Soho, lag time, and Birthday Commencing…

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Harry Brake

The previous days of so so much – I mean sooo much walking, so much taking in just SO MUCH – wow.  It showed as we struggled to the Starbucks on Broadway, Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 10.45.22 AM grabbed anything we could to crank us into awake mode, and off to…

SOHO – wow.  We were able to split up and really soak in the elements of what Soho provided – it reminded me of Georgetown outside of D.C..  Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 10.45.44 AMTrendy, upbeat, polished, professional.  We spied Scholastic’s office and I entered there, loving the calendar of ideas left by children, the Harry Potter display,  some great things happening.  I enjoyed seeing the elements of classic bookstores that take their time to prepare books in their stores, and we came across a cool store one of the staff was shopping in, wooden floors, cool 80’s music, and just a sense of taking our time.  This lulled us into a sense of slowing down and off to –

The MeatPacking District. I liked the fact that we saw the cobble stone streets, the Chelsea Market which we walked through and saw the remnants of factories that made up the decor of current trendy stores – from speciality stationery stores, to restaurants to alot of artist-based venues.  GREAT GREAT place.

The highline was awesome. Yes, it was winter, Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 10.46.17 AMbut no being able to wlak through the citie’s buildings and seeing the city from a different perspective, seeing everyon enjoy their meals in random places – this was what the highline was built for.

Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 10.45.57 AMThe Whitney Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 10.46.28 AMwas unfortunately closed on Tuesdays but we did see how a factory style architecture was influenced by its neighborhood, from just the outside.  WOW.  When we saw how HUGE it was – hours, – it would have taken DAYS to get inside 😉   Maybe a blessing it was closed.  Then we decided, the tree of us (2 staffers and me) to sit – and we headed to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cafe – right on the cobblestone corner of the meeting place where we originally met.

We headed back to the hostel, and crammed the details we needed – to allow ourselves as one group to be prepared for the Workshops the next day at Columbia – all of our groups were putting in the time and cranking it out.  After about 2 hours of planning, creating, organizing, we headed out to The Phantom of the Opera.  We had time for a quick Shake Shack – ate and hurried over to The Phantom of the Opera….to find….

…that 8:00 PM was NOT the time do the show, not at all.  Turns out the time to be there was 7:00 – my face dropped and so did my heart.  One hour and we missed it but – a slight glimmer of hope we were told we could back pay tickets, meaning see if another show was available, and trade our missed show and most likely for a matinée on Thursday, as long as there were tickets available.  This fact did not lighten my mood and to be honest, ruined my whole night, I felt I let everyone down.  Feeling sick to my stomach, I wondered at how I never had opened the tickets, not something I will ever, EVER repeat again.   eeing tI made a call to a friend, and found that the tickets could in fact be reversed for the cruise, if we happened to move the musical to Tuesday, the cruise to Friday, and voila – a slight chance it could work out…   You’ll see what happened in a next post  🙂

Despite the crappy crappy fact of this, we moved onto Times Square spent the evening shopping eating, and while one half headed back to the hostel, in somewhat downed spirits, the other half headed to one of the best Korean restaurants in Korean town and WHOA – this has to be detailed.

Newonjo is an amazing place.  We climbed up to the top level, had an AMAZING view, and the food JUST KEPT COMING.  It was so so amazing, from the soups, to the bowls of rice and roasted meats and sauces, vegetables, and midnight came, birthday – I was 44 years old.  I have to say the staff I was with wow, in such great company, it was a great birthday as were not dodging rain, we were not running and pacing ourselves to a clock, it was just easing into the 44th year of being with amazing, amazing people that inspire me every day.  I can say between the staff and the mishaps that happened, and the nervousness building inside me for the first day of CSPA, that evening was a great topper for so many things, I was truly privileged.  Seeing the night slip into my 44th birthday, and such a relaxing, delicious, and great place?  – a memorable birthday indeed.

I remember little when I hit the bed at 12:30 – but knowing this, at 44 years old my birthdays always were unusual and different and so much appreciated for the things many tend to overlook.  The details that many tend to take for granted, look quickly past without stopping, and usually fast-moving, truly matter.

 

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New York, Monday – Here and Gone – Certainly Not Forgotten

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Harry Brake

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Seoyoung!  Always one or two staffers whose birthday occurs on our NYC trip!  We managed a small pedicure kit, a huge card and a Shake Shack shirt for her bday and lots of birthday wishes!

You’d think the first day getting up – Difficult, impossible, no way, right?  Wrong.  Despite an early start (leaving the hostel at 8:55AM) – no the staff was ready to roll!  We headed out of Jazz on the Park Hostel, and bam!  Into the streets (NOT A GOOD DAY cold rain and resmebling typical New York weather compared to the summer day we arrived in!)

We hit the direction of Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.31.49 PMNPR to visit Mr. Robert Smith, Planet Money announcer.  Whoa.  Finding the building, across from the New York Public Library – not so easy – yet – there we were after an office request, and calling Mr Smith, we made it after passing security and heading to the 19th floor of New York’s NPR office.

AMAZING visit into the life of radio, podcasts, careers that lead to being a member of NPR and journalism (and not necessarily a jounralism experience career needed), the ins and outs of editing our podcasts (NINA and Sam does this for us for us!) The live talks for articles, live editing, and into the recording studio, talking cultures, radio, trends, the future, and so much more – we were made to be the absolute guests, we saw amazing

Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.39.20 PM   Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.39.28 PM

views and learned NYC history, and this was a PLUS!

  1. Out into the rain and into the NYC Public Library – and whoa.  WHOA.  A small city in itself and exhibits, and add to that the amazing setup of books displays, and more –  LOVED.  Out into our next search for Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.35.18 PM– The SHAKE Shack Never been and whoa, I mean WHOA.  We stood in line and it was PACKED – but, this lasted 5 minutes and from THREE, count ’em, THREE shakes, Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.35.35 PMand one amazing set of fries and the ‘Shroom burger, yes, one of the best stops in NYC, thank you Ms. Sordo!

The day – crappy crappy weather but it looked like a break was on the horizon as we emerged with full stomachs and headed to the new Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.37.13 PMGround Zero transit center and  911 Memorial. The sky ripped opened and we were drenched – to the bone, yet the views of the new transit center and the memorial – chilling just like the weather and hard to Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.35.55 PM  forget.  We headed out of the rain again back from the memorial, to the metro, to Grand Central Station.  Always amazing and classic.  Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.46.45 PM

We shopped in different directions, met again, headed back to Times Square, took the S Shuttle metro (Thansk VAL!) to Grand Central, and a metro train that has bright colors that screamed MEXICO! arriving we found out a second show was doable, Chicago it was for Friday for a discount price!  Add to this the chance to see the area despite the bad weather, and we were off again – to the hostel.  We headed back and reviewed some early prep for the workshops as CSPA, and voila – things began to build to see what an effect we would have on people (fingers crossed!)

We regrouped, and yes, Nuroyician Cafe we came.  Let me say this, the walk no matter the metro you grab, seemed forever, however, the F train going back is the way to go.  Going there seemed like a Marines test, and yet, we finally did it – with 5 minutes to spare.  What a night.  You never know what to expect, but yes, the MC, the countless acts, ( yes the performer with the diaper last year?  This year, the 76 year old performer had pink hotpants – no comment ( – Individuals from France, Italy, of course Mexico, Puerto Rico – WHAT A CRAZY night.  Midnight, stomachs rolling, we hit Times Square, close to the Shake Shack, grabbed pizza,Screen Shot 2016-03-20 at 5.48.13 PM some bad Mac & Cheese on the corner of 42nd – and some stumbled back onto the metro back, but we made it.  CRASHING knowing, each day was filled to the max- despite a horrible weather day, we made sure NYC was capitalized on, and capitaized on it was.  🙂

Pictures to come and you will love will occur soon!

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Anticipation Coupled with Memory

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Harry Brake

It has been ages.  This might be the longest gap I have had without a post – but to tell the truth, so so much has been happening, I do not know even where to start when it comes to putting it into more than just experiences.  Hence, this blog, which I am grateful for, to have individuals that read and comment on, which adds to what I experienced.

However we will start with the most impacting and work all around, as it usually happens.

March 13th – wow.  Craziness – a year just like that, and yet there were stretches where I thought it would never come.  The CSPA trip – came and was right in our laps – like THAT – travelling with a Repentino. staff of 9 to take in the CSPA awards, as well as present a billion (it seemed) workshops on various topics to show – that Repentino. is certainly not static in the least, active in many areas and how others can join that ship too.

Running around like CRAZY on the 12th ended up staying up all night (again) when did I do two all nighters in a row – a billion years ago!  From watering plants around the house, to emails to prepare for things that needed to move forward, to workshop work on presentations, to emails to individuals we’d visit, the 4:30 AM time came so fst, I was walking the dogs, packing, feeding the dog, a million things in one blur – and boom – on my way to the airport – and grateful we had 9 staffers to attend New York this year, and also grateful for Nina who attended last year’s CSPA and of course, our award being stolen on the metro, Nina and I experiencing workshopping, presenting, receiving, and just the whole New York experience?  Hard to put into words  🙂

Here we are – 9 great students, and as I waited in the airport, slowly saw them trickle in and met their parents, their tired eyes, with my own tired eyes, I already knew how lucky I was – these were the reasons we started Repentino., to experience and interpret life outside of a print magazine, with that one print magazine to be the center of so much accomplishment.

IMG_1576The plane, the baggage, the boarding, all without incident.  Passports and Korea, as well as making sure situations representing students from outside the U.S. from anywhere always can present a challenge, but yet, despite having to go back through immigration twice to make sure the correct copies of our SAAM form were stamped  no biggie – it all worked!  Yet, while at the airport in Mexico City, we ran into Dr. Lawrence’s brother, who had been here in Mexico for awhile and motivated us to capitalize on the assets we have inside ourselves – and do something to represent those very talents we are interested in and are good at.  His motivation started alot of ideas for projects alone, and seeing him at the airport was fitting, as our Repentino. group believes in that mantra, and there he was – he was inspiring on many and glad we were able to see him off together!

“Mr. Brake, you looked bored !” was said once as we landed in New York, but this was not due to boredom at all, the total lack of sleep that I knew would be satisfied in the next day or so! After an onslaught of movies being watched, songs being listened to, and catnapping between interruptions, but being IN New York seemed to settle on all our shoulders – excitement built.

We got off, our baggage, and out in record time waiting for our Shuttle, from Go Airport Shuttle and after waiting a bit, 30 minutes) we realized that he had been waiting outside for us, the black Mercedes private van – it was a smooth and comfy ride – and nice to really to be on our way.  The driver was great with loading and unloading our luggage and arriving was effort free.  We underestimated landing at 4:30 – and being at Mel’s Burgers at 6:30 – so Val called ahead and changed it back to 7:30 and we weaved slowly through the NY traffic, and found ourselves in front of Jazz on the Park at 6:50 – keys on hand to our rooms – settling in, back at the lobby and 7:20 – and headed to Mel’s Burgers – and did we mention WARM!  It had to be almost 58 degrees no cold, no snow, a trickle of a rain felt here and there — and NO WINTER gear needed- WHOA!

Smiling, (I could not help it) the memories of being greeted so warmly and conveniently by Jazz on the Park came back to me over and over, and the conversations so many different staffs had as we experienced this city together came back over and over and over – making this trip worthwhile before it even started!

We headed out with empty stomachs, and made it to Mel’s Burger Bar on Broadway – greeted by Eri our server.  Let me tell you this guy was and is a mover and shaker.  Not only a real estate agent for apartments, houses, and SO MUCH more in New York, he took our group of 11, seated us in front of the traditional MEL lights in the back, waited on us hand and foot, (California Burger, Garlic friesIMG_1579, the Mint Milkshake (preparing for the Shamrock Shake!) provided us amazing fried Twinkies, Oreos and MORE – complimentary and on the house from the manager Jessica Cui.  Between the service hospitality, and friendliness of Ms. Cui and Mr. Minaya, amazing.  IMG_1580

Following this amazing welcome, we moved to the metro purchased our unlimited Metro ride cards (Thank you Val for navigating us to that spot!) and onto the metro.  Before seconds, a transgender passenger was chatting everyone up and a super hysterical and friendly individual never lived.  Along that conversation I was called at as being a Billy Bob Thornton double-   Really?

Always entertaining, we hit Times Square!  Seeing the traditional skyline art – IMG_1589always amazing.   Tons of shopping and seeing the staff in their element among the bright light and city – totally worth it 100%!  We hit Wegman’s/Duane Reade for supplies, that followed an evening of seeing a Times Square full of excitement, and not alot of people.  What am I forgetting?  I am sure something about our visit, but I will be reminded before we go to Monday.  But all of the potential this staff brings to New York, and really, the idea of New York itself I realized, was a great experience due to the staff that accompanied me each year – and not much can be said more about that.  Great things are to come.

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Films that Make, Break, and Wake you into Solace

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Harry Brake

“O” by Timothy Blake Nelson

Modern day Shakespeare has alway been my favorite.  It is has been ages since I watched and read the plot of Othello, so it is easy to be swept away with a modern version and remember Shakespeare was involved.  Yet, even without remembering details of the plot, Shakespeare leaves his mark; tragedy, conflict, embittered lovers, rivalry, dark secrets, everyone in circles having a secret, (being involved and not at all) – and more – yes, Shakespeare.  Contrasted to the modern version of Romeo & Juliet, and as someone very involved with school, I was left reeling.  Almost dizzy, but it was a comfort to go to sleep to put some of the realistic moments of “O” to rest. Racial tensions, high school and drug elements, and power, the power of position, academics, sorts –  it all becomes unsettling, that worrisome, that realistic.  Kudos to Shakespeare, all characters in “O” fell in line and pulled it off, congrats Timothy Blake Nelson for pulling off the same shock factor that Shakespeare is still capable of.

~

October Sky by Joe Johnston

One gets a false sense of security throughout, and yet, the feel of The Waltons is always there.  It was magic to see how unsettling moments seeped into the plot, during the threat of the Cold War beginnings, stemming from the race to space, the dependent survival of coal to keep families and whole towns alive, and ultimately, the presence of the realistic moments of how Hodgkin’s disease, the status associated with football versus living a life in the mines – the culture and economy of West Virgina and Pennsylvania hills, and the bonds tat are strained in families with all these elements.  The presence of family and family value is never strayed far from, and that element in itself helps soften these above-mentioned issues as they appear in random sequences.  Yet, the strength and believability, based on the real story, leaves you not wanting to cower under the blankets, not sleep off traces of a nightmare, but look back in a Forrest Gump fashion and make comparisons to your own life as an American growing up through the may representations that come across the screen.  Truly a feel-good film that captures the elements of triumph when it seems all odds are against you.

~

The Revenant by Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

I immediately thought of an interview, my first teaching position in Lusby, MD, and I was asked, “Who is your favorite author and why?”  Before I reveal the answer I gave, let me share that the next two candidates being interviews that were sitting around me?  – the person that came out and the person that came in? – what are the chances we said the same author?  We did.  I still can’t get over what that must have looked like to the interviewers.  However, Jack London was our choice due to his brutal, realistic, photographic ability to capture every detail that you couldn’t, and possibly cold – imagine, cold included.

The music chills you first.

The Revenant takes Jack London and placed him on a new level not even conceived.  Yes graphic, yes shocking, yes brutal, capturing the recreation of the true story (and some we still wonder) – but believe – of the life of Hugh Glass.  You honestly take Dances with Wolves and To Build a Fire, and elements of the most daring to survive stories like Alive, and take it a little higher, well ALOT higher, and you have The Revenant, (with a scene that Luke Skywalker imitated to stay alive in the middle of a blizzard) – and you know why Leonardo DiCaprio should win an award – when you see how the movie ends – you know without a word being uttered.

Yet, you manage to see the unfolding of these chilling events, at first as a spectator as the tale is being unwound to you, and slowly, without realization, you are in the middle of the story.

The cold seeps into your bones, the violence causes you to look over your shoulder, and when you leave the theatre, you want to stay within your house for days – until the realization of what survival meant in the wild, let alone anything out of the ordinary breaking survival skills acquired – this movie erases everything you thought you knew about the frontier and redefines it with shock – and does it well, BEYOND well, try PERFECTLY.  This gets under your skin and instantly climbs to your memory, to stay.

~

The Hateful Eight by Quentin Tarantino

There is no doubt that the films Tombstone, Bone Tomahawk, and yes, Pulp Fiction, all had a play in this production.  Jarring music unnerves you from the beginning, and classic Tarantino traits haunt this film as total confusion, mystery, and aspects similar to the game Clue unfold.  the 360 degree, (without cut panning), view from a character’s head as if you are that character, the camera shots as if you had died with the character that is lying on the floor, dead, and the ability to invoke such violence amid a plot that escapes you until the VERY, VERY end, all are here to be witnessed.  Your mind jumps to a hundred conclusions as the class western takes place in all the modern traits of a Tarantino film, as well as repeating scenes as you uncover details you did not know, through the progression of the film.  There is much to be uncovered and much that is able to be kept secret, until Tarantino deems it time to let information be known to the viewer – that alone will have you walk away from this film amazed at how and why the pieces actually did fit all together, and how you were unable to see any of it, until at the cusp of each, single detail.

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Opting for Opera – Turandot

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Harry Brake

Chance.  Usually there is someone behind every action that helps facilitate an opportunity.  So it was with my first experience in seeing at opera in January 2016.  With the generosity of someone who could not make the Season ticket Opera series at the Auditorio in Mexico City, I was offered a place a place to view Turandot from the Metropolitan Theatre in New York.

Here is a simple guide I learned from being a first timer to opera:

  1. Always spend a day ahead finding out about the producer, the director, the creator of the opera you are seeing. This background information can make a huge difference, it is everything.
  2. Know that there are intermissions between Acts – this varies depending on the production.                              Screen Shot 2016-01-31 at 7.47.43 AM
  3. Do realize that you need to leave your preconceptions of the visual behind, this has no impact on the meaning of the opera.  We are a visual culture, but train yourself to be completely bias about the visual aspects of how a character is made up, and let the sound carry the majority of the meaning for you.

When you find out the similarity of Puccini’s life and the resemblance to events in this opera – that is a story in itself.  This being his last opera, I found myself interested in what and who was Giacomo Puccini.

I love the three riddles that the prince has to solve to advance and change history:

Riddle No. 1: What is born each night and dies each dawn?

Riddle No. 2: What flickers red and warm but is not fire?

Riddle No. 3: What is like ice, yet sets you on fire?

The set is probably the most elaborate and amazing thing I have seen, and I mean in Turandot as well as in a production that is not theatre.

In seeing Anita Hartig, not really the lead role yet, I found her to be my all time favorite in this production, for me she made the opera – 100%.  Her emotions, her ability, she was IT.  Paolo Carignani as the conductor was amazingly capable of delivering a sound you just took for granted as a soundtrack and found difficult to realize how “real” it was.

Of course the classic talents of Franco Zeffirelli showed through with the attention to details.  Marco Berti was very stoic and capable of winning Turandot, (Nia Stemme) an icy and frosty princess with a heart of stone until the very end.  Marco Berti does NOT interview well (just FYI).  Alexander Tsymbalyuk?  You would never, ever, know he is young in real life, but is Timur – it is shocking.

No need for English to be influenced by opera, none.  The background information you can discover, and the reactions to such emotions that feed out from an opera – this tells a story individual to every viewer.  As a result, you walk away in this case, understanding the themes of perseverance, faith, loyalty, and a belief in your own inner strength, all virtues that are quite universal and cross the language barrier.

Sidenote – Ping, Pang, Pong?  You have to see to believe but AMAZING.

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“The Ties that Bind…”

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Harry Brake

“Since the death instinct exists in the heart of everything that lives, since we suffer from trying to repress it, since everything that lives longs for rest, let us unfasten the ties that bind us to life, let us cultivate our death wish, let us develop it, water it like a plant, let it grow unhindered. Suffering and fear are born from the repression of the death wish.” – Eugene Ionesco quotes

In going into Josie Rourke’s / Shakespeare production of Coriolanos, of which I knew nothing about, following a version of Hamlet I was not greatly keen on, I had mixed feeling and slight trepidation.  Yet, as many know, you always leave with something in your back pocket when it comes to Shakespeare.

Recognizing another great lead actor, Tom Hiddleson (No, this time not Loki from Marvel Comics), but from Warhorse, and many more, brought some familiarity to the strength again to a potential blockbuster.  The stage, in the historical Donmar Warehouse, being one single black box stage, offered limited space but also offered a wealth of creative possibility within a defined and marked stage.  The drama that surrounds Coriolanus is that of a public figure and the conflicts that run deep.  The irony is not lost on how the blood among family can cause the rise & success of a society, as well as the salvation of a multitude, & the fall of an individual as well.

Power and maintaining that power has many costs, and the graphic nature of the bloody conflicts that to many, marked success, strikes you truly to the heart.  With the supporting actors such as Mark Gatiss, Birgitte Hjort Sorenson (I fell in love with her in what, five seconds?  – Her strength and fears flow into you quickly), foe and friend Hadley Fraser, Elliot Levey (A strange resemblance to Ben Stiller), the chance to love to hate the character Helen Schlesinger, and the motive behind Coriolanus – Deborah Findlay, as well as many more supporting actors that make this deeply felt and stirring.

A moment where all characters stand as if readying for an ovation – yet being selected as game pieces one by one, is not unnoticed and a creative addition to the unfolding of the tale, as well as the leader, Coriolanus.  The 2 hours and 40 minutes are just enough to fill you with the desperation, disappointment, responsibility, and ability, as well as inability of maintaining control in a switch of arenas, which definitely does NOT leave you disappointed as an audience to Shakespeare’s late production of Coriolanus.

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“To be or Not…” National Theatre’s Performance of Hamlet in Review

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Harry Brake

Pumped.  Anytime Hamlet is to be shown, I get excited.   Next to my favorite all time Shakespeare play of all time, The Twelfth Night.   I also love the fact that many people are brave enough to modernize scenes, switch around the set, the costumes, and more to reinterpret Shakespeare, that is the art of Shakespeare to be truthful, the timelessness and the ability to have meaning come through differing interpretations.

On Tuesday, January 19th, Director Lyndsey Turner’s Hamlet caused anticipation – as it is Shakespeare, it is the Lunario, and it IS Hamlet.

Beforehand I previewed any information I could find about this production, with little except knowing the profound actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, who has been in so many of London’s produtions from the Lunario, SUPERB, also was a cause for an inkling of greatness.

I could take this step by step throughout the whole production, but actually, it is much easier to cut to the chase, where actually, I thought was part of the main problem I found in this particular production not making me a fan 100% as is /was the case with many of Lunario’s productions.

The weaknesses I found and were disappointed with were that often, I found so extreme tension and emotion in the characters of Hamlet (Benedict Cumberbatch), Hamlet’s Mother, Gertrude (Anastasia Hille) and Hamlet’s Uncle, Claudius (Ciaran Hinds) had moments where honestly, I felt they were going to fall over and hemorrage but they fell short of being directed towards the source, at least to me.  The buildup was definitely there, but I felt this pressure was contained in a vessel that never actually escaped – which at times was frustrating.  I am thinking of the scenes of when Hamlet’s Uncle becomes seemingly trapped and frustrated, in private, of Hamlet seeking him out in inadvertent ways, the acting troupe that was brought in, as well as the dismay of Ophelia’s fate, (although Hamlet’s mother seemed to be more distressed than others around her).  I felt the ending as well mimicked these very characteristics I found lacking throughout, emotion that found no definite direction to be sent into, towards, or having an emotional effect on the audience.

I loved the set – even though it could be tricky, and confusing to differentiate between outside and inside, personally, being the person I am, I sought out and realized tons of symbolism, the ash blowing in once the complete disintegration of individual’s motives or souls could not be cleansed – possibly inability to differentiate between what was right and wrong inside the person and the things going on outside the person amid chaos of emotion.  Also the internal versus external conflicts of the characters and trying to find their way through this mess we know as Denmark slowly disintegrating.  I loved the toy soldier’s scene Benedict Cumberbacth found himself in, I loved the gravedigger’s scene and multiple skulls being discovered and ruminated on, the inner working and undoings of Ophelia (Sian Brooke), and the vengeful nature of Laertes (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith).

Of course, the elephant in the room is what is the most famous line going to be like, what will it FEEL like?  The To be or Not to Be Setting was emotional and definitely a buildup to be seen -this I enjoyed being depicted differently and felt was done well.

I felt clips in certain cases went too quickly, the reaction of Hamlet’s Uncle to the acting troupe, the acting troupe during the actual production, the changing /deletion of some lines that I recall from past Hamlet’s, and possibly confusing items such as why was Hamlet cuffed when we was sent away?  I thought he was not a prisoner, but yet, maybe it was to show the false pretense of looking as if he was being punished, when supposedly he was being saved by being sent away, only to be secretly plotted against to be killed.

There is so much to dive into here, and yet, that is ot just the power of Hamlet, but of Shakespeare.  Whether you are a 100% fan or not – simply, there can be discussion, contemplation, analysis, and that is a tool you discover continually way past being a student with Shakespeare as part of the curriculum.  And there are the countless example sof Hamlet, some I did not even realize!   26 Actors That Have Become Hamlet

and many to still discover way past the time they did become Hamlet.

10 Best Hamlet’s

Seeing a glimpse into some of the more famous Hamlet’s is still a buildup as you see below:

or

or

and

…and yet the simple fact is having the ability to see all forms of Shakespeare, the ability to see productions as this from London? – you are able to obtain something out of every show.  With Hamlet you see the effects of injustice and the breakdown deception can have in all arenas, and sometimes, just sometimes, you feel the consequences that reach across the stage.

Tonight, we see the production Coriolano, which I know nothing about.  So I have found this – and wonder what Shakespeare has left behind for us to discover.  All the world is a stage when we are free to bring our own experiences to that stage.  Then to come, Jane Eyre and As You Like It!

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Crane on the Sidewalk

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Harry Brake

One of the best times is the times I walk my dogs – at night – in the AM, in the quiet of the weekends – time to reflect, contemplate, refresh myself and think about opportunities not yet realized.  If you’re lucky, sometimes you will stumble on things that will challenge you in the midst of despair, frustration, and just when you think you’ve given it your all – voila! – a moment – THOSE are priceless moments!

Crane on the Sidewalk

Crane on the Sidewalk

Walking a windy January night in Mexico

Dogs beside me

investigating

what the park has to offer

a crane

or a piece of trash on the sidewalk?

THAT in itself is a personality test/question/indicator

Walk the circle,

come back

shine the light and behold

truly, a crane

from a handed out flyer from one of many

making their living

on how much they take in the AM

and how much the return with in the PM

Symbol

Of all we see and don’t see in the word around us

We do the right thing to be successful

Yet

Never do the “Write” thing to realize who we are

We jump through the correctly placed hoops

And are praised for doing it the way it should be done

Yet

Who allows the frontiers to be broken,

Never yet explored?

“I have a dream” uttered,  changed a nation

Yet

Dr. King imagined a possibility of freedom

Beyond step one of social segregation

Encouraging the opportunities

Not yet capitalized on to be created

Some of the quietest voices we have

Have the potential to be some of the loudest

We have to just allow the opening

for those to be released

Everyday individuals drive

over the very concrete

that could be bitten, tasted, and discovered

outside of a bullet-proof bubble that

silently takes us back and forth

no risk

no connection

no experience

no chance

of discovering a crane on the sidewalk.

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Steeler Sentiments 2015-2016

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Harry Brake

Thank you.  Pittsburgh, you continue to be the city and team of many cities and countries around thw world.

You gave us heart when we couldn’t find ours.

Major injuries occurred and you continued to trudge through the mire, when it looked like all hope was lost – you continued to push through – push others to the forefront, have others take advantage of stepping up – and step up you did.

You gave us extra weeks we by all rights should not have had.   You gavce us hope through injury, through abesences, and you showed what the black and gold means on and off the field.

Today’s game was a complete heart break yes, but Big Ben, you returning gave everyone the flame, on and off the team, of what is possible with heart.

Toussaint – you made some amazing plays all throughout the year and it is difficult to hold one fumble against you, but you realize the importance of ONE play, and the difference between third string and first string, that one play determined so much of our game today, but took nothing away from our season.

Bryant, Wheaton, Williams, and Heath, you stepped up when we thought we were at a disadvantage, and turned all into advantages.  Defense, we love you.  Brown, you always make us proud.  Offense, you hung in there.  Thank you Boswell for coming in and making a difference this year when we needed it.  Jones, thank you for putting up with having to do the best you could do.  Vic, sigh, sorry but I don’t any help that was long term.

Please please PLEASE – improve the one hit one tackle approach and don’t let crucial tackles slip by next year, please improve the punt returns and special teams ability, and please, PLEASE try to improve calling running plays when yardage is needed.  Haley, I question your decisions sometimes, Tomlin, I don’t question and appreciate your honesty at press conferences.

This year has been so nerve wracking and it has been a great season due to the close calls, luck of the draw, dumb luck (Yup Sarah, you hit that right on the head), and the fan time we had watching games this season, it is what part of being a true Black and Gold fan is all about, the good, the bad, the ugly.

I am so impressed to see Carolina, Denver, and Arizona head to the Superbowl, and I do appreciate the Patriot fans, they are die hard fans for sure, but the team?  Most people know how I feel, when a team has had so many questionable acts that have been brought to the NFL involving legality as the Patriots – I feel they are the least of all teams deserving of a chance at a 6th ring, the Patriots fans themselves deserve better.  I am doing all I can to hope, pray, plead, and insure that any team, ANYONE could have a shot at the Superbowl worth the hard work, grit, and sweat it takes to add that next ring, as long as it is not the Patriots. Patriots to me are those loyal to a nation, a group loyal to a belief, loyal to the game of football.  This is not the category I would, could, or ever will see the Patriots team in, the fans yes, the team, no.

From the 2007 illegal game taping, to illegal enhancement drugs used in 2007, to the 1986 injury reserve use, (illegal), to the 2013 false injury reports, to the 2002 illegal taping of a game, to the 2015 inflated balls incident, to the special clearing of a snow path for the New England kicker alone in 1982, and the rest to be honest,( I would say questionable or not valid accusations) but at least with the five that are rock solid, it hurts my heart to see a team be rewarded for so many trips to the NFL commissioner.  Do other teams including the Steelers have questionable actions, heck yes.  But to be fair, New England is the one team that had tried to do the most to cover those acts most blatantly, which I am sorry, is not what the game of football is truly defined by, with the Superbowl or what that Lombardi trophy was meant to represent.

Denver – you took advantage of opportunities that came your way and you earned your tickets, however, if you drop the number of passes you did today in the future, your future will be shortlived.   I see Denver (with a tighetned team) and Arizona being the choice that would make this year’s Superbowl, but my gut is New England and Carolina –  A Superbowl one to watch even without the Steelers as part of the equation.

Thank you for a great season Pittsburgh – and being the team of choice for so many!

 

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Stores of Stories

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Harry Brake

Day Two Reading marathon, whoa, wow and WHEW!  Sunday – Steller Steeler Sunday, two books down for the 24in48 hours marathon, blpwn away after reading All the Light We Cannot See, and anxious to reveal the stories of ancient Indian heads, preserved Indian artifcats, and the tales of France and Serbia should be great blog posts.

If nothing else, I have reaized through excess reading that there are so many stories we have to tell, sometimes it just comes out right and much better in reading ourselves.  We are a storeroom of stories, and it is a gift to find a means for them to come out.  Stay tuned for some stories that will connect with some of your own!

 

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