XTC is my favorite band of all time. Partially because they're an amazing group and partially because I'm lazy. I discovered XTC when I was 17. I absorbed as much of their discography as I could, borrowing "English Settlement" on cassette from my "favorite ex-boyfriend David Sayers" (he will probably not ever not be known as my favorite ex-boyfriend, even though my actual favorite ex-boyfriend is now my current boyfriend. If your mind has not yet exploded, please keep reading). I borrowed "Rag & Bone Buffet" from the Yorba Linda Public Library. "Looking for Footprints" turned my mind inside out. "Take This Town" was the rally cry my suburban teenage soul called out for. "Extrovert" was my fucking theme song.
A few years later, I somehow stumbled upon The Dukes of Stratosphear, which is just XTC under a different name (and a more psychedelic rock sound, less new wave punk turned folk rock... if that's how you would describe it. I no longer purport to be a music expert). I just saw this video for the first time and it's given me a whole new appreciation for the song, "You're A Good Man, Albert Brown."
Apr 2, 2012
Daisey-ed Out
So, I said I was going to comment on the Mike Daisey controversy. I feel like I can't say anything that won't have already been said, argued, defended, etc. But here's a draft of what might be the prologue for the production of "The Agony & The Ecstasy Of Steve Jobs" that we've been planning on performing since just after he released the script to the public, written by me with some edits by co-performer Amy Salloway. This is not the prologue we will present, but a draft:
In 2010, in regional theatres around the country, critically acclaimed solo storyteller Mike Daisey began performing his monologue about the origins and cost of our love of technology, “The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.”
Last year the play garnered a lot of attention as a result of Steve Jobs’ death. After he saw the play, Ira Glass invited Daisey to broadcast 39 minutes of his 2 hour-long-show on the popular radio show and podcast “This American Life.” The episode ran on January 6, 2012, and was the most downloaded episode in the history of the “This American Life” podcast. On Feb. 21, 2012, Mike Daisey decides to release the script, royalty free, and two days later, we had all jumped on board to perform a reading of it here in the Twin Cities because we believed in the message at the heart of the play: Think about where your shit comes from.
Just over 3 weeks later, on March 16, 2012, with a couple of Hacktor’s Collective rehearsals in the bag news broke on the internet that staff members of “This American Life” had uncovered fabrications and exaggerations in Daisey’s story, even though they’d previously run their standard fact check. The international theater community erupted with debate about the lack of truth-telling in story, what is journalism, what is non-fiction. Add to that, Mike Daisey had been confirming the embellishments he made in his show on different media outlets. He also had printed in his playbills “This is a work of Non-Fiction.”
Tonight, we are going to perform Daisey’s play as it was released on Feb. 21, with some directional choices to accommodate a cast of more than one. We will be pointing out the non-truths that Ira Glass and team uncovered in The Retraction episode, so you will know where the embellishments in the play are and what the truth is. We haven’t done any further fact-checking on any other parts of the play, so take Daisey’s words outside the sections at Foxconn how you will.
The reason we chose to continue to do the play, in the face of calls to boycott by our theatre colleagues around the world, is because we believe in the theme that overrides all the controversy about truth-telling in story: consider the origins of your purchases. Everything starts somewhere, usually in the hands of another human being.
So, we are still doing the show. Here is the Facebook invite with all the information.
In 2010, in regional theatres around the country, critically acclaimed solo storyteller Mike Daisey began performing his monologue about the origins and cost of our love of technology, “The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.”
Last year the play garnered a lot of attention as a result of Steve Jobs’ death. After he saw the play, Ira Glass invited Daisey to broadcast 39 minutes of his 2 hour-long-show on the popular radio show and podcast “This American Life.” The episode ran on January 6, 2012, and was the most downloaded episode in the history of the “This American Life” podcast. On Feb. 21, 2012, Mike Daisey decides to release the script, royalty free, and two days later, we had all jumped on board to perform a reading of it here in the Twin Cities because we believed in the message at the heart of the play: Think about where your shit comes from.
Just over 3 weeks later, on March 16, 2012, with a couple of Hacktor’s Collective rehearsals in the bag news broke on the internet that staff members of “This American Life” had uncovered fabrications and exaggerations in Daisey’s story, even though they’d previously run their standard fact check. The international theater community erupted with debate about the lack of truth-telling in story, what is journalism, what is non-fiction. Add to that, Mike Daisey had been confirming the embellishments he made in his show on different media outlets. He also had printed in his playbills “This is a work of Non-Fiction.”
Tonight, we are going to perform Daisey’s play as it was released on Feb. 21, with some directional choices to accommodate a cast of more than one. We will be pointing out the non-truths that Ira Glass and team uncovered in The Retraction episode, so you will know where the embellishments in the play are and what the truth is. We haven’t done any further fact-checking on any other parts of the play, so take Daisey’s words outside the sections at Foxconn how you will.
The reason we chose to continue to do the play, in the face of calls to boycott by our theatre colleagues around the world, is because we believe in the theme that overrides all the controversy about truth-telling in story: consider the origins of your purchases. Everything starts somewhere, usually in the hands of another human being.
So, we are still doing the show. Here is the Facebook invite with all the information.
Mar 21, 2012
Stand By...
... I am in the midst of writing a post regarding my last post in which I was really excited about the Mike Daisey show. I have some commentary I would like to, um, comment?
But in the meantime, look at this awesome calendar my friend Dean sent me!!!
Dean LeCrone & I met in the summer of 2004 when he was mine & Brett's neighbor in the Small Press Section at the San Diego Comic Con. And out of the blue the other week, he sends me a Facebook message asking me for my address! I LOVE presents!!!
Dean, this is so awesome; I'm really excited to hang it on my wall. Thank you!
You can check out Dean's stuff really soon at www.smithpunkwear.com.
But in the meantime, look at this awesome calendar my friend Dean sent me!!!
Dean LeCrone & I met in the summer of 2004 when he was mine & Brett's neighbor in the Small Press Section at the San Diego Comic Con. And out of the blue the other week, he sends me a Facebook message asking me for my address! I LOVE presents!!!
Dean, this is so awesome; I'm really excited to hang it on my wall. Thank you!
You can check out Dean's stuff really soon at www.smithpunkwear.com.
Mar 7, 2012
Marching Orders!!!
What a dumb Post Title for the first post of March. What a great way to start an entry: with a judgment! We're off to a really encouraging start.
Obligatory Minnesota weather talk: HOLY SHIT IT WAS 60 DEGREES YESTERDAY. Actually, I remember when I was visiting Douche Canoe in March of 2007, there was an 83 degree day. I also came prepared with nothing but a light jacket and sweaters and was astoundingly comfortable the entire time. Probably because I was usually naked in bed? Shudders.
But, yeah, yesterday was a gorgeous day that I got to LOOK at through the window that does not open in my office at the day job. Yippee! As I was walking home from the bus stop around 6pm, these two dudes in a long classic car bumpin' some bass did receive an enthusiastic "raise the roof" gesture from yours truly (I still do that, yes... or am I BRINGING IT BACK?), and in return, they totally jacked up the hydraulics for me: ZZZZZT ZZZZZZT ZZT ZT ZZZZZZT!! Spring is HERE, y'alls!! (cue: next week's weather, a blizzard).
March 2012. We made it, friends, the last March ever. Have I made a boring, tired 2012 comment here yet? Yes? Well, I guess you've found my thing then.
This month is particularly exciting for a few reasons. First, I'm performing a story (the one about my cousin) at a Nerd Convention on Saturday (which has such a crappy website for a nerd convention - the type against that background looks like a fresh tattoo. Ouch).
Then, I'm emceeing the Pro-Choice Resources Bowl-A-Thon which is two Abortion-tastic nights at my other house, Bryant Lake Bowl! (There will not be any abortions provided, but I guarantee you, there will be a lot of sluts not holding aspirin between their knees). (Wait - there will also not be any sex. It's just going to be a bunch of pro-choicers raising money for women's health care, M'kay???)
THEN, I'm judging the Minnesota Beard-Off for the THIRD year in a row! And it's going to be at FIRST AVE, which may or may not be the only time I ever make it onto the mainstage.
THEEEEEN, I am, along with a few other performers, doing what I think might be the first and only reading so far in Minneapolis of Mike Daisey's The Agony & Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. I don't know if you've heard of this man or his show, but Mike Daisey is an awesome monologuist a la Spalding Gray and he has, like, 12 solo shows he's "written" (he just goes on stage with an outline and talks). This particular show, about the actual people who put together our HAVE TO HAVE IT gadgets, i.e., iAnything, has actually prompted Apple to be more transparent in their labor practices, etc, because of THIS SHOW. This is like a solo performer's WET DREAM, to have the large company they're calling to the carpet actually DO something about whatever shitty thing they're being called to the carpet for. Anyway, we're doing the show because Daisey gave it away for anyone to adapt, perform, read, etc! Here it is! You can do it too! But not in Minneapolis till about May, m'kay? Look, Mike even screenshot & put on his blog a note from one of our cast put on his Facebook wall! And then I screenshot THAT and put it on MY blog! I heart you, computers!
So, that's rad. And then, The Curls and I are playing some shows coming up too. More on that later.
I wish there was a find & replace for capitalized words. I would like all these worlds to be lowercase now. Oh well. Next entry.
Obligatory Minnesota weather talk: HOLY SHIT IT WAS 60 DEGREES YESTERDAY. Actually, I remember when I was visiting Douche Canoe in March of 2007, there was an 83 degree day. I also came prepared with nothing but a light jacket and sweaters and was astoundingly comfortable the entire time. Probably because I was usually naked in bed? Shudders.
But, yeah, yesterday was a gorgeous day that I got to LOOK at through the window that does not open in my office at the day job. Yippee! As I was walking home from the bus stop around 6pm, these two dudes in a long classic car bumpin' some bass did receive an enthusiastic "raise the roof" gesture from yours truly (I still do that, yes... or am I BRINGING IT BACK?), and in return, they totally jacked up the hydraulics for me: ZZZZZT ZZZZZZT ZZT ZT ZZZZZZT!! Spring is HERE, y'alls!! (cue: next week's weather, a blizzard).
March 2012. We made it, friends, the last March ever. Have I made a boring, tired 2012 comment here yet? Yes? Well, I guess you've found my thing then.
This month is particularly exciting for a few reasons. First, I'm performing a story (the one about my cousin) at a Nerd Convention on Saturday (which has such a crappy website for a nerd convention - the type against that background looks like a fresh tattoo. Ouch).
Then, I'm emceeing the Pro-Choice Resources Bowl-A-Thon which is two Abortion-tastic nights at my other house, Bryant Lake Bowl! (There will not be any abortions provided, but I guarantee you, there will be a lot of sluts not holding aspirin between their knees). (Wait - there will also not be any sex. It's just going to be a bunch of pro-choicers raising money for women's health care, M'kay???)
THEN, I'm judging the Minnesota Beard-Off for the THIRD year in a row! And it's going to be at FIRST AVE, which may or may not be the only time I ever make it onto the mainstage.
THEEEEEN, I am, along with a few other performers, doing what I think might be the first and only reading so far in Minneapolis of Mike Daisey's The Agony & Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. I don't know if you've heard of this man or his show, but Mike Daisey is an awesome monologuist a la Spalding Gray and he has, like, 12 solo shows he's "written" (he just goes on stage with an outline and talks). This particular show, about the actual people who put together our HAVE TO HAVE IT gadgets, i.e., iAnything, has actually prompted Apple to be more transparent in their labor practices, etc, because of THIS SHOW. This is like a solo performer's WET DREAM, to have the large company they're calling to the carpet actually DO something about whatever shitty thing they're being called to the carpet for. Anyway, we're doing the show because Daisey gave it away for anyone to adapt, perform, read, etc! Here it is! You can do it too! But not in Minneapolis till about May, m'kay? Look, Mike even screenshot & put on his blog a note from one of our cast put on his Facebook wall! And then I screenshot THAT and put it on MY blog! I heart you, computers!
So, that's rad. And then, The Curls and I are playing some shows coming up too. More on that later.
I wish there was a find & replace for capitalized words. I would like all these worlds to be lowercase now. Oh well. Next entry.
Feb 17, 2012
Yes Virginia, There Is An Abortion Clause
I wrote this song at the encouragement of a Facebook friend whom I don't think I've ever met, but just learned today that he saw me at the NARAL Comedy For Choice Benefit in 2009 and I guess I almost killed him with my songs. I got really angry at what's going on at this moment in Virginia around women's health. He told me to write a song. I said, "When I find the comedy, I will." He said to make it an angry comedy. Well, okay then.
It’s not like I’ve been waiting in this bleeping waiting room
For 3-plus hours just to see the inside of my womb.
But now you wanna tell me that I’ve gotta spread my legs
again because the state says there’s gold in them there eggs!
Lookin’ in the uterus they want to govern on the screen
Supposed to make me feel somethin’ instead of murderously mean
Maybe I’ll see a finger, a foot, maybe I’ll see a nose
Maybe I’ll see Anne Geddes’ baby nappin’ on the petal of a rose
But ladies, if you want a choice, you have to get an ultrasound
And look not behind the curtain where hypocrisy abounds.
The screams of how our “socialist” government is gettin’ way too large
Yet the state insists that over women’s bodies, it is in charge.
But yes, Virginia, there is an abortion clause
Usually we hate The Science, but here’s an exception because
If it’s not crystal clear comin’ from the homestate with yer name,
Your body and choices and life are just to us a fucking game.
Just lay back and relax and take this “science” up the hole
If I wanna stop some dividin’ cells or I’m a dancer on a pole
See, once you’ve allowed a dick in there, the consent is kinda blanket
Excuse us while we fiddle about then close the door and spank it.
Why’d we even bother with securing voting rights?
When churches think us ladies are deserving of God’s smites?
Our mothers and our grammas bled and sweat to open doors
Yet even in the new millennium, we’re just a buncha whores.
Abortions pre-requited by transvag probe by the state
But if I don’t want it going up my cunt - that’s fucking rape.
Exercising my right to choose and I don’t choose to look,
I guarantee you I am outraged. I’ma take this shit to facebook!!
But yes, Virginia, there is an abortion clause
Usually we hate The Science, but here’s an exception because
If it’s not crystal clear comin’ from the homestate with yer name,
Your body and choices and life are just to us a fucking game.
Feb 7, 2012
Nothing. I just love this picture of Madonna.
I got it from here.
Okay, not "nothing." I just want to expound on how much I love Madonna. I've never seen her live and I don't know that I love her enough to try to get tickets to one of her shows (though she will be in St. Paul in November, so I'm very tempted), but I really just admire the crap out of her. Sure, I don't think she's the most talented thing in the world, but - and I'm saying nothing new here - lady works hard and has definitely earned her place in pop culture. Not all pop stars can say that. And she's still a total pop star at 53 years old. And I love those sleeves, though I know it's sadly probably because a lot of people comment on her lizard arms. She's ripped and she's middle-aged, what do you want?
I love Madonna.
Feb 6, 2012
My performing and creating "hiatus" is officially officially officially OVER. Some of you may be asking, "You were on hiatus?" To which I would respond, "YES. And it was HORRIBLE." Sometimes I get overwhelmed by having so much stuff to do. This is usually a result of my lack of planning ahead. You know that saying, "If it weren't for the last minute, I'd get nothing done?" I hate that saying, but it's kinda my M.O. TILL NOW.
I've been pretty good within the past couple of months at looking ahead at least a month and planning myTwin Cities world domination... which is how I completely pwned the Rockstar Storyteller Sexy Fun-Time Romance N Stuff show last night. I had been making my lists and checking them 19 times (because I forget I've already checked them 18 times). I made sure I had almost all the ducks (the pretty ones) in a row by Saturday night so that I could go enjoy some improv at Huge. And on Sunday morning, I woke up with just a few finishing touches for that evening's show and accomplished them with plenty of time to work with one of the Annas from CMC&TDC on a recording of a song we'll be releasing at the end of this month. And the whole process of setting up the show at the theater was so relaxing. I also had our magic tech on my side, who never fails to be an expert professional. We had five amazing storytellers on the show*, Me & The Curls played 4 songs including the killer "Safe Words" (How will I ever top this???), The Leading Man** and a few others provided hilarious or poignant videos for breaks in the live action, and we raffled off three books donated generously to us by The Smitten Kitten.
There's no drama in this post, just ass-kicking. We had a great show. An overflowing handful of people approached to congratulate me on a job well-done. Everything felt great. And then someone gave us tape in the dressing room:
The two Annas and me, photo by Tom Reed, courtesy of Anna W.
* Joseph Scrimshaw, David Mann, Rob Callahan, Laura Bidgood, and Tom Reed!
** the nickname for my current boyfriend, who is also my ex-boyfriend from college, who moved from California to Minnesota to be with me. Just like in a romantic comedy. Hence... The Leading Man.
I've been pretty good within the past couple of months at looking ahead at least a month and planning my
There's no drama in this post, just ass-kicking. We had a great show. An overflowing handful of people approached to congratulate me on a job well-done. Everything felt great. And then someone gave us tape in the dressing room:
The two Annas and me, photo by Tom Reed, courtesy of Anna W.
* Joseph Scrimshaw, David Mann, Rob Callahan, Laura Bidgood, and Tom Reed!
** the nickname for my current boyfriend, who is also my ex-boyfriend from college, who moved from California to Minnesota to be with me. Just like in a romantic comedy. Hence... The Leading Man.
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