subversive crossstitch

I just found out about this yesterday. I now have a new place to pull desktop art from. subversive crossstitch

flying by

Only one weekend left of summer... We didn't really do many summertime activities this year, but I suppose we've been otherwise occupied. I can't believe how much we're doing out here. We've been away from Chicago for one year and we have:
1) gotten engaged
2) bought a theater space
2.5) started to build theater space
3) produced 4 different live comedy shows around Portland
4) created 5 different ensembles / show casts
5) made a lot of great new friends
6) lost jobs
7) found new jobs
8) written a videogame story in Paris France
9) saw Obama speak
10) created a life we enjoy (or will soon be enjoying as soon as the craziness settles down... who knows how long that will take...)

I never would have guessed I'd be here right now, 365 days ago.

spreading myself too thin

I have been busy.
Starting up a comedy theater.
Starting a new part time job.
Directing a live show.
Coaching an improv group.
Writing / rehearsing a sketch show.
Writing / rehearsing a kids show.
Trying to edit together dvd's from the CSz championships to send out to people.
Having enough quality time left to spend with my fiance.
Having enough quality time left over to spend with my li'l pup Arlo.
Trying to write music reviews.

That's a lot.

Anyway - music.
I have been listening to a lot of good new stuff over the past few weeks, but I can't seem to get enough Dinosaur Jr. I have loved this band for fifteen years. The 'greatest hits' collection they released two years ago is solid, but my favorite album is this one

green mind

Smoke Rings

This weekend I was a part of a great short film called Smoke Rings - written, directed and produced by Rex Carter. In the daytime Rex works as a Flame Artist at Laika Studios here in Portland. I can't wait to see how the film looks after the editing and post production. Here are some pictures from the set. It was a very professional experience with the set built at Laika, Costumes professionally designed and a great production crew. Thanks to Rex, Rhonda and everyone for making the whole experience so wonderful.

the Oregon Coast

Stacey had a friend in town over the weekend. She hadn't seen him in 19 years (since High School) so it was a crazy reunion and a lot of time was spent catching up. On Saturday evening - after a rehearsal I had - we took a drive out to the Oregon Coast (where I had never been). Arlo loved it!
And I realized we were on the same beach that the ending to Goonies was shot!
It was a nice, cooling break from a hot and busy weekend.

Losing Patience

the Curious Comedy Productions submission to the 2008 48 Hour Film Project. Required Elements:
Character - Dr. Jake Gravenstein, Wellness Practitioner
Prop - Jumper Cables
Line of dialogue - "Okay, I think I got it straight"

Genre: Horror
Losing Patience

48 Hour Recap

Crazy.
We did get the horror genre.
We made a funny little film called Losing Patience that takes a sharp turn down spookie/creepyville at the end.
The main action takes place in a waiting room

The main character is distracted by an annoying fellow patient waiting in the waiting room, going on and on about anything and everything. There are short daydreams about what awaits him in the doctor's office:




The charm of one mister David Saffert comes through really well, as the annoying/over-friendly and talkative patient in the waiting room.


Thanks to everyone who helped make this film in within the alloted 48 hours.
Stacey Hallal - great editor, filled with the best ideas.
Kathryn Durkin - a great whore nurse and writer for the game of operation
Jeffrey Kauffman - fantastic lights and tech guy, as well as the perfect flirty, drink spilling doctor.
Tucker and Robin Johnson - I am sad Tucker felt uncomfortable calling his mom "sweetheart", but was super pleased at how quickly he learned and committed to the lines.
Scott Rogers - Who wrote and starred as the creepiest doctor you could imagine. Everything from the green pancho and the creepy voice. It was perfect.
Bri Pruett - for helping with all the make up and costumes as well as playing the part of Sarafina RN / Magician's assistant. I enjoy working with you way too much.
Nate Smith - for participating in the writing process... while in NEW ZEALAND.
Bill Cernansky - Dr. Fantastic! The Magical MD. Thanks for coming in last minute and playing the character funnier than I ever could have written it.
Nathan Loveless - the greatest silent actor I know. Thanks for your breathing and sweating and taking the time to do some reshoots with us.
David Saffert - Your personality and charm are award winning. Thank you for being so great.
Catch LOSING PATIENCE at the Hollywood Theater on Thursday in the 9:30 show slot.

Night Time

I always find myself getting into music that has a spooky atmosphere to it. I enjoy lush, dark instruments and crooning voices. Perhaps that's because I can't remember ever having a nightmare... and nightmares fascinate me. I figure if I go through my daily routine listening to the soundtrack of a nightmare it might inspire my dreams... who knows? Nevertheless, here is a night time music mix. Come to think of it, this may just be my way of searching for inspiration for my 48 Hour Film project that begins tonight. I have a feeling I'm going to get the Horror genre...
Nighttime Music
TV on the Radio - don't love you
Thee More Shallows - Int #1
Menomena - weird
Pinback - chaos engine
Tom Waits - green grass
Sunny Day Real Estate - pheurton skeurto
Portishead - theme from "to kill a dead man"
the Black Heart Procession - fingerprints
Modest Mouse - dirty fingernails
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - the owl
Doves - a house
She Wants Revenge - disconnect
Ed Drost/Final Fantasy - possibly maybe
Bjork - 107 steps
the Walkmen - hang on siobhan
Catherine Wheel - ferment
Blonde Redhead - for the damaged
Ugly Casanova - cat faces
John Vanderslice - mass suicide occult figurines

catchy

holy crap.
This album by the Dutchess & the Duke titled She's The Dutchess, He's The Duke - is getting a lot of play by me. This song in particular: The whole album has a fantastic throwback blues, garage, backwoods feel to it. Full review to come.

sicky

someboy's not feeling so good today. I'm keeping my eye on the little guy. His belly is making noises and he's eating grass and greens when we go for walks. He hasn't eaten any food today. Poor little guy. I don't like seeing him sick.

Amazing

I reference this a lot

and it makes me laugh.

Good Looking Dog

I love this good lookin' mutt.

a poetic rant

It's not a way to end it all.
It's closer to hibernation.
click on the apple.
how many different ways to say "slow the fuck down" are there?
people need to be constantly reaffirmed.
there is a way out.
It's not an end to everything.
It's a pause button.
seriously, click on the apple.
If you have a Mac, click on the apple.
I'm sure there is a PC equivalent.
Neither is better - just different.
no one is more right than the other.
Every man made machine - and most "machines" that have been created
(the planet earth, for example)
requires adjustments.
Ice Age, Plague, Quake, Disasters...
What man made creation was perfect from the beginning, forever?
Everything has flaws.
Every plan has holes.
Every program has a way out.
Click on the apple.
at the midpoint of the dropdown menu, what do you see?
Force Quit...
easily the most aggressive way to end it.
Force Quit...
when you can't add or take away anymore input.
Just spinning, spinning, spinning.
Force Quit...
Only at the most aggravating times do you Force Quit...
Click on the apple.
below Force Quit... is Sleep.
Like a gentle reminder to breathe.
Sleep.
It will all be fine after some time away.
Sleep.
Come back later.
Click on the apple.
Restart...
Seems we've have gotten off on a bad foot.
Do Over.
Restart...
It was a good idea at the top, but it needs some minor adjustments.
Restart...
Do it again, only don't make the same mistakes.
Click on the apple.
Shut Down...
I just can't do anything else with this.
it's not an aggressive move, I'm just done.
Shut Down...
That's all I want to add to this.
Click on the apple.
Log Out Bob Ladewig...

(this started out as a diabetic rant/save the world-type thought.
by no means is this a red flag of any sort of danger - just something I have noticed about the world according to my computer)

Busy-ness

It's been a busy week.
I was temping during the day and rehearsing/performing every night this week.
We had guests in from out of town, plus the ComedySportz World Championships - which I was recording every night to make the dvd's for performers.
I have to start writing things down and remembering the order of things. I've got sketches to write, assignments to set, rehearsal to organize, and a band to interview.
The Faint is in town tonight and I am scheduled to interview them tonight.
I'm stretched pretty thin. Ugh.

I'm looking ahead to the future.
Here is my mix for the future:::::

the Future
01.Wilderness - living through
02.Battles - tonto
03.the Chap - ethnic instrument
04.John Vanderslice - bill gates must die
05.Fujiya & Miyagi - one trick pony
06.the Faint - forever growing centipedes
07.Menomena - polo
08.Supersystem - earth body air
09.Jaguar Love - antoine and birdskull
10.Pinback - chaos engine
11.Yeasayer - 2080
12.S PRCSS - our bikes are silver, her bed is hers
13.Ratatat - loud pipes
14.Thom Yorke - atoms for peace
15.LCD Soundsystem - big ideas
16.the Postal Service - there's never enough time
17.Interpol - specialist