I did something tonight...

I haven't done in a long time. I went for a bike ride at 10 PM. That is the wonderful aspect about most Summer nights in the big NO... they are balmy and perfect for something like that. Riding around my neighborhood in the dark of night... then getting home to a tall glass of iced tea. Perfect.

AWARDS - YOU LIKE ME... YOU REALLY LIKE ME!

If you are a regular visitor you would have noticed that I rarely do memes, etc. When I do it is usually something that really tickles my fancy. In this case I couldn't pass up the Schmooze Award that the always delightful Lime kindly bestowed upon me... and I am honored and flattered. She also said that I qualified for the Creative Blogger Award. So, I'm nicking both awards to bestow upon 5 bloggers in each category... then they can pick 5... and so on and so forth. (I think that's how it works.) Though I am not going to hold any to it... they may or may not choose to keep it going. I am also going to try not to do repeats from her post or mine (per award).

::drumroll:: And the POWER OF SCHMOOZE award goes in no particular order to...

Airplanejayne: Apart from being a fine human being in real life (with those wild ranch BBQ's), APJ is quite the schmoozer in the blogosphere. She thinks she is being sly but I've spied her on many an occasion come over to surf my blogroll. She is not the only one but she actually makes contact more than anyone I know. if that is not schmooze... what is?

Tish: A delight (and quite the hottie) whom I actually spent breaking in the New Year's with once via chatting... I think has one of the widest circle of blog friends around. She is actually involved in a Blogathon this Saturday to raise funds for the Glaucoma Foundation (click here for details) so go by and support a good cause. You really have to be an ace schmoozer to do something like that.

Jay: She is a fabulous writer whose blog I came across not too long ago and I have been hooked ever since. Really she easily qualifies for the next award as well. Though I put her here mainly because the numbers in her comment section are so impressive. One of the few bloggers I know of who can make an entire colorful world so vivid just from a simple walk around her city neighborhood.

Osbasso: The Grand Emperor of HNT. Need I say more? The man started a movement and has met several personally on his travels. Sure, he usually frequents and comments on the sites of those of the female persuasion... but seriously, can you blame him? That's schmooze!

Barry: He is a fringe performer friend who is currently criss-crossing Canada on tour bringing his funny and droll shows to 9 Fringe Festivals this Summer. Not sure about blog schmooze but you really have to see this guy work a line waiting for a show. His adventures on this tour is being chronicled on his blog (a fun read BTW) and he also seems to have a strange obsession for bathroom signs.

::drumroll:: And the CREATIVE BLOGGER AWARD goes in no particular order to...

Heather: Her photographs are stunning and here is someone who could easily define blogging as an art form. She expresses in almost a stream of consciousness and sometimes dreamy surreal way all (or at least most) of what is her life. Often cryptic... yes... but you never miss the poetry of emotions that flow from her.

Cosima: This German expat lives in Hong Kong and shares a unique perspective of that and her life with a sometimes arresting candor. Yet there is a constant inquisitive nature that draws her visitors in with the warm embrace of sharing to where her delight of discovery becomes ours.

Zonthar: He has been a long time friend... though I will say (and this is totally unbiased) that he probably holds more talent in his little finger than most of the strutting peacocks in the business deemed "talent" all put together. He really should blog more because when he does he totally enthralls. Go over, give him a read and goose him to do more.

Kfarmer: She will be the first one to refute this... but let me tell you this solid woman's life is art. Just read about her daily adventures on her farm growing vegetables, raising her chicks, hanging with dog, cooking up a mess and loving... and loving totally her brood... and you will get a sense of what I speak of. She truly creates with the elegance of simplicity.

Kien: One of my oldest friends in the world. Just listen to his music... that part is obvious. But more importantly here is someone who has gone through hell and back and has never given up the joy of discovery or the drive to strive... that is the mark of a true creative.

Cheers!

EDIT: 10 PM, Wednesday
Thriller in Manila (prison). OK maybe not in Manila... but in the Philipines for sure. Talk about doing time creatively!
Philippine Prison Reenacts Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” Video

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tagging me self silly

I first saw this meme over at Mark Leslie's then over at Addict's so I decided to tag myself. I haven't done one of these in a while... so, why the heck not?

• Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog

LECRAM'S RANDOM FACTS/HABITS (or boring things you never wanted to know about me.)

1. Even though theatre is my life and I have lived in America for over half my life I have never seen a show on Broadway (even though I have been to NY)... but I have seen several in London's West End. Yeah... strange but true.

2. Whenever I acquire a DVD (even for a movie I have never seen before) I always watch the "extras" before the movie. I hear that this is one of the sure tests for a true nerd.

3. My life is broken up into periods of being ultra high profile social or super hermit recluse. I enjoy both but not all the time.

4. Somewhat related to # 3... friends over the last few years have commented that going out in public with me feels akin to being part of a rock star's entourage. OK... actually they complain that they can't take me anywhere because I seem to know everyone. This is plainly false... everyone seem to know me. LOL!

5. If I am creatively blocked or come to a cluster-fuck while developing a project... a trip to the toilet usually fixes the problem. Further evidence that my work is crap inspired.

6. I rather let things pile up (like the dishes) before taking care of it in one fell swoop. Somehow it brings a greater sense of accomplishment when the task is completed.

7. I hated the taste of chocolate until my mid-20's. That's all I'm going to say about that.

8. Some of the most terrifying scenes I have ever seen on the screen that still haunt me today are from Disney movies - Snow White running through the forest and the "death coach" from Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Even now if the low branches of a tree brushes up against me in the dark of night - I will freak. Yet I have never had problems camping in the jungle. Go figure!

I'm not tagging anyone (I think self fulfillment is best kept as just that) ... but if you want to tag yourself... have at it until you have hairy palms. Just let me know you did so I can go read.

i have mixed feelings about...

... the next couple of days. Extreme juxtaposed realities of my life are converging. On one end there is good cause for pride and celebration but on the other cause for worry and panic. I can only stand in the middle and attempt to breathe at the moment. (The high pollen count today is only adding to all of this.)

The meme in the last post was fun. It was a challenge coming up with the questions and I have been enjoying the answers. Some have chosen to be more candid than others but all have been revealing. I will continue to look forward to more as others chime in.

Perhaps there will be more to this post later... if I can manage to put a cogent thought together.

I was going to write a post about...

... the ironies about my present life but I decided to do a meme instead. I hadn't done one in a long time and figured... heck, why not?

Besides, the only irony that came to mind was the fact that the only exercise I get daily now is when I ride to the store for a pack of cigs. And irony upon irony... doing this is actually helping me to get my stamina back.

Anyway... it's an INTERVIEW MEME I saw this on the lovely Tish's blog. I responded and she sent me 5 questions. So, here they are along with my answers.

1. What is your favorite play and why? I don't know if I have a favorite play. Though the works of Beckett and Brecht still astound me to no end. Beckett for his preciseness (one of the few playwrights where you should actually pay attention to the punctuation) and powerful use of silence. Brecht for not only reminding us that theatre should be theatrical (really folks... thats what the whole "alienation" thing was all about) but also the sheer brilliance of his plays. OK... sue me because one was a manic-depressive and the other a commie socialist... it still doesn't take away that both were brilliant (and influential) theatre visionaries.
   
2. If you could magically transform yourself into any fictional character, who would it be and why? It used to be Scrooge McDuck... just the idea of swimming in money appealed to me. These days... yeah, it'll still have to be Scrooge McDuck.
3. How many hours of sleep per night do you require? I am at my best with about 5 hours of sleep. Not sure why but It's something I discovered in my 20's. It finds me at my most efficient.
   
4. Why did you originally start blogging? I actually started blogging to get my writing chops back up. The actual machenical action of writing is as important to the whole process as the ideas that spur it on. There is a scene in the movie "Finding Forrester" that touches on this. In a lot of ways blogging is sort of like going out for that daily jog to keep in shape. Since then, I've come to discover (and greatly enjoy) the interaction that comes with blogging. It has also provided opportunities as a creative outlet in more ways than one.
5. If you could meet any blogger in person, who would it be and why? That is a loaded question. lol. Actually all of of you. Through blogging I have met some pretty incredible folk and found out a bit about them through their blogs. Their joys their pain and above all their humanity. (Yeah, notice how I skirted around that one.)
   

If anyone would like to be interviewed, here's how to keep the meme going:

Leave me a comment saying "Interview me." I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions. You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions, and let me know that you answered. If you don't have a blog, but would still like to play, I can send you the questions, and you can answer them in the comments. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Cheers!

EDIT: I will post interview questions right after I fix the fence that my dogs are escaping through.