Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Yawn

Tuesday already and no post from me. I must apologize I'm still groggy after watching the most boring Oscars in ages. Boring dresses, boring montages and quite frankly, boring movies.

And the nominated songs? Let's not even go there!

Of note (to Minnesotans i guess) is the number of awards given to Minnesotans. Notably the Coen Brothers and Diablo Cody (writer of Juno).

I just want to know where my Oscar is?!?!?!

I shall leave you with a montage from another Coen movie. Yeah?

The scene by the highway is right by my condo.... Woo... I'm famous!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Super Nanny!

So the Super Nanny is filming in Lincoln, NE (my hometown) and the city is all abuzz. It's second reality show in a year's time. Extreme Makeover built a Mega Mansion in a rundown neighborhood about this time last year.

Its an interesting contrast, Makeover comes in and builds this $500,000 house and across the street is a house that is literally leaning to one side. Brings in all the equipment, marching bands, thousands of volunteers and I believe even put up the neighbors in hotels for the week of building because they were so loud.

Super Nanny is quiet and understated, doesn't want to divulge the name of the family she is working with so they can maintain their privacy for the time being and even takes a day of vacation so she can go to the city mission and teach a parenting workshop. Evidently she does this in most towns that she goes to and usually the media doesn't find out. She wouldn't allow the media to film the workshop or any of the questions to maintain privacy and help the mother's in attendance feel comfortable.

I like her... but then again, I like most anyone with a british accent... they sound so smart!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

So You've Had a Bad Day?

So I've been having a crappy couple of weeks and I've heard many of my friends have had as well. Seeing things like this make my day seem pretty easy though.

Rule #1 when singing the National Anthem: Remember the words!
Rule #2 keep the words readily available in your pocket so you don't have to fumble if you forget.
Rule #3 REMEMBER THE DAMN WORDS!!!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Ways to keep your spirit 'up' at work

viagra

A little humor for the day!

The boss of a Madison Avenue advertising agency called a spontaneous
staff meeting in the middle of a particularly stressful week. (This is one pretty sharp boss!) When everyone gathered, the boss, who understood the benefits of having fun, told the burnt out staff the purpose of the meeting was to have a quick contest. The theme: Viagra advertising slogans. The only rule was they had to use past ad slogans, originally written for other products that captured the essence of Viagra. Slight variations were acceptable. About 7 minutes later, they turned in their suggestions and created a Top 10 List. With all the laughter and camaraderie, the rest of the week went very well for everyone!

The top 10 were:

10. Viagra, Whaazzzz up!

9. Viagra, The quicker pecker picker upper.

8. Viagra, Like a rock!

7. Viagra, When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.

6. Viagra, Be all that you can be.

5. Viagra, Reach out and touch someone.

4. Viagra, Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.

3. Viagra, Home of the whopper!

2. Viagra, We bring good things to Life!

And the unanimous number one slogan:

1. Viagra, This is your peepee, this is your peepee on drugs


Friday, February 15, 2008

Lied Center Layoffs

My hat is off to all of my friends at the Lied Center (my former employer) who lost their jobs due to budget cuts. As reported in the Journal Star on Tuesday 2/12/08, the Lied Center is laying off 6 FTE to make up a major budget shortfall that has been caused by lagging ticket sales over the last three years. From what I've heard there have actually been 8 positions cut and a 9th person has resigned. 1 position was cut a month ago and the other was PT so not listed with the other layoffs. Comments to the story were quite scathing I must say, towards the content that the Lied has been offering as of late and high ticket prices. All my love to them, but I must agree I haven't been excited by much on the brochure over the last couple years.

I am a bit confused by some of the comments. There were several complaints of $90+ tickets and I can't find any show over $60 and that includes the Broadway selection. If we could get our Broadway touring shows in Minneapolis down to $60 for the top tier I'd be ecstatic!

There were also several comments that people wanted higher caliber entertainers with much lower ticket prices...

soo...

you want to see more expensive artists

and...

you want to pay less for them.

Hmmm, well that's logical. I'd rather buy a 40" plasma TV and pay less for it than a 19" box TV. If you can find the store that will make that work, I'd be happy to patronize that establishment.

Balancing the schedule for a performing arts center (especially in Nebraska) is an exceedingly difficult task. You simply can't NOT book events with world class orchestras and dance companies. These events need to be accessible to the citizens, but undoubtably will lose money. Many of the orchestras are set to lose money even if they sell out! Hey, it's expensive to tour with 100+ musicians.

Add to that the new Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha and the fact that they book Broadway through Broadway Across America (formerly of Clear Channel) and you have an uphill battle in scheduling the top acts.

The Lied has missed out on great opportunities to partner more heavily with the University. With the musical talent that is coming out of Omaha these days, there is an abundance of up and coming musical acts that are followed by the large number of students in Lincoln. In my three years alone we passed up opportunities to present Maroon 5, Bright Eyes and Jason Mraz to name a few. Granted both the Student Activities Board and Lied are both responsible for not creating a broader partnership.

Also noted in the article are needs to improve marketing efforts (which have been lacking for several years) and the need to increase fundraising efforst. UNL has shot itself in the foot for the fundraising, they have heavily restricted the Lied's efforts to raise funds to support itself since it opened. A heavy portion of the Lied's revenue comes from ticket sales, which is not a comfortable/safe position to be in. Hopefully the NU Foundation will begin kicking up efforts to grow the Lied's Sponsorship program as well as planned giving and soliciting large donations to the endowment. An arts organization simply can't last (obviously) on the little fundraising that the Lied was allowed to do. That being said, I'm a bit surprised that one of the positions cut was the Development Director. The only develpment position on staff.

I wish the best to all of the staff who have had there positions cut. Your accomplishments are many and I hope you are all recognized for the great work that you have done. In such a small organization (31 total FTE) any cuts are painful and deep, let alone when you are losing a 3rd of your staff. Best wishes also go out to all those that will continue on. I'm sure there will be a lot of changes to adapt to and ever increasing job descriptions as well.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Quote of the Day

I overheard a bum talking to a friend this morning at 9:00am. I was on my way into work, he was en route to the soup chicken at a neighboring church.

"I'm still drunk. What the fu*k???"

drunk with sign

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Another Reason to vote Democrat!

John McCain
As if there aren't enough anyway...

As Romney drops out of the Presidential race today, we come to terms with the fact that John McCain will in fact be the 2008 Presidential Nominee.

I found this interesting article, on a 'conservative' website that I thought should be shared. Just in case you might be leaning towards John McCain, there's plenty of time to change your mind! He's highly regarded in Washington DC (and his home state of Arizona) as being a hot head that likes to cuss people out. What a great way to make peace around the world!

http://www.wethepeopleforpresident.com/news.asp?dismode=article&artid=58

Does America Really Want “Mack The Knife's” Finger Near the Nuclear Button? (2/1/2008)
Presidential Candidate and Senator John McCain may appear more presidential these days following his recent primary wins, but one aspect of his fitness for command has been strikingly absent from media scrutiny; and the severity of it is alarming.

Senator McCain has an explosive temper and a razor-sharp tongue. Whether he chooses to admit it one day, and dismiss it the next, his eruptions have cost him many friendships on the Hill and begs the question: Is he stable enough to become the next leader of the free world?

According to several of his colleagues: No. Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), whom he has known since the 1970’s, told The Boston Globe “He’s erratic. He is a hothead. He loses his temper and he worries me.”

Notorious for hurling “f*** you” at colleagues whom he disagrees with, Senator McCain has alienated himself from several lawmakers whom, as President, would have to work with to push an agenda he is now running on. “He had very few friends in the Senate,” former Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) told NewsMax in July 2006. “He would disagree about something and then explode. It was incidents of irrational behavior…I’ve never seen anyone act like that.”

The self-righteous Senator’s temper is seared in the memories of other colleagues. Senator Pete Dominici (R-NM), whom McCain had called an “a**hole” and then went further with the piercing remark “I wouldn’t call you an a-hole, unless you were really an a-hole,” told Newsweek “I wouldn’t want this guy anywhere near a trigger.”

Former Rep. John LeBoutillier (R-NY) also experienced McCain’s rages. “People who disagree with him get the ‘f*** you’” he told NewsMax. “I think he is mentally unstable and not fit to be President.”

Even The Arizona Republic, in a 1999 op-ed, discussed his “volcanic” temper stating “there is also reason to seriously question whether he has the temperament and the political approach and skills, we want in the next President of the United States.”

The Arizona Republic was correct in questioning McCain’s temper. Anyone who has a “scuffle” with a 92 year-old Senator (Strom Thurmond), begs for their temperament to be questioned.

McCain admits in his 2002 memoir “Worth Fighting For”, “I have a temper…it does not always serve my interest or the public’s.” How well will his temper serve We the People’s interest when working with Congress, foreign leaders or military generals who disagree with him, especially if deciding on a nuclear option? How well will his temper serve his supporters who elected him, when he reneges on his campaign promises? Will he tell them off with the same expletives he uses on his peers?

Cher in Las Vegas

cher

Over a year ago Celine Dion announced that she would not renew her contract to perform at Caeser's Palace. Since then it has been rumored that Cher might fill the spot left open by Celine. It's finally been announced and tickets went on sale today for concert's beginning in May 2008. She is reportedly contracted to perform approximately 200 concerts over the next three years. Tickets range from $86 - $227.

You know I'm going... ;-)

Now, before anyone starts complaining that she already had her fairwell tour (that went on for three years...) in all fairness, she just said she wouldn't TOUR any more. This is a resident show. So just let it go!

Caeser's Palace is now home to resident performers: Elton John, Bette Midler, Cher and Jerry Seinfeld. It seems that Caeser's has become the performance Mecca for gay icons in Vegas. Which is oddly fitting considering it is "Caeser's" Palace. I wonder if that says anything about Seinfeld??? Highly doubtful. I worked with him on a performance a few years back and would say he's one of the straightest performers I've met. The gaydar didn't even wake up.

Anyway... Anyone up for a little Viva Las Vegas??? I'm ready for a return trip!