Exile in Geeksville

hey there blog buddies -

Thank you thank you thank you for all your support again,  so many of you have given me so much in the ways that you all could, and I am eternally grateful.

But that doesn’t make up for the lack of COUNTDOWNS. So….

RETURNS!

So  lets quick catch up, I am temping and I hate it, but I knew I would when I started.  So I sally forth.

Things are slowly coming together for me on the homefront, as I catch up after 8 months of touring.   I am looknig into the possiblity of getting a roommate,  now since I have a 1 bedroom, that means I may need to move, unless I become very close to a single female anytime soon (no don’t have one in particular in mind). That being said, I have shared my place short term with friends before,  folks who needed a place to stay while they were in town for a week a month ever a couple of days, and I will continue that offer as long as folks need it.  (think of it as staying at Dave’s Bronx B&B)

I know many of you have expressed concern about my mother.  She is still in chemo, but responding as well as we could have hoped.  Her spirits are strong, and positive, and she is looking forward to the family vacation she had planned before she became ill, in August, when she will go with my sisters and their families to Myrtle Beach, SC for a week.

GEEKSVILLE -  its coming back don’t you worry, I have 2 reviews sitting on my desk that need proofing,  A comic and that second half of the Doctor Who finale.

LOST LOVE -  Well I said in the last one, I think I am done with that now,  I have been looking to my past to figure out what I had been doing wrong there, and It has served me well -  I do have a new series planned to follow up on it.  I think if you like to read the MISSED CONNECTIONS on craigslist.org  yo may like this. LOL

JOB HUNT -  That is the next project,  I am temping yes, I have no intentions of staying in the place forever tho, so expect to hear about what it takes to re-invent yourself in today’s job market.

Ok  much peace to you all -

The Countdown continues…..

Heard someone say that the other day –  it doesn’t have much to do with this blog, but it got you here.  – Bait and switch, sue me. Another Late update – been busy on the road – so just some highlights for right now Finishing up tour this week – One more show on Friday in Cedar Grove, NJ. YEAH!  While on tour in Indiana, I discovered that my show today was a town over from a very old friend of mine, who I don’t think I have seen much of since 1990.  We got together for some food and catching up.  He is still as mild mannered as unassuming as ever.

Married, 4 kids all boys and 5th child on the way in the spring – they are hoping girl.  I told him 5 boys make a great basketball team.   Our conversation however, did not include any mention of the fact that his sister and I have been getting together from time to time, in a no strings sort of way. (that got your attention didn’t it)

Starting Saturday I begin rehearsals on a TYA show for TWUSA called THE MYSTERY OF KING TUT

King Tut will star LOU STEELE as Howard Carter, the archeologist who found Tut’s Tomb.   Of course Lou and I have worked together 2 summers at the Weathervane Theatre, in 2005 and 2006.

B

Barn Bat 2006

Of course Christmas is coming up -  I still need to find gifts for Mom and Dad.  And I wouldn’t mind one more thing for my neice.   I have spent enough money on her.  More than I did on my nephew.  He just as 3 or 4 little things and she has 2 boxes.  Trying to find something for a 7 year old girl that is not a Barbie doll or stuffed animal (she has too many of both)  I like to get her something intellectually stimulating as  well as fun. So I will be in NYC from Christmas through 1/7 at least – I don’t know my touring info for TUT yet.  But I have a hunch it will be similar to what I did with Quimby last year. Midwest/south east -  hopeful a lot of south east in the winter moving north in the spring

Ok that its for this -  look for a Geeksville special blog this week recapping a year in geekdom.

Peace in the Middle East

Rain in Spain

Knave

This is a letter I wrote on my other blog, on my myspace. Its part of a series, letters to women with whom I have had relationships with. Relationships that ended, most likely due to something stupid I did. - want to read more of them? Go to my myspace blog If you like this, I will put some of the other letters here

Dear Susannah,

Yes I have already devoted an entire blog to you.

Lost touch with my old friend…

Now that blog was about how you up and left all your friends and how I was looking for where you may have gone -

This is me, talking to you directly -

Soozie,  I wish I could do it over with you, and I don’t say that often. I felt maybe, once, you and I could have, may have had, a real future.

We started as friends, mostly because I never had the nerve to actually ask you out. I did however make friends with you and your friends (and those friendships with people like Joanie and her sister, Beth, and others took on their own special lives). So our friendship brought a lot to my life. Then we started to get closer - I was never around enough to make you feel that I was serious about you. My work has ruined many a relationship, I know that. I wish I didn’t play of . I wish I didn’t try to cram weeks of dating into one weekend when I could…

Wherever you are I am hope you are hap…

No, wherever you are I hope you get in touch with me. Let me know you are happy.

Love,

David

One of the nice things about touring theatre is I get to go back to places I don’t get to too often. This week my tour took me to southeastern Michigan, with performances in Monroe and Jackson. So I called upon an old friend (whom I have not actually seen in almost 12 years) and told him I would be in the area. He, being the immensely cool dude that he is, said “Dude I have a spare room with your name on it, if you want”

So here I was, spending my first actual night in Ann Arbor in years (the last time I was out the was for an Ozzfest concert, a trip that included an unfortunate incident with some poison ivy, but was still a great time)

I got to spend time with old friends in a place that I truely enjoy going. There was a moment or two when I was sitting there, laughing and catching up where I thought “I wonder if UProd is looking for an associate producer or and assistant Production Manager”

Of course, I don’t think I would really take a job in A2, I am a New Yorker, living anywhere else full time would be kidding myself.

But I had a great time - went to my first professional Roller Derby, the Detroit Derby Girls, I got to see the Detroit Pistoffs beat the D-Funk Allstars at the Masonic Temple, and the head ref of the bout was my old friend from college, aka Iggy Slop.

The only thing is that there was just not enough time to see everyone and do everything I would have liked to - the next time I get a weekend off I would love to head out there, maybe go the good old Nectarine Ballroom (now simply as Necto) for a monday night industrial flashback. And a trip to Angelo’s for some of that delicious French Toast.
When I finally make it big, I will get myself a place in out there tho -

I am writing this from the back seat of Dodge Sprinter Van, as we cruise down I-81 in southern Virginia, about 30 miles South of Lexington, VA.

That’s right, folks I’m on a Theatreworks USA tour of “A Christmas Carol”. Getting to see some of Red State America (VA, IN, OH) and some of the redder areas of Blue States (IL, MI)

On the road just 1 day and I have already seen the giant roadside crosses all lit up, and “Covenant” Hauler tractor trailers out of Chattanooga, TN with “its not a choice, it’s a child” stenciled on the back of the of the truck.(not a sticker, its stenciled on, apparently its company policy). I will be spending more time in Indiana on this tour, than I have ever before, should be interesting.

Oh and to top it all off I have to go through Columbus, OH! Oh is there no mercy? In Columbus there is a radio station that is playing nothing but TV theme songs. A little research turns up that its a temporary thing until the station launches its new format in mid december. (an interesting choice, I guess seasonal music has been taken.)

So I will be blogging from the road for the next three weeks – I will be back in NYC right before Christmas.

Ok ok OK! I get it, David where is Crisis! We want more Crisis! David are you actually having your midlife crisis and can’t handle writing about it

Work and life just got in the way, I have been rehearsing my latest show which opens on tour next week, and commuting and forth to NJ to help my mother, who just had her hip replaced last month, and still needs a hand around the house from time to time. So I haven’t had much time to sit in front of the computer to type up a blog. But….

I did get sometime on the bus, (when I didn’t need to nap) to get a lot of thoughts and outlines and even some partial essays written for future blogs - Look forward to my upcoming thoughts on - Movie Blockbusters, the Fall TV season (and the impending end of new episodes due to the writers strike), riding the subway, and of course, women.

But today I am finally going to discuss the IATSE Local 1 Stagehand Strike that has closed down most of Broadway.

A lot of people I know have asked me what is going on with the strike, and how does it affect me. The “how it affects me?” part is really easy - Not in the least, At least for now. Since I am not a member of that union (much to many of your surprise) and I am not working on broadway show produced by a League of American Theatres and Producers (sadly). But here are my thoughts about it.

As most of you know, I am pro-union, pro-labor, and fairly left of center politically, so I do support the stagehands and their right to strike, but I do not sympathize with them emotionally, like i did for the musicians back when AFM 802 had their Broadway Strike a few years ago. Stagehands are very well paid, and have a great support structure, all to the union’s benefit and hard work, something they have been able to do without ever having to go on strike before.

The union is doing what it supposed to do - protecting their members and their jobs. As I understand it, and (if someone else knows more, please tell me) the key issue appear to be the number of stagehands needed to perform a show, and the inflexablity of the union to change a work call on a show once it starts, that meaning, if a show goes into production and during technical rehearsals or previews an effect, or a scene with gets cut, and you hired a crew member to work specifically on that scene or effect, the person still has a job, even though their reason for being there is no longer in the show. And they are required to pay this person for as the show runs (so a stage hand on a show like Cats, or Phantom, whose job got cut early on, would have remained on the payroll for the entire run of the show) Is that truely fair? Certainly an actor who was cast in any scene that got cut does not get to keep collecting a paycheck if they no longer have a part in the show.

Also this is the height of the broadway tourist season - hundreds of thousands of visitors come to NYC this time of year to shop, see the tree at Rockafeller Plaza, and see Broadway Theatre. Producers stand to lose millions, and the tourists who spent their money on tickets, and travel/hotel costs will be out that money. Those tourist who were able to cancel their plans now cost the city money in lost hotel and resturant revenue. I hear that a few airlines have cancelled a flight a day to NYC due to a drop off in demand.

My biggest concern is for the actors and stage managers of the closed shows (since I am a member of that union, and some of those folks are my personal friends) There are some shows that may not survive the strike, costing many actors and stage managers their jobs (which they are not getting paid for - and now have to live of 1/3rd or less of their salaries on unemployment)

- Week 46 to follow almost immediately after lunch so come back soon LOL

OK -  another week with out a blog - sorry about that.  No real excuse other than I pushed it off til the weekend (used that extra hour thinking about what to write.)

Let’s talk about what I thought about this week -

It was Halloween this week  and I really didn’t partake too much, on the weekend.  Been a little out of the loop socially to be honest and didn’t get too many offers. (Quel surprise?), Hope you all had fun tho -  heard lots of good times were had.

Halloween day I did do a few things - I went out and saw the kids trick or treating - lots of power rangers, princesses and vampires in my neighborhood.

I did have a job scheduled for this week - but since construction was working behind schedule it didn’t happen. And since I start rehearsals on Monday on A Christmas Carol (Is it really Christms time??) I can’t do the other gig,  it wasn’t that big a deal - just out the money which I could have really used.  That has been the reason I did little else this week - Been a little cash poor these past few weeks.

But for the next couple of months it is not such a issue.   Yeah for Union Contracts  8 more weeks of work,  so its actually been a busy year for me for AEA work,  42 weeks on contract - and they are spread out nicely so I am good for heath insurance thru March 2009 at least.

Thanks to Marni Penning (the lady Hamlet) I got tickets to the B-52’s concert at Roseland on Halloween night.  A fun show,  I wouldn’t have minded seeing that other 80’s band that was playing a few blocks down town, but oh well

Oh yeah My mother had her hip replaced this week, on Wednesday, she got home from the hospital on Saturday already.

I had a date planned last night, but got stood up (well she had cancelled, very late) So that sucked too.

Not my favorite week - so I’m glad its over and that I have work to look forward to this week.

Hope you remembered to reset your clock this week

I am off -

OK -  so I actually had to turn down work this week.

Kinda sad actually, it was with a really well reknowned company, not great money, but a definate foot in the door, as it were.  I litterly signed the contract  a few hours before I officially turned down the 2nd job.

I am still not working this week.  Somethings will come up, I have a few coals out there, as it were.

I do start rehearsals on “A Christmas Carol” next week.  which is a cut down version that will tour the midwest and south east this holiday season.

I also have not had a soda in over 2 weeks -  kinda weird -  this is the hardest time, cause i still crave one from time to time.  I have not actually step on a scale since I started this.  I better do that soon to see if this is even helping

Did you check out that ghost blog I put up?  Pretty cool huh?

COMMENTS, PRAISE, CRITIQUES WELCOME

Happy Halloween

D

Ok, if you get the title, your are geek - cool. If you don’t well I am not going to explain it. That is what google is for.

As most of you know, I celebrated my 36th birthday this week. I just found out that the expected lifespan of a White Male born in 1971 is 73.8 years according to the Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1992, U. S. Department of Commerce, p.77.

So that means, this is it. By this time next year I will have reached my expected midlife.

What have I done with it so far?

I am not exactly dissatisfied with my life right now. I have enjoyed my life, maybe to the point of excess a little too often. Those of you who read this regularly know I have for the past few years felt a bit of a malaise, yes lets call it a malaise, like living during the Carter Administration. I want to use this opportunity. I want to make some serious, obtainable goals, and then meet them. And I want to invite you along for the ride.

Come follow me through these 52 weeks. Counting down to my 37th birthday, and help me avoid the looming “Midlife Crisis” and watch me as I set about to achieve my goals.

• By watch I do mean watch - expect video blogs within 2 weeks
• Ok, I know its trite, but I really want to lose about 25lbs
• I will find a job in my field or at least a related field in NYC and make at least $850/wk
• I will start a healthy romantic relationship with a woman who is age appropriate for me to date
• I will finish writing the book to my script for LOVE SUCKS
• I will pitch my idea for SUMMER STOCK, a reality series that takes place in a summer theatre company
• I will write a pilot script for “Relativity” - A Drama that looks at family dysfunction over 3 generations, looking at 3 different time periods, 1989, 1997, and the present
• I will figure out the medium for my idea that I currently refer to as “Lost in Translation” meets “Spiderman”
• I will keep this Blog up to date - 2 blogs a week min. 1 Countdown Blog, and a pop culture blog series I plan on starting - beginning this week with my take on the new TV season.

Ok that’s it - I hope you come back to check out the progress, comment often.

I will be working on improving this page, adding some widgets and typelists or something -

Have lots to do tho -

I have been thinking about dating a lot lately.

I do date, believe it or not. But I will be honest, my track record when it comes to dating is not stellar. I get good first dates, and then second dates go well - then I get busy with rehearsals, or even worse, leave town for a show and before you know it, its been 6 weeks since I seen her, and she goes and gets married or something. You may have read some of my earlier blogs about some of the women in my (distant) past. And yes, I do intend to write the next letter soon (its coming stop nagging). I just wanted to take this moment to address my dating future

I live in New York City and according someone’s research, there are 81 single men for every 100 women in Manhattan. Women live longer than men so that should explain a part of that gap. There are also more gay men than gay women (about 4 gay men to 1 lesbian) in NYC so the numbers are in flux and hard to quantify.

So by all means I should be able to find someone I would want to date. In fact I would say that I have found lots of women I would like to date, and that is part of the problem, I would like to date a lot of them. I don’t mean jut sex either. I have had sex (really I have) I have had sex with some very attractive, funny, sweet, sexy women (I have to! Stop laughing) I have actually found it easier to find someone to have sex with than it is to find someone who just wants to go out and be goofy with.

But I have all these amazing women in my life, some of them are close friends and some of them are single (and I can’t for the life of me figure out why), And while I enjoy having some of these people in my life casually, I will admit I have thought about asking them out. And while fear of rejection and ruining a good friendship is a factor, it is not the main reason I don’t ask these women out.

Its sad, but the reason I don’t ask many of these women out it socio-economic. A friend told me once, “Women date up, Men date down” Women date men who are more likely to match their lifestyle, while men date women who don’t threaten their masculinity by making more money then they do.

And while I am not threatened by a woman who makes more money than I do, I want to be able to at least go outwith a girl for lunch or drinks and not have to do the math to figure out if I can have the potato skins and another Guiness without making my rent check bounce.

So as with all things, its my inabilty to crack into more lucrative work in theatre or writing that is keeping me from what I want. Yet I keep doing the same thing.

Wow that whole blog to just say - being poor sucks!

(this blog is also on Myspace)