L V C || C L Memory 31

In 31 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #31:  one last thing from the winter 1994 student led production of 'A View from the Bridge'.

As I said last night, and for reasons unknown, there aren't any photos from this show in my collection ... but there are the memories.

And, courtesy of the show tradition of having the promotional posters signed by cast and crew, there are "yearbook style" messages from a whole bunch of great people that I can read and reflect as I remember days gone by.

The only sad part of this is that not all of those who signed the poster are still with us.  There by the 31 is a note from Tara K, who passed away not that long ago.  Life is short, my friends ... which may just be one of the reasons I'm a fan of pausing to reminisce (as I've been doing now for about 120 days).  I'm so glad we all had those times together ...

Random Tune for Tuesday 9/6/16

I will always be a full album kind of guy (and since I refer to it as full "album" despite the fact that most of my music collection is cassettes and CDs, that's a clue as to my age).

Kids nowadays and their fancy itunes with their hot hip singles are missing out on the totality of the artistic experience ... hearing the songs that don't get released ... that sit in between the hits ... that, when listening to them some thirty-plus years later, perfectly capture the melancholy of a moment.

That's all the long way to say that the next entry in the discarded cassettes series is the Eagles' 'On the Border' (discarded 'cause I also have the CD and I'm finally slowly purging some things) ... and that the song is the Don Henley penned 'You Never Cry Like a Lover'.

I can't live with you baby, can't live without it
And sometimes I believe in love
Sometimes I doubt it
But your life goes on
Like a broken down carousel
Where somebody left the music on

PERFECTLY CAPTURED MELANCHOLY OF THE MOMENT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag_ONZypHIM

L V C || C L Memory 32

In 32 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #32:  a few more views of things from the winter 1994 student led production of 'A View from the Bridge'.

First things first ... clearly a few things that have been in my archive bins for the last two decades need to be cleaned.  I could have tried to do that BEFORE posting the picture of the official cast and crew sweatshirt with its dirty streak on it ... but I didn't.

And the thing on which that dirty sweatshirt is hanging is ALSO significant -- it's Alfieri's ladder from the set design of George H and John B.  That was my character, and he had a platform out over the pews (this was the show done in Miller Chapel) that represented his law office.  My biggest acting challenge at the time was trying to climb up that ladder each performance with my shiny slippery lawyer shoes on!

Note:  of all the shows with which I was associated in all my time at LVC, this is the only one for which I have no photographic evidence -- and I don't know why.  If anyone from that era has any pics to share (of any part of the show -- not just me), feel free to do so.

Random Memorial for Monday 9/5/16

Gone but not forgotten:  all my *past* bosses (so not my current one).

Yes, it's a Labor Day tradition.  Last year I listed ALL my jobs chronologically (there were 30) ... and I said I'd list all my bosses *this* Labor Day (there will be more than 30), and although some of them served in that capacity more than once, they'll only be mentioned once in the post.

Here are those to whom I directly reported in some form or fashion over the years:  Paulette Neidermyer, Owen Landis, Steve Blount, Gerry Smetana, Ken Allwein, Al and Gloria Hassman, Laura and Bob, Brenda Zack, Jenn Evans, Dave Calvario, Roz Kujovsky, Jeff Brannon, Walter Allen, Mary Sheffey, Dan Neidermyer, Fred Steffler, Mak Pasquayle, Christopher Flegler, Mike Rich, Gary and Bev Garbutt, Troy Neidermyer, Jane Gutshall, Bob Cartwright, Bob Engler, Bill Kramer, Joan Taylor, Jenn Troutman, Joe Marcucci, Pat Julian, Harvey Seifter, Edie Miller, Robin Wray, Craig Cody, Lisa Sweeney, Frank Kuhn, Rebecca Joyce, Shannon Kelly, Dennis Kreshock, Barry March, Denver Richardson, Vicki and Yvonne and Jennifer, Phil Feather, John Feather, Greg Rowe, Ander Longenderfer, Sandy Blackman, Ric Carrera, Dori Markowicz, William Trimble, Carl Lerch, Vino Patel, Paul Chace, Carol Barrick, Margaret Garczynski, Bobby Kent, Kathy Lindsay, Kaj Skov, Jim Brown, Cicely Hopkins, Joon Lee, Larry Graves, Cecil George, Andrew LaVoy, Alex O'Kullich, Shannon Doschadis, Matt Rouse, Caryn Smith, Rich Goldberg, Brian May, Chris Wilberding, Becki Klepcyk, Kiley Powell and Maria Preston.

To all of you who once held my livelihood in your hands and to the many of you who reviewed my performance because that was your job to do so, Happy Labor Day (because you can't have labor without the management to oversee them).  The majority of you are missed (but I'm not saying who from this list isn't).

LAST YEAR'S LABOR DAY POST:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/2015/09/random-memorial-for-monday-9715.html

THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS6rLnFLEuo

FOR YOU ON LABOR DAY:

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/five-types-of-bosses/

L V C || C L Memory 33

In 33 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #33:  the winter 1994 student led production of 'A View from the Bridge'.

It was my second to last official show (not counting all those murder mysteries I've yet to fully address in this countdown), and I had reached the elder statesman status of our group, hence my playing the wise old man role of Mr. Alfieri -- which was my third back-to-back-to-back lawyer character ('Barefoot in the Park' and 'The Night of January 16th being the other two).  As a soon-to-be law student, either I didn't have much range OR there was a bit of typecasting afoot.

This show was also special because it was likely the only major production to be performed in Miller Chapel, seeing as how the theatre was undergoing renovations that winter (I think they might have had to have a resanctification ceremony by the time us crazy kids were done with it).

Plus it was memorable because Gully could use his native accent ... and because the staging included our very own deadly scaffolding repurposed as a part of the set.  More tomorrow ...

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 9/4/16

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

The holiday weekend, of course.

Back in the day, I'd be getting ready to work my way through hours of the Jerry Lewis Telethon ( a moment of silence for that tradition taken from us all by corporate greed) ... but nowadays it's more about a trip to the beach and some lawn work (there will be mulch!), some drinking and grilling and a rare night out and about (I'm getting too old to do that too often, but hey -- I have off tomorrow)!

Of course, that AND being grateful that I'm one of the 159 million people who HAS a job (the US civilian labor force as of July 2016 and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Here's hoping you and yours have a safe and enjoyable weekend ... from me and mine!

LABOR DAY STATS:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/us/labor-day-roundup/

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND?:
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/06/travel/national-park-service-turns-100/

WHY LABOR DAY OVER MAYDAY?:
http://www.whatsoproudlywehail.org/curriculum/the-american-calendar/the-origins-and-traditions-of-labor-day

L V C || C L Memory 34

In 34 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #34:  doubling down on the acting stuff.

Feb 1994 -- and in addition to the official school winter play, 'A View From the Bridge' (the article on the left), some of us were also involved in one of the audience participation murder mysteries on campus (the article on the right).

I had a small role in the former (more to come on that tomorrow) and a big role in the latter (more to come on that a few days after tomorrow).  

And let's face it ... anyone who knows me from those years knows that I brought back something with me from my time away between my junior and my senior years -- a set of inter-connected murder mysteries that we ended up performing every other month.  This countdown of memories can't conclude without recalling a few of those (soon).