Fare Thee Well, George Francis

George Francis died the other day. He was 112. He was the oldest man living in the U.S. at the time of his departure for points unknown, for that undiscovered country old Billy Bob you-know-who wrote about way back when. I think a lot about death and time and what happens when we shuffle off this mortal coil- even more so around the holidays when so many ghosts of Christmas past run amok- so I took particular interest in this story about Mr. Francis and his recent demise. Here was a guy who was born when years, as counted in the western world, began with 18- as in the Nineteenth Century. Too bad he didn't get to see tomorrow and all that it will bring. But then again, 112 years is a lot of living, and that guy got to see a lot of stuff none of us will ever, unless we somehow become friends with Marty McFly and his time traveling DeLorean. If I live to be 112, I wonder what things I will see- what new wonders, what epic tragedies? I guess (and by the way, I am dropping the use of the small "i" when I say I) I've seen a lot in my days- but there's a lot I'd like to see that hasn't happened yet- like people on Mars, contact with Aliens, a feature film of The Hobbit. Yeah, I dream big.

So.

This morning, I saw the stupidest segment on the Today show- wherein this super white bread reporter was pondering whether Barack Obama is as "gangsta" as Fifty-Cent. Nothing like a bunch of honkeys trying to act street to make one want to barf. It just blew my mind that, with all that is happening in the country, with all that is riding on the upcoming presidency- this is something they choose to take the time to make an entire segment out of- how cool is Obama? Seriously, that's just lame. It was sort of like when Doctor Evil told his son Scott "I'm hip, I'm with it" and then went into a bizarre version of the Macarana.

Speaking of the new Administration, I got an e-mail the other day urging the creation of a Secretary of the Arts- which I think is an awesome idea. Here is a link with more on the subject:
www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html. I hope you all sign it, and pass it along to everyone you know- we should be the world leader in the arts, not the world slacker.

What? We don't slack? There are great things going on right here, right now?
I know, but I still think our government needs to get a better grasp of the Arts and their place in society.

Okay, that's it- my first blog of 2009- sort of rambling, but I only had one cup of coffee so far, so what do you expect?

And lest I end without at least one plug, the web site is up for Gravity and Glass, which is producing my new play Hela and Troy- here's the link:
Gravity and Glass.

So. let's all live to 113 at least, and let's all be gangsta cool the whole ride.

Cesta hořícího muže

Hi- the translated title of Burning the Old Man has changed, and I know you all would want to know that- so below is the blurb on the play. I think my new favorite word is neohipiku.

Kelly McAllister: Cesta hořícího muže

Překlad Víktor Janiš
Režie Maria Záchenská

Česká premiéra duben 2009

Dva rozhádaní bratři vyrážejí na přání nedávno zesnulého otce na cestu k místu, které si jejich příbuzný vyvolil jako místo posledního odpočinku. Uváznou těsně před cílem, v laciném hotýlku kdesi v poušti společně s barmankou, dvojicí neohipíků a rozzlobeným mužem středního věku. Putování s urnou je hořkosladká a velmi vtipná hra o smrti, nepříjemných rodinných pravdách i o plameni vášně, který dřímá v každém z nás a který může být tak snadno uhašen.