Poetry for Dogs
My book, Throw Me A Bone: Poetry For Dogs, includes 31 poems written purportedly for a canine audience.
It’s available on Amazon — http://poetryfordogs.com — and priced to generate funds for three humane societies. (Writing poetry is not my get-rich-quick scheme, not a pyramid of dogs with you at the bottom. No.)
Turning Pro at The Odd Couple (part 2)
The Odd Couple taught me another lesson on becoming more professional. (Yesterday was Lesson #1.)Lesson #2: CommitmentYou already know about Arnett's decisions to leap in and bow out. I so truly respect him for those decisions.As it turns out, his next decision...
Turning Pro at The Odd Couple (part 1)
The Odd Couple taught me two lessons on becoming more professional. Lesson #1 today...Lesson #1: PreparationThere are moments — for me, before a show — when I feel like I'm just not disciplined enough to be an actor. (Or a business person. Or a father. Or...
Summer School
Remember the 90-Day Self Education Budget?Well, with summer soon upon us, so is my 90-day study list. Summer SchoolHere are my learning goals for this summer: To move sod and till a garden. I'll admit that I've done this already. Alisa said that the new garden...
Kaddish
A tradition in Jewish worship: The Mourners' Kaddish. In Aramaic, it's the prayer that Jews say as we remember the dead. Every day. The more observant say it three times each day (as far as I know). It's a reaffirmation of the cycle of life, a statement that life is...
Take-Home Final Examination
"If you are teaching the same thing in the same way after five years, then you lack either ambition or imagination."— Noam ChomskyI taught marketing at CCAD years ago. After five years I felt burned out and the course felt stale — at least to me. So, I left to teach...
Ladies and Gentlemen, put your lips — er, hands together…
When did we delegate entertainment completely to the professionals? And why? Let's fill in the gaps between the children's school production and Broadway. Let's get local. If you love this, you'll love The Odd Couple....
Being Happy (In Three Easy Steps)
Ever face disappointment? Of course, you have. A safe prediction: there's more on the way. How about trauma, tragedy or crisis? Maybe so. (I hope not.) Sometimes, situations at least feel like those, if only for a moment. How do you react? Do you react like a...
Smart As You Want To Be
Here I am, still learning my lines for The Odd Couple. I've almost ready: maybe 97%. And I have a few more days to get to 100%. I'm working on it.Along the way, I've been thinking: I sure could use a wee bit more brain power for this exercise.There's...
In Praise of Arnett
Arnett Howard has "bowed out" of The Odd Couple. My friend and teacher — and accomplished director, actor and founding member of Available Light [Theatre] — Ian Short will step into the role...and perform on opening night one week from tonight.Now that's...
What is this Available Light?
So, why, you might ask, am I so enthusiastic about Available Light [Theatre]?Here's why: Matt Slaybaugh. This young man is a devoted theatre entrepreneur. As the artistic director of Available Light, Matt is devoted to learning and teaching. He's earnest, thoughtful,...
