LONELYPOND PRESENTS

The band (Blink Kitty Love) weighs in on Kathryn Bigelow’s Directors Guild win so I’ll quote them here (original post):

Yes, we’ve been hibernating.  It’s winter, we’re mammals, get over it.  We’ve been indoors, keeping warm, with a stack of DVDs and an even bigger stack of cold cuts, french bread, condiments, trimmings and everything you need to make a Dagwood sandwich because, well, he is the master.

And in honor of Kathryn Bigelow’s historic Directors Guild of America win for directing Hurt Locker, we’re going to pick our favorite movies by female directors (the good thing is women directors can’t be covered in 4 or even 5 movies; the bad thing is for big budget productions, it wouldn’t take many more). So congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow, good luck with Oscars and we hope you inspire more women to bring their visions to a screen near us.

Ty  mood: feeling fine

Strange Days  directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Tammy  mood:  colorfully exotic

Frida   directed by Julie Taymor

Tinker  mood:  armed, dangerous, darn cute, etc.

D.E.B.S.  directed by Angela Robinson

TK  mood:  known for other things (and still can never just pick one)

Yentl  directed by Barbra Streisand

A League Of Their Own  directed by Penny Marshall

Greetings, o most loyal and amazing blog visitors. Happy 2010. I’m going to give you a fairly thorough round up as I would really like to be taking a couple of weeks for some R + R while it’s cold and all my baser instincts are saying, “Stay under the covers, it’s warm.” I am not particularly good at the R + R things so I may be forced to resort to things like read all the Harry Potter books, read all the Sarah Caudwell books, read all the Terry Pratchett Watch themed books, read my MFK Fisher + Elizabeth David, dig out my Raymond Chandler and Peter Cheyney, read through the pile of newspapers, watch all the movies I’ve borrowed from friends (Tristram Shandy, Bubba Ho-Tep, Steam Boy), watch the movies I watch every year and skipped in ‘09 (the original 3 American Pies, Tomb Raider, Bring It On, The Bandwagon, Strictly Ballroom, etc.)

So to tide you over, there’s the new Blink Kitty Love, all the old Blink Kitty Love, the band website and this:

Lunch With Tristram Stuart who feeds people from discarded food to highlight wastage.

Article about really cool jazz pianists CD collections I can’t afford.

The FT’s this year in culture quiz…

Stefan Stern’s suggestions for movies to watch and pick up business tips from this season (for the rest of you who don’t do R + R).

Very cool story about a native Gypsy theatre experiment/troupe in Spain. I am always amazed by the effect theatre can have on both audience and performers.

Umberto Eco’s latest looks to land on a list of fun reads.

Hoping to catch Nine at the local cinema…doesn’t look like Orson Welles and Me or The Station will make an appearance here; bumped Moon to the top of the Netflix queue and may soon give in to the buy Star Trek and/or Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie DVD urge…also on that list, the Cary Grant double feature — The Bachelor and The Bobby Soxer and Walk, Don’t Run, which I just saw on TCM and laughed at the frequently priceless moments.

TV: Zeke and Luther’s I, Skatebot episode looks cool, a bit worried about Wizards vs. Werewolves (Wizards of Waverly Place) — perhaps too soon after Wizards vs. Vampires and what will be left for Max, Wizards vs. really grumpy mythological creatures left out of the Twilight series — not really watching much on Nick at the moment except for late night What I Like About You, Top Gear kicks off a new season soon (Gayle very excited), I still miss Warehouse 13 and I really need to spend more time reading.

Merchant of Venice (#merven) planning not kicking into gear — but it’s early yet. Trying to get an artist for the logo, Gayle’s scheduling shows, I’ve decided to have people audition with their cool electronic gear (cell phones, laptops, etc.) Need to read through the play again; concerned about the Bassiano/Antonio axis –and no, I don’t mean in the gay way, just in the everybody’s always so concerned about Portia and Shylock, but hey without these two, I’ve got two right side wheels on a vehicle that needs two on the left as well.

The Lonely Pond Productions, Inc. annual meeting went in unexpected directions. But Google Wave worked well when the snow prevented travel. I need to put together scripts for a short live action adaptation and a few animations. And mull over movie related issues some more.

And Sarah Hemming’s “Twelfth Night” review left me grumping about people who weight down comedies with misery so I have been considering exactly how tragic the characters of Malvolvio, Sir Andrew, Wile E. Coyote, Elmer Fudd, et al are. And her Rope review makes the show sound like an excellent experience to have in a theatre.

Speaking of Hitchcock, there was a Vanity Fair photospread (thanks @njtam, a fellow Hitchcock fan) of modern stars in classic Hitchcock scenes…the women do better than the men, who seem to suffer from not being Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart.

My current favorite breakfast is oatmeal with hot apple cider for a drink, my current most likely to be worn shirt is this one (it amuses Gayle) and I heard this amazingly goofy song at one of our favorite restaurants that Google has been no help with finding the title of…the lyrics as we can remember go something like this: “you’re good cause you don’t do things like (or that) you should…you’re cool cause (cuz?) you don’t do things by the book.” Sounded like a guy singing, it was a Spanish-Peruvian restaurant where music usually has spanish lyrics, it was chanty, and if you drop the title/artist in the comments, there will be a reward.

And I think that gets you up to date — and should tide you over for awhile. Wishing you the best of 2010’s. Stay warm.

P.S. Cool toasters…I need one.

Peter Aspden on the problem defining cool + if Miles Davis is the solution.

Fashion Bloggers in the front row…Nicola Copping on how bloggers (example @bryanboy) are gaining influence with designers. Fashion Blogs I follow, well @meandmarisa found me on Twitter and I’ve been enjoying their photos and fashion thoughts.

Sarah Hemming talks to set designers about…set design.

Mexican left-wing printmakers took on church, politics + culture. Review of exhibit at British Museum.

Christine Lagarde, French Finance Minster, ranks #1.

Vanessa Friedman on how dressing for the EU President job will be almost as difficult as landing it.

And to end w/ a dinner tomorrow thought: a pumpkin risotto recipe. Also must make single serving apple crisps in these deep, white ramekins we have — feeling inspired by the season and the big nubbly apples sitting in our fruit bowl.

Saturn picture.

Stefan Stern on underappreciated management thinker Russ Ackoff; next time I hit the library, I’ll track down Management f-Laws.

Do The Chump, yes do The Chump, chump (amusing myself, no offense intended)…my friends @TheWebFiles interviewed Jeremy Redleaf of Odd Job Nation last week so I checked out his show and darn funny. Watched all three episodes and by the time they were doing The Chump at the end, I wanted more.

James Altucher, yes James Altucher has not disappeared; he has immigrated from the FT to a column for the New York Post, Huffington Post and various other venues. You can also find him on Twitter.

And I’m in the middle of a conversation about Shakespeare with new Twitter friend @feignedmischief who reviews plays and other fancies here.

So, this’ll have to cover you for a bit…TV reviews later. The Big Bang Theory both hits and misses (or should I say fumbles) and has iCarly lost all of its charms in a cloud of mean mischief and shouting. You’ll want to know. Stay tuned.

The FT’s* exploring mentoring and how artists learn w/ the sponsorship of Rolex and the two articles so far on participants in the program have been good.

Martin Scorsese talks about how he works, what movies inspire him and how he was treated when he was trying to learn the craft of movies.

Kate Valk describes the interesting and masked approach The Wooster Group takes to theatre as they develop performances.

Peter Aspden has been knocking out excellent columns. This week he talks to Martha Wainwright about interpreting Edith Piaf, Wainwright’s musical family and how she maintains her individual drift.

Several weeks ago (yes, I still have a pile of newspapers I’m working through), Peter Aspden wrote aboutPatti Smith now, and her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe then. I remember seeing “The Perfect Moment” Mapplethorpe exhibit - there was a clarity and an aggression that made them more vivid than any other photos I’d seen to that point. I think that’s when I realized photography could be art.

*Financial Times, my current newspaper of choice.

Because that’s what you’re here for, right?

Robots: my friend @kristynburtt, the creator and host half of my friends @TheWebFiles (@SPWrite the director + producer half) is in Texas at the Texas State Fair running across robot + bird sculptures. So, of course, someone helped her solve the mystery + we have a link to The Traveling Man.

Shakespeare + Sarah Hemming, because those two names seem to go together, here and in The Financial Times. This past weekend she interviewed Mark Rylance, director, actor and theatre extraordinaire type. The interview made me nostalgic for The Tempest, which I swore I would never direct again (just read Act I, scene ii and you’ll know why — Shakespeare should have just written a prequel titled The Duke of Milan instead of that scene.) The actress playing Biondello this summer told Gayle she wanted us to do it + now I’m getting the urge again. We far exceeded our reach for the second year of a program + I got to put magic tricks in — remind me to tell you sometime about a half ton trunk, small children dressed as dogs and why they should never be combined in the same scene. Or about the 15′ tall mast that was magnetically attracted to swimming pools or the producer who had to hold down half our set by clinging to a rope thrown down from the stage…The Tempest seems conducive to epic stories, as the Rylance article reminded me. Hmmmm……

This afternoon’s alternate office discovery (thanks to Wired magazine): How about The Elements — yes, of the Table of Perodic fame. Theodore Gray has written a book about them and it looks great.

And @flyingmonkeyair linked to the site he did for Mizna, the Arab American arts journal/events promoter, where I found a book I must track down, The Night Counter.

What else…Great Vanessa Friedman article about fashion, Rio, Paris runways, no more one liner designs and everything else.

That should keep you busy for a bit. Bon soir.

ReadingThe Iron Flute, a collection of 100 Zen Koans I’m borrowing. Complicated — as a koan should be — great brush art for illustration.

Article about lute player Paula Chateauneuf and improvisation in Renaissance and baroque music.

NY Times link for a switch: “Why Good Writers Can Be Bad Conversationalists.”

Profile of the intriguing Agnès Varda, the “grandmother of French New Wave.” Nigel Andrews’ latest review of her latest film “Les plages d’Agnès,” which is going to the top of my Netflix queue whenever it comes out on DVD.

Somewhat stalled on the creative front…finished the animation for two (yes, two) new + fun Blink Kitty Loves but they need music. Jeremy (Lonely Pond sound guru) is dissolving his band and I was hoping to distract him by convincing him to be the Blink Kitty Love guitar + music guru, but he’s overwhelmed. So I’ve drafted Gayle because the longer the episode the less my musical plunking on the mini midi keyboard suits. And the longer episodes are really working from the story angle. Gayle is thinking about adding in harmonica; I just have to find a way to do that in Garageband. Or buy one — did I mention I used to play the harmonica…it was one of my favorite late night activities before I discovered the internet. I could play “Amazing Grace” + “Red River Valley” from memory.

So, to sum up, I think a bluesy rock sound will work for Blink Kitty Love, but we need to find Gayle some computer time.

Weekend plans: finally watch “No Reservations” which has been sitting on top of my TV for ten days in its red Netflix envelope + get my iPod to transmit video to my TV in something other than black and white. And dig out Fried Green Tomatoes and read a book, darn it.

Good night, all.

Missed smallVille premiere because I caught Fame, then we went for a walk + talk.

FAME — great numbers, phenomenal singing performances by Naturi Naughton, a great dance number focusing on Kherington Payne, solid performances by all the cast, all teachers excellent — Charles S. Dutton offered an education in theatre, Bebe Neuwirth convincing, Megan Mullally rocked the karoake scene and the absolutely ONLY time I have ever thought there should have been more Kelsey Grammer (I wanted to see his reaction to Naughton’s character’s story arc) — nice directing moments — yes, we zing through 4 years of moments with multiple characters, but there was a very nice choice of moments. I do wonder if the marketing campaign was different in more ethnically diverse areas than here.

In a restless mood, so FINALLY watched iFight Shelby Marx — and yes, I enjoyed it. Dan Schneider can still knock out a funny iCarly + Victoria Justice did a nice guest turn. So much better than iDate A Bad Boy. Good Gibby moments + Neville w/ a contraband porcupine works. Might catch tomorrow’s Date Night one two iCarly-True Jackson knockout punch.

Anything else to review — oh, caught a second episode of Nick’s new show, The Troop and didn’t think about The Power Rangers at all. Cheerleading scenes brought back Buffy but not really in a comparing way, just in an I haven’t watched a Buffy episode in too long way — BuffyFest for Halloween, baby. Liked this episode of The Troop better, the guys seem to be developing a rapport and the idea is neat. Might give it a tie breaker.

Peter Aspden on Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing + how maybe not making a choice (as an artist) can impact + amplify your effect.

Paul Levitz is back on the Legion — YES. Levitz is stepping down as president + publisher and DC is revamping under the Warner Brothers aegis to take on the mega muscle that will be Disney/Marvel.

Great article on Winston Churchill + the fighting spirit.

Saw Ellen MacArthur on Top Gear; superfast sailor; fastest lap in their old Stars in Ordinary Cars derby. Here’s her blog; want to track down her book.

What the heck, @nicolaz + her partner @kelleyeskridge have started an editing business, @sterlingediting. (Yes, I love Twitter; it’s where I, @lonelypond, win friends + influence people; you have been previously warned; and if you influence or amuse me or annoy me in that grit making a pearl happen fashion, hey, you may very well get a mention right here.) I wish them well in their new endeavour. It is the best of feelings to collaborate on something you love with someone you love (oh, no, verging on sentiment — gak* — definition 4 my favorite. Must sleep more — refer previous entry)

Back to FT and other links (but what about the Legion you say? That’s not British. That’s a glitch not a tangent or even a segue. Caught me, but true love supersedes all.)

I actually find myself in sympathetic agreement with the usually too fluffy, but in a pleasant way, for me Susie Boyt as she struggles with going on holiday and running into a “novelist’s self help manual”.

Profile of Gustav Metzger, artist determined to push the world to survive.

Need to read this book judged by it’s cover.

And a review of Twitterville the book. (I prefer Twitterverse myself, but I’ve yet to write that book.)

And that should tide you over while I get some sun, listen to Radio Blink Kitty Love, lunch, work on that other book, and have a Thursday. Enjoy yours.

Yes, with no show + nothing scheduled, I zinged through my FT Weekend yesterday. Here’s some fun links for you.

Vanessa Friedman on Twitter as a communication accessory — I like the analogy, Twitter goes with everything I own.

From the House and Home section, an article on 12th century design and redecorating the medieval stone keep at Dover Castle.

Sarah Hemming (yes, at it again) profiles Brian Friel…oddly enough, I recently had a Friel conversation with a friend looking for a play to direct. I would love to see a good production of Translations; I’ve always been fascinated by how the language issues would play out on stage.

Harry Eyres ponders Galileo, his telescopes and the reach of science.

And today, an update on robots assisting with care of the elderly in Japan.