May 16, 2010
My First Attempt: a deadline
This is going to be very short and direct.
Now that the solo performance show I was in is over and my other blog is fully launched and running, I’ve been able to refocus my efforts on my First Attempt, which will use the California Christmas Flood in the 70s as a pivot point and examine how that fits into the larger story of my mother’s father’s life.
My mother’s family will be gathering for Memorial Day weekend, and I’ll use that time to interview my aunt who lives in Oregon as well as any remaining family members. Once The Gathering is complete, I’ll use the next week to complete the remaining steps (The Coupling, The Refining and The Submitting). My First Attempt will be ready to go by Monday, June 7, when I will post a snippet of it here and send the entire thing off to the folks at This American Life.
Then I’ll get ready to do it all again. Rock on.
April 30, 2010
This post not related: Garden to Garden
A quick off-topic update, my friends.
I’ve been super-busy getting with work and getting ready for an upcoming solo performance show (in which I will be performing an original piece), so that’s why updates have been, uh, sparse.
I would just like to do a little self-promoting and point you toward this other project called Garden to Garden. A friend and I are doing a bit of competitive gardening, and I’ve been building, digging and planting a lot in my efforts to beat the pants off her. Check it out!
I’ll have big developments in my project here very soon.
April 19, 2010
A quick thanks
Occasionally people comment here or send me emails with suggestions, careful prodding and constructive criticism. I just wanted to thank those of you who have done so. Your thoughts and insight sometimes throw me for a loop, but I promise I journal about them frequently, and I try to get back to you (if only to let you know that I read and appreciated your thoughts).
Still interviewing for my First Attempt. It is tough to juggle a day job, a theatre company, some semblance of a social life and this project, but I remain on schedule.
Task-master awaaaaaaay!
April 1, 2010
A very important message
I felt compelled to record this message rather than write it. Give a listen.
More after the jump…
March 26, 2010
First Attempt, Step Six: THE GATHERING
I’ve completed Step Five (The Framing) of my First Attempt, and tomorrow I set out on the dreaded Step Six: THE GATHERING.
MAGIC: THE GATHERING.
No, not really.
More after the jump…
March 24, 2010
The list of things about which I want to learn more
The impetus behind my starting this blog and initiating my year-long 
Journey toward getting hired with This American Life (or just getting my stuff aired on the show) was to corral my creative energies into one massive herd of artistic energy. I’m usually a very scattered person, and I find that when I don’t set specific goals with deadlines, I get distracted quickly.
More after the jump…
March 10, 2010
Some narration from my First Attempt
I know I’ve been a little MIA, but things are pretty nuts for me right now. My boss at work went to Uganda for a month (for a unique cultural experience, check out her blog that I created, wrote and updated), and I’m in the throes of writing something fairly epic for an upcoming solo performance show.
Still, that’s no excuse.
More after the jump…
March 2, 2010
I’m not dead, I’m just hella busy
I didn’t make it to The Fudgery this weekend as promised, so my challenge goes untended, and my latest experiment languishes.
I am le sad (as opposed to le tired).
But I’ll be going there this Saturday, I uberpromise.
This week I finish writing my own parts for my First Attempt. I’ll record them this weekend to finish up Step Five: The Framing. Next week I’ll begin the next step (Step Six: The Gathering) by talking to my mother and siblings. From there’s it is aunts, uncles, cousins and a grandmother. Talking, talking, talking. So many words will make something so focused and direct.
I’m basically an editor. Or maybe a distiller. I like that.
Give me your stories, friends. I shall distill them until they are a most interesting and intoxicating brew.
My American Life Experience 