Saturday, September 20, 2008

Tom's Newest Play: NEVER TOO LATE


Dear friends and family,

I just wanted to let you know, I'm in another play. It's titled NEVER TOO LATE. I play one of the leads, Harry Lambert. The synopsis of the show is given below.

The story of NEVER TOO LATE follows middle-aged Harry who lives comfortably with his wife, Edith, and his 24-year-old solitaire-addicted daughter and her husband. Though rather sour and a bit mean, he is, in fact, content. When Harry finds out that Edith is pregnant again, he is anything but overjoyed. In addition to being startled by the unplanned pregnancy, his previously meek little wife begins to lay down the law. There is to be a nursery, a new bath and she is to start writing checks. Audiences will enjoy the Archie Bunker-like characters and hysterical story line.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3,4,10, and 11 and 2:00 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008 at the Upper Elementary School Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL 62249. I believe tickets are $9, $8 for seniors, and $7 for children. You can get more info at www.hardroad.org

I'm portraying a very different character than I've done before. If you can make it, I'd love to see some of you there!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Decline of Language

Today after I finished walking, I came across some graffiti painted on the ground. The message said, "You ant shit to me bitch." I walked away pondering why the person who wrote this would call someone "ant shit". I mean all animals and insects poop. I couldn't figure out what was so special about ant feces that someone would use it as an insult? Then I realized what the person meant, he meant to write "ain't shit". I guess that it's just another sign of the times. Am not became ain't and ain't has become ant.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Danny Boyle


I have a new director whom I admire: Danny Boyle. Boyle is best known for TRAINSPOTTING, a film I still need to see. I have seen 28 DAYS LATER and SUNSHINE, other pictures Boyle has directed, and was rather impressed. This afternoon I watched MILLIONS. Amazing! It's such a beautiful, touching, inspiring, uplifting, and imaginative film. MILLIONS is a great movie. I highly recommend it. I'd like to be a director like Danny Boy

Friday, September 12, 2008

Jesus Was a Community Organizer?

On my blogs, I try to avoid writing about politics as much as possible. Politics is way, way too divisive. People pick a person, side, or issue and will say or do anything for what they have chosen without thinking one moment about what they are saying or doing. All the partisan bickering has divided this country so far down the middle that I don’t know if it will ever be possible to return to an era when most politicians were actually real statesmen concerned about the welfare of the country and its citizens instead of their own personal power. I know that politics has always been a game between those who were in it for the betterment of humankind and those who were in it just for their own ego and power trips. But, looking back through history it seems that there used to be, at least in the U.S., a time when there were more people in politics for the right reasons. Now it seems like the majority of the people in politics are power-hungry idiots.

Take for instance this recent statement made in Congress by Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee. “I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that the parties have differences. But if you want change, you want the Democratic Party. Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus, who our minister prayed about. Pontius Pilate was a governor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”

There are two fallacies about that statement. The first is so obvious and ludicrous that I’m not even going to discuss it. You can figure it out on your own.

The second is a bit more subtle and it is the assertion that Jesus was a community organizer. Reading through the New Testament, I find it incredible that someone would describe Jesus as a “community organizer”, at least in the way most people view what a community is. It is true that Jesus was and is all about community, but it is a completely different type of community. The community Jesus was about was unearthly, not-of-this-world. It was a community that could only exist when each of its members were right with God, living in agape, and working together for a common purpose. But, when Jesus walked the Earth no one understood that. Instead of organization, wherever Jesus went there was chaos. Jesus said things that people didn’t like to hear, such as that if they truly wanted to be his disciple they would have to hate their family and even their own life. He promised people trials and tribulations. He drove away very profitable businesses out of the temple. He spent over three years of his life living as a homeless person and told a young, respectable, and wealthy citizen that the only way he could follow him was if he sold all of his possessions. True, people followed Jesus, but most did so out of curiosity. He had his disciples, but even his innermost circle and closest friends abandoned him during his trial. No one testified on his behalf and his most trusted friend denounced him three times and in doing so condemned him to die. On the day of his death no one was comforted. That really doesn’t seem much of a “community organizer” to me.

Monday, September 08, 2008

An Awkward Situation

I'm currently in another play. I take rehearsals very seriously. I learn my lines best through the structured repetition of rehearsal. Last week we were rehearsing and blocking the final scene of the play. The last scene of the play is fairly intense and has all kinds of stuff going on. We had been rehearsing for almost two hours and had about thirty minutes of practice left. I sat down in a chair for the next part of the scene. I felt a chill in the swimsuit area. I looked down and suddenly find myself in an awkward situation: my pants were ripped up from the bottom of my zipper to where the inseam normally meets. I'm not for sure how long my pants had been like that. I really wasn't embarrassed because it's not the first time my pants have ripped during a rehearsal. However, I know things like that can make other people nervous or embarrassed. I made it through the rest of rehearsal as best I could. I did a lot of standing behind chairs. I was wearing khakis and I'm just glad I had almost tan-colored boxers on otherwise things could have been even more awkward.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Hawaii Vs. Alaska

With Gov. Sarah Palin being selected on Friday as John McCain's VP choice, Alaska and Hawaii, the two non-continental states of the Union, will both have a major impact upon the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. Palin is a native of Alaska and is the current governor of the state. On the Democrat side, nominee Barack Obama lives in Illinois, but is actually from Hawaii and is considered my many citizens of that state as their favorite son. So, Hawaii and Alaska both have a voice in the Presidential election. Throw out all previous political theories because it's a new age and the standard political theories no longer have the power they once had.