The Jon Blog

Leap Day

So it's February 29th.

Aren't you just glad that today's not your birthday?

Yee Haw!

So plane tickets have been purchased, a hotel reservation has been made, and conference registration fees have been paid. Yup, I'm goin' to a convention, of sorts. In Texas, no less.

And I get to have an extra week on the front end of said trip to visit old haunts in Houston and Austin before heading to San Antonio for the convention itself.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take my 10 gallon hat to be reblocked.

Soap Box

So you know how sometimes you can be absent-minded about something? I, for example, recently bought some soap at Duane Reade. It's sitting in the "foyer" of my apartment (well, where I put the bag down in the hall by the front door). This is all of about eight or nine steps to the bathroom.

So why is it that every morning when I'm taking my shower, when I reach down for the soap, it's still in the hall?

Don't worry about me smelling, though. I'm gay and I have plenty of lovely shower gels, all of which have lovely scents. Today, I smell like Thai flowers.

Some Stuff About the Trip

Obviously, I would have loved to blog from Africa, but they don't really have so much internet access when you're in the bush. (And Jere did such a good job in my stead. Stay tuned for news of his own blog, coming soon) Not so much telephone access, even - we couldn't call my sister to wish her a happy birthday as there was nary a phone in sight (well, actually we had a
cellphone but couldn't get service to save our lives).

But it was SO worth it. What an amazing journey. I took over 1250 photos (granted, I don't expect all of them to come out, and some was playing with f-stops and what not, but I should know more about that later today), and have many many more wonderful memories of the sights, sounds and smells of Africa. Sadly, not so much of the taste - we were served mostly "Western" food, with one notable exception.

We saw so many animals - the only "major" species we didn't see was crocodile. Amazing antelope, from the tiny dik-dik, to Africa's largest antelope, the Topi. Thirty giraffe who watched us while we had a picnic breakfast one morning in the savannah. Elephant, including some babies, lined up at a stream, drinking and playing in the water. The wildebeest (gnu) migration: literally thousands of these oddly shaped creatures galloping across the African plains - mostly in single file lines - while many of the females were grouped by the sheltering shade provided by the trees so they could safely deliver their young. Although we saw one who had not successfully delivered, and the vultures were starting in on her - and the poor little feet which were the only part of the calf which had yet been delivered. Or the warthog, such a cute little excited creature. Mostly quite shy - but still we were able to get a few pictures.

The birds were incredibly gorgeous, colorful, and melodic, and some seemed quite interested in posing for my camera. Some odd and unusual reptiles included a wild python and a red and blue lizard.

And then there were the cats. We were lucky to find a lot of cats. Of course, most were sleeping, but we found a cheetah in action in the Serengeti. It was amazing how our guide (who was brilliant) found this. He saw her ear, basically, pop up above distant grasses, so he drove us over to where the cheetah was. We watched her for a bit, then she got up and so of course we followed, snapping pictures all the way. Then she got up again, and headed back towards where she had been, and we (well, the guide) realized that she had a baby wildebeest in her sights, and grim determination in her yellow eyes. The hunt was over very quickly, but I felt incredibly lucky (and oddly bloodthirsty) watching it. Would have loved to watch something like that again (especially watching her eat - it was fascinating), but the rest of the cats were felinely lazy. Big surprise. But they were still amazing. We saw a mother cheetah with two cubs; we saw a pride of six or seven lion lazing on the shore of a waterhole in the Serengeti. We saw a leopard sleeping in a distant tree.

The plants, grasses, and trees; the skies and the clouds, the rain or lack thereof. All amazing. And what is perhaps even more amazing is to truly experience what Elton John very aptly called "The Circle of Life." There are a certain number of each species which are basically expected to die in order to feed others. Some reach adulthood and are able to breed. Elephants keep a lot of vegetation in check so that the smaller antelope are able to have the right areas for the type of grass or bush they prefer. Wildebeest, zebra and gazelle following each other on the endless migration through the Serengeti, each eating a separate kind of grass from the other, but the growth of each grass contingent on the other kind being eaten. Scavengers, such as hyena, vultures, marabou stork, sometimes lion, and many many insects, which patrol the plain for dead carcasses - from the breached birth wildebeest to a carnivore's left-overs - eating up whoever died out there. The system balances so amazingly - and we could learn a lot from it. Why do we have a rat problem in New York City? Easy - rats evolved to breed successfully because they're an integral part of the food chain: they're there to be eaten. But we've eliminated their predators in the US - so the population can explode.

Another incredible thing I saw was just the sheer happiness of local/native people. It's odd - we have so many physical (financial) resources at our disposal in the USA, but we're always craving more and unhappy until we get it. In Africa, everyone is just happy with what they have: family, beautiful landscapes, life. They aren't worried about how the Dow closed, or if gay marriage should be legal, or which bank has the better interest rate. It's a much simpler society and we could learn a lot from it (although they would benefit from some of our auto emission standards). Of course, we did out bit for their economy - especially at a couple craft shops...

Anyways, I'm supposed to get the photos back either late this evening or early tomorrow, and they're sending 'em on CD in addition to the prints, so I'll be able to show you all a photo or 100.

Word of Mouth, or The Instant Comedy Hat

Last night, thanks to an invite from Mike, I was quite lucky to discover a new off-Broadway play, The Roaring Girle.

It's an up-to-the-second adaptation of a Jacobean satire and it was the most fun I have had at the theatre in some time. The satire is quite well done, the acting is great, the comedy spot on, the cast (featuring the lovely and talented John Epperson, aka Lypsinka, among other talented folk) quite wonderfully gifted. And the writing is lovely. The main "bad guy" is the magistrate - an elected dictator who's sort of George W. Bush and Michael Bloomberg rolled into one bearded, ruffled collared, doublet wearing, offspring repressing, cigarette and theatre banning freak of nature

Basically, you know you're in for a good time when you walk in and see the set: They have those cheesy NYC bodega style store awnings - but they're all redone for Speaker's Corners (including one that advertises www.speakerscorner.com, and a revolving door upstage center - with "Post No Bills" calligraphed in an Elizabethan "font."

Then the cast comes out, in their brilliantly designed costumes (can you tell I used to be a theatrical designer?), which include an orange doublet made from quilted puffy jacket material, and an period dress enhanced by the 'jacket' part being just small enough for a hint of cameltoe to appear above the waistband - and a cut-off hooded Billabong sweatshirt (and converse hi-tops) to complete that character's look. And of course, the cod pieces and leather jackets and the Instant Comedy Hat of today's title.

Hopefully some of these images give you a sense of the comic brilliance of this show. Suffice it to say that there was much laughter. Indeed, hysterics did ensue.

If you need more convincing to get yourself to this show, Mike should be blogging about it soon enough, so see what he has to say, too. Get the hence to East 25th Street! Go, prithee.

I Can't Begin to Describe...

...how ANGRY that imbecile makes me. His remarks today on a constitutional ban are just so ridiculous.

The worst thing about the gay marriage "debate" is, like the letter to the Times' editor to which I referred yesterday, there are absolutely ZERO reasons, ethically AND constitutionally, to "support" a constitutional ban on gay marriage. The only reasons propoenents are citing are religious. And this country was founded on the separation of church and state, so they tell us - even though it's never explicitly written "separation of church and state" in the Constitution - or any of the amendments.

What the First Amendment DOES say, though, is this:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.... (The statement in the constitution itself about religion is in Article IV Clause 3: "...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States")

Lo and behold, not only would Bush and his cronies have to draft a NEW amendment to the Constitution, they would, literally, have to REDRAFT the FIRST AMENDMENT as well!!! Because the only reason that Bush has to "defend" marriage is that marriage, as Bush defines it, is "the most fundamental institution of civilization." But it's not. It is a fundamental institution of religion. (Can I cite, as evidence here, the fact that if you google History of marriage the #1 site to be listed is, not very suprisingly, The Catholic Encyclopedia? Even the internet knows!)

There is a major difference between civilization and religion which needs to be explained to Mr. President.

And look at Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1: "The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States." Therefore, by Bush's own admission that the Defense of Marriage Act includes a stipulation "declaring that no state must accept another state's definition of marriage," does this not in itself violate Article IV? Does that make the DMA invalid? I couldn't begin to tell you that, but obviously it needs to be stricken.

There is no place for law based in fear. There is no place for government principled on a lack of tolerance or a lack of understanding.

It's funny, I can always find a quote from some showtune or other to illustrate most any point, and the one I'm going to give you to close this blog entry is from "Beauty and the Beast." Even Disney understands tolerance better than Bush. Because this line is sung by an angry, crazy mob:

"We don't like what we don't understand, in fact it scares us."

What's the best fix for that? Learn more and become able to understand it. Don't redraft that Constitution of the United States simply because you're afraid of something.

Linky Warm Fuzzies

Check out this blog - from a straight guy who found out (and blogged) about a very cool and unexpected (to me at least) way to show his support for gay marriage.

So true...

A Couple of Things

1: I enjoyed (immensely) the final episode of "Sex and the City" last night. I would have changed two things though. I am glad (ish) that we found out Big's real name... but I always had envisioned him with a slightly more exciting name than John (and as a Jon, I can say that...). Also, I was somehow perturbed that Samantha's final line & image was just having sex. I mean, she's so much more than that... But anyhow, I really did love it.

2: Gay marriage. There was a very intelligent letter to the editor in today's Times which hit on my main (current) issues with the whole issue. My only other issue with the issue is that I don't have anyone to marry myself. Oh well.

3: I love Spaghettios with Meatballs. Yup, you heard me right.

4: I think I need to upgrade my version of MT. I have been getting way too many spam comments - I just deleted over fifty - and I'm sick of it. I read that the current version is supposed to make it harder for spammers to post comments, which would be lovely. This means I have to dig deep into the bowels of the old computer (not the easiest of tasks) to find all the passwords for the host - and hopefully resuscitate the ftp software I had on the old computer. Ah, the joys of new hardware...

5: My list of things to do also includes the dry cleaner, the film developing place (I don't want to one-hour my safari pics - I want a professional spot where I can get proof sheets before deciding which I want to actually print -- any Manhattanites out there have any recommendations?), the grocery (I went on Saturday but I was so jet lagged I forgot to get some of the things I needed... who buys Kraft Mac & Cheese boxes but forgets to pick up the milk and butter? ME!), and I still have to unpack, get the laundry done, and all that sort of thing, too.

6: I love Dave Foley, and I thought he was hysterical in his guest appearance on "Will & Grace" which I watched on my TiVo last night after the SaTC finale. Hey, maybe I can get him to gay-marry me...

The Updated, Post-Trip Version

Ahh, the joys of Jet Lag. I'm so confused about what time it is right now, because even though it's 6:42am, on some level, I've almost slept until 1pm... because that's what time it is in Amsterdam. I went to bed at 11:00 or so last night: I tried to stay up as late as I could because I have to work the 3pm to 12 midnight shift at work today, and you know that will suck with jet lag. So I'm figuring that I'll try and go back to sleep in a bit here, but I was definitely awake...

So since I had a little time to spare, I figured, especially since I'm just returning from three weeks away, that I, too, should go at these lovely maps that everyone's having such fun with (or at least, had such fun with while I was away). Gosh, I've been to a lot of places, I'm pretty lucky, ain't I?!?

Here's the world map...

There's one country, Japan, which gets an asterisk (*) as I've really only just ever been at there at the airport, so I probably don't get to count it -- but whatever!

I can't believe I've really been to that many states

In other news, the trip was fanstastic - it was almost like having three trips in one, as it started with a lovely beach trip which included a day of snorkeling, progressed to safari in the Tanzanian bush & savannah, and then, as a coda, evolved into a short little Amsterdam city visit. A word to the wise: three weeks away on vacation is a long time! It felt very strange to come back to the City. But more on that later -- we will (for the most part) spend the coming week or so telling you all some of the highlights of the trip. We here at The Jonb Blog (the Royal We, that's who) hope you'll enjoy reading about it.

I want to simply close this entry with a big "Thank You" to Jere, our guest blogger. He did a great job - unlike last year when he broke my old blog, so he deserves kudos. He has mentioned that he is now planning to start his own blog, and we're very glad for that. We promise to keep you posted on the status of The Jere Blog as more news becomes available.

In the meantime.... unpacking.

Life in the Big City

So I have not even left my building today. And the only time I even left the apartment was to go down to the basement to do laundry.

I did finish the book I was reading and finally finished listening to each and every CD that I bought awhile back when I went crazy with my AmEx card at the 50% off sale at the gift shop at Lincoln Center.

My favorites of this batch were the cast recordings of the Broadway revival of Nine and the off-Broadway Zanna, Don't!. I like them both more every time I listen. I'm so glad that I was lucky enough to see both productions.

I've also been working on cleaning and organizing my apartment which is a disaster area. But now I have a huge pile of clothes to donate somewhere. Anyone know of any organization that will send someone by to pick them up?
Or does anyone want to come help me transport a bunch of clothes? :)

Still not even close to making the apartment decent. It's just that bad. Wish me luck.

The Adage is Wrong

The old adage got it backward. It's really "The things in life that are free are the best." Not that these free things are necessarily the best things, but the fact that they are free makes them the best.

Someone I know won a contest and the prize was free Netflix for life. Almost everyone I know seems to have a connection somewhere for free theatre tickets. Someone else I know knows a lot of bartenders and gets a lot of free drinks when he goes out.

I don't get much for free in this life and sometimes I feel envious of these people and others. And that is wrong.

Sometimes I feel like everyone else got an instruction book with their life and just knows what to do and how to do it.

Anyone remember The Greatest American Hero? The premise of the show is that Ralph, our hero, has lost the instruction manual to the Superman-like suit he was given by the denizens of a UFO. So, whenever a crisis calls, Ralph has to make do the best he can and try to figure things out on his own, with the help of Connie Sellecca and Robert Culp. One of the series' favorite sight gags was William Katt as Ralph flailing through the air as he tried to fly in the suit without really knowing how. And he would inevitably crash down to the ground in someplace inconvenient.

I feel like that sometimes. Does everyone know how life works except for me? Am I in my own verison of The Truman Show? Or did I just somehow misplace my instruction book.

...And All That Jazz

So I just finished reading Colored Lights: Forty Years of Words and Music, Show Biz, Collaboration, and All That Jazz, an oral history of and told by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb to Greg Lawrence. Lawrence seems to have intitated conversations with Kander and Ebb on each of their major works and then basically transcribed and organized these conversations. There were also introductions and interjections from frequent Kander and Ebb collaborators Liza Minnelli and Harold Prince.

This was a fascinating document and reading it is what it must be like to sit down with these gentlemen at lunch or at a cocktail party. They hold forth on a variety of subjects, both on and off topic, and seem to be discussing some things between themselves for the very first time.

They underline many times what an easy collaboration they have together (part of why each has resisted working with others) and it seems that that ease has let much go unsaid over the years. For example, at one point, Ebb expresses surprise upon learning that Kander never cared for the original idea that became Steel Pier. Kander explains that he went along with that show, because everyone else involved was too enthusiastic about it for him to object.

But Kander came around. Both men agree that Steel Pier and The Rink, another financially unsuccessful musical, were their favorite creative experiences and that they wish every show had the joy, camaraderie, and energy of those experiences.

The book is of recent enough vintage for Kander and Ebb to discuss last year's Oscar-winning film version of Chicago, of which they are immensely proud. However they do bring up the various issues with Miramax's attempt to add more contemporary music, first to the film itself and then to the soundtrack, in a (in hindsight) misguided and unnecessary attempt to lure younger music fans. The result of all this was a new Kander and Ebb song called "I Move On" that was sung over the end credits and ended up being nominated for an Oscar. Kander discusses at length why the song appears as it does at the end of the film and how the discussions over credit and billing for the film lead to the creation of the intro section of the song.

This book is an immensely fascinating document for musical theatre fans. It's not as in depth as some books (notably Ted Chapin's recent memoir of the creation of Follies), but getting all this information straight from the source is invaluable in drawing a portrait of these men and their work.

For companion listening I recommend, in addition to any and all of the cast albums of their works, the cast album of And the World Goes 'Round, a revue of their work that played off-Broadway in the early 1990's, and Brent Barrett's solo disc The Kander and Ebb Album, on which the popular stage actor interprets a wide variety of songs from the duo, some in close to the original arranagements and some...well...some that are quite different from any versions you've heard before.

Sturm Und Drang in the Air

Another Dream...

So it seems that my mother had decided to open a little house and garden shop selling things like plant pots, garden tools, and lawn accessories. It was a small shop in a sort of strip mall, but it was charming and Mom was so proud of it. But business was not good. I was in the shop with my mother one day and it must have been just after Christmas because in the window there were still some Christmas items that had gone unsold.

No one had been in the shop all day or possibly since Christmas. And things looks bad for the shops's future. Suddenly Mom noticed a pair of women looking in the shop window and talking and she perked up immediately and told me that these women were the turning point she's been hoping for and that they were sure to buy something. She was so Happy!

Then the women at the window laughed and went into the shop next door instead. And my mother dissolved into tears. And she wept on my shoulder. It seems that these women had only stopped to make fun of the sad little Christmas decorations and items still in the window from the holiday.

We were locking up the shop to go get something to eat, when we rounded a corner at the strip mall and ran smack into Robin Williams. We were astounded we'd run into such a star in such a place, but he was charming and, when he found out about the shop, asked to see it.

In short order, Robin Williams had become the center of a huge party in my mother's shop. Apparently, he had called some people who'd called some people, etc. and there were now tons of folks in the place and outside on the sidewalk (where it was miraculously warm) laughing and dancing and having a great time. And, more importantly, they were buying. And the shop was saved.

And, as usual, I'm completely open to interpretations on this one. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

More on Tosca

While I was waiting in the wings to go on last night, I had time to really stand still and watch the performances taking place on the stage about 15 feet away. At one point, the music was so beautiful that I was moved to tears.

I love that I am capable of being so moved by music. Some may call it manipulative, and, to a certain degree, they are correct, but the feeling of being connected to the music and the characters in that one moment is like flying.

And there is a degree of safety in it. When I'm connecting to my emotions in such a powerful way in a theatre, I know that it's good and that everything will be alright, if not for the characters, then for me. But often, when I connect with my emotions so deeply outside a theatre in real life, I am dismissed as hysterical and my emotions as inappropriate.

When did feeling something become inappropriate? Did I miss a memo?

But when I'm in a theatre, I can feel free to weep as I will, and as I did at the recent Broadway revivals of Nine and A Moon for the Misbegotten and at Baz Luhrmann's production of La Boheme.

And last night while waiting to go on in Tosca.

I don't care what anyone says. I think that's just frickin' fine.

Mario, Mario!

So I went on for the first time in Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera tonight. I was playing a Lantern Carrier at the end of Act I. I did well; didn't fall off the stage or drop my lantern on anyone. Also managed to not set anyone, least of all myself, on fire. And I had a really cool costume, complete with a red yarmulke.

As many times as I've done this at the Met in variety of different operas, it's still one of the most exciting things ever. Standing just off that stage and being within spitting distance of these great singers is awe inspiring.

The singer playing Tosca tonight, Cynthia Lawrence, was great fun to watch. She was a typical soprano diva in her first scene, which was thrilling to watch and hear. Then she exited the stage and proceeded to drink her water, do yoga moves and crack jokes with with crew backstage. I love opera singers. :)

I was reminded tonight of the Terrence McNally one-act play "The Last Mile," which was written for the 20th Anniversary broadcast of Great Performances on PBS. This aired when I was in college and I was lucky enough to have taped it.

"The Last Mile" takes place backstage at the Met in the final minutes before the start of a performance of Tosca in which the soprano playing Tosca is making her Met debut.

The soprano was played by Bernadette Peters and other roles were taken by Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, Paul Sorvino, and Tony Goldwyn.

Peters and Sorvino actually sang good bits of their opera roles and both seem to have (had?) legit voices. In the past ten years, Peters' voice has been notoriously idiosyncratic and it will be interesting to see how much of it survives her current run on Broadway in Gypsy.

The performances in this piece were amazing...funny, touching, heartbreaking...all in the space of about 20 minutes. I definitely recommend it if you can dig up a copy somewhere. I might even volunteer a showing of my copy if you're very nice to me.

The guy I was supposed to meet for coffee tonight called to cancel because he has a friend in town. This is the second time he's postponed, but he's really nice about it, so it's okay. He's British and a cute accent goes a long way with me. :)

I always suggest meeting guys first for "coffee," which is weird to me because I do not actually drink coffee. I think of coffee more as a meal or a type of meeting than as an actual beverage. I prefer tea, or, at Starbucks, Caramel Apple Cider. Mmmmm...

Am I the only one in this city who doesn't drink coffee? I don't smoke either. And, since I'm poor, I don't drink much. My vice count is shockingly low these days. Thank goodness I have sex once in a while, let me tell you.

Anybody have any vices they want to spread around?

Sparkle Pretty

So I had this job interview today.

It was at the firm that employs my friend Nick and this guy. Nick very kindly forwarded over my resume and I got a call from a very nice woman in the HR department at about 1.00pm.

By 3.00pm I was dressed up and in her office.

I was then subjected to 2 hours worth of skills testing on subjects like Typing, MS Word, Filing (both alphabetically and numerically), proofreading, and math word problems. Imagine a shorter version of the SAT.

I did very well. I know this because I knew all the answers. I love when that happens. But, I have been working in offices to support myself for a good while now and I'm quite good at it. I was most proud of the math section, which forced me to dredge up memories of high school and Algebra I, which I was able to do without vomiting. And we thought we'd never use any of that stuff. :)

After all this was completed, I got to sit down with my HR person and have an actual interview. Boy did I sparkle pretty for the nice lady! Again, I had all the right answers, even to the tough questions like why I was fired from a particular job several years ago.

She told me that my greatest liability was that I was an actor and that I might get an acting job that would require my leaving town for awhile. My answer to that was that, if such a thing became as issue, I would be happy to find and train a temp to cover for me in my absence. And I told her that I had done this in the past to the satisfaction of all involved.

I really do hope I get this one. It really is a perfect job for me. It's technically part time, but, if I can get the salary I want at 25 hours a week, then I can make ends meet. And there are even benefits. Whee!

Sadly, they are seeing more people next week, so the decisions will not be made any time soon. And there is at least one more round of interviews to get past with others at the firm before I'd get it.

But I did do everything short of performing a little dance on the conference table to "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line.

God, I hope I get it.

He's Alive! He's Alive!

I heard from Jon today. He had a great time in Africa and is presently in Amsterdam. He hopes to eventually have some pictures on-line for all of you to see.

Also, he expects to be back in New York sometime this weekend, which means that my time here at The Jon Blog is coming to a close. But my experience here has been so positive that I will be investigating the particulars of starting my own blog.

This has been suggested before by various people, and I have always demurred, citing a lack of technical knowledge and a dearth of ideas. But this has been fun and I will miss it.

So keep your ears open and I'll keep you all informed.

Me Want Cookie

I need cookies so badly right now...I can't even tell you. Oreos, Nutter Butters, Chips Ahoy, Girl Scout, I don't care. I have such a craving and I have not a single cookie, bar, or newton in the apartment. And I don't have a single dollar on me to go out and buy some.

Help!

Tumble Outta Bed And Stumble to the Kitchen...

Oh, Happy Day...

I actually had a whole day, a whole 9.25 hours, of temp work today. Theoretically, I was supposed to be working as an Administrative Assistant at a midtown financial insurance firm.

So what did I end up doing all day, you ask?

I read the entire current issue of Entertainment Weekly (the one with Mel Gibson on the cover) and surfed the net...a lot. For $17/hour. Not that I'm complaining, you understand. I'd take this kind of assignment every single day if I could. I just don't understand why this firm even bothered to bring me in.

While I had internet access (and was told to feel free to use it to my heart's content) the firm did have a fire wall that kept me from catching up with some of the weblogs that I read on a regular basis.

Among the sites that were blocked were Mike's, Matt's and...(drum roll, please)...The Jon Blog. I was so honored to be in such excellent company. I've never been responsible for anything that anyone felt the need to censor, but now I join the ranks of Anne Frank, Oscar Wilde, and Salman Rushdie. Whoo-Hoo!

Among the sites that did pass muster with this firm's firewall were those of Jeff, Matt in Chicago (whom I never did actually get to meet while I was there for two and half months), Choire (to whom I was once introduced by Jeff at The Coffee Pot), The Advocate, Out, and Gaydar.

Oh, yes, I have recently decided to give Gaydar a try and see if I have any better luck there then I do on gay.com. So far, so good. I am in the process of arranging dates with a couple of gentlemen with whom I've been chatting.

If you, or someone you know, might be interested in a date with me, please get in touch or pass the word. :)

Synonyms

Have you ever noticed how many people use words like "fresh" and "refreshing" when what they really mean is "cold." Or more likely "damn fuckin' cold."

I found last week's lovely spring-like days to be particularly refreshing. And the air in Florida was fresh enough for me.

Can't wait till Spring...hopefully it will arrive this year at some point BEFORE July. We can always hope.

Being Poor Sucks

Okay, the thing I hate most about being poor right now is not that I can't afford to buy groceries or do laundry. The thing I hate the most is that I feel like I'm becoming increasingly isolated from my friends.

Almost every activity of a social nature from grabbing a cup of coffee to seeing a movie to meeting someone for dinner involves an expenditure of some sort. And since I have (quite literally) no money to spend, my social life has fallen into the toilet.

It's so awkward...I can hope that my friends are not purposely not inviting me out because they know I can't afford it, but I think that may be the case. I've tried going out for coffee or a drink to be social and then just not ordering coffee or a drink, but that can make it seem like I'm asking my friends to buy me something. And I see that they may feel weird sitting there drinking something with me not.

And I do not know what to do about this. For a guy who's been accustomed to paying his own way since he was a teenager, this is a conundrum.

If you are my friend, just please don't forget about me. Please invite me out for coffee or a drink or dinner. Just be aware that I will be ever so pleased to see you, but that I will probably not be ordering anything. I do not expect you to pay for me, so please do not feel awkward eating or drinking while we talk and visit. It's just the way of my world right now.

Just, please, don't forget about me. And chatting on-line is wonderful, but sometimes a person needs a little human contact. I'll be working again at some point soon, I promise. And then we can go back to the movies or to the theatre or to dinner and all the other great things this city has to offer.

And I don't even want to get into the idea of dating in New York on $0. That's a subject for a whole other post.

Whoever said "The best things in life are free" obviously didn't live in New York.

Yeah...being poor sucks.

In Dreams (Again)

Remember when I posted an entry about my dreams a while back...well I had a number of interesting ones last night that I'm trying to sort out. In no particular order...

In one of those weird hyper-realism moments, I was walking along a sidewalk and slipped on some ice, but recovered myself. This happened in a semi-conscious state and I felt my entire body tense up as though this was actually happening (and I think, for my body, it WAS actually happening).

And then there was skinny dipping with my friend Brian and Ray Romano in a glassed in swimming pool. Now, I'm no Ray Romano fan and, in fact, am living testament that everybody does NOT love Raymond. So I have no explanation of what he was doing in my subconscious. Especially skinny dipping...

There was a storm brewing outside, so we started getting out of the pool and, as we were getting dressed, Audra McDonald showed up and started doing some work around the pool, as though she were in charge of maintenance, or possibly a lifeguard. Audra and I were, apparently, old friends from school who'd lost touch over the years and I was telling her how much I had enjoyed her second album. I also mentioned that with money being tight I hadn't had a chance to purchase the first or third albums, but that I had heard cuts from them and had enjoyed them.

And the third dream involved male abortion. That's right. I was not in this one at all, but it involved a national debate about men having abortions. As I recall, there was no controversy or even mention of men gaining the ability to become pregnant...that was a given in the dream. There was some poor guy whose home was being picketed because he had had an abortion. He came outside looking very pale and sick and asked to be left alone because he's just had an abortion and wasn't feeling well.

Now comes the weird part...the protests were being spear-headed by John Anderson, the third party candidate in the 1980 presidential election (that year he was running against President Carter and Ronald Reagan, the eventual winner). I wish I was kidding. Anderson was trying to mount some sort of political comeback by riding the issue of abortions for men. Mind you, women were nowhere mentioned in this dream. I think, like male pregnancy, abortions for women were a given. I'm not sure what the difference would be if the person having the abortion was a man, rather than a woman. But, clearly, there was a big one, at least to John Anderson and his protesters.

I have no idea what any of these dreams mean. Anyone have any thoughts?

I Love Paris

So last night I went to see Can-Can at City Center. As I surmised, I was way up in the rafters, but really had no trouble seeing or hearing except that a safety guardrail was right in my line of view so I had to keep looking over and under it to see. City Center is really a terrible venue. I don't understand why people seem to love it so.

The show was terrific fun though and Patti LuPone scored a major triumph in a role that was not, at first glance, entirely suitable. Honestly, there's not much to Can-Can, and none of the other players really registered, not even Charlotte D'Amboise in the role that made Gwen Verdon an overnight sensation. But that was okay as long as LuPone was never far away.

I often have trouble with the script adaptations at Encores!, but I thought this one was [erfectly suitable. Much of the story didn't make sense, but in a way that seemed more attributable to Cole Porter and Abe Burrows than to Frasier's David Lee, who did the adaptation. Basically, this was a frothy 1930's Cole Porter musical that happens to have been written in 1953. Lovely fun for all, but not much there as far as plot or character or motivation. Whee!

As it turns out, I was sitting almost behind Jeff and Matt. I realize that I may be the last remaining person in New York who hadn't yet met Matt, but he's very nice and charming and smart and everything you hope your friends' boyfriends will be. They are very cute together and are even almost the same height (I'm a head taller than both of them).

And when the talk turns to musicals, I'm used to being the smartest, most knowledgeable person in the room...but Matt surely gave me a run for my money. Fun Fun Fun. I hope to get to know him better with time.

So, in short...Can-Can good...Matt good. Anyone looking for a more in depth analysis or discussion of either can contact me privately. There are numerous reviews of the show posted all over the web and you all already know Matt anyway.

UPDATE ON THE KEY SITUATION: As it turned out, one of my neighbours was able to pry the key out of the lock and he held on to it until he could determine whose it was. When I said hello in the hall yesterday, he asked me if I was Jere. When I answered in the affirmative, he pulled out my keys and returned them to me. So keys are back and locks do not have to be changed. And the front door lock is fixed. Yea!! So...

Back to normal...back to usual...let the fun resume. No more gloom and doom...no more bust, just boom.

Thank You Ever So.

I Love Paris

So last night I went to see Can-Can at City Center. As I surmised, I was way up in the rafters, but really had no trouble seeing or hearing except that a safety guardrail was right in my line of view so I had to keep looking over and under it to see. City Center is really a terrible venue. I don't understand why people seem to love it so.

The show was terrific fun though and Patti LuPone scored a major triumph in a role that was not, at first glance, entirely suitable. Honestly, there's not much to Can-Can, and none of the other players really registered, not even Charlotte D'Amboise in the role that made Gwen Verdon an overnight sensation. But that was okay as long as LuPone was never far away.

I often have trouble with the script adaptations at Encores!, but I thought this one was [erfectly suitable. Much of the story didn't make sense, but in a way that seemed more attributable to Cole Porter and Abe Burrows than to Frasier's David Lee, who did the adaptation. Basically, this was a frothy 1930's Cole Porter musical that happens to have been written in 1953. Lovely fun for all, but not much there as far as plot or character or motivation. Whee!

As it turns out, I was sitting almost behind Jeff and Matt. I realize that I may be the last remaining person in New York who hadn't yet met Matt, but he's very nice and charming and smart and everything you hope your friends' boyfriends will be. They are very cute together and are even almost the same height (I'm a head taller than both of them).

And when the talk turns to musicals, I'm used to being the smartest, most knowledgeable person in the room...but Matt surely gave me a run for my money. Fun Fun Fun. I hope to get to know him better with time.

So, in short...Can-Can good...Matt good. Anyone looking for a more in depth analysis or discussion of either can contact me privately. There are numerous reviews of the show posted all over the web and you all already know Matt anyway.

UPDATE ON THE KEY SITUATION: As it turned out, one of my neighbours was able to pry the key out of the lock and he held on to it until he could determine whose it was. When I said hello in the hall yesterday, he asked me if I was Jere. When I answered in the affirmative, he pulled out my keys and returned them to me. So keys are back and locks do not have to be changed. And the front door lock is fixed. Yea!! So...

Back to normal...back to usual...let the fun resume. No more gloom and doom...no more bust, just boom.

Thank You Ever So.

At Nick's Request...

Nick has requested that I post a link to some of the pictures of me that he took yesterday. With reservations, I submit...really, it's the least I could do. If anyone is interested in having him do some pictures, please contact me here and I will put you touch.

Here's some.

And here's some more.

And there are a lot more where they came from...

Heart

Ah, yes...it's The Valentine's Day Post.

A couple of days ago, I was feeling particularly low and composed a whiny, bitter, sad entry regarding my being alone on yet another Valentine's Day. It was so bitter and sad and whiny that I immediately reconsidered posting it and, after sleeping on it, definitely decided not to post this particular raving. Re-reading it, I wouldn't have wanted to date that person and I can't imagine anyone else wanting to either. I was ill-treated by men in 2003 and I still sometimes let those feelings get the better of me.

To all of my friends who are now part of couples (indeed MOST of my friends now): I salute you. I esteem you. I honor you. And I'm a little jealous. I want what you have and I'm not sure how to find it. I am not sure I am capable of finding it.

With a view toward taking my mind off my myriad troubles, I splurged and bought myself a cheap ticket to see tonight's performance of Encores!'s Can-Can at City Center. I will be very high up and very far away, but I will be there and that is the important thing.

And I will probably see Jeff and finally get to meet his boyfriend. I'm looking forward to meeting Matt, but, yes, another happy couple and me alone. Whee.

I hope one day to meet someone who is as interested in spending time with me as I am with him. But, until that happens...

Good night, my someone.
Good night, my love.
Sleep tight, my someone.
Sleep tight, my love.

Our star is shining its brightest light,
For good night, my love, for good night.

Sweet dreams be yours, dear, if dreams there be --
Sweet dreams to carry you close to me.
I wish they may and I wish they might.
Now good night, my someone, good night.

"True love can be whispered from heart to heart,
When lovers are parted," they say.
But I must depend on a wish and a star
As long as my heart doesn't know who you are.

Sweet dreams be yours, dear, if dreams there be --
Sweet dreams to carry you close to me.

I wish they may and I wish they might.
Now good night, my someone, good night.

Good night! Good night!

It's A Lovely Day Today

I spent today running about the neighbourhood running errands, which was great. It was beautiful out and I got nearly everything done I needed to do, which hardly ever happens.

In my travels, I went and checked out the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle for the very first time. It's really terrific and I know I will appreciate having a Borders right in the neighbourhood. We haven't actually had a bookstore in the area since Coliseum Books relocated. True, there is a Barnes and Noble up by Lincoln Center, but that's really the Upper West Side. Go Hell's Kitchen!!!!

Met up with Jeff today and we headed to The Coffee Pot to sit and talk. He had some weird kind of juice thing and I had nothing. We sat there talking, like the student revolutionaries of Les Miserables , mostly about the gay marriage debate. This is an issue that fascinates us both. Go check out his site for some really interesting stuff on this.

Then tonight I went over to Nick's place and he took a bunch of pictures of me with his fancy-schmancy digital camera. Here's the thing...until tonight I had only one picture of myself in this computer. And this picture is a black and white headshot that I send out with my acting resumes, so it's not the best thing to send out to guys who might be interested in dating me.

So I have something like 1000 pictures of myself now. I won't be posting any here (this is The Jon Blog after all, not The Jere Blog), but if you ask really nicely, I might send you some. :)

Nick also introduced me to the pleasures of the X Box and a game called "Big Tittie Lesbian Volleyball." It was hugely fun, even though he managed to beat me every single game.

And he served up some yummy potato chips and pretty green drinks with vodka in them. Sadly, Nick's boyfriend David, also a great guy, was in New Orleans for Mardi Gras (poor guy) and was unable to join in the fun.

UPDATE ON THE KEY SITUATION: I alerted the super to the problem and I think he said he'd take care of it. My super does not speak English very well and I rarely understand what he's saying. It was something about calling a locksmith to fix the lock. Anyway, my keys are no longer stuck in the lock, however I do not know where exactly they are now. Super said he would call me later, but, of course, never did. So I will call him again tomorrow. Sigh. Is it really so very difficult to find building superintendents who speak clear English? I don't think I've ever had one that did here in New York.

Loooocie, You Got some 'Splain' To Do

These things only happen to me...

Coming home tonight from the Metropolitan Opera, where I am covering some roles in the first act of Tosca, I stuck my key in the front door of the building as usual and opened the door. And the door would not let go of my key. My keys are still hanging there in the door. My only consolations are my extra set of keys with which I was able to enter my apartment and the idea that if I could not remove the keys from the door, no random stranger will be able to do so either. I called the super and he is working on the problem.

This is a problem of Arthurian caliber. I just hope that whomever eventually succeeds in pulling my keys from the lock isn't the right and true king of my building. That would suck.

When I got into my apartment, I grabbed a screwdriver and headed back downstairs to see about taking apart the lock. No dice...while I unscrewed every screw I could find, it would not come off the door and the key stuck fast.

Sigh...

The good news is that I had two interviews today, one for a temp agency and one for a real job. The consensus here at The Jon Blog seems to be that it's perfectly fine for me to take a real job and then quit when I need to take an out of town theatre gig. Okay. I hesitate to do that, because I have such bad karma anyway, but I may give it a try. Is it possible for karma to be so bad as to come full circle and be good again?

Small World

This morning, I found out that I inadvertently outed a fellow blogger to one of his co-workers. My friend Nick apparently works in the same firm as this guy. Nick found his co-worker's blog via a link from this site and recognized a story related in a recent entry.

I've been following his blog for a while and I totally advise checking it out. I do not know him, but he seems like a great guy. Too bad he's straight...or thinks he is. ;)

But he is available, ladies. Go for it. If I really knew him, I'd definitely set him up with a single friend. Or a married friend if I didn't like her husband.

Apparently Nick did invite him to a party in the fall which I attended, but he did not show up. Oh, well...maybe Nick will have another party.

Potential Oscar Party

By the way, I am trying to talk someone into hosting an Oscar party. I have already volunteered his boyfriend (whom I have never met) to help with the pre-party cleaning of the apartment.

If you know this person and would like to lend your support to my campaign, please let him know how much you'd love to spend Oscar night with him. :)

More Random Facts

I have sung on stage with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.

I have lived in 4 states: New York, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and New Jersey. I have never lived anywhere more than 7 and a half years. That was Alabama, in case you were wondering.

I have a latent Southern accent that emerges when I'm tired and/or drinking.

When we moved to Alabama, I was about 6 years old. I was disturbed that I could not understand what anyone around me was saying. I vowed at age 6 to never sound like that. When we moved again (to PA this time) my teachers could not tell where I was from and always expressed surprise when told. I considered this a victory of some sort.

I was also disturbed that I could not breathe outdoors in Alabama. We moved there in July and arrived at our new home after dark. I learned the word "humidity" the next day.

I laugh loudly. Really loudly. The laugh varies in type and intensity, depending on the stimuli, but, when I get going, it surprises people.

My favorite movie is Airplane! You should hear me laugh when I watch it.

I know nothing about music, except for show tunes, about which I know a lot. I do read the music section of Entertainment Weekly, but that's it. I once passed a newstand and noticed a blonde woman and a man on a magazine cover and wondered who they were. Turns out, it was Britney Spears and the guy she was married to for five minutes. I'm not kidding.

Minding The Cat (with Help from Time Warner)

Today, I broke down and paid my rent. For February. I had been hoping that something would happen job-wise that would help me, but that hasn't happened. Oh, well...who needs savings?

Also, I am minding my friend Nancy's cat while she and her boyfriend are on vacation. So I treked up the Washington Heights this afternoon. The good part of this is that Nancy has Movies on Demand on her cable, so I got to spend the afternoon watching movies. I really like this whole On Demand idea.

In addition to the latest episode of Sex and the City, I watched one bad movie and one good movie and it shocked the hell out of me which was which. My two picks today were Die Another Day, the latest James Bond adventure and Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Any guesses?

I'll keep you in suspense a little while longer.

I got a temp job dangled in front of me today and then snatched away. One of the agencies called me and asked if I would be interested in an assignment that was a dollar or so per hour below my usual rate. I, of course, crawled through the phone and asked who I'd have to blow to get the job. But I got a call back a bit later saying that the company was going to use someone who is already working there and that my services would not be necessary. Uh Huh.

Okay...the movies...

I was totally surprised what a stinking piece of shit Die Another Day was. I usually love Bond flicks, but this one was completely Spy Movie By the Numbers. I'd heard that Halle Berry was terrific in it, but I saw nothing extrordinary there. Even Judi Dench was uncharacteristically dour in this edition. Eek.

Here's my prescription for the Bond series...

1) Hugh Jackman. Pierce Brosnan was a good choice and a much better one than Timothy Dalton, but I think we've seen everything he can do with this role and it's time to bring in someone new. Jackman would be perfect and the producers would be lucky to get him.

2) Hire marquee directors to give this series a point of view. I had never heard of Lee Tamahori who directed this movie and an Internet Movie Database search turned up nothing of note on his resume. I realize that the producers need to economize somewhere, but this shouldn't be the place. I'd love to see a Bond flick from James Cameron, Ridley Scott, or even Peter Weir. Or how about one from Spielberg himself? How exciting would that be? Seriously!

Speaking of Directors with points of view, Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a hoot that looks like it was ever so much fun for all involved. Smith creates a wacky universe for his characters and delivers a fun goofy movie that has no pretensions and no agenda other than to entertain.

Smith seems to inspire a sense of fun in his actors. Although Jason Mewes and Smith himself carry most of the movie, there are brilliant cameos by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Biggs, and James Van Der Beek among others.

Whee! I love when I turn on a movie that I'm expecting to be crap and discover that it's actually quite wonderful and fun. I just hate the converse. Or do I mean obverse?

And Back in the Soup...

Bright and early this morning, I had yet another interview with yet another temp agency. It went as they all do. "Keep in touch...we'll call you as soon as we have something for you."

But, afterward, I was ballsy and walked into another agency on the same floor without an appointment and asked if I could see someone. They consented, much to the rude chagrin of the receptionist. This interview went even better than the first and I met several people there over the course of my time. They made me retest on typing and all the Microsoft Arts and I did even better than I had done last time I took these tests. (I should have; even if I haven't been working, I've been taking these tests a lot.)

I even got a call from Agency #2 a couple of hours later. They have a permanent position for which I might be right. I'm torn about this. I really don't want a permanent position, but I need income so badly at this point that I'm willing to go along with the deception that I do.

And I'm really starting to get scared about having no income. I realized today that my entire self-worth is based on being able to pay my bills. And I can't right now. Where does that leave me?

I wish I knew.

Home

Well, I have just crawled in the door back home from my week in sunny Florida. It is warmer here in NYC than when I left and that is a good thing. It was less of a shock returning than I thought it would be, since temperatures in Florida dipped into the mid-50's today, down from the 70's and 80's that are normal.

Plane was late (natch) and packed. Sigh. I gave dirty looks to all the rich folks in First Class as I schlepped to the back.

More later, when I have more concentration.

Ye Olde Domino's

Oops...I completelyl forgot to make a Blog Entry last night. My Bad. In all fairness though, my forgetfulness was due to my zeal to finish Endangered Species by Nevada Barr, which I did.

Yesterday's Quote of the Day: "Chris Kattan...Chris Parnell" - Saturday Night Live announcer Don Pardo apparently confusing the two Chrises at the opening of the show over the credits and forgetting that Kattan left the show last season. I never realized that the announcing of the cast at the start of the show was actually done live each week. I guess when they say "Live" they mean it.

The majority of yesterday was spent enjoying the Florida Renaissance Festival. Now I'd been to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire before, so I knew what to expect, but it still was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

It was a bit jarring that the participants didn't seem to take the whole "Renaissance" theme very seriously. There did not seem to be a unifying plan to the festivities (eg: war between two chosen nations), nor did the actual participants take many pains in their authenticity. And, yes, there was a booth called "Ye Olde Domino's" and many costumed folk were seen wandering about with a Domino's box and a soda can. And there was one guy walking around in costume with a banana which he would touch to his ear and say "Can you hear me now?" Amusing, but...

I think I would prefer a Faire with more verasimilitude and authenticity and where the people worked harder to take the proceedings a bit more seriously. To each his own.

Later on today, I head to the airport in Ft. Lauderdale to return to New York. Brrr...

Not really looking forward to going back since there's nothing really for me at home right now, except a stack of bills that I now have to dip into savings to pay. Sigh.

Although I do have yet another temp agency interview bright and early tomorrow morning. These are almost always the same. Everyone loves me and loves my resume, but never has any actual work for me.

And I should put in a call to Starbucks. I have been offered a job as a Barrista at one of my locals coffee shops. Since there's nothing else in the offing, I have to take it, despite a starting salary of $7.75/hr. I've been told to expect no more than 25 hours a week, which means that my potential Starbucks paycheck will be worth little more than the paper it's printed on. Still, it's something and I should be happy that Starbucks wants me when so many do not.

Bah.

How The Other Half Lives, Indeed

Spent most of today at the Henry Flagler mansion in the monied enclave of Palm Beach, FL. Can I just say..."Wow!" Whitehall is a gorgeous house designed by Carriere and Hastings, the same architects who later gave us the main branch of the New York Public Library and its iconic lions. They also did lots of other impressive stuff, including the Henry Clay Frick house on the east side that currently houses the wonderful Frick Collection. By the way, if you're in New York and you haven't been to the Frick, go. It's a beautiful small museam that can easily been seen in a couple of hours, unlike a lot of the behemoth museams in New York.

Had dinner at a beautiful open air shopping district in West Palm Beach. Yum.

I've just realized that in 48 hours, I'm back in the cold. :(

Not sure what I'm going to do about the whole lack of job/pile of bills issue. Any Sugar Daddies out there looking for a Boy Toy?

Dilemma

Just before I left New York for Florida, I met a very nice guy who is very attractive and who seems to like me as well. Of course, there is a problem. He is a Director and I am an Actor. He happens to be directing a production in the near future in which there is perfect role for me and I have already submitted myself for an audition. I mentioned that I would be doing this.

The problem is that he is now not sure that he wants to date me and potentially mix his personal and professional lives. I assured him (truthfully) that I have faced rejection at the hands of friends many times before and that I am capable of separating the personal and the professional. Were he dating me, he would be under no oblilgation or expectation to cast me in his show. It would be nice, I grant, but not expected.

I offered to skip this particular audition, should I get it, because there are a hundred auditions and not a hundred guys in which I am interested. He demurred.

We have been chatting on-line and I have not brought it up recently. When I return to the city from Florida, I'd really like to go out with this guy and see if there's anything there, but I don't want to push.

How should I handle this? What should the next step be? Should I wait for him to make the next move or should I propose coffee or dinner?

BRING BACK BIRDIE Couldn't Have Been This Bad

Quote of the Day: "It's just strategical." -Not President Bush (surprisingly), or my Dad, but rather Ethan of Survivor: All-Stars explaining why he voted to oust the popular Rudy.

I gave up the fight today and went and got a haircut. My hair was just out of control and I couldn't face auditioning the way it was. You know how some people pay good money to have their hair curled? well, mine curls naturally when it gets to a certain length and looks like shit. :)

I did some time in the pool today. Yea! There is nothing in the world like swimming in an outdoor pool. The pools in gyms in New York are just not the same. The only thing that would make it better would be if I didn't have to wear a swimsuit.

Went out for Mexican food and margaritas for dinner. Yum. I can usually eat my weight in Mexican food, especially if the margaritas are $.99. That's right, folks...99 cent margaritas. Sure, they weren't the best I've ever had, but after enough of them, who cares?

By the way, I heard from Jon today all the way from Zanzibar. Needless to say, he's having a great time. Also, I finally finished Jane Austen's Persuasion and have moved on to something completely different, Endangered Species by Nevada Barr.

Okay, the crowning moment of the night was going to see a local community theatre here in Stuart perform Nunsense II, the first sequel to the ever popular Nunsense. It was probably one of the worst things I've ever seen.

Now I have been accused in the past of being a snobby New York elitest when it comes to theatre in the hinterlands. Not so...I have two schools of thought on this. The first is that good is good and bad is bad, whether the performance is on Broadway or in Stuart , Florida. The mere fact that something is on Broadway or in New York doesn't make it good, any more than that something is in the middle of nowhere automatically makes it subpar.

And second, I am a product of community theatre myself and I know what it is and what is possible. In the suburban Philadelphia area, where I lived during my high school years, there are probably about 25 or more community theatres. I worked in several of them in high school and college and, let me tell you, there was some brilliant work going on there. I saw productions and performances that I still rave about to this day.

This was not one of those nights.

Nunsense II has got to be one of the worst musicals ever. Everything that was clever and funny and charming about the original is alternately rehashed and beaten to death or carbon copied with less funny jokes and terrible songs. I can't believe that there are something like 4 of these Nunsense shows now.

Scratch that...I can believe it. The theatre tonight was completely sold out and, my parents tell me, our tickets were extremely difficult to come by. For whatever reason, people love the very concept of nuns on stage being funny and singing. Even if the jokes aren't funny and the singing is...well...more enthusiastic than on pitch.

The production itself was fine, and the set (and the theatre itself) was terrific. If you don't know this show, it takes place on the set of a production of The Mikado and, apparently, this theatre produced The Mikado last season. They simply modified the original set and were good to go. That's long range planning at its best.

The actresses (and actors...the production included two men playing priests) were fine, except for the one playing Sister Mary Leo, the postulate. English was not her first language and it was very difficult to understand her at times. It was odd in one scene where Leo answers the phone and has difficulty understanding a Spanish speaking nun and must hand off the phone to another character. The actresses didn't even try to play off the fact that this nun with a Hispanic accent can't seem to understand Spanish.

This is where a strong director is needed and where much community theatre fails. There were two choices for this scene: Either, the actresses play it as written and do some kind of take when the Hispanic postulate can't understand Spanish, or they switch some lines around and have another character not understand Spanish and hand off the phone to Hispanic Nun. It ain't fuckin' Shakespeare, as we used to say when I was touring in children's theatre.

My father wanted to leave at intermission. We did not.

Has anybody else seen any of the Nunsense sequels? Was your experience similar to mine? I still love the original and I'd love to do it myself one day (as BROTHER Robert Anne), but...geez... To my knowledge, none of the sequels has been produced in New York.

Random Facts About Jere

I am a Mayflower descendent.

I am related to Franklin D. Roosevelt, through the Delanos.

I have ancestors who were slave-holders and who fought for the South.

The "farm" on which said slaves were held is still owned by that branch of the family.

I have never been there...It's in Tennessee somewhere.

The one word that I have never in my life used is "nigger." I hesitated just now before typing it.

I still flinch when unexpectedly confronted with images of the World Trade Center and/or what happened that day. It makes watching old episodes of Friends interesting.

I look forward to a day when I no longer do that.

Lazy Days in the Sun

Quote of the Day, courtesy of my Dad (who else): "There's a car behind us with a headlight out." "Dad, that's a motorcycle." "Oh...so it is."

Today, I had to skip the pool, as we decamped early in the day for Vero Beach, about an hour up the coast from Stuart. We were to meet my Uncle J and Aunt Virginia (the ones who threw their lesbian daughter out of their lives when she came out), and an old friend of my parents, in fact, one of the ministers (now retired) who married them.

We were to have lunch and take in a matinee at the Riverside Theatre, the only professional Equity theatre on the "Treasure Coast," which is what they call this section of Florida. It was Over the Tavern by Tom Dudzick, a play and a writer with whom I was unfamilar.

It was good, if unspectacular. The play needed some work in my opinion. Imagine Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers, with a slightly more functional family and a cameo by Christopher Durang's Sister Mary Ignatious.

I am so torn about my aunt and uncle. On the one hand, they've been really shitty to my cousin for no reason other than that she's gay. But I like them and Uncle J always gives me interesting advice. Today it was to set aside one hour's pay for each day that I work as savings for myself, which is an interesting notion.

He also advised me to buy as much stock in Starbucks as possible. Yes, if my life were The Graduate, Uncle J would be the guy saying "Plastics." And then when he found out I was gay, he'd never speak to me again.

I'm assuming that they don't know about me being gay. I didn't tell them, although it almost came up when I was asked about my feelings about my younger brother's upcoming wedding. Rather than potentially igniting a family firestorm at lunch, I said something non-committal about how nice my future sister-in-law seems.

Did I wuss out?

In the back of my mind, I'm afraid that I'm not more upfront about my sexuality with these people (whom I only see about once every couple of years), because Uncle J is incredibly rich. And his would be a nice will to be remembered in. Shallow? Yes. I hope that's not the reason, because I have a feeling that, even if I was left $50, my cousin Valerie (the "good" daughter who married and has a family) would take the will to court over it. :)

It's a complicated thing.

So no pool today...good for my sunburn.

Thank You Ever So.