Mad Macedonian

Dido and Aeneas: A Night at the Opera 2

So... There I was, first time Opera attendee extraordinaire, about to sit through a performance of Virgil's Dido and Aeneas, as interpreted in Henry Purcell's 17th century Opera, as staged by world reknown choreographer Mark Morris and The Mark Morris Dance Group, in collaboration with the Orange County Pacific Symphony, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers, at The Barclay Theatre.

Let's see...that's 2000+ years of interpretation tossed into one stew pot, stirred, and served up in one hour, for dinner. ;-D

Not a bad pedigree for what appears to be the oldest English Opera still being performed in the world.

My 1st Opera and it wasn't even a standard Opera! ;-D

Late arrival? Just follow the Usher to an anteroom in the Lobby, and read Part 1...I'll wait. ;-D

Dean Corey, President and Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Society gave a short opening lecture on Purcell's music to get us all in the mood, and then...

Oh, wait, first, I hope y'all have read the Libretto and Synopsis (The text of a work for the musical theater), because you are going to need to! (Photos below, are in no particular order.);-D

If not, let ME tell you what happens. ;-D

The first thing you notice is the minimalist constuming, and stage scenery, and the few items used as scenery on the floor of the stage in various scenes.

The story is told in 5 scenes.

In Scene 1 the Trojan War has come to an end, and Aeneas and his people are hanging out in Carthage.

The Gods say he's to get his behind to Rome, but he's in love with the Queen, Dido.

Her Sister, and various hangers-on urge her to enjoy her good fortune to the fullest, but being a widow, and all, she isn't so sure.

He comes, he pleads, she listens...Love conquers all!

The lead dancers on the night I attend are a well-matched pair, beautiful to look at, athletic dancers, and emothionally invested in the parts they play:

Aeneas is played by Craig Biesecker, Dido and the Sorceress are played by Amber Darragh.

The Sister, Belinda, is well played by Maile Okamura, and various supporting roles such as the witches, sailors, and spirits are well danced.

Scene 2 has the audience hanging out in a cave with a Sorceress, and a pair of witches.

She's as antsy to destroy Dido, before sunset, as Dodger fans are to head for the parking lot at the Seventh Inning Stretch, in order to beat the crowds.

The Sorceress schemes to send a spirit, disguised as Mercury, to tell Aeneas that he simply MUST haul ass for Rome immediately, there's just nothing else for it, old chap.

The lovers are out hunting, however, so a storm is brewed, aimed at spoiling all the fun.

What's Opera without singers, right?

Well, this one has some good ones.

Aeneas is sung by the Baritone, Christopher Johnstone, Dido and the Sorceress are sung by the Mezzo-Soprano, Jamie Van Eyck, and Belinda, and one of the witches is sung by Yulia Van Doren.

Various other roles are sung, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers lend their voices as well.

Dido and Aeneas: A Night at the Opera

When I think of Opera I think of Luciano Pavoratti, or others, in fancy costumes reaching high notes, undreamed of by mere mortals, in languages I don't understand...or The Three Tenors. ;-D

When I think of Ballet I think of the Bolshoi, and Dance brings to mind any number of Hollywood Movie Musicals I love, or a good, old-fashioned, Hoedown. ;-D

What happens when a performace is staged that can best be described as Operance, Operallet, or Ballopera?

You get the fascinating Dido and Aeneas, Henry Purcell's 17th century Opera, as staged by world reknown choreographer Mark Morris and The Mark Morris Dance Group, in collaboration with the Orange County Pacific Symphony, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers, at The Barclay Theatre.

I'll admit to being a little leary of attending such a spectacle, but when I learned the thing would be in English, and read more about it, the more I looked forward to attending.

Dido and Aeneas is, they say, the first "great" opera in the English language.

It was written in 1689.

That means, folks, that it's OLD. ;-D

I did some reading, in preparation for my attending, and learned some interesting things.

It is yet another one of those classic "ill-fated love" stories everyone from Virgil, to Shakespeare, to any number of later scribes has written, and staged, for public consumption.

In fact, Virgil originally told the tale in his Aeneid, and apparently Purcell got the hots for creating his own version of the story sometime, um, later. ;-D

No score (One source I read, though, says just the prologue score is lost), just the Libretto (The text of a work for the musical theater), survives from the Purcell original, which some might say is just as well, I suppose, since everyone who followed could thus create their own, and perform the opera in entirely new, and original ways, geared toward the sensibilities of the thoroughly "modern" audiences of their day. ;-D

Some say this presents problems, but others have said, through their efforts... Hey, just because it's Baroque doesn't mean that it can't be "fixed"! ;-D

One such "fixer-upper" was Mark Morris, whose group first staged the Opera to much acclaim, way back in 1989, in Belgium. and rarely since.

The Opera is the story of Dido, the noble Queen of Carthage, and the Trojan Prince Aeneas.

While Dido’s court celebrates the imminent hitching of the lovebirds, an evil sorceress, with her coven of witches, plots their doom!

Romance Interruptus leads to Principles being clung to, which eventually leads to heartbreak and tragedy.

All sorts of dancing, singing, and such goes on amidst all this excitement, and the audience is enthralled, and moved by the tale...or not.

Ahh, love...always worthy of building a good tale or two around. ;-D

Earlier this month The Barclay was the host to the Southern California premiere of the Mark Morris Dance Group version of this timeless tale.

After watching this production I'd say that lovers of Opera, and Dance as well, will find the experience a unique, and entertaining one, regardless of whether they enjoyed the performance as a whole.

Mr. Morris is considered one of the foremost experts on the operas and music of Henry Purcell, and originally performed in the lead role in what many consider his greatest work.

In this version he conducts, and others take the stage.

The Dance Group, formed in 1980, is known for its commitment to live music, a feature of every performance,  and is known as one of the world’s leading dance companies, performing across the United States and at major international festivals.

TV Guide and the Bible

Someone on a Message Board over at the OC Register website once asked the following question:

How about relating the Bible to what we see in the TV Guide every week?

Then had a field day with examples:

You want desperate housewives? Bible's got'm!
You want the Apprentice? Bible's got'm!
You want Everybody Loves Raymond? - Bible's full of SitComs!
You want porn? - Bible's got it. Except you'll have to accept that this is a loving relationship and not an exploitive one.
You want daytime soaps? Yup, just what the doctor ordered!

You want History Channel?
How about Food Network?
How about Discovery?

American Chopper might be tough, but HEY! It does a pretty good job with the 'deadliest catch'. ;-D

Yes my friends, it's all there in the Holy Bible. Just for the askin! Of course it does take a bit more focus than TV.

Thank You, Mr. Malone, for the inspiration!

Read on...

You want the Military Channel, or Oliver North's War Stories? The Bible is awash in blood, and gore!

You want Court TV? The Bible has The Greatest Trial Ever Adjudicated!

You want C-Span, or better yet, the raucus British Parliament, or the Political talk fests? The Bible has Politics galore!

You want your MTV, Nashville Network or, better yet, Trinity Broadcasting? The Bible has songs galore, but it's mostly of a religious nature.

You want the Travel Channel? In the Bible just about everyone is going somewhere other than where they're at!

You want the Weather Channel? Bring your Umbrella, and a sturdy boat! Not to mention making sure your Earthquake Insurance is up to date!

You want Animal Planet? Lots of nature in the Bible!

You want the WWF, and ESPN? The Bible has running, and wrasslin'!

You want National Geographic? The Bible provides cultures galore!

You want The Sci-fi Network? Non-believers think the Bible is one big fantasy.

You want The Learning Channel? Believers swear by the lessons they say the Bible teaches those who wish to learn.

You want The Biography Channel? The Bible has the scoop on a ton of personalities!

You want Cavuto, or the Wall St. Journal Report? The Bible talks Money, and Taxes!

You want BET? The Bible has the token black folk to placate Brothers Jesse and Al. It even has lots of Slaves for the Reperations Crowd to try to get money for their possible descendents.

You want KMEX and Galavision?

The Bible has lots of folks that were considered Illegal Immigrants by those who didn't believe in the Hebrew God who the interlopers said told them the occupied territory was the Land of Opportunity. ;-D

You want to know if I ran out of ideas?

Um... Yup! ;-D

Someone on a Message Board over at the OC Register website once asked the following question:

How about relating the Bible to what we see in the TV Guide every week?

Then had a field day with examples:

You want desperate housewives? Bible's got'm!
You want the Apprentice? Bible's got'm!
You want Everybody Loves Raymond? - Bible's full of SitComs!
You want porn? - Bible's got it. Except you'll have to accept that this is a loving relationship and not an exploitive one.
You want daytime soaps? Yup, just what the doctor ordered!

You want History Channel?
How about Food Network?
How about Discovery?

American Chopper might be tough, but HEY! It does a pretty good job with the 'deadliest catch'. ;-D

Yes my friends, it's all there in the Holy Bible. Just for the askin! Of course it does take a bit more focus than TV.

Thank You, Mr. Malone, for the inspiration!

Read on...

You want the Military Channel, or Oliver North's War Stories? The Bible is awash in blood, and gore!

You want Court TV? The Bible has The Greatest Trial Ever Adjudicated!

You want C-Span, or better yet, the raucus British Parliament, or the Political talk fests? The Bible has Politics galore!

You want your MTV, Nashville Network or, better yet, Trinity Broadcasting? The Bible has songs galore, but it's mostly of a religious nature.

You want the Travel Channel? In the Bible just about everyone is going somewhere other than where they're at!

You want the Weather Channel? Bring your Umbrella, and a sturdy boat! Not to mention making sure your Earthquake Insurance is up to date!

You want Animal Planet? Lots of nature in the Bible!

You want the WWF, and ESPN? The Bible has running, and wrasslin'!

You want National Geographic? The Bible provides cultures galore!

You want The Sci-fi Network? Non-believers think the Bible is one big fantasy.

You want The Learning Channel? Believers swear by the lessons they say the Bible teaches those who wish to learn.

You want The Biography Channel? The Bible has the scoop on a ton of personalities!

You want Cavuto, or the Wall St. Journal Report? The Bible talks Money, and Taxes!

You want BET? The Bible has the token black folk to placate Brothers Jesse and Al. It even has lots of Slaves for the Reperations Crowd to try to get money for their possible descendents.

You want KMEX and Galavision?

The Bible has lots of folks that were considered Illegal Immigrants by those who didn't believe in the Hebrew God who the interlopers said told them the occupied territory was the Land of Opportunity. ;-D

You want to know if I ran out of ideas?

Um... Yup! ;-D

American Composers Festival 2008: An American Tale - Pt. 4

Before I continue let me encourage latecomers to check out parts 1, 2, and 3, beginning here, and thus be brought up to speed.

Like any concert venue, when you are ready there is a helpful usher (Link to the next chapter.) to guide you from place to place when you are ready. ;-D

As intermission began I asked a nice lady to take the photo I proudly call "Portrait of a "New" Journalist at Work". ;-D

I spent some time chatting with one of my row-mates about our impressions of the first half of the program.

It was obvious to me the guy had a grasp of the nuances of music appreciation, and orchestral, and chorale performance that I don't, but i still found what he said interesting, and even agreed with a few of the points he made.

I walked to that area of my level that overlooked the stage, just to see what it was like from there, and got an interesting perspective from people sitting there.

Where the Bowed Piano is concerned the audience with this view gets a perspective that the rest of us don't get unless we are looking at the Big Screen.

Those sitting here also get a close-up look at the members of the orchestra in action that everyone else does not, and get to enjoy all the funny faces the conductor makes while exhorting them to play, with each wave of his magic wand, and gesture of his hands. ;-D

Back in my seat it was time for the show to continue.

Up first was Ferde Grofe's "Sunrise" and "Cloudburst" from his Grand Canyon Suite, of 1931.

Grofe made a name for himself in the 20's when he orchestrated Goerge Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, but it the Grand Canyon Suite that was his true claim to fame.

As the February Program Magazine describes, the two movements played were the first and last (This part has titles, in the score, of "Approach of the Storm", "Lightening", "Thunder in the Distance", "Rain", "Cloudburst at its Height", "Storm Disappears Very Rapidly", "Moon Comes from Behind the Clouds", and Nature Rejoices Agin in all its Grandeur."), and the Flute opening and orchestra repeat of it, was pleasantly familiar from somewhere.

I knew it, but couldn't place it for the life of me!

I had a huge grin on my face, the whole time the piece was played, because of its familiarity. ;-D

Next up was the World Premiere of Crying for Justice, by Curt Cacioppo, a piece he wrote in 1998.

Before it was played the composer talked about the stories he learned about the historic mistreatment of American Indians, while researching for his piece, and talked about some of the unique Indian Instruments used in the performance (Water Drum, Deer Toe Rattles, Cornhusk Rattles, Grinding Stone, and others.).

I found, after reading it later, that what he said in the Program magazine and in an inteview in the Program itself, did more to help me understand the piece.

Crying for Justice is the last movement of an orchestral suite he called Scenes from Indian Country.

It was his effort at setting to music "impressions of Native American Life.

This portion "begins with a whisper" and goes on to try to convery an sense of outrage at the fate of Indiands at the hands of Manifest Destiny, yet also express the "spirit of tenacity and determination that American Indians demonstrate in the face of severe obstacles, the will to survive."

That being said...I found the piece to be very nice, with some unique sounds adding a different sort of mood to the whole.

 

American Composers Festival 2008: An American Tale - Pt. 3

Before I continue let me encourage latecomers to check out parts 1 and 2, beginning here, and thus be brought up to speed.

Like any concert venue, when you are ready there is a helpful usher (Link to the next chapter.) to guide you from place to place when you are ready. ;-D

Okay, so off I go to find my seat on the fourth floor, Promenade Circle...

Through Door 16, then to my right, and along the front row, with its spectacular view of all of the hall spread out in front of me, to Seat 412.

See that bald head in the bottom of the frame? I sat next to the lady on his left.

The concert hall was not filled to anywhere near capacity, so luckily the mistake I made in finding my seat did not end up costing someone their spot.

You see, when I came in, I started looking for numbers, not letters, and saw 400 on the seat closest to the isle, and headed inland from there. ;-D

Look, I have worn glasses most of my life for a reason, and sometimes even THEY fail me. ;-D

I learned later, after returning home, and checking out the website, which has a wonderful seat locater program, that MY seat was not in what was actually Row A, but a bit higher up in Row D, near where I took the photo.

I'll definitely know better next time. ;-D

The first two pieces on the program were by Stephen Scott, and The Bowed Piano Ensemble of Colorado College.

After playing the brief "Sun Catcher" from his longer Vikings of the Sunrise work, Mr. Scott gave a short introduction to the Bowed Piano and an amusing introduction for the next piece.

The next piece, commissioned for this Festival, was performed with the Pacific Symphony, conducted by Carl St. Clair, in a world premiere.

 

American Composers Festival 2008: An American Tale - Pt. 2

When last I wrote, in my introduction, I was about to set off to the concert, pick up my ticket, and go inside.

Located east, across Bristol, from the Southcoast Plaza, it is a simple matter, for anyone without a car, to find an OCTA bus that will drop them off near the venue, but not so simple getting home after attending a perfomance.

This is because there is only 1 bus that runs 24 hours and travels on Bristol.

Depending on where you live in the OC, and the time the performace ends, you may not be able to take all the same busses home that got you there in the first place, and may have to do some walking.

This is not a total disaster, however, since there ARE 3 other lines (None of which goes south of Newport Beach, though!) that run all night, and a few that run as late as Midnight, including 1 into South County all the way to Dana Point.

Arriving at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall I pick up my ticket at the Will-Call window, and head inside.

The lobby is huge, and you can look up to to see 3 more floors, with smaller lobbies, above you, which can be reached by stairs, or elevators.

The main lobby has a refreshment stand, restrooms, a table and display selling items from the Artscenter Store, the nice poster display seen in the photo to the left, and a table selling CD's by the performers of this nights concert.

One of the nice folks on hand to answer questions, and help concertgoers get around, was nice enough to take this photo, and explained to me that picture taking inside the concert was fine before, and after, and during intermission, but not during the performances.

At 7pm there was a Preview Discussion in front of the stage with Joseph Horowitz, Artistic Advisor of the Pacific Symphony and the Composers.

This was my first up close exposure to the Bowed Piano, one of the instruments for which a couple of pieces on the program were made for.

Stephen Scott and his Bowed Piano Ensemble of Colorado College played a tango from his Vikings of the Sunrise and Curt Cacciopo played a piece called Under the Treaty Elm, and this was followed by an enlightening discussion.

The tango was a very short peice, but it was enough for me to realize that this was the sort of piano playing that I was familiar with. ;-D

This LA Times Photo, by Axel Koester, made me laugh, when I first saw it, because the first thing that popped into my head was "Where's a Traffic Cop when you need one?"

To say that seeing a Bowed Piano in action for the first time was quite startling, is a major understatement.

There is the piano, without its lid, and with a group of people standing around it.

Above, there is a screen so you can see the musicians in action.

At first the music sounded odd and disjointed to me, and seeing these men and women ernestly bent over the piano, and occasionally changing places, or stepping away from it entirely, somewhat amusing.

As I watched the screen, seeing their hands touching this, pulling that, plucking something else, I became absorbed by the sounds they were creating.

I found myself not listening to a single piano in the traditional sense, but seemingly to several different instruments playing together.

It was a communal performance in very tight quarters that produces the sounds and moods of a small orchestra.

American Composers Festival 2008: An American Tale - Pt. 1

The theme of the 2008 program of the American Composers Festival is "The West: Music inspired by the American Frontier".

This year the festival has an overall theme of "The West", that landscape of America's reality, it's history, and it's fevered imagination, of big skies and open spaces, of Columbus, Magellan, and countless others, leaving Europe for the great unknown, of Daniel Boone blazing a trail to Kentucky, of Lewis and Clark exploring a little land purchase made by Thomas Jefferson, of The Oregon, and Chisolm Trails, and all those settlers who travelled them, and other trails, to follow the advice of Horace Greeley to "Go West!"

The 500 year history of Western Civilization's "Manifest Destiny" was intertwined with the tragic story of the indigenous peoples of these lands, all of whom had ancestors who had made the trek "West", from the old world, centuries, even millenia, before the first European set foot on their shores, spreading across countless islands, and 2 continents.

Westard Migration is the defining feature of American History, but it's effect has been felt worldwide.

Joseph Horowitz, Artistic Advisor of the Pacific Symphony discusses, in the Special Program Book, "The Idea of the West" as explored in this year's theme:

The US is a Diverse nation perpetually in ferment-- and perpetually in search of sef-definition. One anchoring trait is its very geography, whose open space and broad horizons connect with freedom, opportunity, and individual innitiative. By focusing on musical meanings of "The West," this year's American Composer's Festival explores values long cherished by generations of Americans.

He says that the topography of a nation can be seen as linked to its identity and to expressions of culture through the Arts.

Our beautiful, and varied landscape, it's weather, its rivers, lakes, valleys, canyons, deserts, and mountain peaks have fascinated, and inspired centuries of writers, artists, and musicians, right up to the present day.

What the Festival, and the program I attended, explore is the fact that composers of American Concert Music, those Yankee takes on Classical Music, the form the Europeans had invented centuries before, and that has been evolving ever since, were, um, late to, as Horowitz writes, "discover an iconic West".

When you realize that Dvorak, a European, and his glorious New World Symphony (1893), got there first, it's downright embarrassing (Horowitz points out 2 19th century American examples (1837, 1885), but makes the point that it was not until the 1930's and 40's that American Composers arrived on the scene  and "effectively defined a "Western" idiom of symphonic speech.).

This uniquely American "voice" was, and is, different from that of the Old World, and is not really any single voice, but many, expressing themselves with all the variety of the nation they celebrate, and you don't need some fancy, flowing, words on a page, or website, to notice, and enjoy, the difference... just use your ears. ;-D

So off I went, on the evening of February 9th, to the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, at the Orange County Performing Artscenter, in Costa Mesa, Ca., to partake of a little culture, as presented by Orange County's Pacific Symphony, and a few friends invited for the occasion.

And what fascinating friends they were, but I''ll get to that in the next installment. ;-D

This was the last of 3 nights that this portion of the festival would be performed, and I was especially interested in witnessing two performances on a very unique instrument that I'd never even heard of before being invited to attend.

I was set to experience a west coast premier by Lou Harrison, and two world premier (Stephen Scott, and Curt Cacioppo), performaces, plus works by Ferde Grofe and Aaron Copland thrown in for good measure, with the Pacific Chorale, and the Pacific Symphony.

I'd passed by the complex on the bus many times, and even went to eat at a nearby restuarant, one evening last year, but never went over to take a look around.

The buildings, even in the dark, illuminated only by outdoor, and indoor lighting, are quite impressive to look at, and let you know right away that you are about to experience that special something called "Culture".

Whether you find the resulting experience enjoyable...or not...is between you and your peculiar tastes, and sensiblities, but the performers, and those folks on the staffs of the venues you attend will do their best to give you your moneys worth.

Come with me, now, as I go in search of my ticket, attend a preview talk, find my seat, and settle in for the show.

OUCH! That Had to Hurt!

...the Violin, that is. ;-D

David Garrett, a former model who has been called the David Beckham of the classical scene, said he tripped while carrying his 18th century violin as he was leaving London's Barbican Hall after a performance, smashing it to bits.

An unidentified witness swears "As God is my, Hic!, witness, I heard Mr. Garrent exclaim as he looked at the poor unfortunate instrument..."Oh, Fiddlesticks!  ;-D

Musician's Fall Down Stairs Smashes $1M Violin to Bits.

Violinist falls, fracturing million-dollar fiddle: Musician and former model trips while carrying his 18th century violin.

Mad Macedonian: Culture Critic

As regular readers have no doubt figured out by now this is one of 2 blogs I write.

The other can be found by following the link under the picture of the bicycle in the sidebar.

Those readers who have been with me since long before October know that I had another blog for over 5 years before this one began.

One of the reasons I retired that one was to start fresh.

I wanted to find ways to expand on my creative writing side (Poetry, and more.), my book, TV, movie, music, and dining reviews, and culture, and community writing.

See my sidebar for the Archive Categories that share writings in those subjects.

Something happened recently that has given me a way to jumpstart this new direction with style.

I get e-mails... this one surprised, and intrigued me:

I SAW YOUR BLOG:

Hi.  I'd love to invite you to attend a concert as a guest of the Pacific symphony.  Then write about your experience on your blog.  I am an advocate for live classical music and a supporter of the Pacific Symphony in the OC.  Critics attend concerts and write about them. It would be interesting to have the fresh perspective of the citizen journalists writing about their experience at a concert. Please let me know if you are interested.
Thanks!

Kate Peters

Intrigued I replied, and learned that she is an author, performer, speaker, and advocate for the Pacific Symphony, and discovered my older blogging.

I, of course wanted to know...Why me? I told her a bit about my past, which I will also get into below, relevent to her invitation:

The reason I chose to send you the invitation is because 1) I liked that you comment on culture, have an educated opinion about things, and are a music fan.  Now that I know you are also a violinist, that cinches it.  2.)

Your blog was on a list I found as one of the best blogs in the OC. 

I liked your style and thought you might be game to join in our new "press corps".  Finally, now that you have written to me and I know more about you, I think you HAVE to participate because you would like it.

What insired her idea?  An interest in blogging herself, plus the example of the San Francisco Symphony:

The folks up north recognized the importance of bloggers as "new" journalists and invited a group citywide to attend concerts for free in exchange for writing about their experience.

The theory was that by doing so they would increasing awareness of their programs and even develope some new audiences. 

She believes that inviting OC bloggers to Pacific Concerts and their passing the word along about what the concert experience is like was a logical thing to attempt.

"I realize that it might not always be a good one for people, or just like other critics, bloggers may say things we don't like to hear, but it's important to expand and try new things if an organization is going to stay alive and growing." 

"Press Corp" is her nickname for her project.;-D 

It is not out of the ordinary to invite and give tickets to journalists, she says, but it strikes me as a bold step to include bloggers, the so called "New" Journalists, among those worthy of consideration. 

In recent years, PoliBloggers, and MilBloggers, have been courted in similar ways, and I in my capacity of being one of the oldest, and most respected, of BikeBloggers, have suddenly been sought out by those in the cycling industry, in the last 2 years as well.

Other Niche Bloggers are also coming in for their share of attention, and courting, and this is very cool in my book.

I am one of 5 bloggers, so far, invited to participate.

So what of my Music Credentials? Glad I asked! ;-D

Television as Poetry: Or Writers' Strike? What Writers' Strike?

As everyone knows, unless they have either been hiding under a rock, had their TV turned off, or don't own a TV (HORRORS!!), those strange people who do the writing behind all the shows Americans love to plop themselves down in front of the boob tube to watch have gone on strike (DOUBLE HORRORS!!).

The Television Writers’ Strike.

"We Just Got to Stand Our Ground".

Why the US TV writers' strike could make or break new shows.

WGA, East, announces this week's picket lines.

Of course, this all has people on edge and saying and writing things they regret:

Joe Carnahan Retracts Recent Blog Post

So what's a TV-hooked America gonna do?

Watch the Bloody BBC America? ;-D

Me? I don't give a damn.

I have not watched Series TV since the first season of Enterprise (2001), and Buffy's next to last season (2002).

I'd rather write poetry. ;-D

CABLE: A Poem

Cable, cable what's on tonite?
Can little children watch alright?
Will we laugh, or will we cry,
or will we cringe in fright?

Channel Surfing

KCOP, KABC, KCAL, KTLA,
KTBN,  KMEX, KOCE, KDOC?
KCBS, KNBC, KTTV, KXLA,
KPXN, KCOP, KCET, KWHY?

BET, QVC, MTV, STYLE!
VH-1, HGTV, Food, Comedy!
Hallmark, HG, Oxygen,
Home Shopping Network!

Learning, History, Discovery,
Travel, Weather, Science!
Animal Planet, PBS,
National Geographic!

AMC, Cartoon, NICK?
Disney, Lifetime, TNT?
A and E, Sci-Fi, USA,
Bravo!

Court TV, Headline News,
CNN, CNBC, CSPAN?
FOX, BBC, MSNBC,
Bloomberg, CSPAN-2!

ESPN, FSN, Tennis, Golf!
Outdoor Channel, Outdoor Life,
College Sports, Soccer!
Fit TV?

As a child I remember my "Must See TV" revolving around Bozo The Clown, Hobo Kelly, Romper Room, Wonderama, and cartoons, cartoons, cartoons. ;-D

In the 70's I discovered series TV:

The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, Kung Fu, among others, in addtion to re-runs of Star Trek, The Addams Family, The Munsters, and more.

Oh, and cartoons, cartoons, cartoons (And Sports, too!).

In the 80's, 90's and early 2000's there was Star Trek, and too many shows to list even if I could remember them all.

Oh, and cartoons, cartoons, cartoons (And Sports, too!).

The VCR and the blank, 6 -10 hour, video tape, were my friends. ;-D

Eventually I cut my "Must See TV" list down to a manageable number of shows.

From a dozen to 3, if I remember right. ;-D

Then, one fine day, I just stopped watching.

There was just never enough time in a day, a week, or a month, to keep up with all my favorites and have a "life".

I still watch TV, mostly FOX News, the occasional history, nature, or other similar program, not to mention my favorite sports events (For some reason I just love watching Tiger Woods kick ass, hee, hee!)

Oh, and the odd cartoon here and there. ;-D

So what do I suggest the TV addicted do during this time of trial?

Read a book, listen to music, take a hike, go for a bike ride, anything to get themselves out of the house.

If they can't bring themselves to do anything so drastic...

Well, they can always dig into their video collection, especially their growing collection of complete sets of TV Series, from the 1950's to the present. ;-D

In the 1980's, 90's and into 2002 I'd built quite the video collection, including taping old movies off TV.

Then I had to sell off all the videos to have a little extra cash for a move.

Never had the time to watch everything I had, anyway.

Not even close!

So when the opportunity came for me to start over again, with DVD's, well, I originally hadn't intended to collect TV Shows.

Besides, I was years behind. ;-D

But a year ago I got to thinking:

I subscribe to Netflix so can watch movies whenever I want.

If I'm going to build a collection of DVD's why not indulge my love of history and collect series that interest me.

Not just ones I fondly remember, including ones I might never have seen all the episodes of, but some of those old series that I never had a chance to watch because they came and went before my time, but also because I was not interested in watching them during their original runs (No need to tape them, and I can watch them whenever the spirit moves me.).

There may be a hiatus in first run episodes, people, but look at this time as an opportunity to catch up with some very old and dear friends you had forgotten, or make some new ones. ;-D

CABLE: A Poem

Cable, cable what's on tonite?
Can little children watch alright?
Will we laugh, or will we cry,
or will we cringe in fright?

Channel Surfing

KCOP, KABC, KCAL, KTLA,
KTBN,  KMEX, KOCE, KDOC?
KCBS, KNBC, KTTV, KXLA,
KPXN, KCOP, KCET, KWHY?

BET, QVC, MTV, STYLE!
VH-1, HGTV, Food, Comedy!
Hallmark, HG, Oxygen,
Home Shopping Network!

Learning, History, Discovery,
Travel, Weather, Science!
Animal Planet, PBS,
National Geographic!

AMC, Cartoon, NICK?
Disney, Lifetime, TNT?
A and E, Sci-Fi, USA,
Bravo!

Court TV, Headline News,
CNN, CNBC, CSPAN?
FOX, BBC, MSNBC,
Bloomberg, CSPAN-2!

ESPN, FSN, Tennis, Golf!
Outdoor Channel, Outdoor Life,
College Sports, Soccer!
Fit TV?