Provocative Posts du Jour

These two posts gave me pause in a good way, for entirely different reasons.

First:

Steven Horwitz

An explanation by an economist as to why certain kinds of regulation were part of what caused the housing market meltdown. Might be helpful to bypass some of the rhetoric, because it's actually an interesting critique. I've had a bit of an obsessive interest in economics lately. (for really great coverage of the subject, please try Planet Money

Then:

A Mouse Bouche


A blog entry from the incredible Hart Sisters about making a whole pig. At home. In New York City. Includes photos.

How To Kill Yourself And Why, Reading at University Settlement

That's (l to r) Paul Willis, Emily McDonnell, Jim Himelsbach and Tricia Rodley.

We did a reading of a theater piece of mine at University Settlement on Eldridge Street last night. It's called How To Kill Yourself And Why: An Act in Three Plays. I started it five years ago by interviewing a monk named Bernard Audigier, who's part of a little tiny order of monks called The Little Brothers of Jesus.

The play has been kicking my ass. It started as a talk show, then it was a seance, now it's a collection of collages, which so far works best. What can you say about suicide and religious faith that has not been said? Why would you want to watch a performance about those things? (Feel free to write with answers). I've written bits and pieces over the years and nothing has coalesced. Last night I felt like we were onto something - the deadline pressure of the reading, the incredible actors, and the deft helmsmanship of Paul Willis led me to at least be able to tie together the elements into something you could hear.

Mostly it was the panic: people will see this, in a day, I better do something, now.

I'm in residence at the newly revitalized arts program at University Settlement all year, and we will be doing more readings and stuff with this piece.

My subway stop

Floyd Bennett Field Dance Hottie

This is Johanna S. Meyer, aka my better half, after losing a brief battle with an airplane. She was fighting the plane while rehearsing for Dancing in the Streets' Dance Charette program at Floyd Bennett Field.

Studio 360 Story about me and Free Theater of Belarus

A few months ago I went to Minsk to work with Free Theater of Belarus. This is the radio story that aired this week on the NPR show Studio 360 about the trip and the group.

Princess Kay of the Milky Way, 2008

I grew up in Minnesota, which hosts the nation's second largest state fair, behind Texas. Each year there is a beauty and talent contest featuring young women from each county in the state. The finalists have their likenesses carved in 90 pound blocks of butter. In front of the whole Dairy building. In previous years the women have been in shoulderless dresses for the entire time they are carved, and often they have been visibly trying not to shiver so the carver can get a clear enough bead on their beauty. This year the Princess got a nice coat.