A commitment-free day!

Hallelujah!

I can almost jump for joy at the stresses of the last few weeks being flung off! Last night was the 2nd annual variety show that our chorus has put together. In some fit of insanity back in February, I volunteered to chair/coordinate the event.

Can we talk under-organized here? First, it was tough to drag volunteers from under their comfort rock to help get it going. The history is that our previous president, Mike Brumbaugh, took the whole shebang on himself last year, making it virtually a one-man organization. Some of you may know Mike from gay.com (mountinmike) or other 'various' sites. He's been one of my best friends for the past couple of years, but moved to Durango a month ago to pursue his career... But we did end up with three key people on the committee, and delegated the hell out of it.

Anyway, the timing of the show couldn't have been worse for me. The Wilde Bunch was very hestitant to commit to a performance until June 27, and convention snuck up so I'd be away for a week. So when we had a meeting this past Weds night for 11th hour details, I find that the 'act coordinator' ended up confirming only TWO of the ten acts he had originally more or less promising...the variety show would be two dance numbers (his young friends), a couple of chorus pieces from the men's and women's choruses, and the (very under-prepared) Wilde Bunch routine. Can we say stress PLUS? I made this mad attempt to contact folks that knew performers to try to get them to step in for us. Nada! Visions of having to cancel the show!

Long story short, with some last minute coordination, it all came together smoothly as a one hour, five minute benefit show, with a meet and greet afterward. My partner Danny stepped in on the very cute skit/dance we had for the Wilde Bunch (someone called in with the flu), and did a stand up comic routine, too, themed around Gerard Hoffnung's "The Bricklayer" letter. The Wilde Bunch skit/dance was really great fun, themed on "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." The whole event, although short, was well-received, and the 120 people who paid for it didn't go away disappointed.

So, again, HALLELUJAH. And if I try to volunteer to do this next year, I want someone to shake sense into me! This overlapping of activities can make ya crazy...and now I'm likely going to teach c/w lessons at the Ranch here!

A commitment-free day!

Hallelujah!

I can almost jump for joy at the stresses of the last few weeks being flung off! Last night was the 2nd annual variety show that our chorus has put together. In some fit of insanity back in February, I volunteered to chair/coordinate the event.

Can we talk under-organized here? First, it was tough to drag volunteers from under their comfort rock to help get it going. The history is that our previous president, Mike Brumbaugh, took the whole shebang on himself last year, making it virtually a one-man organization. Some of you may know Mike from gay.com (mountinmike) or other 'various' sites. He's been one of my best friends for the past couple of years, but moved to Durango a month ago to pursue his career... But we did end up with three key people on the committee, and delegated the hell out of it.

Anyway, the timing of the show couldn't have been worse for me. The Wilde Bunch was very hestitant to commit to a performance until June 27, and convention snuck up so I'd be away for a week. So when we had a meeting this past Weds night for 11th hour details, I find that the 'act coordinator' ended up confirming only TWO of the ten acts he had originally more or less promising...the variety show would be two dance numbers (his young friends), a couple of chorus pieces from the men's and women's choruses, and the (very under-prepared) Wilde Bunch routine. Can we say stress PLUS? I made this mad attempt to contact folks that knew performers to try to get them to step in for us. Nada! Visions of having to cancel the show!

Long story short, with some last minute coordination, it all came together smoothly as a one hour, five minute benefit show, with a meet and greet afterward. My partner Danny stepped in on the very cute skit/dance we had for the Wilde Bunch (someone called in with the flu), and did a stand up comic routine, too, themed around Gerard Hoffnung's "The Bricklayer" letter. The Wilde Bunch skit/dance was really great fun, themed on "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." The whole event, although short, was well-received, and the 120 people who paid for it didn't go away disappointed.

So, again, HALLELUJAH. And if I try to volunteer to do this next year, I want someone to shake sense into me! This overlapping of activities can make ya crazy...and now I'm likely going to teach c/w lessons at the Ranch here!

Early Summer Reading

Ever since we had David Sedaris as one of our guest speakers at the theatre a couple of years ago, I've been mad for his books. I had never HEARD of the guy before, but many had, and he filled the 2000 seats in the theatre just like that!

Reading his books makes me realize you can be a success with nothing more than having a silly, slightly gay slant on your upbringing and your family. And here I went to college and got a boring accounting degree. Little did I know in the early 70s that instead of being a repressed pre-gay collegiate, I could drop out, smoke dope, get some really low-end jobs, and later talk about my family in open print and on the radio and become an international celebrity!

Just now finished "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim"...Danny had gotten that for me as an early birthday present, as well as a numbered card for a booksigning that was coming up on June 15. The venue was the soon-to-close "Bound to be Read" bookstore, another largish semi-independent bookstore chewed up by the ravages of the "Big Two" and the internet.

I'd never been to a book signing before. We went to the back of the line when we got there, not knowing that having that 'numbered card' was our ticket for immediate entrance in for select seating for his reading.

The man is bizarre, but oddly likable. The whole smoking thing is hugely offputting to me, but it's part of his personna and schtick, so that's as it is.

We waited nearly two hours in line after the talk for the actual booksigning...I was a little shocked at what he wrote in that book. It's probably not what I'd show my dear 82 year old mother anytime soon!

But again, it's very affirming to know that you can get by in life very well without being a gay overachiever. I'll always have to keep that in mind while volunteering to do this and that!

Early Summer Reading

Ever since we had David Sedaris as one of our guest speakers at the theatre a couple of years ago, I've been mad for his books. I had never HEARD of the guy before, but many had, and he filled the 2000 seats in the theatre just like that!

Reading his books makes me realize you can be a success with nothing more than having a silly, slightly gay slant on your upbringing and your family. And here I went to college and got a boring accounting degree. Little did I know in the early 70s that instead of being a repressed pre-gay collegiate, I could drop out, smoke dope, get some really low-end jobs, and later talk about my family in open print and on the radio and become an international celebrity!

Just now finished "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim"...Danny had gotten that for me as an early birthday present, as well as a numbered card for a booksigning that was coming up on June 15. The venue was the soon-to-close "Bound to be Read" bookstore, another largish semi-independent bookstore chewed up by the ravages of the "Big Two" and the internet.

I'd never been to a book signing before. We went to the back of the line when we got there, not knowing that having that 'numbered card' was our ticket for immediate entrance in for select seating for his reading.

The man is bizarre, but oddly likable. The whole smoking thing is hugely offputting to me, but it's part of his personna and schtick, so that's as it is.

We waited nearly two hours in line after the talk for the actual booksigning...I was a little shocked at what he wrote in that book. It's probably not what I'd show my dear 82 year old mother anytime soon!

But again, it's very affirming to know that you can get by in life very well without being a gay overachiever. I'll always have to keep that in mind while volunteering to do this and that!