Laughing Loud about "Laughing Wild"

Jenny, our good friend Helen and I went to see Laughing Wild at the Pier Pressure Productions in Astoria last night. It was a great trip back to the late 80’s featuring a man and  woman each suffering from various neuroses while living in New York City. They dramatized the relevant personal and social issues of the time period in a very funny and intense way.


The Actors  William Hamm and Jenni Newton covered politics, religion, abortion, Aids, GLBT issues, and you name it ! A wide range of personal issues came into question like paranoia, anger, negative and positive karma, love, hate and more. I was really starting to worry how many times Bill hit the floor when the physical parts of the play demanded it. Hopefully Bill has a good chiropractor. He must have had some time as a Hollywood stunt man.

It was small live theater at its best painting realistic and poignant portraits of how to or how not to cope with the insecurities we all have in common. Taking in a live theater performance is a fantastic way to break away from the typical disappointment of today’s forms of movie and television entertainment. We enjoyed it immensely and we thank Bill, Jenni and the director, Susi Brown, for putting the time, energy and passion into a very enjoyable night out.

I wish I were...

I wish I were big enough to honestly admit all my shortcomings.

Brilliant enough to accept praise without it making me arrogant. 

Tall enough to tower over dishonesty. 

Strong enough to welcome criticism.

Compassionate enough to understand human frailties. 

Wise enough to recognize mistakes. 

Humble enough to appreciate greatness. 

Brave enough to stand by my friends. 

Human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor. 

And spiritual enough to be devoted to the love of God.

Author unknown

Benjamin Netanyahu Schools Obama in the White House

Click on the link below to read this letter which was edited then published in The Daily Astorian on May 25, 2011.

Disastrous Policy

Obama's speech about Israel going back to their pre-1967 borders was just another lame attempt to pander to the Arab world. Thankfully Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was having none of it and took him to school in the White House. 

Obama made a gigantic mistake first by making such a plea and second by letting Netanyahu who civilly dismantled his speech, while holding court in the WH with TV cameras rolling. Thank you Mr. President.

He told Netanyahu before he flew to the U.S. to meet with him he was going to make the borders speech. He asked Obama not to use that language in the speech and he still did it anyway. Obama basically tried to corner him and embarrass him in the court of public opinion. Its dirty politics anyway you want to look at it.

Hamas is a terrorist organization; Obama has admitted it, why would we negotiate with a group of murderous thugs whose only goal is to commit the mass genocide of the Jews?  Until Hamas is eradicated there should be no negotiation.

Obama's foreign policy was a disaster before he made the speech but this misstep morphs the others. He thinks by making such a plea he can pander to the Arab world with a speech that asks the Jews to make impossible border concessions? The Palestinians know the speech was unrealistic and the Jews will never buy it and shouldn’t. It’s delusional and thankfully it's backfired on him. I love Netanyahu I only wish we had such leadership in our country.

Obama doesn't have the first clue how to secure peace in the Middle East and the only leadership he is showing is one of just enlarging the conflict, with more hate and discontent by the Arab extremists that wish to destroy Israel.

His bad policy in part led to the demonstration over food in Tunisia which mushroomed into anarchy in Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. No one knows what kind of leadership will be left in the aftermath. Hopefully Democracies will fill the void but this borders speech will do nothing to secure peace. The American people need to be focused on this Israeli issue because it could ignite a world-wide war.

Obama’s foreign and domestic policy has been a disaster. We don't need another 4 years and our country MUST take a right turn in 2012. I pray that we can minimize the fallout until then. Hopefully the voters will wake up and elect a leader that has an articulate conservative message. Then we can begin to reverse course on arguably one of the most destructive and divisive Presidencies here and abroad in the history of the United States.

Things my Mother Taught Me...

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE...

"If you're going kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"

 My mother taught me RELIGION...

"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

 My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL...

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

 My mother taught me LOGIC...

"Because I said so, that's why."

 My mother taught me LOGIC #2...

"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

 My mother taught me FORESIGHT...

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY...

"Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."

 My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS...

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

 My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM...

"Will you LOOK at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

 My mother taught me about STAMINA...

"You'll sit there 'till all that spinach is finished."

 My mother taught me about WEATHER...

"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

 My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS...

"If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen THEN?"

 My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY...

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't exaggerate!"

 My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION...

"Stop acting like your father!"

 My mother taught me about ENVY...

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

Author Unknown

10 years ago today a broken leg changes my life

Who knew a major bodily injury would be the best thing that ever happened to me. The whole course of my life was forever changed after it. I met my wife Jenny during that time, helped my Daughter get through HS and went onto a career change.

It was 10 years ago today I slipped on a patch of ice in Cody, WY twisted my left leg behind me and on the way to the ground snapped both my tibia and fibula in half and also broke my left ankle. After going to the ER, getting emergency surgery, a 7 inch plate with 8 screws, 3 months of a cast and then a boot and over 2 years of rehab I finally recovered.

  

Once I did recover, I lost 50 pounds, took up running, at the peak of my running stint I was running 27 miles a week, I run in 9 5K’s 3 10k’s in one year. In 2004 I went through the Police Academy in Marysville, CA at the age of 44 (oldest in my class) and 6 months later I was wearing a badge and a gun. And so a whole new life started for me after the age of 40.

People who say life is over after 40 have no idea. The best years of my life have been the last 10 and even though arthritis has taken over my left leg now the pain is actually a good reminder of just how blessed I was to have broken it. I wouldn’t be where I am today, I wouldn’t change a thing.  

Pier Pressure Productions: Almost, Maine

Jenny and I went to Pier Pressure Productions Theater in Astoria to see Almost, Maine tonight and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. If you live in Astoria and are looking to give an extraordinary gift to you better half for Valentine’s Day this small Theater Company does an outstanding job touching your heart and soul with funny, poignant and sentimental loves stories. Below is more info on show times.





PIER PRESSURE PRODUCTIONS (260 10th St, Astoria)

Almost, Maine by John Cariani, directed by Susi Brown

8:00pm on Friday and Saturday, February 11, 12,
and 6:00pm on Sunday, February 13.

This poignant comedy played for large, delighted audiences last spring at the Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach and aims to please again - a tiny space with a huge heart, and a huge cast of favorites.

On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend in this delightful midwinter night's dream.

Brown brings three of her Coaster production's cast members to PPP, but rather than having six actors play all the town’s characters, she has cast one actor per part, allowing for many favorite players to walk PPP’s boards.

Long-time locals Walt Plummer, Rhonda and Mick Alderman, Toni Ihander, Bill and Lori Wilson Honl, Brandy and Jason Hussa, Ben Van Osdol, and Dave Gager. 3 Cups Coffee House and their roaster offer up the following actors: Carly & T.J. Lackner, Melissa Raines, Elizabeth Daniels and Nancy Montgomery. Fairly new on this regional scene: Bill Ham and Sky Gager, and The Daily Astorian’s beloved Brad Bolchunos and Clatsop County native Alicia Dedmon Bolchunos come in from Portland! Bobbi Brice runs tech, Dan Reiley’s designed set pieces, and Larry Bryant is on lighting design to round out the show.

According to the critics Almost, Maine is “a whimsical approach to the joys and perils of romance.” Magical happenings bloom beneath the snowdrifts." NY Times. "A charming unexpected magic lingers in the air like someone's breath on a cold winter's night. John Cariani aims for the heart by way of the funny bone." Star-Ledger. "Utterly endearing, it's hard not to warm up to ALMOST, MAINE. A crowd-pleaser." Broadway .com "Sweet, poignant and witty."NY Daily News. “A snowy charmer! These nine tales of love in the time of frostbite have a winning glow that proves surprisingly contagious." NY Sun.

Cariani has given us a magical valentine full of surprises, tears, and laughter that kicks winter to the curb.

Tickets (2 hrs. before curtain) at the door only - $15.00, concessions by Jessica Creager available.

2ND SATURDAY ART WALK

Pier Pressure Productions (260 10^th Street) features Charlotte Bruhn and her most recent endeavor, “Seek Within”, the search for identity through the looking glass; reflections of the tarot major arcane during February’s 2nd Saturday Art Walk, from 5 to 7pm only on February 12.

"Seek Within" is a collection of 21 mirror/mosaic and mixed media pieces that encourage the viewer to identify with archetypes, myth and religious tradition while seeing, simultaneously, one’s own image.

Each mirror contains messages both literal and figurative, as represented by "The Fool", "The Moon", "Death", or any of the other major arcana cards of the Tarot. Each card is a step in a journey, the journey of spiritual development, and karmic destiny.

Bruhn works primarily with clay, specifically tiles of her own making for mosaic. Recently, she has incorporated found objects and collected ephemera into her mosaics, employing a resin binding rather than grout. The result is a mosaic with an added depth and multi-leveled clarity, a play on negative (formerly grouted) space.

A longtime local resident, Bruhn lives in Warrenton with her husband, 2 dogs and 3 cats.

ONE NIGHT ONLY VALENTINE

On Valentine's evening, February 14, at 8:00pm, Pier Pressure Productions (260 10th Street) presents Edward James and Diane Borcyckowski in A.R. Gurney's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Love Letters. This is the story of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, both born to wealth and position. As childhood friends, their lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. The characters sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards - in which over nearly 50 years, they discuss their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, victories and defeats - that have passed between them throughout their separated lives.

Seats for the one-night-only performance will go on sale two hours before curtain. The tickets, $15, include Valentine sweets and coffee.

Energy Independence CAN and MUST be attained...

Here's an astonishing read.  Click on the following link to verify : America's Oil Supply
 

About 6 months ago, the writer was watching a news program on oil and one of the Forbes Bros. was the guest. The host said to Forbes, "I am going to ask you a direct question and I would like a direct answer; how much oil does the U.S. have in the ground?"  Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, "more than all the Middle East put together."  Please read below.

The U. S. Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that only scientists and oil men knew was coming, but man was it big.  It was a revised report (hadn't been updated since 1995) on how much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota, western South Dakota, and extreme eastern Montana ... check THIS out:

The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay, and has the potential to eliminate all American dependence on foreign oil. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable at $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource base worth more than $5.3 trillion.

"When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor. They had no idea...” says Terry Johnson, the Montana Legislature's financial analyst.

"This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field found in the past 56 years," reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  It's a formation known as the Williston Basin, but is more commonly referred to as the 'Bakken.'  It stretches from Northern Montana, through North Dakota and into Canada.  For years, U. S. oil exploration has been considered a dead end.  Even the 'Big Oil' companies gave up searching for major oil wells decades ago. However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up the Bakker’s massive reserves. And we now have access of up to 500 billion barrels.  And because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16 PER BARREL!

That's enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 2041 years straight.  And if THAT didn't throw you on the floor, then this next one should - because it's from 2006! 

U. S. Oil Discovery- Largest Reserve in the World 

Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006

Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lay the largest untapped oil reserve in the world. It is more than 2 TRILLION barrels.  On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction. In three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted. With this mother lode of oil why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?

They reported this stunning news:  We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the official estimates: 

- 8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia 

- 18-times as much oil as Iraq

- 21-times as much oil as Kuwait

 - 22-times as much oil as Iran

- 500-times as much oil as Yemen

- And it's all right here in the Western United States.

HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this? Because the environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts to help America become independent of foreign oil! Again, we are letting a small group of people dictate our lives and our economy, WHY?

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we've got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East -more than 2 TRILLION barrels untapped.  That's more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today, reports The Denver Post.

Don't think 'OPEC' will drop its price - even with this find?  Think again!  It's all about the competitive marketplace, - it has to. Think OPEC just might be funding the environmentalists?

Got your attention yet?  Now, while you're thinking about it, do this:

Pass this along.   If you don't take a little time to do this, then you should stifle yourself the next time you complain about gas prices - by doing NOTHING, you forfeit your right to complain.

Now I just wonder what would happen in this country if you sent this to everyone in your address book.