Most of the years I knew Russ were spent hoping he’d remember who I was. We were introduced several times, first by a friend who was in town to see Ballad Hunter and took me. Russ was in the lobby, greeting a long line of people with his raised eyebrows and deep voice. A couple […]
Tag Archives: friends
Outrageous fortune
Yesterday Toots came over to watch “Lovejoy” but we ended up watching Slings & Arrows. The temperature in the room changed, as she said, when we learned she’d never seen it. Lovejoy is a fun thing to bond over—our mutual adoration of Ian MacShane, our affection for the Lovejoy world where everyone pretty much just cares about antiques, enough to kill […]
The Art of Dramatic Surprise
I’d thought the make-it-up-as-you-go drama was on stage at the Annoyance—two powerful performers improvising together. The way they connected and counterpointed. The way they pushed some things and let others go. The way things came back. It was beautiful and surprising in a way that scripted drama never can be. Afterward, I got to talk a […]
What not to say
In the afternoon we went to Home Depot, where Dave struggled against his recent overwhelming desire to buy more plants. “Let’s come up with a plan first,” I said, reminding him of his earlier plan to come up with a plan. By the time we got home with firewood and mulch and landscape bags, I […]
Day 25: Don’t explain
When I first told people I was going to Ragdale, they said things like, “Hope your class goes well!” “Well, it’s not really a class.” “Oh. Well, hope your retreat is relaxing!” “It’s not really a retreat.” “Oh. Well, hope you have a good workshop!” “It’s not really a workshop.” “Oh. Well, what is it?” […]
Day 23: Separation Anxiety
Exity by Beth, Lila, MT and Patricia Special prairie Clouds no I was kidding Ow my toe Bad bad toe When’s dinner? Ibuprofen eight hundred thousand. Plus whisky. Feel fine. Good night. Sunrise cloud Kafka Makes my whirly word Blossom. Friendship. Consultation. I leave the prairie with the trill of victory. See ya.
Day 11: Prairie Island
When Dave was learning choreography for The Jewels, he started out being able to remember it all in his head. Then he wrote out notes for himself, and suddenly started forgetting things. “I shouldn’t have written it down,” he said at first. But after a few days, the movements were fully back. My theory was that the […]
Day 9: Already?
Yesterday I was finished with the play. I’d gotten to a point of hating it that felt complete. I sent it to a friend, thus making it her problem, and prepared myself for a new something. First, I finished watching the Bergen DVD someone lent me. Then I took a scrap of paper with some notes […]
Herding cats
Sometimes I look at people who listen to vinyl and I’m jealous. I roll my eyes when they brag about the preciousness of the pops and the balancing of the needle and quality of the sound, but I’m jealous. They have a machine that does just one thing, plays records. Meanwhile, a friend is worried […]
All I know
Dave and Chet both had their band debuts last night. Georgia just texted to say Chet’s was fab. Dave’s, I would call really good. They played great, each of them individually sounded fab, but the mics didn’t work, so the instruments were much louder than the voices, which, when you’re a band, is not totally […]