A UCLA store flyer showed up in my email today. It was hyping individual teams that are doing well, like Water Polo, Volleyball and Women's Soccer.
But the headline "Which UCLA Team Are You Watching?" just tossed me into slight convulsions. Because, you know, I am watching the UCLA Team that can't run, can't stop a run and loses to Wazzu! We let Utah's Running Back score so much he quit the team for a few weeks because he felt guilty about hurting our feelings. I am watching the UCLA team that would struggle against the Little Sisters of Mercy JV team! And I am still supporting them, but damn'ed if I will buy a shirt.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Boobies (Blue, Red and Nazca)
This allowed us to see the various types of Booby Birds from close up. Here they are.
Fist the famous Blue-Footed Boobies. |
The Blue Footed Boobies usually hang out on rocks. They are the ones that eat closest to shore. Their feet (indicators of how healthy they are) get their color from the iridescent sardines in their diet.
Then there are the Nazca Boobies.
The Nazca Boobies are a purer white than the others and larger. They feed from 5 to 10 miles off the coast. |
Finally there are the Red Footed Boobies.
They feed the farthest from shore (like 10 - 30 miles). They are also the only Booby that can curl it's toes, so they roost in mangroves and scrubs. |
Review of The Front Page
My automated posting didn't work, so I updated it today.
Let’s start off with the biggest question, how were all those stars in The Front Page? The answer is they were great. John Goodman had some laryngitis when I saw it, but otherwise he and the rest of the cast were fantastic. John Slattery is charming, stylish and comedic. Nathan Lane is wonderful, despite not appearing until well into the play. Holland Taylor, John Goodman, Jefferson Mays and Robert Morse are as funny and as good as you expect them to be. Sheri Rene Scott gives a wonderful turn as Mollie Malloy.
So then, why does The Front Page never feel like a great show? First, it is entirely too long. The news hounds are made up of a stable of excellent actors that would headline most other shows, but giving nearly the whole first act to them is not the best use of time. Second, The Front Page is dated, very dated. I suppose you could update it, but that wouldn’t work well in today’s vernacular since the newspaper business isn’t much of a business at all anymore. So be prepared for tasteless jokes about women, effeminate men and colored people.
And yet, on some level, both of these problems feel like choices, since the definitive The Front Page movie (titled His Girl Friday), with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell resolved these issues with judicious pruning of the story.
Other than that, how was the theater, Mrs. Lincoln? Pretty good actually. The set (by Douglas W. Schmidt) is fantastic, giving a large stage a slightly claustrophobic attitude. Filling it in Act One are an impressive array of newsmen acting bored and annoyed as they await news on the imminent hanging of Earl Williams – who’s being railroaded into execution to help reelect the crooked Mayor and Sheriff (Dann Florek and John Goodman). Jefferson Mays is the mincing, neurotic germaphobe (and general gay butt of jokes) who has his own desk, phone and is perpetually put out. He does a fine job with a thankless role. Late entering into the Act are John Slattery as Hildy Johnson, a newsman who is retiring to marry the girl of his dreams and move to New York, Holland Taylor as the annoying mother-in-law to be and Sheri Rene Scott as the Irish hooker with a heart of gold, who berates the news hounds for their lewd comments on her friendship.
In Act Two, Earl Williams escapes, Hildy catches him and hides him in the desk as the other newsmen look for Earl. Plus there is a lot of yelling and running around business.
In Act Three Nathan Lane shows up as Hildy’s boss, Walter Burns, to help Hildy sneak Earl out of the newsroom. The show finally comes to life when Nathan Lane and John Slattery are on stage together. Theirs is a reluctant, but enduring bro-mance, which neither dames nor mother-in-laws nor better jobs will break up. But two full acts makes for a long time to wait for the show to hit its stride.
Jack O’Brian does a fine job of directing The Front Page. He gets excellent performances out of all the players, but at nearly 3 hours, it is a bit of a slog. He might have been kinder to the audience to take a judicious knife to the show.
The Front Page | Playwrights: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur | Director: Jack O’Brian | Cast: Nathan Lane, John Slattery, John Goodman, Jefferson Mays, Holland Taylor, Sheri Rene Scott, Robert Morse
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Thursday, October 27, 2016
Wow! Do not say that!
Walking into training this morning there was a couple (in theirs 40s?) in the lobby of the hotel. He turns to her and says "You should go put on more make up."
When is this appropriate? It was 8:00 AM, so they weren't heading to a Halloween party. The weren't headed to an expensive dinner. He was wearing sweats, so she wasn't underdressed. And I thought she had plenty of make up already. Since it was an hour before 9AM it was too early to rob a bank in a disguise.
I figured he was just an idiot.
Sent from my iPhone
When is this appropriate? It was 8:00 AM, so they weren't heading to a Halloween party. The weren't headed to an expensive dinner. He was wearing sweats, so she wasn't underdressed. And I thought she had plenty of make up already. Since it was an hour before 9AM it was too early to rob a bank in a disguise.
I figured he was just an idiot.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Some pictures from Bartholomew
View from the top. Santiago Island in the distance. |
We got back and I have been teaching this week until Tomorrow - and then John and Sue are coming - so this will all be light posting for a while.
Eddie and I and the great view. |
Eddie and the topography of most of the island. |
Stairs! |
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
One Thing About My High School
So this was odd to Eddie the first time he saw my school. See if you can spot the difference.
Now Ed was (at first) kind of surprised that in California, yes our lockers are outside (they thought 90210 made that up). And yes, our classroom doors open right onto the outside.
The lunch Area at Gahr High School (where I went). |
Because - you know - no snow.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
Thursday, October 13, 2016
I spare the image
One thing I find odd is old men who lift one pant leg of their shorts to pee through. Pull down your shorts! How lazy are you?
And, you're old in an airport. Everyone waiting is grossed out.
Oh OH you're not going to wash you hands then head out to the buffet- terrific.
Sent from my iPhone
And, you're old in an airport. Everyone waiting is grossed out.
Oh OH you're not going to wash you hands then head out to the buffet- terrific.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Yes - You Read That Right, Terms of Endearment with Molly Ringwold!
Perks of being a reviewer... I have tickets for this with Eddie in November (11th). Yay!
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