AFTER THE MEAL OR WHAT TO DO FOR THE REMAINING HOLIDAY WEEKEND



Time has come again to think up how to use that left over turkey. You know that giant carcass sitting in the fridge waiting to be made into the usual turkey tetrazzini, turkey hash, turkey sandwiches and finally turkey soup !!! What the hell , I'm tired of cooking by this point during the holiday but since I know a poor family of 5 could live off the remaining flesh and so on I must go and not waste a smidgen of food. Well, I'll fix the tetrazzini today and maybe I can freeze the remaining beast to deal with it another day.











"Any who", as they say, I've another task to do at some point this weekend ; where the hell to put the nine zillion leaves that are falling in my back yard. And who doesn't love raking up fall leaves?


ME ! ME ! , I don't find any pleasure in the task. I don't dislike planting or pruning nor even weeding but there is just something so bothersome about raking. Someone has to do it and I know that means me , but why lord oh why are there so many coming down all at once ?


I hear it is suppose to be sort of windy today so maybe I can use that excuse to put it off until tomorrow because as Scarlet said, tomorrow is another day and I'll just think about it then, maybe....






AND SO A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHT



Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays in that it has to do with getting together with family and friends, no gift giving involved just bring a dish and your appetite. So why is it we rush over it so and hurry into the malls and big box stores to save a few dollars on that greediest time of year laying in wait just around the corner ? Why do we live for tomorrow and not enjoy today ? What does it all mean if we never stop to smell the proverbial rose ? Have we really been so conditioned by Madison Avenue that we can't hold off just a few days more and enjoy what we have now ? I like to hope that there are still a few of us out there that can stop and remember what truly does matter in this life and in our world. There are still multitudes of souls on this planet that couldn't even afford what we waste on ribbons and bows let alone dream up up why they might need yet another cell phone or that 3rd or 4th flat screen HD TV. You know, I for one am going to wait and ponder it all and stay right here this Thanksgiving weekend and hell, I might just go pick up that rake and see if I can't find some pleasure in raking up all those leaves.

T

BLACK FRIDAY

WHO REALLY NEEDS THAT CRAP ?

OK , who went shopping yesterday on Black Friday for their Christmas gifts ? I know I never do and find it amazing that so many people go into a frenzy of spending activity the day after Thanksgiving. Doomed to consume I guess most are.


Remember when this poster showed up after 9/11 ? Kind of sums it all up sadly these days. Lets buy everything we don't need and then some. Shop till you drop , or better yet shop till you are maxed out on your credit cards. The American flag in the shape of a shopping bag !!!! Jeez please.

Why not give some of that cash to a charity or to a really needy family ? Enjoy some decorations around the home with friends and family and have fun together and a special meal or two. Buy a token gift for your loved one and the younger ones in your family. I said a token gift, like a reasonable and personal , thoughtful item and stop the f+++ing madness.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT

After years of working in television I had come to the point of NEVER watching it when I was home. Now, after several years since I finished working in the media I have gone back to trying to entertain myself with some shows.

Last year I watched and stayed with UGLY BETTY on ABC. Have continued to watch it this Fall but am kinda having some trouble with it the last couple of episodes. I'll hang with it though for the foreseeable season.

I also started watching HEROS the 1st season after it came out on DVD and found it very entertaining but have not yet found the time to catch back up on it this season, I'll try to do that online at NBC.com.

New this season for me is PUSHING DAISES. Loved the first show , didn't care much for the second episode but it came right back in a magic way the last couple of shows.

During this past summer someone told me they though I might like the show Jericho so I watched the opening show online and was instantly hook. Off and on throughout the summer I finished the fist season and now am anticipating it's return in January of 2008.

I also watch PBS often but mostly no one show in particular
although I did catch most of Ken Burns World War II documentary which I thought was wonderful.














TURN OFF THE TV AND DO SOMETHING


And so we did. In Late early June we went to Charleston , SC for the Spoleto Festival. This year we attended the USA premier of THE BOOK OF LONGING by Philip Glass. Spoleto Festival USA presents the American premiere of Book of Longing, the long-awaited new concert work by Philip Glass, one of the most influential composers of our time, and based on legendary poet and singer Leonard Cohen's recently published poetry collection, his first in over 20 years. The culmination of years of admiration between two of the most celebrated musical artists of their generation, Glass sets Cohen's words – at once playful, erotic, meditative, and singuprovocative – to a new score performed by an ensemble of singers and musicians, drawn from indie rock, classical and new music circles. Glass himself plays keyboard.

What a great evening that was. The next afternoon while in town we met one of the singers on the street and enjoyed a nice conversation with him and his take on working with Glass.














Audio: Book of Longing, Prolouge

Audio: Book of Longing, Puppet Time

Audio: Book of Longing, I Am Now Able



After our nice conversation with the tenor from Book Of Longing we went on to hear the ever impressive Westminster Choir perform. Don't remember which church they sang in but they always blow everyone away each year at this festival.

One the third and final day of our Charleston visit we went to Dock Street Theatre and heard the chamber concert program. I highly recommend that if you ever get to Charleston in late May or early June you try and attend one of these great afternoon concerts. The St. Lawrence String Quartet usually perform the chamber concerts and the programs vary daily.



AND WHEN YOU GET TIRED OF THE PERFORMING ARTS WELL, HOW ABOUT SOME STREET PERFORMANCE !!!




Or, if it is early October in San Francisco then I might have seen you on Folsom Street.

ANYWHERE BUT THERE

I thought I should explain my blog name and closing tag line a bit . ANYWHERE BUT THERE is a take off on the Susan Sarandon movie that was called ANYWHERE BUT HERE a story about a woman fed up with her middle American life who wanted desperately for a new life one that was anyone but her own. She thought that moving to LA with her daughter would make things all great for her. It's a story really about trying to run away from one's self. I guess I have been kinda like that in the past and until recently was sort of that Susan Sarandon charter.

After probably the most miserable summer in my life I came to the conclusion that things were really alright and so was I. Epiphany of sorts I guess. Thus the opposite take on the movie title and there you have the reason for my blogg title ANYWHERE BUT THERE because really I like it here and I'm just fine with that.

ANYWHERE BUT THERE

I JUST WANNA DANCE

WHO DOESN'T ? CHECK OUT THIS AUSTRALIAN DRAMA GROUP
They were set up to do FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and came up with this great take on this song while in character....

by the way the song they lip sink here is from the musical play JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA





My partner and I came back from San Francisco recently where we saw the new version of Sweeney Todd on stage. It was fantastic. They will be doing a road tour after finishing up in San Francisco so watch for it in a city near you. And speaking of Sweeney Todd I can't wait for the Tim Burton movie of it with Johnny Depp and Burton's wife Helena Bonham Carter.

This should be frigging great. Also have liked Depp and Carter forever and think Burton is a genius. So I guess it is the year of Sweeney Todd for sure.


Here is a link to the movie trailer....


http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com/index.html?view=video/traiers/trailer2

Here is a new link of Depp singing a number for SWEENEY TODD

http://downloads.paramount.com/mp/sweeneytodd/ST_depp_singing_progression_rev_480.mov

So come Christmas we will see if this is great or what..






NOW FOR THE FUN DEPARTMENT

This alternative ending for THE WIZARD OF OZ by Mad TV is a hoot...



Till next time, remember to dance a little and laugh a lot and I would rather be anywhere but there.