The Stage is Set for a Saigon Reunion

We're all set to go balls-out on this idea of bringing together the five casts of Miss Saigon that have been produced in the last year around Chicago. We've picked a venue, crunched the numbers, sent out sponsorship proposals and informed as many cast members as we could as of today.

The date: Friday, May 18, 2007, Chicago River Ballroom, Embassy Suites Lakefront, Downtown Chicago. It'll be a black-tie event with tickets at $115 with group rates available. We're moving on faith that this can happen. Wish us luck!

A Vegas-Milwaukee Week

I was in Las Vegas -- won $50 on the slots! -- for a conference about snacks and candy earlier in the week (my boss got a birthday cake he shared with a conference attendee who also was celebrating) and then later in the week I went to Milwaukee to cover a convenience store grand opening. My friend Mark and his cat put me up for the night. All the traveling is tiring!

But I did get some news: I'm in a production of Kiss Me Kate set for this June. Should be a blast. It's Light Opera Works, which always does such a great job with a full orchestra and Equity leads. I'll keep everyone posted ...

Back into the Closet

I spent the weekend diving into my closet to clean things out and start organizing. I got into a groove and I filled 10 garbage bags of clothes. I said goodbye to things that didn't fit--I've been in the habit of buying things that were too big or too small and jarringly colorful. Stuff that still fit but that I'd worn for the last 10 years went too. A lot of Elvis prints and shirts with Star Trek characters also went. It's an effort to reorganize, remodel and redefine. It's felt ... refreshing.

Chicago in wet snow

Chicago is so beautiful in many ways. The way the snow just doesn't care that the city must still work. It's a match made to be satisifed with its incongruity. Good luck to everyone who has it worse ...

Chinese Medicine Cabinet

Well, if I had $5,000 to just burn I'd buy this Chinese medicine cabinet. I saw it at an Asian furniture store last week and loved it. In part because it reminded me of the milti-faceted way a brain works. (Brain and brain, what is brain? -- Star Trek, "Spock's Brain.") A brain files things in many ways, not just linearly but with colors, numbers, smells, textures ... So my thought was that it was a manifestation of the complexity of the brain. Wow, how can I put that in my living room?