Reunited and it felt so good.

So, I must admit that going to the reunion was absolutely amazing. I had the best time and it was great to see people again. I got all nostalgic over it. (see entry below) I think it kind of sums everything up.

The Value of Small Town

I would have never even thought about it, but in retrospect, it was
really great living in a small town. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't
want it now, however, the very reason that I disliked school so much
because everyone knew everyone is the very same reason that I enjoyed
being at the reunion so much.

Yes, we had our cliques. The Band geeks, athletes, shop boys, drama
fags, etc etc. But the simple fact that we shared a commonality of
going to a small school really puts a different value on things.
My wife went to larger school and she barely knew anyone in her class.

We ALL KNEW each other for better or for worse. I feel that when we were
in school if a major crisis would have happened, all those barriers
would have completely vanished. Maybe it is naive of me to say so.
I was sitting out in my yard the other night and there was no traffic,
the wind whistling through my huge maple trees and sounds of crickets
and cicadas buzzing and chirping around and it reminded me so much of
being out on my family's farm. I said something to my wife and she
just rolled her eyes. She is suburb girl. It was pretty special to
grow up in that area. I wouldn't go back because I'm dazzling
urbanite now, but by God, it was great to have those memories sweep
over me.
Also, think about when we went to school. Our area was still so
mellow. I have always had the firm belief that growing up in the 70's
and 80's was probably the best time ever in our little community
because we were aware of things but they didn't really touch us that
much. Sure the times had some influence, but it didn't dictate ideas.
I may just be awash in nostalgia.... but after forty that is sometimes all we have.

Reunited and it feels so good???

Well, tomorrow night is my twenty-five year high school reunion. I'm not too sure what to expect. We are meeting at a smorgasbord in Hagerstown. I have a feeling the crowd will be a little sparse. We had one reunion at five years and no one came (me included).
My biggest fear is my looks. I just hope no one comes out going, "Man, Todd looks old or fat or whatever negative" I would like to show up those people in my class that I've done something. I don't want to be an also ran.
I'll let you know how things went tomorrow.

...and so it goes....

Seven years ago, the theatre department was given a permanent home within the school. We have seen major improvement in the quality of shows as well as state-wide recognition of our program. The renovation of a chorus room into a studio theater has a lot to do with that. The construction did come with a price for the music department. Unfortunately, they lost a great deal of space to make way for the theater. The music department was promised a small building off the band room. To date, that building has not been constructed and along with costumes from the theatre department, the band uniforms and music files were transported down to room 100. (ironically, the old drama classroom) where they stayed until about two years ago. The uniforms were moved back down to the band room to make room for chairs and tables for the high school. The music files have remained in room 100 as have the costumes. The theatre department moved costumes from an upstairs closet to room 100 as well to make room for the corporation as well. In this time frame, the state fire marshal explained that all of the theatre department large props and set pieces, wood for set construction, and the like needed to be removed because of fire code laws. The theatre department went through all things and kept the items that were felt to be useful (or in some cases impossible to replace) for future productions and disposed of the rest. The department kept the items in room 100 as there was nowhere else to store them.

Somewhere along the way, the school corporation decided that high students assigned to in-school suspension and Day Reporting would be in housed in a section of room 100. A wall was built and study areas were put into place for those students. The high number of students assigned to this area made it necessary for the ISS supervisor to put some of the students in the area assigned to the theatre and music departments (now also a storage area for chairs and tables for the high school). This has contributed to the theatre department losing costume pieces as well as having items damaged. We have been through the costumes at least twice every year for the past three years to inspect costumes and rid ourselves of items that no longer are in show worthy shape.

Nearly four years ago, our superintendent attempted to get the school corporation behind a new building project that would have given our theater department a new home in the construction of an auditorium. Unfortunately, members of the community, were opposed to such a project and it was eventually rejected by the school board. A lot of what both the theatre and music department is going through could have been avoided had construction taken place, but that issue is in the past.

In the past year, it was expressed to both the theatre and music departments, that the ISS area in room 100 would be expanded and we were to look into ways to move costumes and the choral music files to another area. The theatre department once again went through costumes on more than two occasions to make cuts to our inventory and disposed of more costumes.

The administration is now pushing the theatre and music departments to make a decision on where to put these items without offering any solutions. Both departments have little to no storage. It has been suggested that items need to be thrown away. The theatre department has suggested that an out building be constructed to house the costumes as long as it is secure and climate controlled so that our costumes will not deteriorate any further. The theatre department would be willing to share space with the music department in a building.

I suggest that if the administration really wants the room, then should provide a climate controlled building that we can house our costumes and set pieces as well as the choral music files. If the administration is willing to do so, then the theatre department would be more than willing to give up the space for the students assigned to ISS and Day Reporting.

You might say that...I could not possibly comment..

If anyone is reading this blog...you will no doubt know that I am a huge fan of British Television programmes. I love British Situation comedies, but I also like a lot of British Drama series like "Cracker" with Robbie Coltrane. By far, my favorite is "House of Cards," "To Play the King," and "The Final Cut" all starring the incomparable Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart. If you haven't seen the series before, you need to go out and get it. He is really a wonderful combination of my favorite Shakespearean villian (and favorite play) Richard III and a little bit of MacBeth thrown in the mixture. He is sly, ruthless, untrustworthy, a liar, and utter utterly charming.

Magic To Do/Comedy Tonight

Well, we did our magic and improv comedy this year for a fundraiser since we have NOOO money. While the crowds were not big, they were certainly receptive. It was a lot of fun to produce, but tiring. I hope to have some pictures available soon, but for now, here is one...

Little Peggy Ann McKay...

....could not go to school today...
ugh. I have bronchitis. Been sick off and on for three weeks and today as I was preparing to get into my car, I threw up. (in the neighbor's yard).
I called in and got a doctor's appt. He prescribed an antibiotic. That should help.

A friend of mine from high school died last week. He had a brain tumor that had came back after nearly a decade of remission. He died peacefully in his sleep. I will miss Bruce even though I didn't keep up with him like I should.

The Compulsive Need...

So, here it after 12:30 midnight and I'm blogging eating a Milano cookie and drinking a coke. I am so pathetic. I've gotten to the point where I feel like I need to blog every few days or so... Not that anyone but Ray reads this muck, but still...

Two weeks ago a pal of mine from high school died. I wish I could have kept better in touch with him. Of course no one in my class has kept much in touch with each other. It's odd, because we were such a small class. (68 kids) You'd think that we'd know what's going on. We haven't even had a class reunion (well there was one attempt five years after we graduated, but it wasn't well attended)

There is really not anything I'm blogging about in particular. I am just writing rubbish.

So the next few weeks are going to be hectic. I have a carwash fundraiser next Saturday, then the week after, I am performing in a magic show/improv comedy show, then about a week later we are doing a new fundraiser called Bruin Warrior. Sort of a take off of Ninja Warrior but on a much lower scale.

We have about nine more weeks until the end of the year. Thank God. I need the break.

Sweet Muncie Brown...

Okay, this is one of those blogs where I'm really glad to say I'm a dad to a boy (not that a girl wouldn't be bad)

I took my father and my son to Worthen Arena this evening to watch the Harlem Globetrotters. All I can say is that is was so much fun to watch not only my son laughing but my dad too. It was a really cool moment to be able to share.

Of course the boy wanted a t-shirt and a headband(?) I got that for him. ($35!) Then about halfway into the second quarter, he wanted a basketball. Well, I just shelled out an additional 12 bucks for soda and popcorn so I was a little short. I told him that I would think about. Next thing I know Dad is getting him a basketball. We got autographs from some of the players, the coach, and the mascot "Globie." The boy absolutely insisted on getting his picture taken with Globie. Go figure. Anyway, so glad to have taken him and dad. It was a really special time for us all.

The Theatre and Horror

Having been in this business for a little over thirty years (yes, you heard me and YES I did start as a child), I was allowed a lot of things that a lot of kids didn't get to do. I got to see films and plays being made at a very tender age (probably that singular privilege warped me). But my dad was a fan of horror and adventure movies.... His favorite? Vincent Price. I remember staying up late on Saturday (or was it Friday?) to watch Sammy Terry on WTTV4 to watch some great old classics and some really interesting newer films.
I was a fan of Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee particularly. My son's middle name is Christopher and he is named for the screen's first really colorful Dracula. The other day, I was at the local library and found a great double feature of Vincent Price movies, one of whom I can relate to very well (not in a murderous sort of way, but in the fact that it takes place in the world of the theatre)
Theater of Blood is great!! I had only seen it once before, but it made a lasting impression on me. Kind of like Price's "The Mad Magician." Is it any wonder that I have such an attraction to theatre and magic? Anyway, the basic storyline is this, Price is a ham actor who "comes back from the grave" to seek revenge on a group of critics who not only savaged his performances but also drove him to attempt suicide. He kills them off one by one by using famous murders from Shakespeare's plays. Quite fun. Price always looked like he was having a good time when he made these films. This was the film where Price met Coral Browne, his love of his life. She played one of his victims. And the exquisite Diana Rigg played his daughter. Check it out if you can. A bit of trivia: Apparently there is a play version of this movie which recently starred Jim Broadbent (from Moulin Rouge) in the Price role. The actress playing Diana Rigg's part? Rachel Stirling, the daughter of Diana Rigg!
The other film was Madhouse which also starred Peter Cushing, possibly the classiest man in horror next to Vincent. Very interesting revenge story there too. There was one actress that was in it that I was genuinely upset that her character died (Natasha Pyne, a beautiful young blond whom I've found very little information on)
Anyway, I love my horror!!

My Life is a Britcom

So, this is my second one. My wife and I have been watching a lot of British Television lately. She loves her mysteries and I love my Britcoms and adventure shows. She has got me interested in a mystery series called "Rosemary and Thyme" starring Felicity Kendall (whom I loved in "The Good Life.")
Why is that I feel like British television shows are so much better than the drivel that the American networks are producing? Probably because the British believe that their audiences are more than three years old.
What's so funny to me is that I can see myself in so many of these shows. Recently, I see myself as Victor Meldrew from "One Foot in the Grave."
I'm absolute rubbish when it comes to writing these things...but hey, I will keep trying.

All this and nothing...

Funny how people inspire you. I did have blog a long time ago but gave it up. Now, a friend (Ray) has decided to start blogging. I thought, "you know, I should really have go at this again." So, here I am rambling, which most people say is not uncommon for me.
I never know exactly what to write in these things. I'm not sure if I should be reflective or not...searching for those moments of divine inspiration.
The title of this blog is taken from a chapter of Inside the Prisoner by Ian Rakoff. An insider's look at the tv series "The Prisoner." I guess this cyberworld is another village, so it seemed appropriate. I am fan of the series and indeed there seem to be times when I am number 6.
Besides.....one must have an artsy title for these things. Makes you seem clever and intellectual.