tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61359719773352191602024-03-12T17:38:57.459-07:00This is Art (in Progress)This is Art (in Progress) - a movement of life and play from Mr. Thomas Boguszewski, a zany coot artist-filmmaker-poet-clown from Minnesota.
fnordAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-63263834288246791342014-11-16T20:24:00.002-08:002018-04-29T10:17:18.552-07:00"False Alligat-ions" at the Full Moon Puppet Show (Jan 2014)It's my sewer alligator puppet show!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yrKNXM5LG_0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
In <em>False </em>Alligat<em>ions</em>, Teddy the weird orphan boy discovers that there are alligators living in the city's sewers, but the authorities will not believe him. When he goes into the sewers himself to investigate, he finds that things are not what they seem.<br />
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I wrote, directed and performed in <em>False </em>Alligat<em>ions</em> in January 2014 as part of the Full Moon Puppet Show, organized by Liz Schacterle, at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis. <br />
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The January 25th performance featured Janet Skidmore as the narrator and playing guitar; Theo Goodell providing additional puppeteering and playing the toy xylophone; and Bob Helland on additional Guitar. I performed Teddy, ran the projector, and was the puppeteer behind the alligator king.<br />
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Everybody had incredibly nice things to say about the show, and people liked it so much that we was invited to perform "<em>False</em> Alligat<em>ions</em>" again in September as part of the last Full Moon Puppet Show, during the Handmade Worlds Festival of Puppet Theatre, produced by The Puppeteers of America. (This time with Janet Skidmore reprising her roles, and Francisco Benavides and Jane Marshall providing additional puppetry)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-70896443082343303662014-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:002014-11-16T12:00:00.965-08:00The year I was too busy to blogHey all, Thomas Boguszewski here.<br />
<br />
This site has been awfully silent since last November. I've been doing a lot of fun stuff and telling nobody about it. That's all going to change, though.<br />
<br />
In the coming weeks I'll be catching up on lost time, and sharing stories about the projects I've worked on and experiences I've had in 2014.<br />
<br />
Among them:<br />
<br />
4 puppet shows<br />
a book trailer<br />
3 operas<br />
3 conventions<br />
1 film festival<br />
1 delayed animated film<br />
1 cancelled commercial<br />
1 aborted installation piece<br />
<div>
300 pages of comedy</div>
<div>
a collection of incredible summer adventures...<br />
<br />
and more!<br />
stay tuned while I not only revitalize the stream of news stories, but redesign this blog as well!<br />
Here's looking forward to a future where I take more of what's going on in my world and share it with others.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-90252955348732839642013-11-16T00:39:00.001-08:002014-10-27T04:53:49.246-07:00Comic Artists' Night at the Opera - Arabella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vmxl79KzZ4o/Uoa09A0QMAI/AAAAAAAAExU/qYqId909Vn8/s1600/02_Arabella-Mobile-768x308_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vmxl79KzZ4o/Uoa09A0QMAI/AAAAAAAAExU/qYqId909Vn8/s320/02_Arabella-Mobile-768x308_2.jpg" height="128" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Minnesota Opera generously invites artists and members of the press to dress rehearsals for each show that they premiere. The Black Hat Collective and I arrive with pens, pencils and paintbrushes and make it out mission to interpret each show through cartoons and sketches.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCZ240Ei8Gs/UocUzBm07rI/AAAAAAAAEyc/PWDZtEsrCNM/s1600/Arabella+room+best.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCZ240Ei8Gs/UocUzBm07rI/AAAAAAAAEyc/PWDZtEsrCNM/s400/Arabella+room+best.png" height="248" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this 1932 opera by Ricard Strauss, a family is living far beyond their means in a fancy hotel (pictured). Their credit has run out and they are in danger of getting kicked out, unless they can get their eldest daughter Arabella to marry somebody with money.<br />
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Unfortunately Arabella doesn't want to get married for money, she wants to fall in love. Though she has a number of suitors, she does not have feelings for any of them.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXV6L2DGWU8/UocUxzeotrI/AAAAAAAAEyY/KQgAZdJ_gnQ/s1600/Arabella+fam+best.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXV6L2DGWU8/UocUxzeotrI/AAAAAAAAEyY/KQgAZdJ_gnQ/s400/Arabella+fam+best.png" height="316" width="400" /></a></div>
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However, Arabella's younger sister Zdenka (pictured) - who dresses as a boy and goes by the name "Zdenko" - has secretly fallen in love with Mateo (not pictured) - one of the men who pines after Arabella. Zdenka loves Mateo so much that she doesn't want him to be unhappy, so she tricks Mateo by writing him love letters and signing Arabella's name. As a result, Mateo thinks Arabella is in love with him, when she is not.<br />
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Meanwhile, Arabella's father (pictured) had sent a photo of Arabella to a wealthy old friend of his in a desperate attempt to marry her off. However (luckily, for Arabella) that old friend had already died, so the letter went to his handsome nephew Mandryka instead. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5wAdHGX9_Fs/UocOiB5o5EI/AAAAAAAAEyE/nHyq7kyzA2I/s1600/Arabella+bear.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5wAdHGX9_Fs/UocOiB5o5EI/AAAAAAAAEyE/nHyq7kyzA2I/s400/Arabella+bear.png" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
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The nephew received the letter while hunting and was so distracted by Arabella's beauty that he got attacked by a bear (pictured). Mandryka managed to kill the bear but got sent to the hospital, where the only thing he had to keep him company was the picture. Thus, he has fallen in love with Arabella('s face) and so he comes to see her immediately.<br />
<br />
Mandryka is everything Arabella was looking for in a man, he's handsome, he's cool, he fights bears, he's crazy about her. What's not to like? Also, Arabella's parents like him because he's rich, which means their problems are solved! Arabella sings about being in love for the first time (pictured).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVAIQwUk6RU/UocjygDVx6I/AAAAAAAAEzA/tHHGzx6LXsY/s1600/Arabella+herself.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dVAIQwUk6RU/UocjygDVx6I/AAAAAAAAEzA/tHHGzx6LXsY/s320/Arabella+herself.png" height="320" width="243" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, now Arabella is going to start telling all of her suitors to buzz off, and Mateo is going to find out that Arabella doesn't really love him and be heartbroken. To prevent this, Zdenka must take her ruse to the next level!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKRLJx7AFwg/UocncDTUS1I/AAAAAAAAEzM/5WvmFlPGhFI/s1600/Arabella+room+2+best.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKRLJx7AFwg/UocncDTUS1I/AAAAAAAAEzM/5WvmFlPGhFI/s400/Arabella+room+2+best.png" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
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That night, there is a big party upstairs (pictured), hosted by a chick named Fiakermilli who wears a jockey costume and carries a whip (also pictured).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tKvAfUD-1zk/UocjR0IQqKI/AAAAAAAAEy4/TxJMWPnKVUY/s1600/Arabella+jockey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tKvAfUD-1zk/UocjR0IQqKI/AAAAAAAAEy4/TxJMWPnKVUY/s320/Arabella+jockey.png" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
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At the party, Arabella calls in her three suitors of varying size (not pictured) and proceeds to dump them snarkily. Then Arabella and Mandryka get engaged.<br />
<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Zdenko takes Mateo aside and gives him the key to her own bedroom, telling him that it's Arabella's, and that "Arabella" wants him to come "meet her" in that bedroom later. Hearing this makes Mateo very happy, but Mandryka overhears and gets very upset.<br />
<br />
Mandryka is so upset that he goes around knocking things over, sings about how women are fickle, and makes out with Fiakermilli. He then decides to break up with Arabella and go back home. Unfortunately, Arabella knows nothing of this.<br />
<br />
Offstage, Mateo goes up to Zdenka's room (which he thinks is Arabella's) and has sex with *somebody* in the dark. When the show returns, we see Mateo leave the room with an added spring in his step. As he leaves the room, he *passes* the real Arabella. Mateo has a "how did you get out here so fast?" moment, and Arabella doesn't know what he's talking about. Mateo has a "was I really that forgettable?" moment, and Arabella is even more confused.<br />
<br />
Just then, Mandryka comes in to find Mateo and Arabella talking, and his fears seem to be confirmed. He yells at Arabella and Mandryka, Mateo, and Arabella's father are all ready to duel each other to the death. To stop the fighting, Zdenka reveals herself and confesses her ruse. <br />
<br />
Mateo realizes that Zdenka has got to be really into him if she was willing to dupe him into having sex. He realizes that he's got a really good thing going with Zdenka and falls in love with her instead.<br />
<br />
Mandryka realizes that he was wrong for doubting Arabella's fidelity. He sings for a while about how he bets she'll never want to look at him again and how he wants to crawl into the woods and die. Arabella on the other hand is already over it (because after all, he was tricked), and just wants to get married. After a brief misunderstanding revolving around a glass of water, they have a little ceremony and go to bed together.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
THE END.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-31490146112475199492013-09-18T02:10:00.000-07:002014-10-27T03:50:59.239-07:00Drawn Out Storytelling - Rebecca by Steve Zimmer - illustrated by Thomas Boguszewski<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kKx-O2maoAs/Ue92V5lgxpI/AAAAAAAAEkA/QZwMASkhqiQ/s1600/285752_488782314481722_1084586568_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kKx-O2maoAs/Ue92V5lgxpI/AAAAAAAAEkA/QZwMASkhqiQ/s320/285752_488782314481722_1084586568_n.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is my second piece for </span><a href="http://www.drawnoutstorytelling.com/" style="font-family: inherit;">Drawn Out Storytelling</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">: A live show based in Brooklyn, New York which combines live storytelling and live music with live illustration.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>In this tale, performed at Drawn Out's "End of the World" show in June 2012, Steve Zimmer tells of his attempts to find love with a new neighbor.<br />
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Read the story in the form of an illustrated comic made with animated GIFs below:<br />
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Rebecca<br />
By Steve Zimmer<br />
Illustrated by Thomas Boguszewski<br />
<br /></div>
"2010. Flatiron.
Gigantic penthouse loft for sale. Management cuts it in half with
a temporary wall, and rents out the 2 halves – cheaply, until they
sell it. I rent one half, someone rents the other half; but I don’t
meet this mystery tenant since we enter from different streets.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r1KUCKECXdA/Ue9VN8UuXsI/AAAAAAAAEgU/zlFe0_BDHAg/s1600/04+Slide4-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r1KUCKECXdA/Ue9VN8UuXsI/AAAAAAAAEgU/zlFe0_BDHAg/s640/04+Slide4-1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"But, one day
management forgets to use blind CC on a building-wide email , and I
learn the mystery tenant’s name. Rebecca. Normally I wouldn’t
care; but I’m at a funny point in my life. I’ve just lost my
job. So now I’m home every day, sitting at my computer in
sweatpants that purposely look like real pants while brokers take
potential buyers through my place. I’m 47, and regret that I never
got married and had a family. The buyers are successful, established
couples with kids. It’s like a daily visit from the ghost of
Christmas past.</div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"I start Googling
Rebecca; nothing, except the White pages – which gives your age.
Now I wanna meet someone who’s age-appropriate but young enough to
have kids. So my dating target age group goes from 39 to 39.
Rebecca’s 39. I logically assume this happy coincidence
foreshadows more happy coincidences and wanna meet her.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcRFXWmNw7w/Ue9VRl82ckI/AAAAAAAAEgc/TMsRoyvUBN0/s1600/05+Rebecca+-+Steve+Desktop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcRFXWmNw7w/Ue9VRl82ckI/AAAAAAAAEgc/TMsRoyvUBN0/s640/05+Rebecca+-+Steve+Desktop.jpg" height="574" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"Interestingly, our
sleeping alcoves are on opposite sides of the temporary wall, so we
sleep only 10 feet apart. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNwy-W4UHZ8/Ue9VYkz7oeI/AAAAAAAAEgk/L2u9KAWZeMM/s1600/06+Rebecca+floorplan+beds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NNwy-W4UHZ8/Ue9VYkz7oeI/AAAAAAAAEgk/L2u9KAWZeMM/s640/06+Rebecca+floorplan+beds.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Not unlike my last relationship.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Iy1JLXSVZo/Ue9VY4VTegI/AAAAAAAAEgo/HtJATyMFtzQ/s1600/07+Rebecca+Beds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Iy1JLXSVZo/Ue9VY4VTegI/AAAAAAAAEgo/HtJATyMFtzQ/s640/07+Rebecca+Beds.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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"But the only place we might actually intersect would be the roof. And I’m not gonna sit up there with a folding chair and a book stalking her, in February. But a few months later, I’m having a party so I invite her.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I compose her email
on Word; tomorrow I’ll send it. I do this for all key romantic
emails; it’s like the wait period on buying handguns, plus the
ensuing rewrites capture my evolving feelings.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
The final product
reads: Hi, I’m Steve, from the building CC list. I’m having a
party Friday, it might spill onto the roof. Consider this a
warning/invitation.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
She writes ‘Nice
to meet you, Steve. I’ve never gotten a warning/invitation. Sadly
I’ll be in Toronto Friday.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
I write: ‘Canada’s
fine, but the people at my party will be more interesting’.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
She writes: ‘I’m
visiting Canada because I’m Canadian.’</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
I stay up late
writing a detailed apology - which requires googling Canada, and send
it at 3 AM</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
Next morning,
Rebecca responds: Steve – I’m actually from Delaware. Was
joking. So sorry.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
I write back: NP.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIG-La9hw74/Ue9VY7FkN_I/AAAAAAAAEgw/IuLjJetH7vw/s1600/08+Rebecca+Laptop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIG-La9hw74/Ue9VY7FkN_I/AAAAAAAAEgw/IuLjJetH7vw/s640/08+Rebecca+Laptop.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"Despair ensues. I
call my friend, Jill who listens despite our agreement that I won’t
seek advice on things I already did. She’s like: ‘Ok, so you
intercepted her address, cyberstalked her, and freaked out over
gentle teasing.’ When someone’s able to condemn your behavior by
summarizing your behavior, you’ve got your answer. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6r7ssFaP10c/Ue9el7IjKZI/AAAAAAAAEhI/vLYATnH6o1s/s1600/output_2L8AHN.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6r7ssFaP10c/Ue9el7IjKZI/AAAAAAAAEhI/vLYATnH6o1s/s640/output_2L8AHN.gif" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"I’m crushed. Which
sounds silly given I barely know Rebecca. But, consider how
paleontologists take a few small bone fragments and flesh-out
3-dimensional dinosaurs. That’s nothing compared to what I do with
potential girlfriends. <br />
<br />
Rebecca exists in detail, right down to our
breezy MOMA conversations...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ktMu-EqpAEI/Ue9iQ375D4I/AAAAAAAAEhs/TX1uY47goTQ/s1600/output_MVYqx5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ktMu-EqpAEI/Ue9iQ375D4I/AAAAAAAAEhs/TX1uY47goTQ/s640/output_MVYqx5.gif" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"...and the intellectual punk band she fronted back in Delaware.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4WY0lE33x8/Ue9pLWcMizI/AAAAAAAAEjE/HcqKbmaFf2w/s1600/21+rebecca+punk+band.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4WY0lE33x8/Ue9pLWcMizI/AAAAAAAAEjE/HcqKbmaFf2w/s400/21+rebecca+punk+band.jpg" height="400" width="395" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"So I’m thrilled a
week later she writes ‘How was the party?’. After some cautious
volleying, I suggest we meet for dinner on the roof. She agrees.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
The big day. I’m
making a fancy salmon dinner - grilled on the roof. I’m fanning my
mini-grill when a voice says...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-762kuPOXpyU/Ue9tC7HzV9I/AAAAAAAAEjk/wNAqcvZbGE4/s1600/output_7TcY9e.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-762kuPOXpyU/Ue9tC7HzV9I/AAAAAAAAEjk/wNAqcvZbGE4/s640/output_7TcY9e.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0TY3FKUe5w/Ue9mCYEk-7I/AAAAAAAAEiE/AEG1GcTJMps/s1600/24+rebecca+becky+intro+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0TY3FKUe5w/Ue9mCYEk-7I/AAAAAAAAEiE/AEG1GcTJMps/s640/24+rebecca+becky+intro+1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"I look up. She’s
prettier than I’d assumed. Then the setting sun illuminates her
blonde hair. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdWpm6BL_QQ/Ue9mCpBGiJI/AAAAAAAAEiI/fb2QRkSJDDM/s1600/25+rebecca+becky+intro+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdWpm6BL_QQ/Ue9mCpBGiJI/AAAAAAAAEiI/fb2QRkSJDDM/s640/25+rebecca+becky+intro+2.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">"It’s like the Lion King. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9pyunfNSC5U/Ue9mCoB23HI/AAAAAAAAEiM/OBz9_utGAWQ/s1600/26+rebecca+becky+intro+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9pyunfNSC5U/Ue9mCoB23HI/AAAAAAAAEiM/OBz9_utGAWQ/s640/26+rebecca+becky+intro+3.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"I’m like WTF. Listen, I have no right to abuse anyone’s hair, it’s just that I pictured her differently. I say ‘Rebecca?’</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
She says ‘Call me,
Becky’ and hands me a bottle of Yellowtail. Shiraz. </div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFZeFeLC4HY/Ue9mC4tCuVI/AAAAAAAAEic/lPEAKZgbRvA/s1600/27+rebecca+Yellowtail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFZeFeLC4HY/Ue9mC4tCuVI/AAAAAAAAEic/lPEAKZgbRvA/s640/27+rebecca+Yellowtail.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"It’s official;
Becky and Rebecca are now 2 different people. I’m on a date with
the real one. But I have a great connection with the imaginary one.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WHVUjuBbfT4/Ue9uSfYICjI/AAAAAAAAEjw/ZVEzPY2Asl0/s1600/output_rZHMYb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WHVUjuBbfT4/Ue9uSfYICjI/AAAAAAAAEjw/ZVEzPY2Asl0/s640/output_rZHMYb.gif" height="338" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"So I do the sane
thing. Probe for similarities. The one thing I know about Becky is I
enjoyed our correspondence, but as we eat dinner I’m like huh, she
was a lot funnier in her emails, I bet she types them out first in
Word, and then rewrites them.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
Finally I say: Were
you ever in a band? She says ‘I was in band’ – and even before
asking I know the answer: clarinet. We were both woodwinds. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8iSXzBQ-LYc/Ue9q3Q15U_I/AAAAAAAAEjU/_31BnIjnLME/s1600/output_lQnmrt.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8iSXzBQ-LYc/Ue9q3Q15U_I/AAAAAAAAEjU/_31BnIjnLME/s640/output_lQnmrt.gif" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"I also notice we’re
both dressed a little too nice for a casual dinner on a dirty roof;
and that she’s equally disappointed and that we both had high
hopes. And I wonder if she also feels like she’s running out of
time. So I give Becky a chance on her own terms, and she’s great,
but for some people the odds of connecting with a stranger are low.
It’s hard, especially if you ask too many probing questions.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-KNp18IXCM/Ue9mhjxnLXI/AAAAAAAAEio/oc_UK91Ue6Q/s1600/35+rebecca+clowns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-KNp18IXCM/Ue9mhjxnLXI/AAAAAAAAEio/oc_UK91Ue6Q/s640/35+rebecca+clowns.jpg" height="546" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"After tiramisu and history’s awkwardest hug, Becky’s gone.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
After that, it’s a 4-part standard evening: dishes, recycling, Hulu, existential dread.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-deYM_QkfEPo/Ue9mhcneMmI/AAAAAAAAEik/F_Hbg9Lqmfk/s1600/36+rebecca+moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-deYM_QkfEPo/Ue9mhcneMmI/AAAAAAAAEik/F_Hbg9Lqmfk/s640/36+rebecca+moon.jpg" height="618" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
"Then I brush my teeth, turn off the light... <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ntjBEhRQsQk/Ue9mh5KcZUI/AAAAAAAAEiw/lBODHTn4oDo/s1600/37+rebecca+-+goodnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ntjBEhRQsQk/Ue9mh5KcZUI/AAAAAAAAEiw/lBODHTn4oDo/s640/37+rebecca+-+goodnight.jpg" height="618" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
"...and lie down next to
Rebecca."</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-21598778373353793782013-01-07T23:25:00.002-08:002014-10-27T03:56:57.959-07:00Drawn Out Storytelling - "Good News vs. Bad News" by Erin Barker illustrated by Thomas Boguszewski<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpuWC0udXqA/T7XQc_m8FGI/AAAAAAAAArw/zfBA4s3EZlo/s1600/32+-+Erin+Angry+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpuWC0udXqA/T7XQc_m8FGI/AAAAAAAAArw/zfBA4s3EZlo/s320/32+-+Erin+Angry+2.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the Minneapolis Indie Expo in Nov. 2011, I hooked up with <a href="http://www.drawnoutstorytelling.com/">Drawn Out Storytelling</a>: A live show based in Brooklyn, New York which combines live storytelling and live music with live illustration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By February 2012 I was illustrating for them. The title of the show was "I hate you" - The theme was about animosity within families, and the story was <a href="http://themoth.org/posts/storytellers/erin-barker">Good News Versus Bad News (also called "Love and Baseball") by Erin Barker</a>. " In it, a<span style="line-height: 19.5px;"> daughter has to deal with hate and love in her own family when she learns the truth about her mother’s pregnancy. </span> Read the story in comic form below.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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"When I was twelve my mom told me she had something she wanted to talk to
me about. My mom and I didn't have a lot of talks. I loved her very
much, but she was sort of an intimidating figure. She
was one of those very busy corporate working moms <span style="text-align: center;">with
the beeper and the pants suit </span><span style="text-align: center;">and
the rolley suitcases. She shouted important things into phones a lot
and she was away a lot on business trips."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: red;"></span>"But
she sat me down in the living room and
she told me that she was pregnant.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
It
was kind of weird the way she said it, almost like she wasn't that
happy about it." </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qv0frWti-FA/T7XQiwCsOsI/AAAAAAAAAtA/3ORiMeI2PvQ/s1600/5+-+mom+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qv0frWti-FA/T7XQiwCsOsI/AAAAAAAAAtA/3ORiMeI2PvQ/s640/5+-+mom+4.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
"It'd
been about eight years since my brother was born, but even I could
remember how excited everyone had been, how everyone had suggestions
for names, how all the grandparents flew in from out of town, and how
a day barely went by that we didn't get some massive delivery – a
big bunch of congratulations balloons or a giant stuffed animal."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v51YaMYHgHo/T7XQjlocq5I/AAAAAAAAAtI/9GD0ykhX_jg/s1600/6+-+Congrats+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v51YaMYHgHo/T7XQjlocq5I/AAAAAAAAAtI/9GD0ykhX_jg/s640/6+-+Congrats+1.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"But
no balloons came this time. Not even any cards."</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UNHJ_DzngOU/T7XQkKUo2CI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/gEJ6FZd_9FQ/s1600/7+-+Congrats+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UNHJ_DzngOU/T7XQkKUo2CI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/gEJ6FZd_9FQ/s640/7+-+Congrats+2.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Still,
I was very excited. I hadn't expected that I would ever have another
sibling after my little brother. And
I was optimistic that maybe this time I'd get one who could catch a
baseball."</div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6EBUSwiP6vs/T7XQkmxBeKI/AAAAAAAAAtY/FLCCMgzuyJA/s1600/8+-+brother+bonk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6EBUSwiP6vs/T7XQkmxBeKI/AAAAAAAAAtY/FLCCMgzuyJA/s640/8+-+brother+bonk.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"I
told everyone the good news. My
teachers, my
Girl Scout troop, everyone
at church, our
next-door neighbors, the
kid who mowed our lawn. And
they were all just as delighted as I was." </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2WjjDGXEUA/Ueun_Xxpd8I/AAAAAAAAEe0/L0zieIlyoZA/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-8UZKuV.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2WjjDGXEUA/Ueun_Xxpd8I/AAAAAAAAEe0/L0zieIlyoZA/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-8UZKuV.gif" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
"After
a while, though, I started to notice that when these people I told
would inevitably congratulate my dad about the baby, there'd be a
whispered exchange and then that person would say to my dad,<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
'Oh
my god, I'm so sorry.'"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kOGjV94sjnM/T7XQScWp4LI/AAAAAAAAApY/5tb6h4bxPUY/s1600/15+-+neighborhood+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kOGjV94sjnM/T7XQScWp4LI/AAAAAAAAApY/5tb6h4bxPUY/s640/15+-+neighborhood+7.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"And I didn't know what that meant. Until
one day when my dad took me out for ice cream.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
When
I was a kid, my dad was my best friend. He’s the type of dad who
would read to us every night before bed and listen very seriously to
my thoughts on the Roald Dahl masterpiece <i>James and Giant Peach</i>
and the film version’s inherent inferiority. He was the one who
taught me how to throw a baseball and at one point really believed he
could teach my brother the same. The one who told my brother and me
that Darth Vader had to wear that suit because he’d been injured in
a car accident and so we’d better always wear our seat belts unless
we wanted to end up like him.<span style="color: red;"> </span>(Imagine
my disillusionment when I saw the Star Wars
prequels seven years ago.)"</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdzsC0z4QQ0/T7XQSxeFVRI/AAAAAAAAApg/tjlzBNbkZNY/s1600/16+-+Ice+Cream+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VdzsC0z4QQ0/T7XQSxeFVRI/AAAAAAAAApg/tjlzBNbkZNY/s640/16+-+Ice+Cream+1.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
"So, since my dad and I were so close, I could recognize his MO by now. Every
time he has bad news he takes us out for ice cream. Don't ever go to
the Coldstone Creamery with my dad. Just don't do it,"<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htHOXIF1LwE/T7XQTUPZOhI/AAAAAAAAApo/sdURpKlj3wo/s1600/17+-+Ice+Cream+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htHOXIF1LwE/T7XQTUPZOhI/AAAAAAAAApo/sdURpKlj3wo/s640/17+-+Ice+Cream+5.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"unless
you want to find out your grandpa died or
your dog was put to sleep or
your nanny was fired for stealing your mom's jewelry." </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G4HBC2BXtDk/UeurSEN55fI/AAAAAAAAEfM/DgzlGSLePg8/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-H18ma9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G4HBC2BXtDk/UeurSEN55fI/AAAAAAAAEfM/DgzlGSLePg8/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-H18ma9.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"So
we get our ice cream of doom and then my
dad tells me, 'The
baby your mom is pregnant with is not mine.'</div>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
And
I can see him looking at me, to see if I, at twelve years old,
understand what he's saying."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AkmHAbvCCuc/T7XQWnyEZ8I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ge549EU07UI/s1600/21+-+sad+dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AkmHAbvCCuc/T7XQWnyEZ8I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ge549EU07UI/s640/21+-+sad+dad.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"As
it turned out, I had conveniently just learned what sex was,
</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
in
science class at school, when my teacher forced poor Craig Burkin to
read it aloud from our biology textbook. I still remember the exact
words, as read in Craig's shaky, giggly voice..."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-01iVHasgp9s/Ueusyhvd3_I/AAAAAAAAEfc/1_fvxG6CG4k/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-47dsiU.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-01iVHasgp9s/Ueusyhvd3_I/AAAAAAAAEfc/1_fvxG6CG4k/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-47dsiU.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Yes,
the word jiggles was used. Even as a twelve-year-old, I was like, 'I
really feel like jiggles is not the right word to use in this
context.' Jiggles is a word that is neither sexy nor scientific.
Probably the only place you should find the word jiggles is a Jello
commercial.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
But
anyway the point was I did understand exactly what was going on here.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
I
can see how hard it is for my dad to say these words and I know that,
as much as he didn’t want to tell all those other people, I am the
very last person he wanted to tell.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
Then
he says, 'Do you know who the father is?'</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
And
I realize with sudden clarity that I do know. That I have perhaps
always known, but not admitted it to myself until this exact moment.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
'Andy,' I say, and my dad nods."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1H3Fj1XcnA/T7XQYVGVSUI/AAAAAAAAAqw/9SYHqe9qwK0/s1600/25+-+Andy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1H3Fj1XcnA/T7XQYVGVSUI/AAAAAAAAAqw/9SYHqe9qwK0/s640/25+-+Andy.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Andy
was my mom's coworker, this British guy about ten years younger than
her who would take her and me and my brother on little trips and buy
us all expensive presents. He'd even, oddly enough, gone to church
with us. I’d thought he was our friend.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
I
realized now that I had been wrong and that I’d been stupid not to
realize it. And as a result not only had I failed to prevent this
disaster – and like every child I truly believed in my heart that I
could have, with a well-timed tantrum or the
right number of slammed doors – but I had made it much worse
for the one person who deserved it least, my father.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
For
months, I had been coming home and saying, "Dad, look at the
awesome Lego castle Andy got us!" I’d been calling him to say,
“Dad, guess what, I taught Andy how to play baseball!” never
noticing the tense silence that would follow on the other line. Not
to mention I’d publicly humiliated him by telling everyone in town
about my mother's pregnancy. I was racked with guilt. And I was no
longer excited about the new baby."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgYuswmaWHM/Ueut9SRo6gI/AAAAAAAAEfs/AxGe6LqhMy0/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-Z8hQN4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgYuswmaWHM/Ueut9SRo6gI/AAAAAAAAEfs/AxGe6LqhMy0/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-Z8hQN4.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Soon
after this, my mother moved out and bought a house down the street
from my father's, because the neighborhood didn't already have enough
to talk about. My brother and I were supposed to go down there on
some days when she was in town.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
One
weekend I got there and there was a cake on the table and my mother
said to me, 'Andy and I got married today. Do
you want a piece of wedding cake?'"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yjTrxyWW15Q/UeuujV4v4uI/AAAAAAAAEf0/PW7WPJdAx8w/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-ohXn19.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yjTrxyWW15Q/UeuujV4v4uI/AAAAAAAAEf0/PW7WPJdAx8w/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-ohXn19.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"No,
I did not want a piece of the cake of lies.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
A
few weeks later, I came over and was surprised yet again, this time
by the presence of a strange pink baby, who I was told was my new
sister."</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tvyp0UvVNSg/T7XQb5OPG6I/AAAAAAAAAro/eFK_dLISFkQ/s1600/31+-+Erin+Angry+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tvyp0UvVNSg/T7XQb5OPG6I/AAAAAAAAAro/eFK_dLISFkQ/s640/31+-+Erin+Angry+1.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"'Do
you want to hold her?' my mother asked.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
No,
I did not want to hold her. I didn't want to look at her. This baby
had broken my father’s heart. I loathed this horrible creature, and
I always would, I decided then. I made a commitment in that moment to
hate this baby, for the rest of my life, possibly longer.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
There
was just one problem." </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpuWC0udXqA/T7XQc_m8FGI/AAAAAAAAArw/zfBA4s3EZlo/s1600/32+-+Erin+Angry+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpuWC0udXqA/T7XQc_m8FGI/AAAAAAAAArw/zfBA4s3EZlo/s640/32+-+Erin+Angry+2.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"I
don't know if you've ever tried to hate a baby … but it's real
fuckin' hard.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
Because
everything they do is fuckin' magical <i>as shit</i>.
</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
And
this was especially true for my sister, Emma, who had a little
Pebbles Flintstone ponytail on her head. Every
night she refused to go to sleep until I'd come up to her room and
sung her the same song, every time, "Shoebox" by the
Barenaked Ladies, which is actually kind of an inappropriate song to
sing to a little girl since it's about statutory rape, but she'd
heard me playing it in my room once and that was what she wanted, so
who was I to argue."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sY8tegMd-kA/T7XQdn_k3YI/AAAAAAAAAr4/GYCMD7Vgnto/s1600/33+-+emma+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sY8tegMd-kA/T7XQdn_k3YI/AAAAAAAAAr4/GYCMD7Vgnto/s640/33+-+emma+baby.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"And
soon, I found myself bonding with my mother, for the first time in a
long time, over
our mutual love for Emma and
our mutual hatred for the Teletubbies."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qK-_lMcaDII/Ueuv0xsvXjI/AAAAAAAAEgE/ToGUsEkKdHE/s1600/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-ZSz8qV.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qK-_lMcaDII/Ueuv0xsvXjI/AAAAAAAAEgE/ToGUsEkKdHE/s640/http---makeagif.com--media-7-21-2013-ZSz8qV.gif" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Eventually,
all my anger fell down like dominoes. After I forgave my sister, it
was easier to forgive my mother. After I forgave my mother, it was
easier to forgive myself. I never quite forgave Andy, but that was
okay.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
It
turned out, to no one’s surprise, that his stay was only temporary
anyway. He met another married woman with children and
started going to church with them. And presumably started this story
all over again."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q5KeDYN3GOk/T7XQfjjVvUI/AAAAAAAAAsY/3pPhX2oIyTo/s1600/37+-+andy+r-u-n-n-o-f-t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q5KeDYN3GOk/T7XQfjjVvUI/AAAAAAAAAsY/3pPhX2oIyTo/s640/37+-+andy+r-u-n-n-o-f-t.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
"As for my father, I never needed to ask for his forgiveness to begin with. It was always there."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TFoe5wPxL0Y/T7XQf1FuFOI/AAAAAAAAAsg/QQREcrT8FC0/s1600/38+-+erin+and+dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TFoe5wPxL0Y/T7XQf1FuFOI/AAAAAAAAAsg/QQREcrT8FC0/s640/38+-+erin+and+dad.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
"Emma
is fourteen years old now and she’s gone from Teletubbies to
Twilight. Clearly she’s a girl with
questionable taste. Probably in a few years she’ll be reading Dan
Brown novels. But despite that, we’re still great friends,
and because we have her, I can’t regret anything that happened."</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ2FJNB-zOU/T7XQhTdy0rI/AAAAAAAAAso/cChK4-Sy-Js/s1600/39+-+emma+today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ2FJNB-zOU/T7XQhTdy0rI/AAAAAAAAAso/cChK4-Sy-Js/s640/39+-+emma+today.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
Although,
she never did learn to throw a baseball.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-right: 1in;">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Bq_KW6qahE/T7XQiSWoAMI/AAAAAAAAAs4/Wj6_p3N7YpA/s1600/40+-+Sister+Bonk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Bq_KW6qahE/T7XQiSWoAMI/AAAAAAAAAs4/Wj6_p3N7YpA/s640/40+-+Sister+Bonk.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
ILLUSTRATOR'S COMMENTS:<br />
<br />
In choosing my style for this project I tried to channel <a href="http://www.quentinblake.com/">Quentin Blake</a> a little (Roald Dahl's illustrator). I wanted to use a spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment line quality so I drew each character over and over again until I could capture their look in just a couple strokes. This gave it a calligraphic look that I'm very proud of.<br />
<br />
Here are some photos from the show:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m1d7J-Pl1KY/UOvj9ikJs7I/AAAAAAAAA-o/KmCoaNKdZXY/s1600/erin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m1d7J-Pl1KY/UOvj9ikJs7I/AAAAAAAAA-o/KmCoaNKdZXY/s400/erin.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a shot of Erin performing the story.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTjQDtukKzo/UOvkIgVL7xI/AAAAAAAAA-w/zupIP071iHg/s1600/comics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTjQDtukKzo/UOvkIgVL7xI/AAAAAAAAA-w/zupIP071iHg/s400/comics.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They sold some of the artists' books at the show.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-77064808033608182682012-12-21T00:18:00.001-08:002014-10-27T04:17:09.231-07:00New Year's Party 1200 Years in the Making Catches World by Surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rLxXJW2F9E/UNQNV8sU0CI/AAAAAAAAA5c/AA5WVFl4k0Y/s1600/Pyramid+of+Kukulcan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rLxXJW2F9E/UNQNV8sU0CI/AAAAAAAAA5c/AA5WVFl4k0Y/s400/Pyramid+of+Kukulcan.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b> Chichen Itza, Yucután, Mexico - December 21, 2012. </b><br />
Onlookers were shocked and terrified this morning when the Kukulcán pyramid at Chichen Itza began to rotate, spin, and open up like a gigantic puzzle box. For moments, the six tourists then visiting Chichen Itza feared that this event was a portent of the much-advertised 2012 apocalypse. Then the massive pyramid began to emit fireworks and confetti, as well as play catchy music using an intricate system of bells and whistles that had apparently been built inside.<br />
<a name='more'></a> A few minutes later, a large Maya-language banner reading, "Happy New B'ak'tun!" rolled down the steps of the pyramid, capping off an overture that would have announced the changeover from the Mayan Calendar's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_calendar#Long_Count">B'ak'tun 12.<span class="userContent">20.20.18.19</span> to the much more elegant B'ak'tun 13.00.00.00.00</a>.
Because a B'ak'tun is a 144,000-day-long unit of time equal to 394.26 solar years in a base-20
number system, today's New Year's party, historians say, "Could have been the party to end all parties, with tens of thousands of participants uniting in the streets to celebrate —had the Maya culture not been actively suppressed by a steady stream of Spanish colonialists for the last 500 years."<br />
"Have you ever planned a great party only to have somebody come along and ruin it by converting all your prospective guests to Christianity and then all but erasing your civilization? Well this is kind of like that," archeologist Dr. Elena Feradas told reporters Friday.<br />
"Actually, no. Forget 'kind of,' that's exactly what happened," she added.<br />
At press time, the six tourists and the twelve ethnically Mayan people within driving distance of the pyramid have begun participating in a wild dance party after discovering several hundred casks of millennium-old spirits within the monument. Meanwhile many gullible internet readers hide under their desks in fear of end times that will never come. Both groups are among the lucky minority that have discovered something meaningful to occupy them on yet another dark day in this meaningless, empty universe.<br />
<br />
This is news in progress from This Is Art (In Progress).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-13410279700481668312012-11-09T10:43:00.000-08:002014-10-27T04:29:32.585-07:00Anna Bolena at the MN Opera<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myuzCZwgs4U/UKPcgHL_ooI/AAAAAAAAA4M/MPaK28eCcbQ/s1600/bolena+unreasonable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myuzCZwgs4U/UKPcgHL_ooI/AAAAAAAAA4M/MPaK28eCcbQ/s400/bolena+unreasonable.jpg" height="200" width="173" /></a>You know that I usually like to give you loads and loads of history and backstory whenever I go to an <a href="http://www.mnopera.org/season/2012-2013?module=performances&showid=1956">opera,</a> but this time, all you need to know about Anne Boleyn, 2nd wife of Henry VIII, can be heard in this song:<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="30" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/g0sSmWOj0A8" width="300"></iframe>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
"Young Anne Boleyn she was two, had a daughter, the best she could do. I said she flirted with some other man, and off for the chop went dear Anne"</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmZ3OQGvtjQ/UKO7LQ9pKFI/AAAAAAAAA1c/d1WQhnYTawo/s1600/Henry-viii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmZ3OQGvtjQ/UKO7LQ9pKFI/AAAAAAAAA1c/d1WQhnYTawo/s200/Henry-viii.jpg" height="200" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sexy Henry! Take me now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The 1830 opera <i>Anna Bolena</i> by <span id="goog_384993864"></span>Donizetti<span id="goog_384993865"></span> is ostensibly a portrayal of Anne Boleyn's life leading up to the day when Henry had her head chopped off, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtTDVzszxzg">as he was wont to do.</a> Donizetti did four operas about Tudor England so I was excited for some history.<br />
<br />
Then during the reception the speaker told us, "If you're a fan of Showtime's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQOSkd3j_I"><i>The Tudors</i></a>, rest assured that we have a very sexy Henry for you!" And I sighed the collective sigh of a million historians crying out in terror, only to be suddenly silenced. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbyBtiwAXX0&feature=related">[Link: Sexy Henry's diet]</a><br /><br />To read my write-up of the opera and see my lovely cartoons, keep read on under the cut.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
I would describe <i>Anna Bolena</i> as: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
a tragic portrayal </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
of a vilifying interpretation </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
of a humanizing lie </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
made to cover up the vilifying facts </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
that spoke to a tragic reality.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>In real life</i> Henry was desperate for a son, but he could only make girls and miscarriages, so he habitually blamed his wives for having "broken wombs." Henry had already divorced his first wife for having the nerve to birth a daughter instead of a son, so when Anne had <i>another</i> daughter, he decided to accuse her of TREASON and have her executed. That'll show her.<br />
During the trial, Henry also accused Anne of adultery and <i>incest</i> of all things, just to seal the deal. After the deed was done, Henry propagated a myth that Anne had been cheating on him, to make himself seem like the good guy. He then promptly went on to marry his mistress, Jane Seymour.<br />
<br />
("Hey baby, marry me! True, I killed my last wife, but go easy on me, I'm a widower!")<br />
<br />
At first, pop culture believed the lie as told. The king's infallible, thus Anne Boleyn was bad, end of. However, by the time we get to the 1830s, people like Donizetti were wise to the fact that Henry was the bad guy here. Still, even in Donizetti's time, people didn't know how <i>far</i> the smear campaign went. They thought, "The king said Anne fell in love with another man because she was evil, so she must have fallen in love with another man because <i>Henry</i> was evil and didn't treat her right." They had no way of knowing that there really was no other man and Henry pulled it all out of his ass.<br />
<br />
That's why I call it a tragic portrayal of a vilifying interpretation of a humanizing lie made to cover up the vilifying truth that spoke to a tragic reality.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, however, the joke was on Henry because Anne Boleyn's daughter would
grow up to be none other than Miranda Richardson in Blackadder. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lufDgO6_ElQ/UKO927Qra2I/AAAAAAAAA14/3Iwo3XxcmLo/s1600/MirandaRichardson(Blackadder).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lufDgO6_ElQ/UKO927Qra2I/AAAAAAAAA14/3Iwo3XxcmLo/s200/MirandaRichardson(Blackadder).jpg" height="200" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's Queen?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Enuffa dat. Time for the part of the blog that actually gets me invited to these:<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/si7ooqp_IT0" width="420"></iframe></div>
<br />
LOOK CHILDREN I DREW SOME FUNNY PICTURES JUST FOR YOU!<br />
<br />
In this scene the queen enters with her court peeps<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6ua0zBcLbY/UKPcAGXHjhI/AAAAAAAAA2c/veVpRf-9Z7Q/s1600/bolena+bolena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X6ua0zBcLbY/UKPcAGXHjhI/AAAAAAAAA2c/veVpRf-9Z7Q/s320/bolena+bolena.jpg" height="320" width="294" /></a></div>
<br />
No cartoonist on earth can resist the allure of FLUFFY TUDOR PANTS<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DamuNzjJYsE/UKPcDzS-zNI/AAAAAAAAA3E/LgPDqGOLkpU/s1600/bolena+puff.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DamuNzjJYsE/UKPcDzS-zNI/AAAAAAAAA3E/LgPDqGOLkpU/s400/bolena+puff.jpg" height="400" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UUzHznSxEuY/UKPcB4UzzuI/AAAAAAAAA2s/9SFki8oVtI4/s1600/bolena+guy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UUzHznSxEuY/UKPcB4UzzuI/AAAAAAAAA2s/9SFki8oVtI4/s400/bolena+guy.jpg" height="400" width="160" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-W3ksQyroA/UKPcDSYwfyI/AAAAAAAAA28/T86auFxelbc/s1600/bolena+priest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-W3ksQyroA/UKPcDSYwfyI/AAAAAAAAA28/T86auFxelbc/s320/bolena+priest.jpg" height="320" width="148" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mili0Z5RntI/UKPcBNc2GOI/AAAAAAAAA2k/a15DrcoVQJc/s1600/bolena+courtguy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mili0Z5RntI/UKPcBNc2GOI/AAAAAAAAA2k/a15DrcoVQJc/s320/bolena+courtguy.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Queen probably wonders where Henry is or begins to suspect something it up </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJQYGxTJpBE/UKPb_ZUYfBI/AAAAAAAAA2U/lqpvq2eSk38/s1600/bolena+amused+wait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJQYGxTJpBE/UKPb_ZUYfBI/AAAAAAAAA2U/lqpvq2eSk38/s320/bolena+amused+wait.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We are not amused... wait that's<br />
somebody else's line."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
She's rightly suspicious, Henry's hobnobbing with Jane Seymour!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJqFxzIGIh4/UKPcGKcg1DI/AAAAAAAAA3U/taZexRvAdfk/s1600/bolena+seymour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJqFxzIGIh4/UKPcGKcg1DI/AAAAAAAAA3U/taZexRvAdfk/s320/bolena+seymour.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cagKzSxoiuM/UKPcFXL1tAI/AAAAAAAAA3M/xdkIrrmHbwI/s1600/bolena+sexy+henry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cagKzSxoiuM/UKPcFXL1tAI/AAAAAAAAA3M/xdkIrrmHbwI/s320/bolena+sexy+henry.jpg" height="320" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooh yeah, nice and smooth, <br />
sexy Henry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eA3pm6CHJTU/UKPcG6y7eVI/AAAAAAAAA3c/nhLjrGERzfk/s1600/bolena+weave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eA3pm6CHJTU/UKPcG6y7eVI/AAAAAAAAA3c/nhLjrGERzfk/s320/bolena+weave.jpg" height="320" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you like this design or KNOT? <br />
WEAVE been working on it all day!<br />
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA<br />
I've got a million of these.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86Kuj4ZiMz8/UKPcaeBmm3I/AAAAAAAAA3k/47xEoB9H3l0/s1600/bolena+rose.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86Kuj4ZiMz8/UKPcaeBmm3I/AAAAAAAAA3k/47xEoB9H3l0/s320/bolena+rose.png" height="320" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tudor Rose. It means stuff. Google it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Just then, Anne's old boyfriend (?) Lord Percy returns to England!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYvr8MxNVZA/UKPcC-8mhcI/AAAAAAAAA20/23VKdRFaBzw/s1600/bolena+percy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYvr8MxNVZA/UKPcC-8mhcI/AAAAAAAAA20/23VKdRFaBzw/s400/bolena+percy.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm 6 now</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EskF_EkP5cU/UKPcdvJw19I/AAAAAAAAA3s/iYNcMe1x4Ww/s1600/bolena+color+pants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So Percy goes to Anne in the master bedroom and tries to win her back... even though she's married... to the king. Unfortunately, a pipey minstrel was stalking Anne himself, and overhears their hot and heavy... duet.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RpIHAmgG3Do/UKPcegy9y5I/AAAAAAAAA30/EbO4PylS5hE/s1600/bolena+gasp+a+duet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RpIHAmgG3Do/UKPcegy9y5I/AAAAAAAAA30/EbO4PylS5hE/s400/bolena+gasp+a+duet.jpg" height="400" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WILLIKERS!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YRatK347zHQ/UKPcfqUJQgI/AAAAAAAAA4E/3waU3UR8nLI/s1600/bolena+sexy+henry+mad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YRatK347zHQ/UKPcfqUJQgI/AAAAAAAAA4E/3waU3UR8nLI/s400/bolena+sexy+henry+mad.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sexy Henry is MAD</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So Henry tortures some people, then imprisons Anne, Percy, and Anne's brother.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EskF_EkP5cU/UKPcdvJw19I/AAAAAAAAA3s/iYNcMe1x4Ww/s1600/bolena+color+pants.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EskF_EkP5cU/UKPcdvJw19I/AAAAAAAAA3s/iYNcMe1x4Ww/s400/bolena+color+pants.jpg" height="400" width="317" /></a></div>
<br />
Then Henry strings everyone along for about an hour and then KILLS EVERYBODY. Because he's king and he can.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myuzCZwgs4U/UKPcgHL_ooI/AAAAAAAAA4M/MPaK28eCcbQ/s1600/bolena+unreasonable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myuzCZwgs4U/UKPcgHL_ooI/AAAAAAAAA4M/MPaK28eCcbQ/s400/bolena+unreasonable.jpg" height="400" width="348" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moral of tonight's story:<br />
DON'T MARRY UNREASONABLE<br />
PEOPLE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.mnopera.org/season/2012-2013?module=performances&showid=1956">[Anna Bolena runs at the MN Opera until Nov. 18, get your tickets here]</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-44349437292212271842012-10-03T13:41:00.000-07:002014-10-27T04:59:04.713-07:00Inside the Monkey Lab: A Story Collider Comic<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/inside-the-monkey-lab/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9R5Aip954NQ/UIhQJAm5ZnI/AAAAAAAAA0w/GbDEBMeHjQQ/s400/monkeylab+cover+1st.png" height="290" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/inside-the-monkey-lab/">Click here to read Inside the Monkey Lab<br />on the Story Collider website</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This summer I got a small paid gig illustrating comic books for <a href="http://storycollider.org/">The Story Collider</a>, a podcast and online magazine that collects audio stories about how science has effected people's lives.
My second comic, <i><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/inside-the-monkey-lab/">Inside the Monkey Lab</a></i> went online in October.<br />
<br />
<i>"Guy Schaffer wanted to understand the brain, but the only job he could find was in a monkey lab — a lab where a monkey attack led to a deeper set of crises."</i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-14462164985695159542012-09-26T22:57:00.001-07:002014-10-27T04:59:58.875-07:00Time and Pressure: A Story Collider Comic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6135971977335219160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This summer I got a small paid gig illustrating comic books for </span><a href="http://storycollider.org/">The Story Collider</a>,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> a podcast and online magazine that collects audio stories about how science has effected people's lives, </span>"From finding awe in Hubble images to visiting the doctor... Whether we wear a white lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since eighth grade"<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;">My first comic, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/time-pressure/" style="font-style: italic;">Time and Pressure</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;">went online in May, and illustrates</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> Rachel Bitney Wecht’s story of her struggle to woo a physicist—The Story Collider’s own Brian Wecht.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/time-pressure/"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JnQh04mOhXw/UGPn4cjsIgI/AAAAAAAAA0I/TFvLmB5RodI/s320/time+and+pressure+icon.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://magazine.storycollider.org/2012/features/time-pressure/">Click here to read Time and Pressure <br />on the Story Collider website</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-76380587821620144212012-09-23T01:54:00.000-07:002013-10-04T02:17:53.786-07:00Nabucco at the Minnesota Opera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsNPzh-2S7Q/Uk6HZxZOXcI/AAAAAAAAEv4/9-7bjrHHrPc/s1600/01-Nabucco-with-fade1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsNPzh-2S7Q/Uk6HZxZOXcI/AAAAAAAAEv4/9-7bjrHHrPc/s400/01-Nabucco-with-fade1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
It's that time of year again for visiting The Minnesota Opera with my cartoonist friends at the <a href="http://blackhatcollective.blogspot.com/">Black Hat Collective.</a><br />
<br />
Armed with our pens, paper, pencils, and paintbrushes, we got to enjoy some fine performance while making ourselves useful by bringing you all cartoons from the theatre!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This month's show is </span><b><span style="font-size: small;"><i><u>NABUCCO </u></i></span><i><span style="font-size: small;">by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Verdi" title="Giuseppe Verdi">Giuseppe Verdi</a></span></i></b><br />
(<a href="http://www.mnopera.org/season/2012-2013?module=performances&showid=1955">click here for tickets</a>)<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RQU5EFc8u6g/UF6irWQRYaI/AAAAAAAAAzM/-1j7ry7eC1w/s1600/Nabucco+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RQU5EFc8u6g/UF6irWQRYaI/AAAAAAAAAzM/-1j7ry7eC1w/s320/Nabucco+1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The opera tells the story of King Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar) from the bible, and the staging uses a stage-within-a-stage setup to draw parallels between the Assyrian oppression of the Jews and the Austrian oppression of Italy in Verdi's time.<br />
<br />
To learn more about the plot, the set, the history, and my watercolor cartoons, click "read more"<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><u><b>HISTORY:</b></u> <br />
(I won't tldr you this time, I promise):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_AnxmrtVBM/UF60LJLYjtI/AAAAAAAAAzs/lC2LqkaG2TQ/s1600/young-verdi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_AnxmrtVBM/UF60LJLYjtI/AAAAAAAAAzs/lC2LqkaG2TQ/s200/young-verdi.jpg" width="157" /></a>Verdi wrote this opera when he was 29. He had only written two operas before this - the second of which was a major flop at the box office. Before starting to work on Nabucco, Verdi was planning to quit the opera scene and return to his home town to be a church organist. However, at the last minute, Verdi's "agent" of sorts, impresario <span dir="auto">Bartolomeo Merelli, demanded that Verdi compose the music for a libretto (script) that another composer had turned down - <i>Nabucco</i>. The other composer, Otto Nicolai, had thought <i>Nabucco</i> was dumb. So when Verdi premiered the opera to critical acclaim and great financial success, he was mondo jelly. Nicolai wrote some mean things (<a href="http://thisisartinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/11/silent-night-at-opera.html?showComment=1329098263297#c643025559281481738">as composers are often wont to do</a>) but then faded into obscurity.</span> Verdi, on the other hand, was catapulted back into what would be a long and fruitful career as one of Opera's faves.<br />
<span dir="auto"><br />It is believed that much of Nabucco's appeal came from the fact that Italy was under occupation by Austrian forces at the time, so Italian people identified with the Jews who were under Nebuchadnezzar's occupation. They say that when the opera premiered, the song <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Va,_pensiero" title="Va, pensiero">Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate</a></i> ("Fly, thought, on golden wings"</span>) was so moving to Italian audiences that they demanded an encore, in defiance of Austrian law.<br />
<span dir="auto"><br /></span>
<span dir="auto"><b><u>STAGING:</u></b></span><br />
<br />
The MN opera has provided us with a stage-within-a-stage structure. When the curtain rises, we see a miniature set of audience boxes on stage, and a fake curtain just past it. During the overture, a group of Austrian soldiers and aristocrats march and waltz (respectively) to their "seats." Then the fake curtain rises to reveal lavishly painted trompe-l'oeil backdrops modeled after historical opera sets from the 1840s. Then the singers,<i> in the role of 1840s opera singers who just happen to be playing biblical figures, </i>emerge.<br />
<br />
In their first song, the Jewish people lament their conditions and sing lyrics along the lines of "Death to the invaders! Give our country back to us!" and as they sing, they occasionally turn and point their lines directly at the actors playing the "Austrian" audience, who shuffle awkwardly in their seats.<br />
<br />
In brief, it's really damn meta.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RQU5EFc8u6g/UF6irWQRYaI/AAAAAAAAAzM/-1j7ry7eC1w/s1600/Nabucco+1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RQU5EFc8u6g/UF6irWQRYaI/AAAAAAAAAzM/-1j7ry7eC1w/s400/Nabucco+1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<u><b>PLOT:</b></u><br />
<br />
On one hand the plot is convoluted, on the other hand it's humorously simplistic. <br />
<br />
As the story begins, Nabucco has already invaded Jerusalem and added it to his empire, and the Jews have decided that the best way to get Nabucco to leave their country is to kidnap his youngest daughter, Fenena, and hold her hostage. Fenena comes willingly because she is in a relationship with a Jewish boy named Ismael. However, Nabucco's oldest daughter, the strong and powerful Abigaile, appears. Abigaile declares that she, too, is in love with Ismael, and that she will only spare the Jews if he leaves Fenena for herself. Ismael refuses so Abigaile swears revenge on her sister and on all the Jews.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4uATE9xsdo/UF6ipWaey0I/AAAAAAAAAzE/Cwr6bAmfDu0/s1600/nabucco+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4uATE9xsdo/UF6ipWaey0I/AAAAAAAAAzE/Cwr6bAmfDu0/s320/nabucco+3.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gnarly-Fingernailed<br />
High Priest of Baal</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then Nabucco arrives to put an end to the Iraelites' (rather ill-advised) plan. He defies them to kill his daughter and see how that makes him feel but Ismael intervenes to protect her. As punishment for their shenanigans, Nabucco orders the temple destroyed, the city burned down, and turns the Jews into slaves. Then Nabucco leaves to go kill people somewhere else.<br />
<br />
While Nabucco is gone, he appoints Fenena to rule in his place. This confounds Abigaile, because she is not only the oldest, but Fenena is a demonstrated traitor. Abigaile investigates to discover that she is not actually Nabucco's daughter, but a daughter of slaves (see: Loki). Abigail then swears revenge on her father.<br />
<br />
Then the gnarly-fingernailed High Priest of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal">Baal</a> tells Abigaile that Fenena has just freed the Jews from slavery and that Abigaile should send out a fake letter saying that Nabucco was killed in battle so that she can become Queen.<br />
<br />
Abigaile does so, but just as she comes and takes the crown from Fenena, Nabucco returns from battle.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehASFTm-3OI/UF6inQEivOI/AAAAAAAAAy8/8NOyiGqKyVc/s1600/nabucco+2+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehASFTm-3OI/UF6inQEivOI/AAAAAAAAAy8/8NOyiGqKyVc/s320/nabucco+2+a.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abigaile as Queen</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He takes one look at what's going on, has a "what's all this, then?" moment, and decides that he's had enough of this insubordination and religious squabbling. Nabucco declares that he is not just king anymore, but God. <br />
<br />
...At which point God promptly strikes him with lightning and renders him feeble.<br />
<br />
But it keeps going!<br />
<br />
Abigaile says "Finally! My chance to lead!" and declares herself Queen. Her first order of business is to... throw a fancy parade. But THEN she gets revenge on all her enemies by ordering Fenena and all the Jews executed, and throwing Nabucco in jail.<br />
<br />
At this point Nabucco realizes that he was wrong all along, and converts to Judaism. At which point God magically restores his strength, gives him his army back, saves his daughter from death, and lets the Jews have Israel back.<br />
<u><br /></u>
<b><u>ENCORE:</u></b><br />
<br />
When the story is over, the actors come out and bow to the fake Austrian audience, which applauds and throws roses. But then, the actors get a twinkle in their eye and run back stage. They emerge carrying large Italian flags (which might as well have been "F-YOU, AUSTRIA" banners) and sing their encore of "Fly, thought, on golden wings"<br />
<br />
<u><b>CONCLUSIONS:</b></u><br />
<br />
Okay so on one hand, I can see why Otto Nicolai might have turned <i>Nabucco</i> down and why Verdi had
to be forced into it —in fact, according to the MN Opera program, Verdi even "angrily
threw the book across the room" upon his first read-through— 'Cause this libretto kinda sucks. It's riddled with Deus-ex-Machina, poorly conceived plans, weakly motivated characters, and silly love triangles.<br />
<br />
Of course, nobody can do anything about the libretto because it's 160 years old (and I'm happy about THAT because it means <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temistocle_Solera">Temistocle Solera</a> won't be writing any angry comments on my blog.)<br />
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MORE IMPORTANTLY, Verdi is great! The music definitely deserves that encore it's always given. The performers have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXBxqtlAtQykAkHpSMqyqFDiSpKd0FrWV">fascinating interviews online</a> where they talk about how they interpret the characters and how much they love working in this family.<br />
<br />
And this stage. <i> Oh my goodness, this stage.</i> The MN Opera has done something truly awesome and meta with their "stage within a stage" thing. Furthermore, the 1840s-style backdrops are beautifully painted and impeccably researched. I wish I had more pictures to show you. If you've seen stuff by Georges Melies or Terry Gilliam, this is based on the kind of theatrical design they were trying to emulate.<br />
<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">Painted on a flat backdrop, or sometimes, layers of flat backdrops arranged like giant paper toy theatres.</span><br />
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So the answer is yes, you should go see it. <a href="http://www.mnopera.org/season/2012-2013?module=performances&showid=1955">Buy tickets here.</a><br />
<br />
P.S. Anything that I said or haven't said can be supplemented by these really informative videos that the Opera has put out.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U0r44kBvPsE?list=PLXBxqtlAtQykAkHpSMqyqFDiSpKd0FrWV&hl=en_US" width="510"></iframe><br />
<br />
TTFN, dear readers!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-37515274320388072012-08-05T23:15:00.000-07:002014-10-27T04:42:47.751-07:00The Dead Enders<div style="text-align: center;">
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My friend <a href="http://thisisartinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/12/friday-friend-feature-sam-freiberger.html">Sam Sandak</a> and I have been working on Sam's latest project, called <i>The Dead Enders. </i>It's a teen-film-turned-zombie-attack featuring a gaggle of miscreants from Sherman Oaks, CA. <br />
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After we spent a long time workshopping the story, Sam called on me for some production art. I made him some t-shirt logos, storyboards, and most proudly, a set of fancy character sketches for the cast.<br />
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Read on to see them!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jYEWKUH7Y1k/UBoXhYaHCtI/AAAAAAAAAx4/PJ7e5xwji-8/s1600/oswald.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jYEWKUH7Y1k/UBoXhYaHCtI/AAAAAAAAAx4/PJ7e5xwji-8/s640/oswald.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Eifler as Oswald, a well-prepared paranoiac <br />
who eagerly awaits the apocalypse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjjE1rWFh-A/UBoXf8CdtlI/AAAAAAAAAxw/KBodF5M8ftM/s1600/june+valentine+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjjE1rWFh-A/UBoXf8CdtlI/AAAAAAAAAxw/KBodF5M8ftM/s400/june+valentine+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ciara McCann as June Valentine - She'll put you in your place!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sHhaM3PaP0/UBoXnBZuglI/AAAAAAAAAyU/mORxlqkbJi4/s1600/zack+1+hand+smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sHhaM3PaP0/UBoXnBZuglI/AAAAAAAAAyU/mORxlqkbJi4/s640/zack+1+hand+smaller.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Taylor as Zak - A brat with a cat and a baseball bat, <br />
he loves breakin' stuff, but not like THIS. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDckLMd8dsg/UBoXlUHPIeI/AAAAAAAAAyI/vR_pOZJVSiA/s640/tommy+fix.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="492" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Hutchinson as Tommy - A James Dean throwback who<br />
would much rather be left alone.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xpw7GVmFujE/UBoXW_LmwiI/AAAAAAAAAxY/XALqQ-94VJ0/s400/Starchild2.jpg" height="357" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brianna Vecchione as Starchild, a wandering pacifist and lover<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hhDGZTlNiE/UBoXjW8LYJI/AAAAAAAAAyA/SKT01nclk0E/s640/overkillwithoutthumb.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh Sussman as Overkill - a ruthless warrior, <br />
he's more machine than man, now</td></tr>
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<i>Shooting has begun! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.397526053629706.83439.393258410723137&type=1">Click here to see some production stills!</a></i></div>
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<i>The Dead Enders</i> is going to be an experience you <b>won't forget</b>! </div>
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Ask yourself...</div>
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Thank you everybody!<br />
—Thomas BoguszewskiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-41960066872267503562012-05-29T21:50:00.000-07:002014-10-27T05:18:05.458-07:00Abra-Ka-Deborah!May 26 was the <a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/?p=4321">2nd Annual Mini Comics Day</a>, where cartoonists come to the Minneapolis Center for Book Arts and write, draw and print a mini-comic from 10:00-5:00. It was also my Mother's Birthday, so I dedicated my mini comic to her as a gift.<br />
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Read on to see scans of <i>"Abra-Ka-Deborah - The Marvelous Misadventures of My Mom!"</i>: </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-63755269441859196572012-05-28T03:15:00.001-07:002012-11-16T05:18:06.722-08:00SpringCon 2012<a href="http://www.w3rkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/425501_337053229663443_154856524549782_899179_506440265_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.w3rkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/425501_337053229663443_154856524549782_899179_506440265_n.jpg" border="0" height="200" src="http://www.w3rkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/425501_337053229663443_154856524549782_899179_506440265_n.jpg" width="149" /></a>May 19th and 20th I had a table (for the first time ever!) at the <a href="http://midwestcomicbook.com/">Midwest Comic Book Association's</a> SpringCon!
I was seated next to <a href="http://needletothegroove.deviantart.com/">Sarah Kopitske</a> and across from <a href="http://blackhatcollective.blogspot.com/">The Black Hat Collective</a> and surrounded all about by <a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/">Cartoonist Conspirators</a>.<a href="http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/linkara/at4w"> Linkara </a>was there doing... something. As were the Ghostbusters. It was a lovely crowd!<br />
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I set up the table with homemade book stands and sold posters and prints of my <a href="http://thomasboguszewski.designbinder.com/gallery/469006#5">portfolio pieces</a> and several comic booklets. I also wore my Hedorah Fedora.<br />
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I still have plenty of inventory, too, so if you want to order something drop me a line.<br />
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Read on to hear stories about how the con went, and to see some pictures I made while I was there.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Highlights of the con:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PN9PRE7w0ws/T8NMovSz_DI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/Cl-7BmkG0BI/s1600/Why+So+Curious.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PN9PRE7w0ws/T8NMovSz_DI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/Cl-7BmkG0BI/s200/Why+So+Curious.jpg" width="200" /></a>I brought ten copies of my 2008 painting, <i>"Why So Curious, George?"</i> and sold out of them an hour before the con ended on the last day. <i>Why So Curious</i> was my "crowd magnet" and helped facilitate a lot of other sales.<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRn8LC7zJtblummcapWTcnUYLf80euY2wCd4lXdP66nICRMqjQa" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="280" data-width="180" height="200" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRn8LC7zJtblummcapWTcnUYLf80euY2wCd4lXdP66nICRMqjQa" width="128" /></a>For example, ten minutes into the first day, a lovely family came up, laughed at WSCG, and then told me that it was their 2-year-old son Carson's birthday and that he LOVES Curious George. So I made sure to make them a (non-violent) commission of George, like he appears in the books, with a "Happy Birthday, Carson!" greeting written across the top. I made his day and that made my day. Easily my happiest moment for the whole con.</div>
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Then I started drawing random fan-art and putting up signs that said "I draw 4 u!"<br />
I'd brought a large pad of paper and an easel so that people could see what I was working on.<br />
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I had a few people come up asking for sketch cards, which is always awesome. I'm still getting around to those, actually, but I'll put them up when they're ready.<br />
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While I waited for customers I drew this Transformers drawing:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optimus Prime and Megatron face off on Cybertron while <br />
misc. Autobots and Decepticons fight in the background.<br />
Charcoal.</td></tr>
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On the second day, these two nice young men came up and commissioned this picture from me:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wet charcoal and sanguine chalk drawing of the burning Godzilla from<br />
Godzilla Vs. Destroyah (1995)</td></tr>
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And I was commissioned to do a small sketch of Jason Todd version of The Red Hood from Batman (not pictured)<br />
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I also got introduced to an MCAD professor, and ran into my drawing and
painting teacher from childhood. The community here is really
interconnected and you'll always be surprised who you'll meet. <br />
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All in all, it was really, really fun. A great first experience with conventions. I can't wait to go to FallCon, that's for sure!<br />
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—Thomas BoguszewskiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-46920650346612154782012-05-25T22:10:00.000-07:002014-10-27T05:17:41.658-07:00The Tale of Turnip Head - In Color<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-39YiQfzEfD4/T8Bg4GWtgCI/AAAAAAAAAuw/MJR7nmM_hsI/s1600/Turnip+Head+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-39YiQfzEfD4/T8Bg4GWtgCI/AAAAAAAAAuw/MJR7nmM_hsI/s320/Turnip+Head+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a>You've heard of Christmas in July, but what about Halloween in May?<br />
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You might remember <i>The Tale of Turnip Head</i> from when I posted <a href="http://thisisartinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/11/tale-of-turnip-head.html">inks</a> for it in November. Part of, "one of my ongoing, long-term projects... a graphic novel about the
history of Halloween," <i>The Tale of Turnip Head</i> is "a wordless fantasy illustrating the evolution of the
Jack-o-Lantern" that begins with a Celtic warrior on the battlefield.<br />
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This Spring I bring you the colored version of the story, and the news that I'm selling booklets of <i>Turnip Head</i>.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-46158131635508436342012-05-06T01:48:00.001-07:002014-10-27T04:54:54.095-07:00MN Opera Adapts The Giver for Young SingersThe MN Opera has a habit of inviting <a href="http://blackhatcollective.blogspot.com/">The Black Hat Collective</a> to dress rehearsals for new performances of classic operas, but this April we were blessed with a very special opportunity to see an brand-new opera, written specifically for young voice students (between the ages of 8 and 18) based on the enormously popular children's novel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giver"><i>The Giver</i></a> by Lois Lowry.<br />
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The plot of <i>The Giver</i> revolves around Jonas, a 12-year-old boy living in a society that is carefully designed to be free of pain, fear, and difference, but which is also devoid of color, history and heights of emotion. Jonas has a gift —he has begun to see colors! On the day when all twelve-year-olds are assigned their duties in society, Jonas is sent to apprentice as a "receiver of memory." He shall become the one vessel for all of humanity's collective memories, good and bad, so that the members of his community may live in blissful, destructive ignorance. And the person who imparts this knowledge to him is known as "The Giver."</div>
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In the end, Jonas and the Giver decide that what the community has done to itself is wrong, and they concoct a plan so that Jonas can escape, the act of which causes all the memories to return to the people.</div>
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The opera is staged on a small thrust stage with a large scaffold above. It features a Greek Chorus of sorts to narrate the action as the main characters go through their motions and sing their lines. When the Giver transmits memories to Jonas, actors from the chorus come out from the sidelines holding canvas screens, onto which film footage is projected. These memories cover the lovely things like snow, color, animals and love, and the terrifying things like pain and war.<br />
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The opera was composed by Susan Kander, who loves to write music for young audiences and performers. She has composed several successful youth operas in the past.<br />
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The music is very good. It's melodic and makes good use of chorus. While it doesn't use rhyming, it does have a poetic repetition scheme and has places for the young talents to really shine and show that opera is more than just talking up and down a scale.<br />
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Lois Lowry herself was present at this showing, and she stayed afterwards to talk to the kids who performed in the show.<br />
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<i>The Giver </i>was already completely sold out by the time we saw the dress rehearsal. If that weren't the case, I'd be urging everyone to go see it —not only for your own enjoyment, but to support the creative dreams of these very talented children.<br />
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I'm confident that this opera will keep playing. The current cast is graduating out of the educational program that it was created for, but other groups will perform it because it's good enough to last. Keep your eyes peeled for it in the future.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-55456458784887270312012-04-22T07:21:00.000-07:002014-10-27T04:56:14.886-07:00MN Opera: Madame Butterfly<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9DsY1wMKQY/T4nrxZWDJ1I/AAAAAAAAAm0/erD_nIENnzg/s1600/05butterfly-262x477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9DsY1wMKQY/T4nrxZWDJ1I/AAAAAAAAAm0/erD_nIENnzg/s200/05butterfly-262x477.jpg" height="200" width="107" /></a>For each new show it opens, the Minnesota Opera invites local bloggers to a full dress rehearsal. The Black Hat Collective of cartoonists and I make it our mission to interpret each show in cartoons and drawings, then post them online.<br />
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Last Thursday's show was the immortal:</div>
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<b><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Madame Butterfly</span></u></i></b></div>
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Part of the reason I didn't do a blog for the MN Opera's last production, <i>Lucia Di Lammermoore</i>, is because <i>I was often too interested in what was happening onstage to draw!</i> That's a good problem to have. The same problem came up a lot on <i>Madame Butterfly. </i>It has a very rich story, complex and expressive characters, and lots of background info to deal with. I'll be walking you through <i>Madame Butterfly</i> in the most enlightening way I can —with words, videos, jokes, drawings, and photos.<br />
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The Opera opens on <b>B.F. Pinkerton, a selfish American Naval Lieutenant, </b>who has rented a house in Nagasaki from <b>a shifty marriage broker named Goro.</b> Pinkerton is amazed by the sliding doors and rice-paper walls.<br />
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Pinkerton's deal with Goro cost him 100 yen ($50 in 1905 and about $1300 today) for the next 999 years. The deal also includes 3 servants, including <b>a maid named Suzuki</b>, and <b>a beautiful geisha wife, named Cho-Cho-San</b> —which means "Madame Butterfly."<br />
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One of the first things Pinkerton does is disrespect Suzuki and say that women talk too much. Then he ignores Goro's warning that Cho-Cho-San has an uncle who opposes the wedding because he is a "Bonze" (AKA a Bhikkhu or Buddhist priest).<br />
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<b>The American consul to Japan, Mr. Sharpless,</b> visits Pinkerton. While remaining friendly with his countryman, Sharpless tries to emphasize that this marriage is not a good idea. Pinkerton retorts that he is allowed to cancel both the rental and the marriage at any time with 30 days notice. This is great from Pinkerton's perspective because he can enjoy a short period of attachment-free romance and go on his merry way, and he remarks, "The contracts in this country are as flexible as the walls!"<br />
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Puccini uses The Star-Spangled Banner as a leitmotif for Pinkerton, and references to America in general. His use of distinct cultural melodies is not subtle, it's awesome!<br />
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Sharpless tries to stress that Pinkerton's plan is wrong, saying that he's seen Cho-Cho-San around town and considers her a deep and sensitive person. He warns, "Play this game and you'll break a trusting heart!" <br />
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Pinkerton's response is basically "shut up old man you don't know what love is." Pinkerton exclaims, "I must possess her, even if her wings are torn and broken," before turning around to say, "Now let's toast to the day where I marry a REAL bride, in AMERICA!"</div>
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Cho-Cho-San finally arrives with her entourage - a whole extended family in beautiful Japanese formal kimonos.</div>
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Cho-Cho tells Pinkerton little bit about herself.</div>
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First of all, she's 15 YEARS OLD (an age that, even in 1905, Sharpless is shocked at and calls "an age for dolls!" though Pinkerton himself seems extra-aroused.)</div>
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She was born into a wealthy station, but her family lost its wealth and fell from grace, at which point her father committed obligatory <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppuku">seppuku</a> and the women of the family became <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha">geisha</a> entertainers. (Since there can't be a married geisha, presumably the marriage was also important to her as a form of retirement.)</div>
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Cho-Cho-San shows Pinkerton her few possessions - a fan, some ribbon, <i>her father's used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakizashi">wakizashi</a>, </i>and some figurines of her ancestors. This scene, titled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxwHVaLDtKg">"Vieni amor mio"</a> uses <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chwADnoFDng">Sakura, Sakura</a></i> as a leitmotif the way "America Forever" used <i>The Star Spangled Banner,</i> and is very beautiful.</div>
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Cho-Cho-San quietly informs Pinkerton that s<i>he has secretly converted to Christianity the night before. </i>Her marriage to him constitutes a full-on rejection of her old life and devotion to Pinkerton's way of life. Where there had been "Cho-Cho," now there is "Butterfly," or better still, "Mrs. Pinkerton." She even goes so far as to toss the figures of her ancestors away.<br />
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After the wedding ceremony has taken place, Cho-Cho-San's priestly uncle appears, reveals that he saw her in the Christian church the night before, and gets every last one of her relatives to denounce her and run off in a rage. Pinkerton chases off her detractors.</div>
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That night, Butterfly and Pinkerton have a romantic romp in their nightgowns behind the ricepaper walls</div>
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This is when the opera breaks for intermission.<br />
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<i>Interesting story:</i></div>
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<i>Puccini based his opera on a play he saw in 1900, which was in turn based on the book which came out in 1898 (but more on that later). The original stage play (which ran in London) featured the lead actress stepping out onto the stage when curtain fell and standing there, waiting, through the whole intermission.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This preview was special because at intermission, the chorus came out in<br />
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When the curtain rises, three years have passed. Butterfly is confused and worried, and Suzuki, in her wisdom, is sad to see that her mistress has obviously been ditched.<br />
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But Butterfly refuses to believe it. She tells Suzuki never to doubt, because "on fine day, surely he'll come back to us"</div>
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And that's only, you know, one of the greatest opera arias of all time.</div>
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(you may also know it from Barney Gumble's short film, "Pukahontas" from the Simpsons episode, <a href="http://www.sockshare.com/file/F0A9E383F32A7EFA&smaller#">"A Star is Burns,"</a>)</div>
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Mr. Sharpless comes over to Butterfly's house. This first half of act 2 is my favorite part, because it's got some of the best empathic moments. Mr. Sharpless has a letter for Butterfly from Pinkerton, but he really, really doesn't want to read it to her, because its contents will be painful.</div>
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He comes into her house and they awkwardly shoot the breeze for a while. Butterfly says all these obliviously optimistic things about Pinkerton while Sharpless winces the entire time. </div>
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She even asks him, "What time do robins nest in America?"</div>
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"Robins? Are you serious? Why do you want to know?"</div>
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"Pinkerton said he'd come back when the robins nested and I just want to know if they nest at a different rate in your country."</div>
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"I Don't know. I'm not an ornithologist."</div>
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If you've ever been in a situation where you know that somebody you care about is setting themselves up to get hurt, but you also know that they won't take your advice, you know why it sucks to be both Mr. Sharpless and Suzuki in this opera.</div>
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<i>Music Note: Puccini likes to use <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gjreHt0tRI">pentatonics</a> in
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conversation is controlled by Japanese characters, and "regular"
western diatonics/heptatonics when the scene is controlled by Western
characters. Listen while you read to the next scene, in which an argument
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Butterfly complains that Goro has started trying to set her up with new guys, like <b>Yamadori, a wealthy military officer</b>. Goro and Yamadori then come over to the house to try their luck once more.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yamadori resembles <a href="http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/misc/ingersoll_r-j_1905_174-1.jpg"><i>these turn-of-the-century Japanese Officers</i></a></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
While Yamadori has been pining after Cho-Cho-San for a while, he's probably not good husband material. He's a fairly humorless and arrogant fellow. His motto: "There's nothing more annoying than unrequited love."</div>
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<br /></div>
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Yamadori's been married and divorced three times, so there's no guarantee other than his word that he'll be a good mate for Cho-Cho-San, but he does provide her with a way out of her tragic situation that she doesn't take.</div>
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Goro asserts that according to Japanese law (of 1905) —if you're abandoned, it counts as a divorce, and you're free to remarry. But Butterfly counters back, "That's the law of your country, but my country is THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. <br />
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You see, in America people don't just get divorced all willy-nilly! (this was before, you know, we started getting divorced all willy-nilly). They need to go to court and have good reasons.<br />
She digs into Yamadori, telling him, "In America, if a man like you told the judge, 'I'm bored and I want a new wife,' he'd be thrown in jail!"</div>
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Butterfly's tough attitude sends Yamadori and Goro packing. She then has Sharpless read the letter he brought, which he can't bear to finish because it basically says "FYI I got a new wife and I'm bringing her to Japan for kicks."</div>
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Trying to gauge Butterfly's potential reaction to the news, Sharpless asks, "What would happen if Pinkerton never came back?"</div>
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Cho-Cho-San, very darkly, confides to Sharpless, "I would only have two options, to go back to being a geisha... or die."</div>
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Sharpless begs Butterfly to consider marrying Yamadori, to which butterfly takes a bitter, quiet offense.
<br />
She almost has Suzuki kick Sharpless out of her home, but changes her mind and holds him back to tell him that she didn't mean what she said about dying, because she has a reason to live.</div>
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Then she goes to get him.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xisepJ-F6XM/T4nqKGZpgeI/AAAAAAAAAmU/cc0WN1uPhGs/s1600/Madame+Butterfly+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xisepJ-F6XM/T4nqKGZpgeI/AAAAAAAAAmU/cc0WN1uPhGs/s400/Madame+Butterfly+6.png" height="400" width="305" /></a></div>
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Cho-Cho-San had given birth to Pinkerton's son, a blue-eyed boy whom she named "Sorrow." His name will remain Sorrow until his father returns, and then his name will change to "Joy." Sharpless is overwhelmed with emotion and promises Butterfly that he'll tell Pinkerton about his son.<br />
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After a brief conflict with Goro, whom Suzuki caught spreading rumors, Suzuki and Butterfly hear cannons in the harbor which mean that Pinkerton's ship (The <i>USS Abraham Lincoln</i>) has arrived.<br />
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Butterfly orders Suzuki to shake all the cherry blossoms from the trees to cover the floor with flowers for when he returns, and they gleefully prepare.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk8TGfP0ag4/T4nqEEQH0kI/AAAAAAAAAl0/baB1_CmyxwA/s1600/madame+butterfly+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk8TGfP0ag4/T4nqEEQH0kI/AAAAAAAAAl0/baB1_CmyxwA/s400/madame+butterfly+9.png" height="351" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, Pinkerton never shows up, and Butterfly waits all night (standing on stage through a scene change, which echoes the original play's use of the intermission).</div>
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However, when Butterfly gets tired and goes to bed, Pinkerton sneaks up to the house. Pinkerton, Sharpless and Suzuki have a scene together. The two sympathetic characters basically take the time to explain that Pinkerton has a giant penis for a head. It becomes clear that Pinkerton has brought his new wife, Kate, TO the house with him, with the intent of taking Cho-Cho-San's child. Sharpless, believing that the boy would be better off in the United States (perhaps because he's less likely to be stigmatized or harassed by people like Goro as he grows up), convinces Suzuki to go call Butterfly downstairs, while Pinkerton wanders off to get a grip on his remorse.</div>
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Butterfly comes down and sees Kate Pinkerton and basically has a "Who the hell is this strange white lady in my house?" moment.<br />
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Then she gets a look on her face like this:<br />
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"I see how it is."</div>
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She accepts the completely unreasonable terms of the agreement, lets Kate take her son, makes everybody leave, dismisses Suzuki and then slits her own throat with her father's wakizashi while looking longingly at her baby.<br />
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Pinkerton and Sharpless discover the body, Pinkerton falls to his knees as an emotionally destroyed person and Sharpless escapes, sobbing, with the baby.<br />
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THE END.<br />
<br />
<i>Madame Butterfly</i> was developed at a time in history when intercontinental travel had just become more feasible. Westerners have always had a sort of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanophile">fascination</a> with Asia/Japan (which survives in the weeaboos of today) but Puccini was actually able to do <i>real research</i> by going to Japan and living there for a while to learn about Japanese music. He transcribed the folk songs he heard and learned about unique Asian instruments, so that he knew what to use when he got back to Italy. He took special care to use strong, distinct regional melodies to identify cultural voices in this multicultural opera. He wasn't afraid to lay it on thick while applying his research and dial up the musical style shifts. That's a kind of trick I can really get behind.<br />
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<i>Madame Butterfly</i> premiered in 1904, but Puccini spent three years revising and rewriting the opera to make it the best it could be. The "final" version wasn't finished until 1907. Puccini was cool because he applied, or at least accepted, what he heard from critics and wasn't too proud to admit that his work could improve.<br />
<br />
Puccini was inspired by a play he saw in London in 1900. That play was itself based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_Butterfly_%28short_story%29"><i>Madame Butterfly</i>, the SHORT STORY.</a> For the most part, it's the same story with minor dramatic differences. The big difference is that the short story has a HAPPY ENDING. At the end of the book, just as Butterfly is about to kill herself, Suzuki bursts into the room holding the child, the sight of which causes Butterfly to stop what she's doing and realize her mistake. Then the story says something like, "Pinkerton and his wife did return to the house, but when they did, they found it quite empty."<br />
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It's interesting to consider that while we usually imagine adaptors lightening the source material, Puccini (or maybe the authors of the stage play) decided to darken the mood to make the tale a tragedy.<br />
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It's also worth noting that the book was supposedly based on a true story that the author, a missionary's wife, encountered while living in Japan.<br />
<br />
Some member of the Black Hat collective were afraid that <i>Madame Butterfly</i> would be a distortion, a sort of Fu-Manchu kind of "Asianish" story lacking facticity. It's important to dispel that fear! It seems like an exceptionally well-researched story for 1905. In many dramatic respects, it actually feels very modern.<br />
<br />
Issues in this play that are ripe for discussion include: Western understanding/misunderstanding of Japanese culture and vice-versa. The ethics involved in the story. Whether as a female lead, Cho-Cho-San is strong, weak, or a combination of multiple traits. The tragic form, and what flaws and mistakes led to the outcome that occurred. The transformations of a thrice-adapted story. The effect of appropriating national anthems and other stereotyped sounds in a piece of music. And more.<br />
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I invite anybody with further interest after reading this article to chat about it in the comments, and to go out and see <i>Madame Butterfly </i>—whether that means going to the opera or renting the 1995 film on dvd.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-71837685317728862442012-04-19T00:27:00.000-07:002012-11-18T00:50:52.584-08:00St Paul Jam Comic - April 2012The Saint Paul chapter of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy convened to bring you:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/April-comic-Jam.pdf"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Skin 20% Off </span></b></i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/April-comic-Jam.pdf"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and </span></b></i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/April-comic-Jam.pdf">Join Us for an Upcoming Event"</a></span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OV9yQ1wU3A/T5UES7rV8vI/AAAAAAAAAnk/dS-FFOsDECw/s1600/stpauljamapril2012.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OV9yQ1wU3A/T5UES7rV8vI/AAAAAAAAAnk/dS-FFOsDECw/s400/stpauljamapril2012.tiff" width="310" /></a></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-43571041170102261732012-04-13T15:49:00.001-07:002014-10-27T04:13:44.383-07:00Minneapolis Cartoonist Conspiracy - April 2012 - Moebius TributeIn March 2012, French <i>bandes dessinées</i> artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud">Jean Giraud</a>, better known as Moebius, passed away. Moebius' science-fiction work, often in collaboration with writer-filmmaker-guru-psychomagician-artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Jodorowsky">Alejandro Jodorowsky</a>, influenced feature films such as the <i>Fifth Element</i>, and Moebius created pre-production storyboard art for films such as <i>Tron</i>, <i>Alien</i> and most heavily, <i>Blade Runner</i>.<br />
<br />
This April, the Minneapolis chapter of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy convened to bring to you a Moebius tribute jam comic:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.bigtimeattic.com/blog/uploaded_images/2012/conspiracy_mpls_2012_04.pdf">Moebius is Dead</a></span></b></i></u></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZlArGvpC2s/T4iq7FTr5FI/AAAAAAAAAls/goexTvKmI8Y/s1600/moebius+conpiracy+selection.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZlArGvpC2s/T4iq7FTr5FI/AAAAAAAAAls/goexTvKmI8Y/s640/moebius+conpiracy+selection.tiff" height="640" width="488" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-20833130435480157342012-02-19T04:38:00.000-08:002012-11-16T05:31:27.552-08:00Fun Math Games - Monty Hall and Nim<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4bG1mMSR28/T0DeM9RyJqI/AAAAAAAAAgU/bxCDD0Pj1Ok/s1600/Picture-41.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4bG1mMSR28/T0DeM9RyJqI/AAAAAAAAAgU/bxCDD0Pj1Ok/s320/Picture-41.png" width="320" /></a></div>
You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Behind it is another dimension. A dimension of goats. A dimension of cars. A dimension of counter-intuitive probability tricks with which you can astound your friends. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into: The Math Games Zone.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
It's...<br />
<u><i><b>Monty Hall's Flying Circus:</b></i></u><br />
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The premise: Gameshow host Monty Hall gives you three doors to choose from. Behind one of the doors is a brand new Tesla Roadster, behind two of the doors are common goats. You are to choose a door and walk away with whatever is behind it. You pick one door. Monty then opens one of the two remaining doors to show you a goat. Monty then presents you with a choice: Do you stick with your current unopened door or do you switch to the OTHER unopened door.<br />
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At first, one might think that it doesn't matter whether you switch or not. We might say "One door has a goat, the other has a car, it's 50-50 now so it doesn't make a difference."<br />
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Of course, that's wrong. It's actually in your best interest to switch doors (if you value cars over goats, that is). Here's why: If you switch once the third door has been eliminated, you are
guaranteed to get the opposite of whatever it was that you selected at first. If
you selected the car, you'll get a goat and if you selected a goat,
you'll get the car. When you initially chose your first door, you only had a 1/3 chance of getting the car. Since switching reverses your odds, that means if you switch, you now have a 1/3 chance of getting not-the-car —in other words you have a 2/3 chance of getting the car. You will win two out of three times if you switch. Try it with some playing cards or coins —it really works!<br />
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If you want to try it out, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/science/08monty.html">this cool interactive game from the New York Times explains the Monty Hall Problem:</a><br />
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<u><i><b>The Secret of Nim:</b></i></u><br />
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The Premise: In Nim, you have several piles or rows of objects (marbles, for example) of differing number, and a partner. You each take turns removing the marbles from the piles/rows, but you can only take marbles from one row at a time. The person who is left with the last marble loses.<br />
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There is a great series of flash-based Nim games out there called "pearls before swine"<br />
<a href="http://www.transience.com.au/pearl.html">Pearls Before Swine</a><br />
<a href="http://www.transience.com.au/pearl2.html">Pearls Before Swine 2</a><br />
<a href="http://www.transience.com.au/pearl3.html">Pearls Before Swine 3</a><br />
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If you don't know the theory behind this game it can be absolutely maddening.<br />
It doesn't help that there's more than one way of learning to win at Nim, and one includes learning binary (which is kind of unreasonable)<br />
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But there is also a more organic way of doing it and it works like so:<br />
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Look at the rows of objects one at a time and count off groups of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 (and other doubles) in *descending order* that is, start with the biggest number you can find, and work your way down.<br />
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For example:<br />
ooooo - this row has one 4 and one 1<br />
oooo - this row has one 4<br />
ooo - this row has one 2 and one 1<br />
oo - this row has one 2<br />
o - this row has one 1<br />
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Every time you make a move, make sure that there are an even number of every kind of group. (Think of it like each group needs to be cancelled out by a group of equal size)<br />
in the above configuration, there are two 4s, two 2s, but three 1s. You'll need to remove one of those 1s.<br />
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Similarly, in this screwy setup:<br />
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ooooooo - one 4, one 2, one 1<br />
ooooooooooo - one 8, one 2, one 1<br />
ooo - one 2, one 1<br />
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You'll want to remove SEVEN marbles from the second row, so that it becomes<br />
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ooooooo - one 4, one 2, one 1<br />
oooo - one 4<br />
ooo - one 2, one 1<br />
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By sticking to this pattern, you can repeatedly trick your opponent into cornering himself. <br />
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<b>Note:</b> this stops working when you get lower than a pair of 2 in one row and 2 in another row.<br />
Never leave your opponent with a row of one or you're doomed.<br />
Also, you can create an odd configuration if it's three rows with one marble each, because your opponent will need to make it two rows of one during his turn, dooming himself.<br /><br />Mastering this game feels great, and you can use it to confound all your pals.<br /><br />Go and enjoy The Number Games.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-22190160088599135592012-02-11T03:03:00.000-08:002012-11-16T05:36:57.354-08:00Blair Thomas - Hard Headed HeartI got the chance to see the amazing Blair Thomas perform <i>Hard Headed Heart</i> at <a href="http://www.hobt.org/">In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre</a>.<i> </i><br />
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<i>Heard Headed Heart</i> is made up of three of the artist's solo pieces.<br />
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First, Mr. Thomas performed <i>"The Puppet Show of Don Cristobal"</i> which is a raunchy and violent throwback to <i>Punch and Judy</i>-style puppet shows. He makes a lot of innovative choices in the technical and poetic front. For example, he wears a façade/costume that can transform from one character to another with a single spin.<br />
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Second, he performs his interpretation of <i>"Saint James Infirmary"</i> —which features unique marionettes, a story scroll, and live jazz orchestration which Thomas provides as a one-man-band with the help of a loop pedal.<br />
<a name='more'></a>If you think Saint James Infirmary sounds exciting, you're in luck! A performance of the act has been filmed and put online by <a href="http://bannersandcranks.wordpress.com/">Banners and Cranks</a>, a traveling <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantastoria">Cantastoria</a> festival developed by Clare Dolan (who is also the Chief Operating Philosopher of <a href="http://museumofeverydaylife.org/">the Museum of Everyday Life</a><br />
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Watch <i>Saint James Infirmary</i> in 3 parts right here!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mToCNVB_oA4" width="460"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DZn3Kf5Dvd8" width="460"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MvIKdnOLzD4" width="460"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ymsg1ficggQ/T0DWbSU3JMI/AAAAAAAAAgE/iap3nyCMYvE/s1600/blackbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ymsg1ficggQ/T0DWbSU3JMI/AAAAAAAAAgE/iap3nyCMYvE/s1600/blackbird.jpg" /></a>Third, Mr. Thomas performed one of the most amazing works of moving-object-theatre I've ever seen. <i>"The Blackbird"</i> is based on Wallace Stevens' book of poetry <i>"Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." The Blackbird </i>is made of four side-by-side story scrolls which are backlit and double as shadow screens. Art is painted on the story scrolls in such a way that, at times, the four images form one panorama, at other times, each scroll is a panel in a living comic book. The rhythmic shifting and scrolling of the images creates an animated feel. Meanwhile, Thomas interacts with the images on screen using his own shadow, shadow puppet figures, and even shadow puppet speech balloons. Stevens' poetry is presented in occasional text boxes so that the only sound is the beautiful and contemplative background music created by the band Aurea.<br />
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Images of <i>The Blackbird </i>are hard to come by online, but Blair Thomas sells a very unique book, hand-printed, made with photos of the show in action as well as transparent pages, poems, and an audio cd hidden in the cover, that tries to capture the feeling of the show.<br />
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Of course, nothing can compare with seeing these performances in person. So I highly recommend you look to see where Blair Thomas and <i>Hard Headed Heart</i> are going to strike next, and get yourself some tickets.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-30413348285642443012012-02-01T19:38:00.000-08:002014-10-27T04:33:54.301-07:00Werther —or— A Dark Knight at the Opera<br />
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Last Thursday I went along with the <a href="http://blackhatcollective.blogspot.com/">Black Hat Collective</a> to another preview at the Minnesota Opera. Our mission: To draw comics, enjoy the show, and have a fun time —then blog about it!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tonight's show: <i><br /></i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Werther</i></span></div>
<br />
<i>Read on to learn about </i><i>history, tragedy, romance and Batman </i><i>in this fully-illustrated article featuring cartoons and comedy. </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<a name='more'></a><i>Werther</i> <b>(Ver-tur)</b> is an opera by 19th-century French composer Massenet <b>(Massa-nay)</b> based on an epistolary novel (a novel made out of mailed letters, like <i>Dracula</i>) by 18th-Century German author Goethe <b>(Geuh-tuh)</b>.<br />
<br />
The story is simple:<br />
A gloomy man named Werther falls in love with a lady named Charlotte, but she's already promised her dead mother that she'd marry a guy named Albert instead. Charlotte and Albert get married ten minutes in and then everybody cries for an hour. Then Werther shoots himself. The end.<br />
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Before I show you my cartoons or discuss the opera, I think you should know the back-story behind this play.<i><br /></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2Nm7BPo-v8/TynF97sXO5I/AAAAAAAAAfE/bk-Yt_3wUCo/s1600/468px-Caspar_David_Friedrich_032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2Nm7BPo-v8/TynF97sXO5I/AAAAAAAAAfE/bk-Yt_3wUCo/s200/468px-Caspar_David_Friedrich_032.jpg" height="200" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanticism</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Germany, 1774.</b><br />
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote<i> The Sorrows of Young Werther </i>when he was 24. At the time,
he had a mad crush on a woman named Charlotte Buff, and used his book to
vent his emotions. Goethe had considered himself a member of
the <i>Sturm und Drang</i> (Storm and Stress) movement, which would later form the basis of the Romantic movement, which deemed everything natural sublime and
exalted the extremes of emotion —including angst and depression as well as joy.<br />
<br />
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PEQl-gmCB24/TynmBRpaN4I/AAAAAAAAAfU/9F4OB5Ds2-w/s1600/Goethe+Werther+Reaction+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PEQl-gmCB24/TynmBRpaN4I/AAAAAAAAAfU/9F4OB5Ds2-w/s200/Goethe+Werther+Reaction+2.jpg" height="200" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Werther Fever</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When <i>The Sorrows of Young Werther</i> came out, it struck a chord with people everywhere and became <i>super</i> popular. We're talking <i>Twilight</i>-popular.
Goethe became a celebrity overnight and "Werther Fever" spread across
Europe. Werthermania inspired young dudes to dress like Werther (early
cosplayers), write satirical fanfiction (such as <i>The Joys of Young Werther</i>, which has a happy ending) and even to perform some of the earliest known copycat suicides! This was a committed fandom!<br />
<br />
Later in life, Goethe would grow to hate Romanticism, calling it "all
that is sick." He wrote that, "If Werther had been a brother that I had
killed, I could not have been more haunted by his vengeful ghost." Though
he also understood that every young person deserves to have an emo
phase, saying, "It would be sad if a person didn't have a time in
his life when he felt as though <i>Werther</i> had been written exclusively for him."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3b0iYpVXX7c/Tynmykgq7UI/AAAAAAAAAfc/gtKirhGZpds/s1600/GoetheFarbkreis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3b0iYpVXX7c/Tynmykgq7UI/AAAAAAAAAfc/gtKirhGZpds/s200/GoetheFarbkreis.jpg" height="180" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Science!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After growing out of Romanticism, Goethe went on to become one of the great Humanist poets. He wrote works such as the epic 2-part <i>Faust</i>, <i>The Sorcerer's Apprentice</i>, and many stories, plays, and poems. He was also a painter and a scientist, and did lots of research into optics, biology and color theory, from which he invented the first symmetrical color wheel.<br />
<br />
<b>France, 1887.</b><br />
100 years after Goethe gave it up, French composer Jules Massenet is still clinging onto Romanticism even as it's falling out of fashion (its arch-nemesis, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_%28arts%29">Realism</a>, is much more in vogue). He was a big fan of talented Germans (he had a flaming art-crush on Wagner) and it was only natural that Massenet turn <i>Werther</i>, the flagship of <i>Sturm und Drang</i>, into an opera. At 45, Massenet had already made about 17 operas so it's naturally pretty good music. He had some trouble getting it performed at first, and halfway through he decided to rewrite it for a baritone, rather than a tenor (the tenor version is still the most common). Still, when it finally premiered in 1892, Massenet made bank.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Minnesota, United States, 2012.</b><br />
<br />
120 years later, Thomas Boguszewski and sits in on a preview of <i>Werther</i> at the Minnesota Opera in Saint Paul. He draws some funny cartoons.<br />
<br />
<i></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hollywoodjesus.com/movie/moulin_rogue/018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkhkmjb0YA1qgvwx2o1_400.jpg" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkhkmjb0YA1qgvwx2o1_400.jpg" height="150" width="98" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"This opera <br />is about love.."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The show opens up onto a tiny room with all the walls covered in papers
(love letters, presumably). <br />
<br />
—Now I know where Baz Luhrmann stole the
opening scene for <i>Moulin Rouge.</i><br />
<br />
Soon the actual set appears and it's pretty nice. It's a slim, sparse set in front of a large photographic backdrop of Industrial-Revolution Germany. There are smokestacks rising above the horizon and heavy clouds. The gloomy grayscale of the backdrop is offset by the little island of color that Charlotte and her siblings inhabit.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn9h4IxG09g/TynvnEgulRI/AAAAAAAAAfk/n8ZmhfGbgBU/s1600/Werther+Backdrop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn9h4IxG09g/TynvnEgulRI/AAAAAAAAAfk/n8ZmhfGbgBU/s400/Werther+Backdrop.png" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In this opera, Werther is quite the Romantic philosopher. His first song is an ode to the glory of nature, then he sings a tribute to the innocence of children, then he sings about falling in love with Charlotte because she takes such good care of her younger siblings.<br />
<br />
(Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to get somebody to fall in love with you, learn to be good with kids.)<br />
<br />
At first I just sat and sketched pictures of characters and scenes that I like.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F75kSQzXfCc/Tyn7Lbta0JI/AAAAAAAAAfs/C54-4ALENiA/s1600/Werther+Flower.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F75kSQzXfCc/Tyn7Lbta0JI/AAAAAAAAAfs/C54-4ALENiA/s320/Werther+Flower.png" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Werther at Charlotte and Albert's wedding.<br />
What a sad fella.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKexkQu8H7w/Tyn7uU6CGWI/AAAAAAAAAf0/Sp1AxSBJgz8/s1600/Werther+Sister.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKexkQu8H7w/Tyn7uU6CGWI/AAAAAAAAAf0/Sp1AxSBJgz8/s400/Werther+Sister.png" height="400" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte's sister had a good costume and<br />
played the part of a kid well</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFpj1jnK1JU/Tyn8fF8ycEI/AAAAAAAAAf8/CsOdtniAhyo/s1600/Werther+Christmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFpj1jnK1JU/Tyn8fF8ycEI/AAAAAAAAAf8/CsOdtniAhyo/s400/Werther+Christmas.png" height="290" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Werther met Charlotte and Albert in July, and by Christmas, he's decided to kill himself over them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Werther sends a letter to Albert asking to borrow some pistols, using a cover story of "I'm going out of town and need them for protection."<br />
<br />
Instead he takes the gun, wanders the streets, and prepares to kill himself while dramatic music plays.<br />
<br />
This dramatic music made my day.<br />
<br />
Because sitting in the opera, I was listening to THIS:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y87CYOofMwQ" width="500"></iframe></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
But all I could hear was THIS:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/O4pACuX2XI4" width="420"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
In the end, Werther locks himself in his room. He has taken all the letters down from his wall and thrown them into a pile in the corner. He has also scrawled <i>"Liebe oder Tod"</i> (Love or Death!) in huge script on the wall.<br />
<br />
Werther sits in the corner with his pistol. Charlotte knows what he's about to do and is coming to stop him, but she'll never make it in time. Werther raises his gun, prepared to fire into his own chest.<br />
<br />
Suddenly...<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3Yizcbxnu0/Tym7QzZOqMI/AAAAAAAAAe0/PsG0PzwzAO8/s1600/Werther+batman+66%25+1b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3Yizcbxnu0/Tym7QzZOqMI/AAAAAAAAAe0/PsG0PzwzAO8/s1600/Werther+batman+66%25+1b.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBuHSETxuvc/Tym6eVBC7BI/AAAAAAAAAes/OcnR3LpwBaE/s1600/Werther+batman+66%2525+2b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBuHSETxuvc/Tym6eVBC7BI/AAAAAAAAAes/OcnR3LpwBaE/s1600/Werther+batman+66%2525+2b.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6useOh6-ZHI/Tym5m7Aw7pI/AAAAAAAAAek/o0gy07fZM_A/s1600/Werther+batman+66%2525+3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6useOh6-ZHI/Tym5m7Aw7pI/AAAAAAAAAek/o0gy07fZM_A/s400/Werther+batman+66%2525+3.png" height="400" width="373" /></a></div>
Now there's a character WORTH cosplaying.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-84682545448699523962012-01-22T16:34:00.000-08:002012-11-16T05:46:30.491-08:00Come to The Medicine Show!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="410px" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1282240399/strombollis-medicine-show/widget/video.html" width="480px"></iframe></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: x-large;">Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">The time has come for a reprise of </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">the phantasmagorical, sensational, mystical </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: x-large;"><u><b>Strombolli's Medicine Show!</b></u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">Come to </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.hobt.org/">In The Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre </a> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">at 8:00pm on Friday, Jan 27th and Saturday Jan 28th </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">to catch </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">the last two performances </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">of the show that combines:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">BAFFLING MAGIC!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">ALLURING BURLESQUE!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">RICH MUSIC!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">ALCHEMICAL ELIXIRS!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">SIDESHOW, CIRCUS, AND PUPPET PERFORMANCES</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">THE LIKES OF WHICH </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1235673620"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: large;">SUPPORT THE SHOW</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1235673624"><br /></a></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://thisisartinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/03/strombollis-medicine-show.html">For PICTURES from the set of last year's Medicine Show, click here</a></span></b></div>
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-20293951168387948862012-01-19T14:53:00.000-08:002012-11-18T00:50:52.538-08:00Saint Paul Comic Jam - Jan 2012This January, the Saint Paul Cartoonist Conspiracy brings you:<br />
<u><i><b><br /></b></i></u><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><i><b><a href="http://www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/conspire/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/St-Paul-Jan-Jam.pdf">Free Sexy Panty with Every Purchase -and- We Loan on Firearms</a></b></i></u></div>
<u><i><b><br /></b></i></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRuycigOXXU/T39lbRmXUUI/AAAAAAAAAlY/Tco6qtxe63E/s1600/How+I+killed+the+jan+st+paul+jam.tiff" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRuycigOXXU/T39lbRmXUUI/AAAAAAAAAlY/Tco6qtxe63E/s400/How+I+killed+the+jan+st+paul+jam.tiff" width="400" /></a></div>
<u><i><b><br /></b></i></u><br />
<u><i><b><br /></b></i></u>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-51453538436427603182012-01-02T22:48:00.000-08:002012-11-16T05:36:05.470-08:00Alchemy: Its history and theory<b>My friend Michael McConnell is designing a gallery exhibit about the periodic table of the elements. </b><b> I am a rabid Alchemy enthusiast, so Michael</b><b> gave me a special assignment: By Spring 2013 I shall create a 10 minute (or 10'x10'x10') presentation on the elements <i>as understood by the Alchemists</i>. To prepare for the project I wrote this "thesis" to base my work around. Here I shall take a "just the facts, Ma'am" approach to the history of Alchemy and focus mainly on what was pertinent to the periodic table. Still, talking about Alchemy is not an exact science because Alchemy itself was not an exact science, but rather, a "philosophical art" for which each Alchemist had his own unique approach and theories about what he was doing.<br /><br /><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">The origin of Alchemy:</span></u></i></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
Hellenistic Egypt,
ca 300 BC. Greek colonists look at
the religion of the Egyptians and see similarities between their god Hermes and
the Egyptian god Thoth (The-Thrice-Great). Both were gods of language, gods of magic and psychopomps
(in charge of transmitting souls from one world to the next, like the grim
reaper) In the minds of some, the two figures merge into one character called
Hermes Trismegistus. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Now fast forward to 100 AD. At this time, Alexandria, Egypt is the
definition of a melting pot. Roman
culture advocates a comparative and syncretic approach to religion, and
Alexandria is a geographic hub.
The ideas of mystics from all over the world mixed together. Jewish Cabala, Zoroastrianism, Platonic
philosophy, Christianity, Astrology, Innumerable Greek mystery cults, and
probably a spattering of Hinduism and Buddhism —It was all there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Out of this bubbling cauldron of
mystic philosophies came some unique 2<sup>nd</sup> century inventions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Gnostic Christians, who were
themselves influenced by Zoroastrians and Manicheans, created an elaborate
hierarchal cosmology. They
believed that the creator of the Earth (YHWH of the bible) was actually an
ignorant demigod called the Demiurge, and that the real God existed in an
abstract realm far beyond this world.
They disliked the material world and believed that Jesus was sent by the
original God to help human beings figure out how to climb up the spheres and
become spiritual beings instead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Meanwhile another group called the
Neo-Platonists also had a stratified worldview. They distinguished between microcosm and macrocosm, apparent
world and ideal world, individual beings and the Monad (one true being) —but
they believed that in the end, every layer was interlinked and connected as
permanently as a man is to his shadow.
The material world and the spiritual world were ever-reconciled.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
These beliefs met and mingled and
from the junction of these two popped Hermeticism. Hermeticists believed that Hermes Trismegistus was a real
Egyptian Pharaoh who invented magic, science, philosophy, and
hieroglyphics. He created an
emerald tablet onto which he inscribed the instructions for the transmutaion of
metals and the maxim “That which is above corresponds to that which is below
and that which is below correspond to that which is above,” and started a
secret society to pass down his knowledge. His lineage of students was believed to include Moses,
Zoroaster, Pythagoras and Plato.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Determining what the Hermeticists
really thought is difficult because they were incredibly distrustful of
language. They felt that words
could not capture the true meaning of their impressions. They admired the Egyptians because they
falsely assumed that Hieroglyphics was a picture-language like Rebus. Inspired by this fantasy they created
an elaborate symbolic code of their own —intent on communicating everything
with images, emblems, numbers, and obscure allegories.</div>
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There were three major ways of
practicing Hermeticism: One is
astrology (the reading and manipulation of the stars) the second is Theurgy
(the practice of magical rituals to achieve oneness with divinity) and the
third and the largest involved performing ritualistic experiments with
metal. The named of this practice
came from the Arabic Al-Chemia or “The Chemistry.” Hermeticists who practiced the art of Alchemy were called
Alchemists, and they would lay the foundation for our modern understanding of
the Elements.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><u>What did the alchemists, the ancestors of modern
chemists, believe about the elements?</u></b></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The alchemists believed in one
elementary form of matter called “Prima Materia” or prime matter. All matter was under the influence of
four elemental qualities or forces – heat, moistness, coldness, dryness
(corresponding to fire, water, land and air) and the fifth element or
“quintessence” which constitutes divinity.</div>
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The divinity of a material is
usually invisible. It’s either
hidden deep down in the heart of a thing, or it lies up in the heavens waiting
to be re-integrated with its early counterpart. Truly divine matter is
philosophical in nature (AKA platonic, ideal, spiritual) and has been described
as golden, healing, light, bright, powerful and other fancy terms.</div>
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The idea of a hierarchy of metals
ascending towards divinity comes from the Gnostic Christians, who used the
metals and the planets as metaphors for stages of spiritual enlightenment. Tin (Jupiter) was lowest, followed by
Iron (mars) Copper (venus) Quicksilver (Mercury) Silver (the Moon) and Gold
(the Sun). Arabic neo-platonists
introduced the idea of Salt representing the body, Sulfur representing the
spirit, and Mercury representing the mind.</div>
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The alchemists took this symbolism
of metals and made it the core of their spiritual practice. So much so that the average person only
knows that alchemists were “wizard-scientists who wanted to turn lead into
gold.” In reality, an alchemist’s
experiments were actually elaborate live-action analogies for his own spiritual
growth.</div>
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Each metal that the alchemists
dealt with was said to have a personality. Some were hotter, some were cooler, some were dryer, and
some were wetter. The four qualities
that give metals their identities were thought to have analogs in people. Popularly a person would be described
in terms of the four humors, the “sanguine, melancholic, choleric, and
phlegmatic temperaments.” Today we
might substitute “the thinking, feeling, sensing and intuitive functions”
instead (Carl Jung was an alchemy enthusiast before he discovered
psychology). In any case, it’s the
imbalance of competing pairs of opposites that give people, and metals, their
personality.</div>
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Also, by merit of corresponding to
a star in the sky and a sign in the zodiac, each metal was also associated with
an astrological type and a classical deity. This association was used to explain a metal’s
behavior. Mercury is fluid because
the messenger god needs to be swift.
Mixing Copper and Iron in a special mixture over fire can produce an
alloy with a net-like grid pattern running over its surface —because when
Vulcan (fire) catches Venus (copper) and Mars (iron) in bed together, he throws
a metallic net over them from which they can’t escape. Each metal does what its
celestial counterpart would do in the same situation.</div>
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If metals had personalities,
horoscopes, and affairs just like us, it follows that whatever happened to
these archetypal metals would happen to us. If a metal can be improved, so can a person.</div>
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A metal could be made more divine
(“Transmuted”) by subjecting it to a complex distillation process called the
“Opus Magnum” (a term still used in art to this day). This Opus typically involved putting a mixture into a
spherical bottle called a retort and subjecting the mixture to a long sequence
of cooking, cooling, and adding solvents.
The aim was to neutralize the effects of hotness, coldness, wetness, and
dryness which had already imprinted the metal. </div>
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The hope was that ultimately, when
the Opus was finished, the retort would contain a substance that was chock full
of quintessence. The Philosopher’s
Stone, Green Gold, Panacea, the Universal Solvent, and the Elixir of Life are
just some names for the hypothetical results of a successful Opus Magnum
transmutation. In all cases, the
substance has all the qualities of a saved human being – radiance, health,
healing ability, transfigurative powers, omnipotence, grace.</div>
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The airtight spherical retort was
considered a microcosm of the universe, and a reflection of the alchemist’s
soul, which was also a microcosm of the universe. Reactions that took place in the bottle were also happening
on all the levels, because the laws of nature are universal.</div>
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What were the laws of nature? The alchemists observed that when
substances are distilled, they redistribute themselves by density (in this
case, density was considered to be an indicator of spiritual impurity rather
than atomic weight). They
believed, as Aristotle did, that the law of gravity functioned to group like
substances together, rather than to draw objects together because of their
masses. When disintegration
happens, the good elements separate from the bad elements, and reassemble “in
their proper place.”</div>
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A constant process of
disintegration and reintegration was applied to substances during the Opus
Magnum. Substances would be
dissolved and resolved, broken and put back together, melted and hardened,
burned and washed, sublimated and solidified. By observing how constantly destroying and rebuilding a
substance makes it stronger, it would become clear to the alchemist that
constant cycles of personal destruction and reconstruction are the agents of
personal growth. Today,
psychologists call this principle “Positive disintegration.” </div>
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The bottom line when studying
alchemy is that it was very rarely about the metals. An alchemist’s experiments are almost always about purifying
himself or finding enlightenment and salvation. The alchemists were not scientists and they did not pretend
to be. In fact, alchemists
typically called themselves “philosophical artists.” Their art just happened to produce scientific breakthroughs
as a by-product.</div>
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By the Enlightenment Era, the
alchemists, in their attempt to discover quintessence, had accidentally
invented countless new alloys, compounds, medicines, and poisons. These miraculous discoveries were
interpreted as steps in the right direction, which encouraged more and more
transmutations. Eventually, some
alchemists decided to build their lives around these practical discoveries,
performing scientific experiments instead of spiritual ones. Other alchemists chose to turn away
from the chemistry side and focus primarily on their artwork and their
philosophy.</div>
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In the 1700s, modern chemistry was
born, which focused on explaining observed chemical phenomenon in precise,
repeatable language and from the rational materialist perspective.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135971977335219160.post-35230272856230427902012-01-01T22:39:00.000-08:002014-10-27T04:34:55.572-07:00New Year's Resolution(s)New Year's resolution(s):<br />
<br />
Henceforth I will publish one thing —a piece of flash fiction, a picture, a poem, a comic, a song, etc.— every day (or some rate close to that).<br />
<br />
January is watercolor month. I will work on a watercolor painting every evening after dinner.<br />
<br />
2012 sees an increased focus from me on my relationships. Friends are there to uplift, challenge, team up with and champion each other. Such relationships are arguably the only things that matter.<br />
<br />
2012 is also the year I turn commercial. I will endeavor to show off, sell things, get jobs, and generally be a presence like never before.<br />
<br />
Shortly I will have converted the "junk room" in my house into a studio out of which I will base my artistic endeavors.<br />
<br />
And friends: I hope to have your support as I try to do this stuff. I need all the help I can get, and feedback is always craved.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Allons-y!</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>—Thomas Boguszewski </i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05730282710146292441noreply@blogger.com0