No I won’t bore you with how much I adore being back in NYC in the fall, or how last week the weather was the perfect mix of rain and warmth specifically designed to tear a hole in me, or how my final evening there was spent wandering from karaoke bar to karaoke bar singing my own greatest hits until 4am, or how amazed/excited I am that the play I’m writing seems to *actually* be working. Instead (and apologies to folks who get this via email without images) here are some pictures from my week in the city followed by a gif of me falling off a mechanical bull because YOU DESERVE IT and YES I AM TOTALLY FINE and YOU ARE VERY WELCOME…
Enter at your own peril.
She is a warrior.
A page from my play that mentions genitalia.
Bowl of beans + man-bun = emoji hearts.
A consternated mosaic.
I own many Rothy’s.
She likes The Lion King.
A $43 cup of wine I purchased at Slave Play on Broadway without asking the price first. Lesson learned. ☹️
He matters.
You matter.
…your kindness during this challenging time is greatly appreciated…
I powered down in mid-May due to some pretty gnarly personal stuff, but I think I’m back online now. Partially. For those of you who happen to reside in NYC or SF, I have a couple newsy things to report. But for the rest of you, nuttin’ but a muffin.
Muffin to see here.
If you wanna know I feel about muffins, click this.
I hate muffins. I don’t know why. Something about the shape. Like they refuse to have one. And the aggressive sweetness. I kinda wanna smash them with my fist. I was gonna say “punch,” but if you punch a muffin it just flies off the table. Which means the muffin has won. Which is unacceptable.
So. NYC! What are you doing next Friday the 13th, besides feeling spooky? I have a reading of my new play SO UM THANK YOU directed by Kip Fagan, but you gotta RSVP because space is limited. We are doing two presentations, one at 12PM (audience will be seated in chairs) and one at 3PM (audience will be taking a yoga class). You can be a total beginner. It’s not a hard class. We’ll be in the Robert Moss Theater at 440 Lafayette St. on the 3rd floor. BYO mat! But we have some too.
And. SF! Or Berkeley, to be precise. My play ELEVADA directed by Susannah Martin will be running from Oct 17 – Nov 17 at Shotgun Players. I just rewrote the whole dang thing top to bottom. It’s a romantic comedy. Kind of.
She has phantom hair! He has phantom antlers! WHAT IS GOING ON?
Hopefully I’ll see you on one of the coasts at one of the gigs. Otherwise I’ll be in a cafe somewhere getting churlish around baked goods for no reason. xo
A friend sent this to me ’cause I needed it. Maybe you do too? (Click to expand.)
Mr. Cogito Meditates on Suffering
by Zbigniew Herbert
All attempts to remove
the so-called cup of bitterness–
by reflection
frenzied actions on behalf of homeless cats
deep breathing
religion–
failed
one must consent
gently bend the head
not wring the hands
make use of the suffering gently moderately
like an artificial limb
without false shame
but also without unnecessary pride
do not brandish the stump
over the heads of others
don’t knock with the white cane
against the windows of the well-fed
drink the essence of bitter herbs
but not to the dregs
leave carefully
a few sips for the future
accept
but simultaneously
isolate within yourself
and if it is possible
create from the matter of suffering
a thing or a person
play
with it
of course
play
entertain it
very cautiously
like a sick child
forcing at last
with silly tricks
a faint
smile