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Shirley Mae Hicks

If you haven’t yet checked out The Kates, you should!  Their twice monthly (and sometimes more often) shows are always fun.  Earlier this month, I performed with them in Lincoln Square.  Well, it wasn’t exactly me.  Ladies and gentlemen, Shirley Mae Hicks…… [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9hN4QOhux4]

Deck the Halls and Roll the Balls

Nearly every year around this time I make my Grandma’s Russian tea cakes (veganized, of course).  They are yummy, fun to look at, and an all-around great Christmas cookie.  But this year, they turned out even better for me than they usually do.  I don’t know if it was the 1940’s radio program (Phillip Marlowe)…

you don’t need pants to read poetry

you don’t need pants to read poetry you just need a familiar bed or a good solid floor or a tree (half-dressed, like you) or a non-pretentious fireplace and some poetry don’t forget the poetry or do but in a way that is like a meditation so that the poetry doesn’t get in the way…

Haiku

Over on the website for WNEP Theater, we have “Haiku Friday!”  It’s pretty great.  You should check it out.  Anyhoo, this is the haiku I wrote for today.  I thought I’d share it here too. マンダのはいく Yeah, my Japanese is poor. …but it impressed you.

Thought of the Day

It’s the day after mid-term elections.  Thank goodness it’s over.  But the fact that Republicans have been given back control of the House leads me to this obvious conclusion… America has Alzheimer’s. It’s either that or Stockholm Syndrome. But either way, we’ll need affordable health care to get better.

Frickin’ Awesome Theater Company

When I first moved to Chicago, a friend told me about a theater that performed “What No one Else Produces.”  I was immediately intrigued.  A little over a year later, I was fortunate enough to become an ensemble member of that company–WNEP Theater.  We do about one or two big projects a year.  It’s made…

You

There are few things that are certain in this world.  But at least one is that you will live with yourself for the rest of your life.  And doesn’t it make sense to treat well the person you’ll spend so much time with?  Therefore, always handle yourself with forgiveness, kindness, and love.

The Power of Story

I finally got a really good collection of the tales of the brothers Grimm.  (By the by, how much do I love that we still refer to them, not as the Grimm brothers, but as the brothers Grimm?)  I’ve been wanting to get a good collection for some time now–you know, where the prince in…