Like Life – Page 4 – A Honey of an Anklet

Squeeze Waves REM

All the more difficult in my case, since at the present time I have boxes of mix tapes for two: “Party like it’s 1989: What should you do with all those old cassette mix tapes?”, by John Kelly.

Oof! Too much indulgence at Powell’s, the giveaway shelf at work, and book exchange parties (with Vanessa and Anna, and now a Virginia edition hosted with Sally), and not enough reading! Oh, and pulling up Black Tickets (a recommendation by Janet when I lived in Minneapolis) from the downstairs shelves, in the expectation that I will either read it or swap it. Yet more books out of frame.

New venues, 2017

A renewed acquaintance with Olney Theatre Center, following their expansion and rebuilds.

Discovery Theater, Dillon Ripley Center
Olney Theatre Center mainstage
Olney Theatre Center Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab

Bonus out-of-town venue:

Jazz Standard, New York

Bonus out-of-town library:

Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

2016’s list. 2015’s list. 2014’s list. 2013’s list. 2012’s list. 2011’s list.

My year in cities, 2017

Overnight stays in 2017:

New York, New York County, New York
Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, West Virginia (and)
Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia (Thanks again, Charlie!)

Thing, or thingy

O, I miss you sweetie.

(And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here to see Dave in the big, pink, fluffy skirt with matching hair thing.)

Full bloom

The azaleas around my house are going crazy. Just a reminder to myself that this dumpy little place is still pretty fine.

Chute

Richard Bolles has passed away. Early in my career, as I blundered my way into writing software for a living, I turned to his books for guidance. I’m not sure that he provided any specific, useful advice, but I was reassured: it always felt like he was in my corner.

It turns out that he spent a good part of his early life as a clergyman in the Episcopal church. Leta would say, “of course.”

Not looking good for the Arcade

Ted Rall offers one explanation for what happened (is happening) to Dayton, Ohio.

On deck: 17

Augmented by a stack of books from Leta’s library. She was holding out on me with the Alison Bechdel and Jane Smiley. I haven’t read Memento Mori since I borrowed it from Jim Gleason’s dad when I was in high school.

My year in cities, 2016

CATF, one trip for work, and VNPS. Overnight stays in 2016:

Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia (Thanks, Charlie, as always!) 1, 2, 3
Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Virginia (and)
Boston, Massachusetts

New venues, 2016

One bucket list venue checked off this year:

Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis
Blues Alley
Eastman Studio Theatre, Gallaudet University

2015’s list.. 2014’s list. 2013’s list. 2012’s list. 2011’s list.

My 2016 in one beat

JIM. Woulda come to your aid there, only I’m dealing with a little, uh, issue.

RUSS. Oh yeah?

JIM. Piano I told ya about?

RUSS. Right?

JIM. Didya ever… (lowers voice) … ever need a truss? Have to wear one of those?

RUSS. Uhhhh… Don’t recall.

JIM. Oh, you’d recall it if you did.

RUSS. Guess not, then.

JIM. Then you are a fortunate man.

RUSS. I hear you.

JIM. Bend the knees or suffer the consequences.

RUSS. Yup.

—Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park, act 1

On deck: 16

Fresh arrivals from Powell’s, and some interesting choices from the freebie shelf at work. I picked up the DeLillo at our new indie bookstore, Scrawl Books. Plus, I’m doing a book exchange at Vanessa’s in a couple of weeks: who knows what that will bring?