Sunday Post

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he Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to December

Happy Holidays everyone! This week it snowed a lot in Minnesota. It seemed like every day I was scraping off the car, or driving slow on the highway. At one point, I had to avoid an exit ramp because it hadn't been plowed.  

Fortunately with all the snow, it gave me a lot of time to stay indoors and read.

I also taught a sketch comedy class on ZOOM. We did an exercise where you answer these prompts

I hate… I love… I’m annoyed by… The best is when… I’m proud that… I’m terrified of… I’m embarrassed by… I’m obsessed with…

After you answer these questions, go back and validate your reason by stating "because" and write something absurd. This will bring out the funny in a future comedy skit.

  A few students told me about their favorite comedians including Eric Andre and Hannibal Buress. I also learned what animatronics are. This is something brought up often in improv so I was happy to learn. The characters at Chucky Cheese helped me understand this better.

Eric Andre-Comedian

This was my week, how was yours?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

ON THE BLOG

Reading

Nexus follows the protagonist Kaden Lane, a scientist who works on an experimental nano-drug, Nexus, which allows the brain to be programmed and networked, connecting human minds together.

The book discusses the strain in thought in Buddhism and neuroscience. It discusses whole brain emulation and uploading, and the War on Drugs and Terror.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The work is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel by using a vehicle or device to travel purposely and selectively forward or backward through time. 

The book gives the example of how a cube exists with width and depth, but how it also exists with time-this is something we generally don't think about.

Klara and the Sun.  Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?

The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler The main thesis of the book is that we are very often not aware of our real reasons for most of our behaviors. Our behaviors are optimized for living in a social group and very often, from the point of view of natural selection, it is useful if we are not consciously aware of our real motivations.

In this book Simler discusses behavior a lot.  Simler gives the example of how men will cut into one another to show how they're close, and how friends will do something extra to stand out from acquaintances.

Sunday Post

via GIPHY

 

he Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to December

This week was cold and snowy in Minnesota. Somehow I got out of the house and went to do improv and work. I had to cancel my root canal appointment because I had to see two different dentists to see about crown lengthening and the appointments didn't align.

Scenes from a Hat Improv

I took part in Scenes from a Hat improv.  We do scenes and short form improv and the acting is recorded in a studio and streamed to YouTube.  I included some pictures of the event. In this week's session I did scenes where I was a reporter and a hula dancer. I was a little girl whose father was afraid for her life-she kept approaching animals in exhibits at the zoo.

Because I didn't get to drive for ride-share due to the snow, I read a lot of books.

This was my week, how was yours?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

ON THE BLOG

Reading

Ted Chiang, author of Stories of You Life and Others discusses the future of having an app that checks in on your inconsistencies towards others in a logging system, in an effort to improve your behavior. The app would note the behaviors in statistical graphs and charts.

During a talk with Ted Chiang someone asked: What is the difference between self logging your thoughts?  (using external life logs or smart phones) versus using an internal log (i.e. diary or Blog) How would it eschew one's sense of self if one part  of our life is recorded externally but the other part is inefficiently recorded?

Ted Chiang gives the example of smart goggles and how they observe where your gaze through day and information you were taking in, and how this information can be analyzed statistically and given in a table or chart more efficiently, than if you were to record your thoughts in a diary.

Listen to the talk here

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_632pic1PlU&ab_channel=Nostalghia

Review:Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy, State Theatre, Minneapolis

Re-post from 2021

 

December is perfect for watching a holiday show like The Nutcracker Fantasy. Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT) is showing it until December 19th at the State Theatre in Minneapolis.

Review: Much Ado About Nothing at Mounds Theater

Two years ago Fearless Comedy shut down their production of William Shakespeare’s classic Much Ado About Nothing . Instead of tiptoeing around like most theaters, Fearless is braving through with this play and more ahead.

Much Ado About Nothing is generally considered one of Shakespeare's best comedies, because it combines elements of robust hilarity with themes of honor, shame, and court politics. The play revolves around two romantic pairings that emerge, when a group of soldiers arrive in the town. Captain Benedick(Phillip D. Henry) and Beatrice(Suzanne Victoria Cross) are tricked into confessing their love for each other and Claudio(William Edson) has a misunderstanding about his love interest, the Hero(Nicole Laurenne). 

Theatre Review: ‘The Bungalow Loft’ at Historic Mounds Theatre

 Viv (Ambrosia Jasmine Webb) and Sam (Jenn Scott) pictured above (photo courtesy of Fearless Comedy Productions)

 Bridges of Madison County meets Nancy Drew: Girl Detective in The Bungalow Loft by Shanan Custer, directed and produced by Dawn Krosnowski. This heartfelt and funny mystery is a stage

Flash Back Thursday post Happy Wednesday! @ChioneQuintet #wednesdaymotivation

***Repost from 2020

Chione Quintet of Minnesota is with me today to talk about their music.  

When was the Chione Quintet created and what is its mission?

"Chione had our very first rehearsal in October of 2016, so we are officially 2 years old.  

Sunday Post

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The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to November

This week I took several people to the airport. 

 I also went to the dentist twice, I had an endodontic appointment for a consultation on a root canal, and an appointment for cleaning  My brother talked me through it, as finding the clinic was half the battle. It's located on the U of M campus.  

I went to see comedian, Josh Blue. My friend had tickets and she has cerebral palsy like Josh so it was great to support his work.  Josh blue was voted the Last Comic Standing (fourth season).

I enjoyed this quote from Tiny Buddha about sensitive people.

If my nervous system is signaling a threat, how am I supposed to ignore that?!

Imagine tuning a guitar; as you turn the knob, you create a higher pitch. The string becomes tighter and the notes higher.

I think this is the perfect metaphor for sensitivity, and one I discovered in college after reading the work of a troubled 1800s poet, Charles Baudelaire. He said, “My nerves are strung to such a pitch that they no longer give anything but piercing and painful vibrations.”

The tough truth is that those with highly attuned nervous systems must master emotion… or suffer. Mastering emotional fluency is an extremely fulfilling journey because you get to experience the full spectrum of human emotion. Whereas many people are just going through the motions, you feel everything, which gives you a unique power and ability to handle anything.

This was my week, how was yours?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

ON THE BLOG

Reading

Reading this novel by Sue Seabury. I have had the honor of giving feedback to this author in the past and I love seeing familiar authors publish their work.

I came across Alexandro Chen's work three years ago.  This indie author is great! I'd call his work similar to Haruki Murakami's.  He's also Japanese and makes use of surrealism in his writing.I would read almost any novel with surrealism.

In this book My (Almost) Life as a Hikikomori shares glints of our contemporary lives, as well as the old dilemma of death.

Sunday Post

via GIPHY

 

he Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to December

It's been snowing a lot in Minnesota, and dropped like 20 degrees in the course of one night. 

 On Friday, I did an improv stage match at Strike theater.

How do these shows work out? 

We meet at 6:15 and do a 20 minute rehearsal with an appointed coach. There's generally 4-8 people in our group, many of whom we meet for the first time.  Then we do some improv exercises like pass the clap, OR zip, zap, zop.

Then we do some montage scenes.  What's a montage scene?

1. Start the first scene based on that suggestion.
2. When there is an appropriate time to edit, a player on the back row edits the scene
3. The player that edits the scene may start the new one.
4. Repeat the editing process until you have a few scenes going.
5. Once a comfortable number has been reached, revisit your previous scenes and perform a second beat. Three or four scenes is recommended. Try to incorporate the new information that has been offered in other scenes, but do not force connections.
6. Heighten the scenes with each beat.

We'll pick a name for our group.  Friday night's group is called "The Spectacular's. Then each group (sometimes four groups total) will come on stage. Each group makes a choice of a way to come on stage.  We chose to say our group's name in a fancy way, some chose a dance.  We'll perform for twenty minutes in front of a live audience in short montage scenes. Sometimes these scenes are 15 seconds to three minutes long. Sometimes you'll have up to 20 scenes in one set.

And then take a bow and sit down.  Easy peasy! 

Hope you enjoyed this.

Improv at Strike Theater

Yesterday, I visited my friend Mark Knutson who was in the hospital. He is at St. Francis for a lung issue. I met Mark after hosting an Improv Jam for people with disabilities. Meeting Mark helped open me up to the disabled community in Minnesota.  I never attended adapted sports as a kid, like Mark did, so hosting the jam was my first introduction to this community as an adult.

Pokemon ball (Tododial)

I bought my son a Pokemon ball. My son loves to sleep with all of his toys on the first day he gets them. Currently he's sleeping with two plushy pillows and Tododial.

Here's my Grateful list for this week:

Grateful for fun things to try

Playing with improvisers.

For thinking big in terms of possibilities in the universe.

I'm grateful for the connection to the community.

This was my week, how was yours?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

ON THE BLOG

Reading

I started reading "Dreams and Shadows" . It was recommended as a similar novel to Ted Chiang "Stories of Your Life" .Synopsis: something is missing from Ewan and Colby's lives. Residing in the corners of their memories is their time in Limestone Kingdom, a realm filled with magic and mystery, a world where only some may travel amongst the menagerie of mystical souls and sinister demons.

I was introduced to Sadhguru after he gave a talk about the difference between pain and suffering.  He describes pain as something physical, and something we need to save our lives and to warn us to make changes in healthy life choices. But suffering is what issues we bring into our lives and hold on to.

Sunday post

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to November

I went to an Opera this week at Southern Theatre.  Proving up is an opera about the American Dream, told through the story of Nebraskan homesteaders in the 1870s.

I also went to see Family Dinner at HUGE theater.  This was a fun improv show where characters gather for a holiday dinner and reveal to one another secrets while eating their meal on stage.

I also met up with my sister who is currently teaching gymnastics for kids.  She seems to be enjoying the kids and the energy.

I did an Improv scene online where this couple was in disagreement about who is giving the stare down, and the man in the scene claims that the woman never listens. When the woman suggested that they put cameras and note every time each other not listens, and in this scene the guy calls her out on not listening saying, “You were looking this way and that way and behind you on the camera.”  Eventually, the woman character says she created a PowerPoint that has documented evidence of not listening  from every turn of his head.  The woman character planned to make it a business and stream it, calling it "The couples fight," a reality TV show.

This was my week, how was yours?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

ON THE BLOG

Reading

I started reading this Ted Chiang novel that was remade into a movie in 2016 called "The Arrival". The movie is about a linguistics professor, Louise Banks (Amy Adams) who leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, Banks and her crew must race against time to find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors. Hoping to unravel the mystery, she takes a chance that could threaten her life and quite possibly all of mankind.

The film suggests that knowing what will happen in the future doesn't diminish the meaning behind a choice you'll make today. On the contrary, it says every choice you do make can be made knowing it will actively shape what's to come. As Emerson once wrote, life's a journey, not a destination

I was paging through a magazine and I thought I'd pick up a few of these recommended historical reads.

Bootstrapped, My TV Film Fest Week #amjoy

Flashback post from three years ago

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things  received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Today's post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves for weekly updates.

           LOOKING FORWARD TO OCTOBER

As I mentioned last week, I went to an independent TV festival in Duluth called the Catalyst.

David Sedaris at State Theatre on November 1st, 2022

When I was a kid, I kept a “Slam Book.''  For those of you unfamiliar, this is a notebook that’s passed around class, and includes prompts to slam one’s opinions down about a question/idea on each page.  It also includes prompts for writing fill-in-the-blank stories. I loved being able to write prompts and read my classmates' crude attempts at storytelling. Later, I would find David Sedaris did something similar with comedic stories he collected from patrons at his book signing events. Since then, I’ve read several of his memoirs including Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and Calypso.

Sunday blog post

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

 

LOOKING FORWARD to November

I took my son trick-or-treating. A friend of ours had the idea to get candy in a ritzy area because if you go from home-to-home in some areas of Saint Paul a lot of the homes do not have lights on. it’s a lot different than when I was a kid.