Art

Naturally, I had no desire to spend any additional time in a car. And fortunately, our activities on Friday did not require any such thing!

Friday gave me my dabbling time in fabric and colors. Mom had lots of white cotton doggie bandanas on hand, so we set to work. First, we tie-dyed a few. Now, not having done this before, it was harder than I’d expected. I felt like I was flying blind a little; I really didn’t know what it’d look like when done. But I still tried three different ones, using a different design and colors on each.

See, to tie-dye this way, you fold/twist/tie then pour on the different colors in different places. Then you wrap it in newspaper then in a plastic bag, and it has to sit overnight. In other words, no, this is hardly something for anyone wanting immediate results.

But our tie-dye done and wrapped up, we then turned to marbling. Mom had shown me this before, and the few things I have that are marbled have met many oohs and ahhs. But what I never knew was that you could marble things other than scarves! See, I really just don’t wear scarves, so the “ahh” of the marble effect was often lost on me. Sure it looked cool, but it wasn’t me---the “it” being the scarf, not the design.

But now! Ah ha! I’ve learned you can marble other things! Our goal on Friday was doggie bandanas, so that’s what we worked with then. And with each one, I learned a little more. I made a couple with a great teal color, swirled with a little black, gold, and silver---so Howard, of course, can be properly dressed for fall football Sundays in Jax. ;-) (When you put them on him, him being a black dog, it looks fabulous!) We also tried to make some Aggie ones, but making a maroon proved to be a little tricky. We finally got a good one, and another dried to a great shade. Maybe Mom can get a lot of a good maroon color and market those over in College Station.

Saturday we got to see the results of the tie dye. I was really happy with the design of one, but the color didn’t turn out what I wanted. What should have been a black and orange (yes, for Halloween) turned out a deepest darkest greenish black and yellow. Still, the design was cool, and I could see how to tweak it just a little for improvement. I learned also by looking at the other two. One of those too, though, turned out a different color than expected. But Mom’s still experimenting with all of this too.

Having done all of this, though, I had the bug. And so the other night, I got online and made an order for more things to dye and marble. I ordered several market bags---maybe if I make my own grocery bags, I’ll be better about using them! (I really do want to get in a better habit of doing so—especially now that I’ll take a local newspaper, and I’ll have those bags to reuse to empty Sophie’s box.) I also ordered more doggie bandanas to make; Howard will be too cool. But also, I really think Mom could find a market for these. We need to figure out more of the cost of the colors and how much time each takes, with the soaking in alum, printing the design, the cost of the water solution (but that’s reusable), and time to press and rinse. Once we get a little better at them, and figure out a cost, I think I need to send some of these we’re making out, with info for those folks’ friends to order more. We’ll see.

Ah, and I also ordered some silk wine-bottle size gift bags. How cool to take a bottle of wine to someone wrapped in a hand-made bottle bag?!

My order is being processed, and it should ship and be delivered this week. In the meantime, Mom’s experimenting with some canvas bags she had lying around. And so now, she’ll have a little time to learn more, and my order will be there so that when I get back there next Monday, we can color and print and such, and they’ll be ready on Tuesday before I head out on Wednesday! Sure, I have lots of guidance in the process, and a lot of it is the pure benefit of Mom’s experience and artistic talent, but I must say, there is something personally satisfying about making something so unique.

Purlie

With only a few weeks left here, I would like to take these last weeks to get by the places I've not made it to yet in Memphis. But along the way, I'll use up the rest of my season tickets to Playhouse on the Square.

This afternoon, I caught the afternoon showing of Purlie. What a treat!

The show is a musical with great music and even greater depth. One summary wraps it up as follows:
It is set in an era when Jim Crow laws still were in effect in the south. Its focus is on the dynamic traveling preacher Purlie Victorious Judson, who returns to his small Georgia town hoping to save Big Bethel, the community's church, and emancipate the cotton pickers who work on oppressive Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee's plantation. With the assistance of Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, Purlie hopes to pry loose from Cotchipee an inheritance due his long-lost cousin and use the money to achieve his goals. Also playing a part in Purlie's plans is Cotchipee's son Charlie, who ultimately proves to be far more liberal than his Simon-Legree-like father and saves the church from destruction with an act of defiance that has fatal consequences.

The music was wonderful, and the two female leads were just amazing--such rich sounds they could sing! The second male lead, well, at first I was puzzled; he seemed familiar. Finally, during intermission,. I read the program and realized he'd played the dual role of Montel & Jesus in Jerry Spring, The Opera.

Anyway, back to the show. It had a lot to say about race and issues of past & issues that remain today. Some of the lines made me want to cry, knowing the awful truth of our country's past that was behind the humor and singing. Still, I suppose it also says a lot about where we've come to have the show as it is. (Of course, having looked at the exit poll information from Kentucky, goodness do we still have a long way to go.)

Thanks again to You Tube, you can see and hear a few clips from the very stage that I saw today! Unfortunately, you don't get to hear Missey sing Down Home; that was truly an amazing performance.

Football, Fall, and Funks

Fall is often my favorite season. I love the wonderful change of crisp air in the mornings, the sound of football games, and the turn of the leaves. Unfortunately, this fall, for the last bit of time, has been overshadowed by a funk.

I guess it started when I got back from KC. The nearing dates of the interviews in DC are constantly on my mind. KC was so nice because I could be around people who "got" my stress and didn't feed me the, well, irritating false support: "It'll all be just fine." Not that I'm wallowing in worry, but my stress is real. Still, with those well intentioned "it'll be fine" folks, I smile nicely, repressing the ever-building frustration. Sigh. I do know they mean well, but it isn't helping--at all.

Football, of course, didn't help the funk this weekend. On the up side: I can only hope the most recent controversy brewing in College Station will be the cherry topping needed to get us a new head coach. And although 'da Boys didn't pull off the win this week, they did give New England a better game than any other competitor had so far this season.

Being in this incredible forest of giant oaks (and other trees), I had looked forward to a gorgeous fall. Sadly, due to the drought conditions, it looks like most trees will simply drop leaves---assuming they ever do turn. But we did get over an inch of rain yesterday. That was nice.

And yes, with the dates of interviews looming, November is hard to plan for. I have to hope for second interviews at some campuses, and thus, I have to be ready to give a job-talk pretty much all month. A job talk is where you speak for twenty or so minutes about your current work of scholarship, and for the next twenty minutes, you're questioned about it. Some people ask questions in genuine attempts to help you further your research and thesis. Some, though, ask questions merely to try to look smart in front of their colleagues. Oh yes, you know the kind. Wonderful.

In the middle of all that, I still have no actual plans--or even airline tickets (Eek!) for my December Africa trip. That wouldn't be so bad except that it turns out I'll instead be leaving actually in November (29 or 30). That's like six weeks from now! Yowza!

Still, the more we try to plan for the trip, the more excited I get. I do, of course, need to find a travel doc around here for the anti-malaria drugs. My yellow fever shot's already done, so the oral meds should be all that I need! We're planning on trying to stay one or two nights at a place that looks like pure paradise--Chumbe Island---an island limited to about fourteen guests at a time, where the "bungalows overlook the sea and it takes just 30 seconds to stroll from the comforts of your bungalow hammock to feeling the warm tropical ocean lapping at your feet." Ahhhhhh....

And I did finally make it to the Dixon gardens on Sunday to catch the last day of the George Rodrique exhibit. It was fabulous! I'd had no idea how much I'd love each painting of Blue Dog.



So it's not as if evething's negative. It's just a funk. And this too shall pass. :-)

Hakuna Matata!

I finally saw The Lion King! And I must say, it's now one of my top three favorite Broadway shows.



I used some birthday money (thanks, Mom!) to splurge on an orchestra level ticket. And it was grand! The music, of course, was incredible. But the creativity and engineering of the characters' costumes, which also worked for some characters as a sort of puppet, was truly amazing. Just seeing how realistically the characters moved---the giraffes especially---makes me yearn to return to Africa.

The show was at The Orpheum. It's much older than Bass Hall, of course, but it's still grand. It has the same sort of circular area on the ceiling, and it's quite ornate--a lot of gold trim throughout.

And Memphis knew this show would be big. While other shows in their Broadway season are here for only a weekend, The Lion King has had a three-week run.

(And interestingly enough, the woman sitting next to me grew up in Fort Worth, attended A&M, and is now a professor here in Memphis. It's a small world, after all!)

Anyway, if you get the chance, I cannot recommend The Lion King enough. It was truly spectacular and fabulous for the whole family.

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

I've seen it all now. :-)

On Sunday, at the recommendation of some folks I met while getting sushi last week, I went to see Jerry Springer--the Opera. That's right---the Opera. And it was a hoot! I am so glad I went!


Indeed, the program warned that the audience was about to hear more cussing on stage than it ever had---or ever would. And that was no lie. But what entertainment! (And yes, it has it all---sexual "deviants"; hillbillies; transsexuals; the ever-involved audience (that sings "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! in full opera fashion); and yes, even the Ku Klux Klan (wearing tap shoes).)

I can say, I'll never see tap dancing the same way again. First, it was a tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan, and at the end of the show, the ensemble, all dressed as Jerry, tapped out the line from "Peaches"---the fiance'-to-be who's surprised with her beloved revealing a secret. The line? Well, this first male guest on Jerry's show, who has the secret he wants to reveal to his fiance'-to-be, bellows,

"I've been seeing someone else.

I've been seeing someone else.

I've been seeing someone else."

And the fiance-to-be sings, with a faster pace, "What the F---? What the F---? What the F---ing F---ing F---?"

(Of course, she sang the actual words. But I just can't put those in the blog.)

Yep. Oh my goodness.

Another song has this catchy chorus:

"This is my Jerry Spring moment.
I don't want this moment to die.
So dip me in chocolate,
And throw me to the Lesbians.
I don't want this moment to die."

Perhaps you'll recognize the set in this pic I was able to take after the show. (The set is modified for the second act; otherwise, it'd really look oddly very much like the TV set.)

You can hear some of the um, musical, selections yourself here. (Click "Skip" for the intro, then choose "Music" from the menu across the bottom.) (Warning: the website had graphic words and images) (For real fun, click on "Disc Two" and listen to the selection from "Grilled and Roasted." (The set-up for that song: Essentially, Satan is singing to Jerry, explaining what will happen to Jerry should he stay in Hell versus doing satan a favor.) (NOTE: do NOT listen to this at work unless you wear headphones!)) (and for a local preview of the show, playing here in Memphis, click here.)

The show originates from England, and it has played in England for a couple of years. When it finally came to the US, Memphis was chosen as the first city with a nonexclusive license. (The show actually debuted in Chicago.) When it comes to your city and you see it, you'll understand why. :-) (I cannot give away everything.) Here's a promotional shot of Jerry and Satan.

I have a friend Susan who sings opera and has a phenomenal voice. (She blogs at The Foxhole.) I read it the local preview that some people who'd gotten roles in the show here had to resign---for fear of what their church choirs would think---once they realized what they'd actually have to sing. So Susan, when the show comes to Dallas, you now know. But I will say that if you are in this show, I'll do all I can to get back to town to see you in it. :-)

The show was playing at the Playhouse on the Square---the local theater at Overton Square, barely a mile or two from my house. And I was sold! The Playhouse has just started this season, and it had incredible deals for package tickets. The great thing was I was able to buy eight tickets and can use them essentially as vouchers for any shows. For example, I can take seven friends to one show or take a date to four shows or go see eight different shows alone---or any such combination. (I'm giving two vouchers to my neighbors who will tend to my critters next weekend.) I think I'm most excited about seeing the play Doubt later this fall---looks good.

Oh yes, I've seen it all now. ;-)