« November 2006 | Main | January 2007 »
December 28, 2006
An Open Letter to Youtube Posters
In response to this, Dwayne writes -
To various posters on UTube:
While I love the creative energy you are putting into your lives in
the safe comforts of your personal space, I would ask them to let it
remain there, in your personal space.
Please leave room for the creative genius of the Michael Bennett's of
the world to shine through.
Thank you.
Respectfully yours,
Present and Future creative genius
Posted by nikl at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2006
Kira Does it Again
10 to Watch: Kira Hudson Banks
BLOOMINGTON — Kira Hudson Banks has proven it’s not how long you do something for the community, but what you do and how well you do it.
She only has been in the Twin Cities for a couple of years, but already has had an impact on the lives of junior high school and university students, won the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Women’s Division Athena Award, earned respect from the McLean County Urban League, and been named one of the Pantagraph’s “20 Under 40.”
For more of this story, click here
Posted by nikl at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2006
Hot Water: Not Overrated
Our hot water heater has been trying to poop out over the past two winters. The past three weeks, as the heater limped its way towards that water heater place in the sky, the water has only stayed hot long enough to ONLY get the most basic level of clean. (Hair washings had to be timed so that Cameron was available to watch the pilot light, warn me when it was out, then relight it and watch again.)
I understand that, for men, this is not an issue. But women DO things in the shower. Most of us are not silky smooth in all the right places by magic. Most of us don't have clear even skin by osmosis. And most of us have hair longer than an inch. And most of us have fallen for this thing called conditioner. And the list goes on.
Today, our brand new wall unit continuous water heater was installed. The beauty of continuous is that, well, it's continuous. Which means I can take as long a shower as I want without losing hot water.
And I just did.
Me = Happy Camper.
Posted by nikl at 12:49 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2006
Rush Loves San Angelo
Rush Limbaugh just had a caller from San angelo and in welcoming him said: "San Angelo - I love San Angelo! You know why? Because you can only get there if you're going there - you won't end up there by accident!"
One of the few Rush comments I can't argue with.
Posted by nikl at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)
Bring it on in to Omletteville!
Thanks to Beth for locating one of my favorite SNL skits EVAH
Omletteville
Add to My Profile | More Videos
Posted by nikl at 09:26 AM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2006
Christmas Music Favorites
In no particular order:
- The intro to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"; Ella Fitgerald; Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas
- Dialogue intro to "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year"; Jackson 5
- "Celebrate Me Home"; almost any recording, including the KSDK commercial (which I have yet to hear this year), but I am partial to the Al Jarreau version on the Warner Jazz Christmas Sampler (thanks Mr. Chuck!)
- "This Christmas"; almost any recording, though I am partial to the arrangement (the guitar, horns and breakdown w/ choir @ the end) on the Christina Aguilera Christmas album, affectionately called Xtina's Xmas
- Dialogue intro to "The First Noel"; Bing Crosby; White Christmas
- The C Section to "Silver Bells"; Johnny Mathis; Merry Christmas
- Final chord progression in the verse intro/transition used in "Silent Night"; The Temptations; Give Love at Christmas
- Vocal and instrumental arrangements on "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"; Jackson 5; A Motown Christmas Carol
- "Christmastime is Here"; Vince Guiraldi Trio; Charlie Brown Christmas
- "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays"; N'SYNC; "Home for Christmas." Everything about this song is so wrong it's right. Especially synth 2 on the chorus
And a two new ones:
- just discovered that Bette Midler and Johnny Mathis do a Winter Winderland/Let it Snow duet on her new Christmas album. LOVE IT.
- Lou Rawls, Merry Christmas, Baby. BRILLIANCE.
Posted by nikl at 11:06 AM | Comments (1)
Workwear for Less, Part Deux
A while back, I posted the black equivelent of Becky Queen of Carpets as part of a post with the latest on-air commercials at work. Well, now my friends, I present, the follow-up: The Chronicles of the Workwear for Less Genie
Posted by nikl at 10:14 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2006
Movin' 101.1
I'm going to have to go ahead and give it up for the new 101.1 FM. On my way into the city just now, they played. . . wait for it. . . "Rumors."
That, my friends, is what live cover bands and radio play is for. You have no idea what's coming next and the "bam!" out of nowhere, "Rumors."
Love it.
Posted by nikl at 07:54 PM | Comments (1)
December 15, 2006
I make me chuckle
I don't know why, but today I was thinking about the term "showmance" - a romance that happens as a result of working on a show together. I was debating how many of those actually ever last - how many marriages are based on "showmances." I started to try to think of examples, and the one that came to mind immediately was actually a "bandmationship" - and that made me laugh. And the people I'm thinking of aren't even really _in_ the band together. And they aren't really together. Well, if you ask her they are, but not so much him. ($5 if you can tell me who I'm thinking of.)
Anyway, mostly I wanted to officially coin the phrase "bandmationship," because while "showmance" has over 14,000 google results, "bandmationship" has ZERO. I win.
And may I say that I officially miss the rotating quotes at the end of my emails.
added later
Broadway.com apparently did a feature on the status of some high profile showmances.
Posted by nikl at 01:27 PM | Comments (2)
From the middle of the ocean, Tom McDonough comes through
Congrats to Tom McDonough, who emailed (he's in the middle of the ocean, so calling was a little out of the question) with the C section of Silver Bells (with LOTS of strings):
Christmas makes you feel emotional
It may bring parties or thoughts devotional
Whatever happens or what may be
Here is what Christmastime means to me
I know exactly what Tom's prize should be, but I may have to wait a bit to be able to execute it sufficiently. So Tom, hold tight, but it will be worth it!
Posted by nikl at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2006
MIA AGAIN
Sorry peeps.
November got away from me and then some. And now it's almost Christmas. It's almost Christmas!!!
In the true Christmas spirit, the first person to call me and leave the C section of Silver Bells on my voicemail wins, well, SOMETHING. Bring it. I leave it to you not to cheat by using the internet.
So, not why I've been MIA, but a very good excuse nonetheless, I owe a big hallelujah, thank you, prayer, praise God and then some. Last weekend I was up for 23 hours straight, and decided it was a good idea to drive during the 23rd hour. Not so much. I fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the road and by a miracle I am still here and still able to type. Here are the photos.
I know. I know.
Posted by nikl at 04:40 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2006
Jerry Shattner
Today, my friend Michael buried his father, Jerry Shattner.
The year I transferred to Northwestern (sophmore year), the first thing I did was get involved in a show. Well, that's not true, the first thing I did was audition and get completely rejected from all the shows. The second thing I did was apply for assistant stage manager on the Dolphin Show, which that year was Meet Me in St. Louis. And that was the beginning of so much. Blowing that audition and ending up backstage was the beginning of my love for the business side of theater. Doing that show was also the beginning of some amazing friendships - friendships that remain strong, reliable and the source of much laughter on a regular basis to this day.
One of those friends is Michael. We were fast friends, and I continued my habit of wanting to date my best male friends. Michael resisted for a while, then gave in. We dated that fall through maybe early Spring, and then Michael broke it off. We of course did the "let's just be friends" thing and I of course agreed b/c I was cleary still all about dating him. Right before finals, he confessed to me that he'd been seeing one of our other friends in the tight knit group. Those who lived through it, or saw the award winning play later written about the year and a half of drama that ensued, know that the story is too involved to be relevant here (though it's good, so if you don't know it, ask me about it over a drink sometime). The relevancy is that through the greek tragedy-like summer, the Dawson/Joey-like fall, the Harry Met Sally NY's Eve scene-like Christmas come full circle to the "let's see other people" that inevitably comes when a senior (me) is in a long distance relationship with someone who's already graduated, Michael and I went through a lot together. The range and intensity of emotion wove us into each others lives in a way that neither time nor distance will ever undo. If that makes sense.
Needless to say, I met and spent time with his family. One of the things that we bonded about was the fact that we both came from close, strong families. Michael's dad was brilliant. But, in like, that you'd never know it if you didn't know it way. He wasn't nerdy, quiet, head-down brilliant, he was like, I can build you a computer from scratch and work my way around a cocktail party brilliant. One of the things that immediately comes to mind when I think about Michael's dad is the MONSTER remote control he built for their house. I want to say there was one for upstairs and one for the basement. He had constructed this panel from which you could control everything in the house. And I mean everything. And this was in 1994. I was still way into theatre at that time, hadn't even started to become the web/tech/gadget geek that I am today. In hindsight, I'm pretty sure that was the first time that I found technology that cool, that I saw such a practical application. And while Michael told me at the time, it wasn't until technology was a daily part of my life years later that I truly grasped just what a technology and engineering rock star Michael's dad was. Like, SERIOUS. Al Gore started the internet WHATEVER.
While I only saw Michael's dad twice over the past 10 years, I've told the story about those remotes countless times, and I've thought of him when I see particularly rock star tech applications. And more than a few times it's crossed my mind how much of a mentor he would have been to me had Michael and I stayed together and had my career taken the course it did - though who knows if it would have. Regardless, in all this reflection surrounding his death, it seems possible to me that his brief entry into my life helped "turn on" the part of me that led me down that path. Which makes me smile.
He was only 61, and he wasn't ill. He had a massive heart attack while on business in Vegas. Not just in imagining it happening to me, but because of what a vibrant force his dad was, I can't imagine the emotion his family is dealing with right now - and will deal with for some time to come. If you pray, or send good vibes, or whatever it is you do, please take a moment to consider them and send healing and comforting thoughts their way.
Jerry Shattner. The original technology rock star.
Posted by nikl at 09:17 PM | Comments (0)