GleeKed Out...

After last night's Glee Live at the Rosemont theatre I am walking around today in a hazy afterglow. The kind of afterglow that would make Sue Sylvester say something like...

"I'm going to ask you to smell your armpits. That's the smell of failure, and it's stinking up my office."

But I just can't help it. Hearing Kurt's crystal clear soprano made me believe, much like Brittany, that he could be mine one day. Watching Finn stumble his way around the stage proving his charm with every determined step made me giddy. Listening to Mercedes voice run a marathon in almost every song was moving. It all made me feel like I was defying gravity. Even a non Gleek, my mother, likened the experience to the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. There were times when the screaming fans drown out the sound of New Directions. It was pandemonium and I was in the thick of it.

Seeing it live may have been a mistake, because what was once just a deep love and devotion, is now a full blown obsession. I have been singing mash-ups in my head all day. I can see everybody's halo because I AM walking on sunshine. So much so, that I had to plan a special luncheon with a fellow Gleek just so I could process out loud just how much I love the show, Kurt, the concept, the music, the social commentary, Kurt, the Broadway nods, the high school memories and of course Kurt. It is a night that will stay with me much like the many immortal words of Sue Sylvester.

She once said, "I can't wait to start singing and dancing and maybe even putting on the Ritz a little bit."

I couldn't agree more. Listening to the cast sing and watching them dance just made me want to join in. It was unadulterated and euphoric. It was a feeling, well a feeling that baby I just can't fight anymore.

I am a GLEEK for LIFE!!!!

Encore, Encore.

Alright people, if you missed Betty White's historical performance on Saturday Night Live, first of all you are an idiot. Secondly, she was a real class act. A five star entertainer. Sure they had her tell the same joke every sketch...but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Plus, the return of the women of SNL was a welcome addition. Maya Rudolph and her Whitney impression. Even Rachel Dratch in CSI Saratoga. Sure, it was a stupid sketch but seeing her again reminded me of the Welshly Arms skit with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. Loooovvvvaaahhh. God I miss when SNL was consistently good.

I digress, like I always do. Back to Betty.

In Ms. White's monologue, she thanked Facebook for it's integral part in getting her on the show. So, I decided that we, as the citizens of the United States of America, should start the next campaign to get another lovely woman of a certain age to host the show. In fact, this lady has so much in common with Betty White that I think it is a natural progression for Lorne Micheals to consider her in the 2011 season. Ladies and gentleman, I give you the wonderful, talented and old Elaine Stritch. If Betty can do it, so can she and here are the facts of my case.


Betty White was born in 1922
Elaine Stritch was born 1926.

Both lived through a World War.

Both were born in the Midwest.

They both have old time radio show chops.

They both started on the stage. Elaine on Broadway and Betty at the Bliss Hayden Little Theatre.

They both debuted on television in 1949. They both have played title and cameo characters since then including roles on the Cosby Show, Boston Legal, Oz and of course Golden Girls. In fact, Elaine was supposed to be on that show but she blew her audition to play Dorthy Zbornak. God bless Bea Arthur, but I have to say that would have been great casting as well.

They are both Emmy Award winners.

They've both done terrible movies. Sorry Betty but Lake Placid??? Elaine, come on. Monster-in-Law??? In the words of Amy and Seth... REALLY???!!????

They've both done Soap Opera work.

And most importantly they both have recently made their way back into the hearts and minds of pop culture fanatics. Those who love late night television, know that Betty White had staring segments on both Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson's shows. This allowed the actress best known for playing the passive and more than absent minded Rose Nyland to reintroduce herself as a comedienne of vintage age with a modern mouth.

On top of reoccurring roles in HBO's OZ and on the ever changing cast of Law and Order, those who love the award winning 30 Rock know Elaine Stritch best as Colleen Donaghy. She is the loud, obnoxious, pushy, pot-stirrer of a mother Alec Baldwin deals with on a weekly basis.

I mean the similarities are almost endless. Like the assassins of Abraham Lincoln and JFK. It is scary. So, though she is 4 years more sprightly than the lovely Betty White, I think Elaine deserves a shot at the stage that has been lucky enough to be under the feet of Steve Martin, Nancy Kerrigan, Al Gore and Charleton Heston. I mean Elaine would wipe the floor with Nancy Kerrigan. She is a trained actress for gosh sakes. So here is my plea. Elaine Stritch for SNL in 2011. Hell have her co-host with Alec. Steve Martin did it.

Ourselves facing history...and what happens when we do.

I was lucky enough to attend a Facing History and Ourselves event recently and although I wanted to attend to see Dave Eggers speak, by the end of the event the mission of this organization and the passion with which its members speak is what really inspired me. I come from a family that was and is comprised of multiple generations of teachers so Facing History and Ourselves really spoke to me. If you haven't heard of them you have to check it out. The work they have and are continuing to do is awe-inspiring and often jaw-dropping.

For example, at the event they spoke about bring a curriculum to both Ireland and Northern Ireland that addressed the historical information of both Catholics and Protestants in the country. It blew my mind, and maybe I am naive, that they weren't already teaching accurate historical accounts to the children and students attending the Ireland's schools. In this case, they are addressing intolerance where it begins, perhaps even before it begins. They are actively trying to change the way youth of an entire country feel about each other. To me, that was amazing.

If this sounds interesting to you at all you should check them out at:

http://www.facinghistory.org/

Here is their mission, just to give you a better idea.

Facing History and Ourselves delivers classroom strategies, resources and lessons that inspire young people to take responsibility for their world. Internationally recognized for our quality and effectiveness, Facing History harnesses the power of the Internet and partners with school systems, universities and ministries of education worldwide.

Each year we reach more than 1.9 million students through our global network of more than 28,000 trained educators, staff, adjunct faculty and international fellows facilitate hundreds of seminars and workshops annually, and we reach the public through community events and extensive online resources. In 2008, the Facing History and Ourselves website received more than 700,000 visits from people in 215 countries.

At the heart of our work is the resource book Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior, which explores the consequences of hatred. Students all over the world learn to recognize bigotry and indifference. They also meet exemplars of courage and compassion in the face of injustice and see that their own daily choices can have major impacts and perhaps even be a critical link to a safer future.

Facing History's work is based on the premise that we need to — and can— teach civic responsibility, tolerance, and social action to young people, as a way of fostering moral adulthood. If we do not educate students for dignity and equity, then we have failed both them and ourselves.

We believe that students are moral philosophers who are able and willing to think about tough moral and ethical dilemmas in surprisingly sophisticated ways. Our materials and our approach help students with a wide range of abilities and learning styles understand that their choices and actions matter, and that young people can, and should, be agents of change. We provide teachers with the tools they need to educate students so that they can act on their knowledge.

"The Moth" Affect

A few months back I had the pleasure of attending my first "Moth" event at Martyrs in Chicago. For those of you who don't know, the Moth is a non-profit storytelling organization that curates sections of the NPR show "This American Life," as well as "The Moth" podcast. It started in New York City but The Moth made its way across the country and into my life.

If you have never heard of this organization, program or podcast I strongly suggest you check it out. There is everything from the heartfelt to the hilarious. From the well told to word vomit. Really there is something for everyone. That night at 10pm a man got up and told a story about a fellow scout at Boy Scout Camp carving a wooden dick for his girlfriend. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Not because the story was filled with sophomoric jokes, but because this man wove such an interesting and intelligent, witty and winsome story about this little boy and his wooden dick that I couldn't help but cheer when he won the MothSLAM.

It made me wonder why I hadn't done it. It made me aware of common charisma. It made me think about what story I would've told. It made me realize the power of words. It was inspiring. It was a unique experience in Chicago that I won't soon forget. I laughed. I teared up. I rolled my eyes. I was embarrassed to be a woman. I was embarrassed for men. I was filled all these emotions. I was not surprised but overcome by the fact that all these feelings were created, at the simplest level, by words. The intensity, the passion, the truth. Words can change lives. I know the quotes is "Actions speak louder than words", but there are times when I couldn't disagree more. This realization has continued to affect me since, and will continue in another post, but until then I leave you with some more info about "The Moth".

Check it out here. http://www.themoth.org

What is The Moth?

The Moth, a not-for-profit storytelling organization, was founded in New York in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate in New York the feeling of sultry summer evenings on his native St. Simon's Island, Georgia, where he and a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales on his friend Wanda's porch. After moving to New York, George missed the sense of connection he had felt sharing stories with his friends back home, and he decided to invite a few friends over to his New York apartment to tell and hear stories. Thus the first "Moth" evening took place in his living room. Word of these captivating story nights quickly spread, and The Moth moved to bigger venues in New York. Today, The Moth conducts eight ongoing programs and has brought more than 3,000 live stories to over 100,000 audience members.

Why "The Moth"?

The screen around Wanda's porch had a hole where moths would flutter in and get trapped in the light. Similarly, George and his friends found that the characters in their best stories would often find themselves drawn to some bright light—of adventure, ambition, knowledge—but then find themselves burned or trapped, leaving them with some essential conflict to face before the story could reach its conclusion. So George and his original group of storytellers called themselves "The Moths". George took the name with him to New York, where he hoped that New Yorkers, too, would find themselves drawn to storytelling as moths to a flame. They did. With no advertising, through sheer word of mouth, every show to date has sold out in 48 hours or less.

No children for you...

Most women on the planet can get pregnant. Infertility only affects about 12% of couples that are considered of 'childbearing age', whatever that means. That is a infinitesimal number consider the amount of people having kids these days. However, those women are still referred to as barren. According to the dictionary, barren is defined as showing no results or achievements, unproductive; bleak and lifeless or empty of meaning or value. Yikes ladies, we better hope we don't have any fertility issues, because apparently that renders us less valuable just by the nature of the word.

I don't get it. Sure, back in the day when queens were required to produce a male heir, a woman who couldn't produce was a 'problem'. But now a days is that still really the way women who can't have children should feel? Hell, adoption is en vogue now, so with those kinds of possibilities, is an uncooperative uterus or a pair of flippant ovaries a situation still punishable by shame and ridicule?

I guess part of the reason is the fact that for some women, no matter how much time passes or how far the pendulum shifts, it seems they've not reached their full potential until they're a mother. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, I just wonder if there will ever be a time when there will be no stigma attached to women who are barren. Or who I like to refer to, just for laughs, as productively challenged.

Don't Buy That Shirt

My mother taught me early on how to dress for my body type, which is much more Marilyn than Moss. I remember as early as 6th grade, having a sit down with her about what is and isn't acceptable to wear.

"Other girls your age may be able to wear what is trendy right now sweetie, but short skirts and tight tops are not going to get you the right kind of attention."

I remember thinking she was wrong and that was exactly the kind of attention I wanted even in 6th grade. Sick. But she was right in the end and I have her to thank for every compliment I have gotten as a both a young lady and a young woman (even though if you ask me I was a young woman long before a lot of my friends were, if you know what I am saying. And I think you do.)

However, her chastising paid off. I have received remarks from men and women of all ages that I really know how to "present myself". That I really know how to "put an outfit, and myself together." Okay so no toddlers are saying this stuff to me because they don't know what putting myself together means, but you get the idea.

Where am I going with this? Well after being told this yet again from a friend of mine and her friends at her birthday party, we decided that I can call myself a "self-proclaimed fashion expert", and should then be able to comment in the webisphere about the apparel choices of others. At the back booth of Glascott's this new segment to my blog was born and it is called...

Don't Buy That Shirt

It will appear sporadically here and there as colorful commentary on the state of fashion specifically in the Midwest and less specifically the world. I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am.