his father for the summer in a coastal town. Ben busies himself until he discovers that his neighbor Abbie (Zarah Mahler) is actually possessed by a thousand-year-old witch who preys on children and removes all traces of their existence.
Live Nation Is Planning for Crowdless Shows and Drive-In Concerts
Rolling Stone: With concerts on hold for the past two months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday reported a 21% drop in revenue for its first quarter, with concert revenue alone dipping 25% and ticket revenue dropping 16% year over year. Shares of Live Nation — which also owns ticketing company Ticketmaster — have dropped about 48% since the middle of February.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Ellipses...
Well, it sounds at least Trump v. Vance isn't going to go well for the President... We did our first end of semester conferences I have been a part of since I started teaching. I think I prefer the semester reviews format... The boy can't be left on his own to Zoom. He likes playing with the controls too much... It is possible that the cardboard box industry will see a real uptick with all the home shopping. The number of boxes going out for recycling is certainly up (and the self drop off site is closed, so no taking things in on your own)... Sounds like camp is going to be on for the summer. Now we just have to decide if we want Gib5on to go to camp under these circumstances. Same goes for Sabian's daycare... We had company today. It was a contractor. Not much as company goes... Pretty sure the release of HBO MAX and Peacock should mean the end of cable. Would be really nice for that to show a significant savings, but I bet it won't... I watched some of the Senate hearings today. I'm not sure anyone is learning anything... Really I did want to see Hamilton in a theatre before seeing it on a screen. Doesn't look like it is going to work that way... I'm putting together a Zoom reunion for the Starlight Theatre stage crew from 1986. That was really a very long time ago. Feels like last week sometimes... It turns out that our Zoom license does not allow for me to run two meetings concurrently even if I make someone else the host of one of them and leave to do the other... The intrusion in the conference yesterday is weighing more heavily on me than I would have thought it would... Folks at work are trying to decide what production should look like at a theatre school where we can't be in the same room. Tough to figure out what to do with people that detail and build scenery... There's still a whole lot of grading that needs done and my schedule keeps filling up with other things. The next couple of days are going to need to be more productive I think... I finished Hustle. I'm thinking maybe starting The Mandalorian. But maybe I will just watch a bunch of things on YouTube, or maybe read a book... Someone walking down the street today asked me what they were asking for the house next door. When I told them they thought "wow, we really lowballed it!" Or maybe the asking price is nuts...
Monday, May 11, 2020
Ellipses...
I saw my first "Zoom Bomb" today. Pornography in a spotlight video smack in the middle of a Precollege Information Session. Probably not the best sales pitch... The entire sports reporting complex ought to buy ESPN and the team from "The Last Dance" something nice. It is amazing how much coverage that mini series is getting... I am not confident about the cases going in front of The Supreme Court tomorrow. Siding with the President will be a lousy result for good government. I'm not sure the majority of the Justices see it the same way... Buying a new snow blower didn't keep it from snowing again - in May. But it wasn't enough to actually need the new gear. I should probably be thankful for that... The news came out today that my favorite local movie screen - the only full size IMAX in a regular theatre - is closing permanently. Thanks COVID-19... We did thesis presentations over Zoom today. Faculty consensus seems to be that it made the presentations better. Hard to tell why it had that impact. I guess we may do it this way again even if we don't have to... Writing these I feel a lot like the college kids that write essays: ___ check here if you are reading this... We're going to Yellow soon and that means Sabian's daycare will be open. Not sure how I feel about that... I am so hungry. The 5:2 fasting worked really well for me on the first go around but I don't think it is as effective now, and on top of that it is much harder. I would like to eat a whole pizza... The folks in progressive media shouldn't nudge their stories. The people in the administration make their own case, they don't need help. When they help they undermine their own cause... There weren't enough comments in the last commenting week to justify a weekly top five. I have to decide if I want to do 5 or 10 articles this week for the "Worth a Look" post and if I want to do a Newspage Reader or just let it go until the fall... There's still time to register for the Drama Precollege program, Zoom Bomb not withstanding...
