The Playwright's Coffee Shop

I couldn't resist sharing the opening paragraph from the paper I'm writing for Dr. C.

Imagine with me for a moment an after-life coffee shop where history’s great playwrights gather for lattes and discourse. On the menu there are specialty drinks bearing names like Hamlet-chino, Machinal Macchiato, The Caucasian Chocolate Mocha, and A Doll’s House Blend. In one corner, on purple felt couches sit Euripides and Moliere sharing a slice of Lemon Pound Cake. It is impossible to know what these great playwrights would discuss, separated as they are by 2000 years and a dozen movements in dramatic literature. And yet, it is difficult to imagine that the words “deus ex machine” wouldn’t come up before the night was out.

I have to wonder, have I come up with the best coffee drink names? If you can think of better I'll sub your answers in for the ones I have here.

Picasso

Saw PALA last night and had a great time! What a fantastic show.

The direction, the set, the performances, the costumes, the lighting, the sound design, all worked cohesively.

I was especially impressed with Joey, Clay, and Jeff. All the actors did a great job, but I saw these three take a step forward in their acting ability. Not that they weren't great already, I just saw new great in them last night.

Well done, everybody!

On a side note: I made a minor fool of myself last night. I saw Totie B with a guy I didn't recognize last night, way across the smokey Mabee Theatre. So, I sent her a text that read, "Is that your bro?" Thinking it might be her New Orleans brother. She texted me back and I saw her talking to him and laughing. When her text arrived it read "That's Dr. Jortner." (My new graduate professor) I looked up and he was waving. I sheepishly waved back.

After the show I got to chat with him, and he's a kind, accessible guy, who wants students to call him Dave or David. Nice. Looking forward to learning from him.

Is it REALLY amazing?

I'd like to outlaw the use of the word amazing. It needs a break. Especially the use of it as two words "Uhhh Mazing!" Please stop when tempted to use this word and reach into your vocabulary for a different word.

That is all.

Spongey Blue... no more

Today the Green Room will be painted. And as one would expect the hours leading up to the actual painting involved lots of people walking by saying, "What's the color gonna be?" And when they were told, they wrinkled their noses. It's the nature of people, they only like the decisions they've made. Just remember, the color was Patrick's idea. (Not really, but blame him if you don't like it.)

The actual color will be "Jamaican Bay" which I can only assume looks like this: With accent walls, which have nothing to do with Jamaican accents to my great disappointment.

A new coat of paint will bring a breath of fresh (possibly Jamaican) air to the Green Room and I would like to thank those who donated funds, those who made decisions, and especially those who did the actual work. You are saints and yet all you'll hear is griping.

Just remember everybody, the alternative plan was one devised by Beki and I and it included a mural a la the one at Texas Roadhouse.

Our version would have Chekhov riding Stanislavski in front of the Hooper-Schaffer Center hollerin' "Yeah, Konny, you're mah bitch!" And Brecht would be smoking four cigarettes in the corner wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt.

Hillary going for the BUT Vote

Muppets Bloopers

I've always loved the Muppets and this is a recently released bloopers reel. Awesome.

What happens when you run a Google Image Search on Steven Pounders.

Everyone has, at one point or another, Google Image Searched their own name either out of vanity or sheer curiosity. I prefer to Google Image Search the names of those around me, in hopes of yielding entertaining results. For example, venerable professor Steven Pounders.

We start with a fairly normal picture (from the Baylor website):

Not so bad, eh? Dark, brooding, Kevin Kline-esque. After bypassing a photo of Jenny Ledel (an individual often confused by the paparazzi with Mr. Pounders), we come to something a bit steamier:

Our beloved Steven was hailed by some critics as "MacBuff" for his performance in this Shakespearean masterwork. Soon after, however, the pictorial procession becomes all-too-familiar to his stalkers and those who read Star or Us Weekly. It's Pounders using his same old bag of tricks. Pounders as a sexually ambiguous therapist, Pounders as a reputable New York Equity actor, blah, blah, blah. Then, just when all hope seems to be lost, Steven shows us something truly remarkable. It's Steven Pounders as we've never seen him before:

Move over, Jin from Lost ! Can Pounders ride this new wave of success (pun achieved) back into the hearts of those who used to love him but eventually lost interest? Only time will tell. One thing, however, is certain: the Google Image Search is not a toy, but a tool by which we can ostensibly mark the success of those around us.

As for me? Ah, search engine fame is only for the few. But, if you must, search and let me know what you find. After all, I'm no Lincoln Thompson...

It's Limerick Tuesday

Go check out this week's topics.

Whoa, hold it! Stop everything...

Andrew Saenz... AKA Nick Marquez. Watch the film here.

Why is Dan on crutches?

The whole sordid story here.

The Blue Green Room...WTF?

It is known as the Green Room, the place where we come between classes, knowing someone will always be there. Whether it's John Ruegsegger sleeping on the STD infested couch or Lindsay Ehrhardt creating another Facebook album during crew or Christopher Eastland working on his Macbook....someone is bound to be there to greet your face as you enter. But one thing that has always confused me about the Green Room, is the color...it's blue...but what color blue I don't know. 1. It's called the Green Room...this is confusing. 2. Who the hell wanted to paint it faded blue with white sponge marks on it. It's like someone covered Zach Krohn in sponges and gave him some caffeine and let him loose. So there have been discussions that the room will actually be repainted...when this is occuring I do not know. But I for one wonder about if they happen to paint it green, what the response will be...will the green room be the same after the blue walls are gone? What do the blue walls of the green room represent when it comes to our department?

I welcome the change because the green room is a second home to me...but I am looking forward to the reactions...sic'em repainting.

Limericks!

Oh and be sure to stop by my personal blog and participate in the limerick contest! (Taking entries Tuesday and Wed).

Mixed Business Game (continued)

You've done very well so far on the first batch. Lindsay and Signs were especially impressive.

Here are some more combos for you (I jotted these down on one of my son's Addition Flash cards while waiting for Chicken minis at Chik-fil-A:

Sushi Bar / Math Tutoring
Laundromat / Consignment shop
Veterinarian / Car Wash
Personal Trainer / Chimney Sweeps
Carpet cleaners / Barbershop quartet